‘Our class loved 'Orphans of the Tide' and are hooked on the sequel, 'Shipwrecked Island', so when we heard that we were getting the chance to meet Struan Murray, everyone was so excited! It was really interesting to hear about his writing process and how he got into writing. The 60mins flew by and, despite him only being there virtually, the presentation was really engaging. During the session, the whole class worked together to create our own story (with guidance and ideas from Struan) and were amazed by his sketches that helped to inspire his brilliant books. He answered our questions in detail and to finish, we were delighted when he read a section of Shipwreck Island to us. Overall, it was such a good experience, and everyone came away from his presentation with a new enthusiasm for our story writing. I would highly recommend both novels to anyone and the visit will captivate and inspire children of all ages.’ - Year 6 Pupil, Wood End School, Hertfordshire
‘If you have read Orphans of the Tide a visit from Struan Murray is a must! I loved the visit so much and thought it was amazing to meet the author behind one of my favourite books. We had a great time throughout and I think that his visit would inspire any would-be authors to write their own books.’ - Year 5 Pupil, Winchcombe Abbey C of E Primary School
‘We had the great pleasure of welcoming Struan Murray into our classroom, albeit virtually, to read his fantastically addictive Orphans of the Tide. We were completely captivated by the characters and the revelations about them. I don’t think I’ve seen primary 6 so entranced and motivated in their literacy. Struan then hosted a question and answer session in which he gave great insight into how he got the ideas for his characters, setting and plot and shared tips on creative writing. Thank you so much Struan, a fantastic experience that we will never forget.’ -St Michael's Primary School, Glasgow
‘In March 2020 Struan Murray visited my Year 6 class to talk about his new book Orphans of the Tide. He gave an inspiring and engaging presentation. The pupils were spellbound! Struan talked about his childhood writing and his inspiration for the book. The class loved seeing the different illustrations and hearing about how his ideas took shape. They enjoyed the shared writing activity; Struan did a brilliant job in illustrating how fun the writing process can be. He answered lots of questions thoughtfully and with good humour. For weeks after his visit many of the class were buried in the book and we are all looking forward to the sequel…’ - Cumnor Primary School, Oxford
