Pupils from Year 5 and 6 at Henwick Primary School used the opening scene of 'Framed' as a focus for English and art work. Listen to the author reading the extract that inspired them.
Framed: Beach scene
Transcript
Writer Frank Cottrell Boyce reads the opening scene of his novel 'Framed'
Frank Cottrell Boyce:
My dad, right – ask anyone this, they'll all say the same – my dad can fix anything. Toyota. Hyundai. Ford. Even Nice Tom's mam's diddy Daihatsu Copen (top speed 106 mph), which is about the size of a marshmallow so you need tweezers to fix it.
And it's not just cars. Like the time when we were at Prestatyn and Minnie wanted a swim but I wouldn't get in the water because it was too cold. She kept saying, 'Come in. It's fine once you're in.' And I kept saying, 'No.'
Dad got up, went to the caravan and came back with a kettle of boiling water. He poured the water in the sea and said, 'Dylan, come and test it. Tell me if it's all right or does it need a bit more?'
I said, 'No, that's fine now, thanks, Dad.'
'Sure now?'
'Sure now.'
'Not too hot then?'
'No, just right.'
'Give me a shout. If it gets cold again, I can always boil up some more.'
Then Minnie splashed me and I splashed her and we stayed in the water until the sun went down. He fixed the sea for us. Now that is a thing to be admired.
The children's project work
Framed: Dylan's beach trip diary
Transcript
A Year 5/6 pupil from Henwick Primary School reads a piece of original writing, inspired by the novel 'Framed'
Henwick Primary School pupil:
Friday 25 July, 2008. Prestatyn Beach.
Weather: Sunny and a bit windy.
Note: The sea is dead freezing.
On the weekend, we had to go to the caravan on the beach. I hate it there because it is always dead freezing cold. There was no one to play with when I wanted to play football. Except for Max, who can barely kick a football, little wuss.
An hour later Dad wanted the kids to get into the sea, Minnie zoomed into the sea. Marie was doing her make up and listening to music like always. She says she's always bored.
I dipped my toe in the water and it was very cold. Then I was shaking. So Dad got a kettle to warm up the sea – the bit I was in. After that, Minnie said I was silly, but I didn't care what that little brat said.
In the end, me and Minnie played in the sea, it was fun. One of the best days of my life so far.
Framed: Marie's beach trip diary
Transcript
A Year 5/6 pupil from Henwick Primary School reads a piece of original work, inspired by the novel 'Framed'
Henwick Primary School pupil:
18 August
Prestatyn, North Wales.
Note: I can't understand why we have to come to this dump.
Two weeks! Two weeks with my mum and my dad and also my brothers and my horrible little pipsqueak of a sister. They don't know anything about fashion. OMG! Why do we have to come to this dump? Anywhere else apart from here!
Anyway, why can't they trust me to stay home by myself? I only made a little mistake last time I stayed by myself. I didn't know you had to watch the food while it was cooking.
Today we are going to the beach. So-o-o boring.
The beach is so-o-o yucky but good for sun bathing. I can't believe that my little sister asked me if I wanted to get in the sea! I said back to my infuriating bothersome sister: 'Do you know what sea water can do to your hair?' Then I walked away with an angry face.
When we got back to the caravan after sunset I asked Dylan, my irritating brother, 'Did you really think that kettle of boiling hot water would warm the whole Irish Sea?'
He replied back to me, 'Not the whole Irish Sea, just the bit we were swimming in.' For once I agreed with my sister because she said: 'Yeah, like that would really happen.'
Gotta go. I’m getting a bit tired.
See you soon,
Marie