As we clambered out of the window and slithered down the wet roof, I was trying
to remember how I had got into such a mess. It had only been half an hour ago
when mum had sent me down to the chippie with a tenner and strict orders for no
vinegar on her chips. When I reached the McDonald’s roundabout, I couldn’t
help looking at the old house. It was ready for demolition, which was a shame
because we had used the windows as target practice! It was then that I’d seen it.
A light at the window. Then a face, mouthing something. I stood there staring. It
was a girl mouthing a word. And the word was HELP.
That’s how it happened. I’d found a way in round the back through a broken
window. Half a minute later and I’d found her, trapped prisoner in an upstairs
room. She’d only just finished telling me that she was the American ambassador’s
daughter Cindy Breakwell and about the ransom money when they had returned to
move her to a safe house.
So there we were, balancing on the wall as if we were walking the plank. Five
minutes later and we were back at Mum’s. “So, where’s the fish and chips?” she
asked, eyeing Cindy suspiciously.
Half an hour later, Cindy’s Dad arrived in an embassy car. That was the talk of
St.Petroc's estate for weeks. And that night it wasn’t just fish and chips. He took us
all out for a big meal. And the next day there I was. In the papers. A hero.
Critical Thinking Skills: Reading encourages children to think critically about text content,
including analyzing character motivations, predicting plot twists, and evaluating the effectiveness of an
author's writing techniques. These critical thinking skills can then be applied to writing their own stories.
Gaining Empathy and Perspective: Reading different stories with different characters and points of
view helps children develop empathy and understand different points of view. This can improve their
ability to create well-rounded characters in their stories and write from different perspectives.
