Kate Mildenhall returns to inspire Year Nines

 

This term Year Nine English students have been studying the period novel ‘Skylarking’ by Kate Mildenhall.

Some may not be aware that Kate was formerly a teacher at The Lakes and was delighted to come and talk to the boys and girls about her first novel.

'Skylarking'is a haunting story of two teenage girls who are so close they could be sisters. Their obsessive friendship leads them to disaster.

Kate spoke at length to the students about the writing process and how she was able to research the story as it was based on fact. The protagonists of the novel really lived and the tragic ending took place in the 1880s at a lighthouse settlement on Cape St. George in N.S.W.

She showed photos and folios and some of the other books that inspired her and that also featured in the book. The main character Kate is an avid reader, like many of our Year 9s.

It was a rare educational experience for our students to be able to pick the brains of a published author. It’s not every day that you get to meet and talk to the writer of a book you’re studying in English.

It was pleasing and impressive to hear the boys and girls asking questions about the important ideas underlying the story. Our senior students are only 14 or 15 years old but most of them displayed a maturity beyond their years.

They queried Kate about themes like jealousy, obsession, the expectations of the era and the real people and families behind her fictionalised version of events.

At the end of the session, Kate signed our books and was happy to pose for photos with the boys and girls.  I think our students were equally delighted to pose with a real life author, who inspired them and showed them that with persistence and hard work they too may be able to achieve something worthwhile.