Stories and poems
Authors Live Extra
Get more from your reading and find inspiration for your own writing with exclusive interviews and tips from our Authors Live events.
Authors Live Extra: Frank Cottrell Boyce
How do you take real events and put them into a fun and fantastical story? Find out with Frank Cottrell Boyce, writer of .Sputnik's Guide to Life on Earth'.
Authors Live Extra: Abi Elphinstone
How do you create fantastic settings and explore big themes? Find out with Abi Elphinstone, author of 'The Crackledawn Dragon' and other fantasy tales.
Authors Live Extra: Alastair Chisholm
How do you write science fiction and create exciting plots? Learn some tips from 'Orion Lost' author Alastair Chisholm.
Authors Live Extra: Catherine Johnson
How do you mix fact and fiction? Learn about researching real people and writing historical fiction with author Catherine Johnson.
What are narrative poems?
A narrative poem is a type of poem that tells a story.
What is a myth?
Myths were created by early civilisations to make sense of the world around them.
Is the Banshee a myth or a legend?
Tales of the Banshee vary between different cultures. Find out how and why.
The legend of Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a legend, as some of the characters in the story are based on people who really existed.
The Fountain of Youth
Myths are magical tales with hidden meaning, like the Fountain of Youth.
What is a limerick?
The first, second and fifth lines of a limerick rhyme.
What is a nonsense poem?
Nonsense poems don't always make sense, they often use made up words, mixed up with real words.
What are free verse poems?
Free verse poems don't follow the rules.
Video playlist
Writing a Scots folk song. Video
Singer Emily Smith help students to write a folk song in Scots at a music workshop.
'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes (animation) Video
An animated extract from the first chapter of 'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes.
'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll (poem only) Video
Actress Zoe Wanamaker recites 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll.
Doctor Who - scene montage. Video
A montage of scenes from ‘Doctor Who’ with music, illustrating how they are set.
'The Visitor' by Ian Serraillier (poem only) Video
Actor Jonathan Kemp performs the poem 'The Visitor' by Ian Serraillier.
Poems about animals. Video
Four children read the poems they have written about a sheep, horses, a calf and a bull.
'The Dragon Who Ate Our School' by Nick Toczek (poem only) Video
With the help of schoolchildren, Nick Toczek performs 'The Dragon Who Ate Our School'.
'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll (Dramatisation) Video
A reading of 'Jabberwocky' by Lewis Carroll.
'George's Marvellous Medicine' by Roald Dahl (dramatisation) Video
A dramatised extract from 'George's Marvellous Medicine' by Roald Dahl.
Doctor Who - creating a character. Video
A brief guide to creating a character using the main characters from ‘Doctor Who’.
Writing Scots poetry. Video
Poet Liz Niven leads a workshop on writing a poem in Scots.
'Boy: Tales of Childhood' by Roald Dahl - the bicycle (dramatisation) Video
The young Roald Dahl longs to be like an older boy he watches on his bike.
'Pinda Cake' by Valerie Bloom (poem only) Video
A performance poem using Jamaican patois by Valarie Bloom.
A reading of the poem 'Clever Trevor' by Benjamin Zephaniah. Video
Benjamin Zephaniah performs 'Clever Trevor', which describes a footballer scoring a goal.
'The Magic Box' by Kit Wright (poem only) Video
The author Kit Wright reads his poem 'The Magic Box' to a group of children.
