Strictly Victoria!
Victoria and Τηλέμαχος Φάτσης dance the Quickstep on Star TV’s “Dancing with the Stars”
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
The Knossos Project
After almost a century of activity, the BSA Knossos Research Centre needs urgent renovation and updating to meet the needs of 21st-century researchers. In close collaboration with the Greek authorities, the BSA has developed an ambitious plan: the Knossos 2025 Project will transform the Knossos Research Centre by providing world-class facilities for future generations of researchers, ensuring the best possible storage and conservation conditions for the precious archaeological materials, and attracting new academic and local audiences. We are delighted to announce best-selling author Victoria Hislop as the Knossos 2025 Patron.
When the Project is completed:
- scholars will enjoy state-of-the-art facilities for 21st-century archaeology, including laboratory space for ceramic analysis and bioarchaeological research.
- the Research Centre’s internationally renowned study collection – officially known as the ‘Knossos Stratigraphical Museum’, informally ‘the Strat’ – will have a new mezzanine floor offering over 700m² of study and storage space for researchers complementing the existing ground floor store.
- refurbished storerooms for architectural, ceramic and bioarchaeological finds will ensure the proper preservation of Knossos’ material remains.
- the collections will be digitised and become available online to researchers.
- the Knossos Research Centre will offer a rich programme of workshops, lectures, performances and other outreach events engaging scholars, visitors and the local community more directly with Knossos’ 9,000-year history.
The Knossos 2025 Project offers a unique and exciting opportunity to support archaeological research at Knossos well into the 21st century. The cost of the overall project is estimated at £2 million.
For more information aboutmteh Knossos Project, please visit their website.
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