Lepra offers free educational resources for “Maria’s Island”
Lepra (@lepra) are really excited to be working with Victoria Hislop, Gill Smith and Walker Books on a free educational resource based on the children’s book, Maria’s Island.
Maria’s Island is a compelling story for #KS2 and #KS3 students which follows a family impacted by leprosy, a disease which is often misunderstood. The book examines the challenges they face and how they overcome them.
If your school is looking for a charity to support, then the educational resources, created by Walker Books, can be used for free in class or assembly, alongside a video presentation about how your school can fundraise for Lepra.
Reunify The Marbles
Victoria hislop joined protestors, including six members of parliament, at the British Museum in London on Sunday to call for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles with Greece as international support grows for a resolution to the decades-long cultural row.
The protest was organized by the advocacy group British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM) and marked the 13th anniversary of the inauguration of the Acropolis Museum in Athens.
Activists unfurled Greek flags and a banner reading “Reunify the Marbles!” inside the museum, while English author and honorary Greek citizen Victoria Hislop presented a cake with the numbers “1” and “3.” The 5th-century BCE statues have been held in the British institutions since 1816, after they were removed from the facade of the Acropolis under the direction of Scottish nobleman Lord Elgin.
A dramatic and moving story set in the same world as the international bestseller The Island from the celebrated novelist Victoria Hislop.
The absorbing story of the Cretan village of Plaka and the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga – Greece’s former leprosy colony – is told to us by Maria Petrakis, one of the children in the original version of The Island. She tells us of the ancient and misunderstood disease of leprosy, exploring the themes of stigma, shame and the treatment of those who are different, which are as relevant for children as adults. Gill Smith’s rich, full-colour illustrations will transport the reader to the timeless and beautiful Greek landscape and Mediterranean seascape.
“The idea came out of a conversation with some school teachers in Crete.” said Victoria “They commented that there were so many themes in the story that were as relevant to children as to adults but felt that the original novel was a little too grown-up for many of them. I realised that much of the book is actually about children and their experiences of stigma and loss, so this has been a wonderful experience for me, to look at things through their eyes. Writing for children requires a whole different set of skills and I hope they will enjoy reading it.”
Praise for Maria’s Island
The tale is narrated by Maria, one of the children in Hislop’s novel The Island, from which this engrossing yarn is skillfully adapted for younger readers.
― The Daily Telegraph
Sometimes poignant but never upsetting, this book highlights the strength of love, friendship and resilience over adversity. Complemented wonderfully by Gill Smith’s beautiful illustrations, this is an ideal book for older early readers who are ready explore more complex themes associated such as coping with adversity and having respect for others who may be different from themselves.
– Gazette Herald Books of the Month
I picked this book up as soon as it arrived and couldn’t put it down. My favourite things were the Greek setting and the history in the story, and I loved that the character was called Anna – best name ever! I didn’t know much about this story before I read it and enjoyed finding out about the adventures. I would recommend it to my friends. I liked the illustrations too.
— Anna, Age 11 ― Toppsta
“…a powerful story about love, stigma and hope.”
– Mini Travellers
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As Victoria says: “I’m not a writer who can write to order, I write because I have an idea. Something gets to me and the story evolves from there.”
Me too almost finished The Thread, really dont want it to end her books are so good, I feel like I'm there.
Well I love your writing xx
I like your books! 🥰
I agree!
Vivement que vous trouviez l idée, il me tarde de vous lire
Same here...
Hoping there's another in the pipeline:)
Victoria says: "When I open my windows in Athen the sounds are very different from London sounds – not just the language of course, but the volume and the quantity of sound. Greece is much noisier than the UK – here in Greece people are more vocal and unafraid to use their car horns!"
It is simply not true. London is horrible. The noise is unbearable. Athens is magical and full of happy vibes
Especially when there is a marriage in town 🤩
Pour Vesna Petricevic bisous
Victoria Hislop Victoria, what a very polite and diplomatic way of writing about nasty habits and ethos. Kazantzakis (I think) would write: The Athenians are very rude and noisy. They respect nobody, and were screaming 😱 against me in case I was awarded the Literature Nobel prize. They even tried to hand down an anathema on me, but failed. Some priests and fascists, hated my books. Almost the same way some stupid and fanatics Cypriots hated and condemned the lovely book "The Sunrise", by Victoria Hislop. Some even wanted to burn it, without reading the 📖 book.
