--- title: "Year 7 Students Inspired by Bestselling Author Abi Elphinstone" url: "https://greatsankey.org/news/2026-11-13-year-7-students-inspired-by-bestselling-author-abi-elphinstone" school: "Great Sankey High School" --- Our email system is currently down. Please contact us directly by phone. # Year 7 Students Inspired by Bestselling Author Abi Elphinstone ![Image of Year 7 Students Inspired by Bestselling Author Abi Elphinstone](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/news/8.jpg) 13 November 2026 On Wednesday 11th November, 41 Year 7 students at Great Sankey High School enjoyed a fantastic opportunity to take part in a live virtual event with bestselling children's author Abi Elphinstone, discovering the inspiration behind her magical stories and gaining valuable advice on becoming confident young writers. The special 45-minute interactive event, watched live from our Learning Resource Centre (LRC), introduced students to Abi's latest adventure novel, *Goodnight Silver*, a heartwarming story exploring friendship, courage, hope and the importance of protecting the natural world. The novel follows a young girl named Emmy, who becomes separated from her parents during a blizzard in the mountains of Mongolia. After encountering a lost snow leopard cub and a mysterious boy, she embarks on an extraordinary adventure to discover a magical land where wild animals can live in peace. Bringing Stories to Life Abi Elphinstone is a hugely successful children's author, best known for popular books including *Sky Song*, *The Dreamsnatcher* and *The Unmapped Chronicles*. Growing up in Scotland, Abi spent much of her childhood exploring forests, building dens and enjoying adventures outdoors, experiences that continue to influence her imaginative storytelling. Before becoming a full-time author, Abi worked as an English teacher. Her passion for adventure has also taken her around the world, including living with eagle hunters in Mongolia and dog-sledding across the Arctic. During the event, students were fascinated to discover how Abi transforms everyday experiences into extraordinary stories. From shower gel bottles and street signs to adventures in faraway countries, she demonstrated that inspiration can be found almost anywhere. Abi also shared fascinating information about snow leopards, one of the world's most elusive animals, and encouraged students to appreciate the natural world around them. Inspiring Our Next Generation of Writers Events like this play an important role in promoting a love of reading and developing creativity among our students. Hearing directly from a successful author helps young people understand that writing is not simply about putting words on a page, but about imagination, curiosity, perseverance and having the confidence to share their ideas. Throughout the session, Abi encouraged students to be courageous, compassionate and curious, reminding them that everyone has the potential to become a storyteller. The impact of the event was clear from the enthusiastic feedback received from our Year 7 students: *"I really enjoyed how Abi gets her ideas from everyday items."* *"It was great! I was so absorbed listening to her unique stories and ideas."* *"She has given me the confidence to start writing."* Encouraging a Love of Reading A huge thank you goes to Miss Clemson, who organised this fantastic opportunity for our students. Through her continued efforts to arrange author events and promote reading within the school, students are able to experience literature beyond the classroom and discover new books, authors and ideas. Experiences such as these are invaluable in helping students develop their literacy skills, broaden their imaginations and build a lifelong love of reading. All of Abi Elphinstone's books are available for students to borrow from our LRC, and we would encourage students to explore her wonderful collection of adventures. For those who were unable to attend, a recording of the event is also available to watch: Watch the event using this link on YouTube: We hope the experience has inspired some of our Year 7 students to pick up a new book, explore their creativity and perhaps even begin writing an adventure of their own! Well done to everyone who participated, and thank you once again to Miss Clemson for making this memorable experience possible. ### Abi Elphinstone event [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/1.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/1.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/2.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/2.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/3.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/3.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/4.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/4.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/5.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/5.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/6.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/6.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/7.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/7.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/8.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/8.jpg) [![](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/imagecache/720x720s/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/9.jpg)](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/gallery/abi-elphinstone-event/9.jpg) [Abi Elphinstone](https://greatsankey.org/news/tag/abi-elphinstone) [ Sarah Hall MP Officially Opens ‘The Compass’ at Great Sankey High School](https://greatsankey.org/news/2026-11-10-sarah-hall-mp-officially-opens-the-compass-at-great-sankey-high-school) ### Our School - [Welcome from the Executive Principal](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/headteacher-s-message) - [Our Values & Ethos](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/our-values) - [Virtual Tour](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/virtual-tours) - [Our Staff](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/staff) - [News](https://greatsankey.org/news) - [Admissions](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/admissions) - [Open Evening](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/open-evening) - [School Performance Information](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/results) - [Ofsted Information](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/ofsted-information) - [Policies and Reports](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/policies-and-reports) - [Governance](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/governance) - [Work For Us](https://greatsankey.org/recruitment) - [Prospectus](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/school-prospectus) - [Omega Multi Academy Trust](https://greatsankey.org/our-school/omega-multi-academy-trust) - [Contact Us](https://greatsankey.org/contact) ![Great Sankey High School](https://files.schudio.com/great-sankey-high-school/images/logo/Omega_Part_of_Logo_White_Mono.png) **Great Sankey High School** Barrow Hall Lane Warrington Cheshire WA5 3AA Tel: 01925 724118 Fax: 01925 727396 Email: ## Follow Us - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/GreatSankeyHS/) - [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/omega-multi-academy-trust) - [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/great_sankey_high_school/) ## Translation © Copyright 2016–2026 Great Sankey High School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://greatsankey.org/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/) Update cookies preferences