“I wanted to have a main character who was dyslexic like me, except I wanted to portray him not through bad spelling, as is all so often done in literature, but through the way he thinks, and how he sees the world slightly off key.” Sally Gardner
This stunning video illustrates how local author Sally Gardner sees text on a page. It’s a unique insight into how people with dyslexia have to deal with words and letters on a page.
About 10% of the population are dyslexic and, until recently, this meant that you were pretty much seen as unteachable. However, Sally has always seen her dyslexia as a gift and something that has fired rather than hampered her imagination. At school she was classed as unable to read, something that certainly didn’t stop her! She’s now one of Britain’s leading authors; her latest novel for Teens – Maggot Moon – won the Costa Children’s Book Award and is shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal and the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award.
Maggot Moon’s central character, Standish, is himself dyslexic and branded as an outcast yet he goes on to overthrow a ruthless regime. Sally even dedicates the book to those who didn’t shine at school but “who will own tomorrow”.
Sally will be talking to Guardian literary editor, Claire Armitstead, on Sunday at 11. If you are dyslexic or if your child is, or even if you just want to hear an inspiring story, why not pop along.
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