Indeed!!🤣
Love Athens 🇬🇷
Ha Ha we are loud
🎬 Go behind the scenes and meet the incredible cast of the Greek adaptation of Μια Νύχτα του Αυγούστου / ONE AUGUST NIGHT for EPT at tinyurl.com/ycx5tae2.
Is there any possibility to write to you in private? Your book Cartes postales from Greece is SUPER but I can't find it in italian: could you please be so kind to help me?
When is it broadcast on EPT, and which one of their channels?
When can we see this ?
💖💖
Πότε ξεκινάει στην ΕΡΤ ;;; when we will see it in ERT???
Ça va sortir en France ? En DVD?
Book your tickets to see Victoria this weekend (at 5pm on Sunday 18 Sept) on stage at the @QPbookfest celebrating literature in the park! Day and weekend passes are available with access to 50+ outstanding authors in the heart of London's NW6. Book your tickets now!
Tickets • Queen's Park Book Festival
bit.ly
TICKETS Discover new talent The festival operates a day pass system, providing access to all events at the Festival. Patrons are encouraged to experiment by exploring unique events and discovering new...Wishing you the best of luck...καλές δουλειές
25th August 1957. The island of Spinalonga closes its leper colony. And a moment of violence has devastating consequences.
🎬 You can now watch the trailer for the Greek adaptation of Μια Νύχτα του Αυγούστου / ONE AUGUST NIGHT for EPT at tinyurl.com/4ehss6tr
Would be amazing if The Island was turned into a film
It looks so good, such a shame we can’t see the whole thing with English sub titles! ❤️🇬🇷
Being already nine years old and living in the outskirts of Heraklion I recall the little rooms housing the exhausted neighbour's of mine. Thank you Victoria I must meet to speak to you at an other time.
I loved this book and story sad for a lot of reasons.
Would love to watch this if it had English subtitles. Read the book ages ago then again before visiting Spinalonga 3 years ago. I hope to return next year.
Wish we could watch this in English
Enjoyed the book tremendously!
I finally got to Spinalonga in May this year , after reading the book when it was first published
Visited Spinalonga last week , would love a film x
The book is fantastic.
I hope someone is going to subtitle it in English This new serie
I read the book in Dutch and I really enjoyed it.
Will this be made for tv in a series as with The Island (To Nisi) or a film adaption do you know?
I've visited Spinalonga and read the book, looking forward to the film. 📚
Have been trying for years to get "The Island" (To Nisi) on DVD with English Subtitles but continually fail!!
We are just about to get on the boat from Plaka; 2nd visit to this beautiful, atmospheric island xx
Oh me looks good wish in English xx
Can this be watched in English anywhere? Read all the books and visited spinalonga
J ai adoré la suite cette nuit là
Est ce que ça va sortir en France ?
Το βιβλίο ήταν φανταστικό!!! Πότε αρχίζει το σήριαλ;
Klinkt super heb de serie op dvd gezien. Hoe kan ik als Nederlandse dit ook kijken
Alison Thain ....might be worth a look??
Une adaptation de l'île des oubliés ?
Karen Ellis
Thanks for all your photos of the international editions of Victoria's books being posted on Instagram - and there’s some very creatively staged shots. What country are you reading your books in?
Greetings from Cyprus 🇨🇾 I'm a huge fan of yours and I feel the need to thank you for teaching me so much about Greece 🇬🇷 and Cyprus 🇨🇾 through your superbly written novels. (I have lent The Island to a friend, that's why it's missing 😍❤️❤️❤️)
Germany, read all your books, my best friend Terri from Windsor in England recommended them to me. Love your books, learnt so much about history of Greece and Cyprus and about history 😍
Second time reading the island , in Greece on a cruise with the visit to Spinalonga , such a special day
British lady in Athens, love all the books. Have seen The Island and Carte Postale on Greek tv. Now waiting for one August Night starting soon. 😊❤️
In the middle of the thread so good can’t wait to read all the other books
Your beloved Greece 🇬🇷 we love you here, you know that!♥️
Melbourne Australia, love all your books 📚💙
I discovered "The Island" at a book swap in Bucharest, Romania. I fell in love with the entire story and i want to discover more of your books.
I took One August Night with me on my holiday to Crete a few weeks ago and read it there 😊 But I m from Holland 👍
In Crete. !ove your books.
Read every one at least twice, more please 🙏 🙂
France
En France !!🇨🇵 J'ai tous vos livres 🥰💞😘👌
France
belgium
Holland.
❤️
🇫🇮
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Czech Republic 🇨🇿
England Uk 🇬🇧
Crete
Greece, I love your books 😍😍
In Finland.
Croatia 🇭🇷
