STUDENTS from Haslingden High School got to join leading children’s author, Tom Palmer, for lunch.
Eleven-year-olds, Sofia Ali and Reese Gansler chatted to the author who was in school as part of the Lancashire We Are Reading initiative.
They have both read some of his books before and Reese said Tom’s book ‘Armistice Runner’ had been one that her reading group at school read and discussed.
Sofia said: “We got to ask him questions including why he wanted to write about sport.”
Reese said: “I asked him how he found out that he wanted to be an author.”
Tom got interested in reading because his mum would buy him newspapers and magazines and before he became an author he used to 
work in a library.
He has written 58 books, but 10 have not been published, and he is commissioned by his publisher to write new ones regularly – this year he has two new ones coming out.
Most of his books are on a sporting theme and he also links them with a history or crime genre.
Sofia said: “I do like reading and meeting Tom has given me a few ideas about writing.”
Reese bought her own copy of ‘Armistice Runner’ and got Tom to autograph it.
Tom spoke to all of Year 7 in an assembly where students asked questions. He also issued a penalty kick challenge to the students who correctly answered questions he posed with PE teacher Erika Wilson in goal.
Nathan Perks won a small trophy after beating the goalie.
The school library has all of Tom’s titles available to loan.