Tag Archives: Gill Jepson

Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle – Gill Jepson

Guy is a gargoyle at Furness Abbey. He enjoys watching the monks go about their business, and at night, when the moon is up, he is able to fly with his many brothers. Then the abbey is destroyed by soldiers. Everything changes and Guy looks on forlornly as his brothers are lost. Some are carted away or broken and others go into hiding. He becomes very sad and grumpy and won’t talk to anyone. This goes on for many years until a little shrew decides to cheer him up…She makes him laugh and then he finds he can fly again and makes new friends. The friends then decide to help him find his brothers. They fly from place to place, meeting different animals along the way. They finally find the remaining gargoyle safe and sound at the Abbey Mill Cafe.

Guy the Grumpy Gargoyle -Gill JepsonGuy the Grumpy Gargoyle is a fantasy picture story about friends and feelings that uses the traditions of storytelling to encourage sharing stories. The beautiful, full-colour illustrations provide a stimulus for discussion and will inspire children to listen and talk about the story. The journey the characters take is descriptive and enables children to join in and predict the text. Sometimes funny and also sad, it will appeal to young readers aged 3-7. Gill is a primary teacher and has read the story in local schools, where it has gained a following. It is her second book and her third is released in November and is the second in the Out of Time series.

Article submitted by Gill Jepson.
Where next? There’s a great quick read here on Headline supply
Check out our resources area here too.

Out of Time: The Secret of the Swan – Gill Jepson

Out of Time: The Secret of the Swan
Article submitted by Gill Jepson, Teacher and Author

What could a 15th Century Monk, an Errand Boy from 1934 and a trio of kids from the present have in common?
Rebecca’s life takes a dramatic turn one summer. When she loses her beloved Granddad, she takes solace in the places they used to go. Exploring one of them, Furness Abbey, with her friends leads to adventures beyond their wildest dreams. The youngsters find themselves in the midst of a mystery, as old as the abbey itself. Along the way they encounter the ghost of Cistercian monk and a 1930s errand boy, who reveal the secrets of the abbey treasure. The friends must race against time to find the lost treasure before their evil adversary; the mysterious Mr. Steele can find it.
Out of Time is a children’s fantasy novel, blending past and present, magic and time travel; woven together by a life experience and the emotions that go with it. It vividly describes lives in other times and attempts to transport the reader back in time.
Gill Jepson is a primary teacher with 20 years experience. She has created a fascinating new adventure for children aged 9 and upwards by taking elements of history and fact and blending them into an exciting tale.
The book has been received well in schools and is an excellent resource for literacy with many strong cross curricular links for Key Stage 2. It promotes imagination and creative writing and is an excellent class reading book and can be used for guided reading. There are many elements in the book which can be used to stimulate work, for example inventing characters, using imagery and descriptive language, creating settings and plot development. The themes of the book easily translate to other curriculum areas such as art, design and technology, history and environment.

Out of Time: The Secret of the Swan Gill Jepson

Gill’s book is available from Amazon.

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on overseas teachers teaching in Britain. Check out our resources area here too.