#WBD26: Beyond the Pages: Real People, Real Stories at St John’s

To celebrate World Book Day 2026, students had the opportunity to meet over 20 “living books” and talk to them about their interesting lives.  We had visits from a farmer, a pilot, a former professional wrestler, actors, teachers, a hairdresser, a paramedic, a firefighter, a vet, a conservationist, a humanitarian aid worker, authors and many more.  The small group discussions brought their amazing stories to life, showing students the diverse and fascinating paths people take.

St John’s also had visits from Emily Randall-Jones, a former pupil and now the author of the The Witch Stone Ghosts and The Scream of the Whistle.   Not only was she one of our “living books”, but she also hosted reading and writing workshops with Years 7 and 12, plus provided a separate author talk to an enthralled Year 7 reading class.

Meanwhile, author Jon Stock also visited and provided an engaging talk to the Y13 Media Studies class regarding his life as a freelance journalist, as an author and about the time one of his books was optioned by Warner Bros and the processes it entailed. Jon is a Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow and Vice-Chair of the Marlborough LitFest. Jon normally writes psychological thrillers, but his first non-fiction book, The Sleep Room, has recently been published in soft-back.

Students and staff also decorated their room doors to reflect their favourite books, adding a creative visual element to the celebrations.