I am not an English teacher and probably never will be, but this books leaves me with a nagging feeling that I'm missing out on something. Garry Burnett's love of language, of words, of images and imagery is contagious and makes you desperate to get together with a group of young people and work through these charming and engaging stories using the clear and detailed ideas and strategies from the workbook. There is a personal, almost cathartic, nature to his stories ” vignettes of Northern life - that will resonate with teachers as much as the children. And more than just a useful addition to a literacy lesson, the author draws from his experience in thinking and learning to show the teacher how to use the stories as a starting point for exploring issues including family, bullying, identity, creativity and even bereavement.