Author Caroline Lawrence visits Our Lady of Sion School

Caroline Lawrence, author of the ‘Roman Mysteries’ series visited Our Lady of Sion School on 1st March, as part of the school’s week of ‘World Book Day’ celebrations, to talk to Years 3 - 6 Junior school pupils and Year 7 Senior School pupils. She spoke to the children about how she writes her books, and where she gets the ideas for the settings and  the characters. Her stories are all mystery stories set in Ancient Rome, and her gang of detectives are a group of four Roman children, led by Flavia Gemina, daughter of a Roman sea-captain, who lives in ancient Rome’s port of Ostia. Flavia is helped by her three friends, her Jewish next-door neighbour, Jonathon, her African slave, Nubia and Lupus, a mute beggar-boy. Together, they embark on solving mysteries, including some grisly murders!

Caroline explained to the children that she was inspired to write the stories after reading Greek and  Roman myths as a child, and she told them how her stories follow the pattern of the myths; there is a flawed hero, who sets out on a quest, there are his/her loyal helpers, usually an older ‘mentor’ character, and an opponent. Her stories follow 7 ‘Plot Beats’; 1) the problem arises; 2) the desire to solve the problem develops in the hero; 3) the opponent appears; 4) the hero devises a plan; 5) there is a battle between the hero and the protagonist; 6) the hero gains new knowledge as a result of the quest; and finally; 7) the hero reaches a new level of knowledge/understanding about the world. She explained how this format is used in many modern films and stories; in ‘Harry Potter’, in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, in ‘Star Wars’ and in Pixar’s ‘Up’.

Her visit was enjoyed by all the children, especially when she showed them her Roman ‘toilet stick’ and told them how it was used! Isobelle Dogget (year 7) said ; ‘She was funny, and I really like her books’. Abi Kemp-Potter said ‘She is a really inventive story-teller, and a good writer’.

The Junior School Friends’ Association (Parents’ Association) kindly funded part of the cost of Caroline’s visit.