On Tuesday 15 May 2012, pupils from Years 7 and 8 were given a unique and thought-provoking experience when author/translator Dr David Lawson visited the school library.

Dr Lawson has translated the autobiography of Eva Erben, a Jewish woman who survived the Holocaust. ‘Escape Story’ tells of Eva’s horrific experience of Nazi persecution, her life in the Theresienstadt Ghetto and her eventual journey to Auschwitz.

Dr Lawson shared with the pupils his experience of working with Eva whilst he translated her story into English. He was able to give the children some fascinating insights into her moving personal story of survival.

Jubaer, a Year 7 pupil, said, “It was really interesting to learn about what people went through during the Holocaust, but also to learn about the process of translating books. I really enjoyed it.”

Mr Weighall, the School’s Librarian, who organised the visit, said, “Visits like this are so important as they help the children to build a strong personal connection with a book or an author or a topic. We aim to get our children excited about reading. It was clear from the pupils’ response on Tuesday that Dr Lawson really grabbed the children’s imaginations and left them wanting to know more.”