Patron of Reading

Wings-Flyboy-03 I am currently the RAF Museum’s children’s writer in residence. In the lead up to the Royal Air Force centenary in 2018, I worked with the museum’s visitors to help them get the best out of their experience. You can find out more about that here and an interview with me about it here.

I also work with Reading Force who promote sharing and talking about books with children in British Armed Service families. Find out more about that here.

2017-2018
I am excited to be Patron of Reading at primary schools in two very different geographical locations :

Somerville Primary School in Birmingham
St Wilfrid’s Primary School near Preston, Lancashire more here

“Our boys and the audience found him really engaging – fascinated by how he came to love reading and then became a writer. Tom’s approach to literacy focuses on encouraging access by drawing upon boys’ existing interests. Tom was, therefore, the obvious choice to be our Patron.” Newcastle School for Boys

2016-2017
I was asked to be a Patron of Reading for Newcastle School for Boys and Trinity School in Carlisle. Newcastle School for Boys had some amazing ideas to explore cross-curricula literacy and helped me develop some new children’s books. Trinity School was closed for a long period after being very badly damaged by flooding. Their library alone lost 3000 books and 300 pupil’s homes were flooded so there is no doubt that their reading, as well as everything else, had suffered. I hope I helped them both with their fantastic plans to encourage reading for pleasure.

“Please thank Tom again for his tremendous efforts this year. We have gained a huge amount from working with him. We are so appreciative of you dedicating the book to us in the opening pages and mentioning us in the acknowledgement pages. This means a great deal to me personally and to the staff and boys. ” Newcastle School for Boys

2015-2016

Combat Zone Book Launch at RAF — with Albrighton Primary School

I was a Patron of Reading at the following schools:

England – Albrighton Primary School
Scotland – Stewart’s Melville College
Wales – Ysgol Dyffryn Aman

Award winning SMC Librarian, Duncan Wright says “We aim to develop a culture of reading throughout our school and inviting guest authors is just one of the many ways we use to enthuse pupils and staff about reading. We have chosen to invite Tom Palmer as he firmly believes that sport can get children enthused about reading. With so many of our pupils involved in sport we hope to use Tom as a catalyst to try and hook those who are ‘reluctant readers’ into discovering the enjoyment of books. I firmly believe in the power of libraries, they are a gateway to knowledge and open the door to an infinite number of different worlds, real and imagined.” Stewart’s Melville College and The Junior School, Edinburgh Jan http://www.esms.edin.sch.uk/news//feb/national-libraries-day/

Read my blog here about working with Albrighton Primary School to write Combat Zone.

A Patron of Reading is a school’s special, designated children’s author with whom the school forms a personal attachment. The author might be a writer of fiction, a writer of non-fiction, a poet, a storyteller, a graphic novelist or an illustrator. They will work with the school for a period of approximately three years to raise the profile of reading for pleasure with pupils, parents and staff.

Find out more about the Patron of Reading scheme here.

I am also a proud supporter of the National Literacy Trust’s Premier League Reading Stars scheme.

Buy Books

Signed and dedicated copies of all my books are available personalised to order from my local independent children’s bookshop “The Thoughtful Spot” here.