Writes Rachel Harrison, Assistant Librarian
Last week the Upper Thirds were invited to Merchant Taylors’ Prep School for a special visit from actor, comedian and television presenter Alexander Armstrong, who came to share his debut fantasy adventure Evenfall: The Golden Linnet. The novel introduces thirteen year old Sam, who believes he is an ordinary boy until he uncovers his family’s ties to a long hidden secret society. This ancient order once safeguarded humanity, but now dark forces are rising again and Sam is drawn into a world of magic and danger where the choices he makes could determine the fate of everyone.
Alexander Armstrong spoke about the inspiration behind the story, read an excerpt to whet our appetites, and led a discussion on the qualities of fictional heroes and villains. He then invited several pupils onto the stage to invent their own characters, before rounding off the session by answering lively questions about his varied career, from voicing Hey Duggee to hosting Pointless.
Visits of this type are invaluable in encouraging pupils to read more widely, think critically about storytelling, and recognise that writing is a creative pursuit they too can explore.
Copies of The Golden Linnet are available in the library, and the sequel in the Evenfall series, The Tempest Stone, due for publication in February 2026, is already on order.
Daniel Z. (U3rds) gives his account below.
I had a very enjoyable trip to The Prep to see Alexander Armstrong. The experience was about his new book, The Golden Linnet, from which he read a paragraph and engaged with us in some immersive games.
We also got to ask him questions about his previous jobs, such as his voiceover for Hey Duggee, and his current job as a host of BBC’s Pointless. I was invited by Mr Armstrong onto the stage alongside Ishaan D. (U3rds) and Yusif O. (U3rds) to participate in a game where I had to pick out one of the given categories to create the perfect villain.
Overall, the whole event was very well planned, and it was fun to meet and have Q & A with someone I had only seen on the television!
