Renfrew author's new short story to be studied in schools

Ely Percy's new story, A Wee Bit Magic, was written as an age-appropriate companion to their previous novel, Duck Feet, for 11 to 18-year-olds to read in school.

Last year, the Scottish Education Board surveyed teachers and students on books they'd like to see in the curriculum, and Duck Feet was one of the books chosen.

Following this survey, Ely's publishers contacted them to ask for another story in the world of main character Kirsty Campbell, a high schooler going through S1 to S6 at the fictional Renfrew Grammar School.

A Wee Bit Magic focuses on Freda, a character in the original story who is into the occult, a bit of an outcast among her classmates, and dances to her own tune.

Ely said: "Not every single thing that happens in it has to be happy, but I felt like kids, and especially kids that are maybe not fitting in, deserve to have a story that's positive."

Written in Scots, the new story will be published with ScotsHoose Yaldi, which creates learning resources for young Scots speakers.

ScotsHoose Yaldi will also be providing free copies of the story booklet to schools that can't afford to purchase books for their students, an issue which came to Ely's attention when they were doing high school visits.

Ely said: "I just think it's really important that kids get access to books and get access to stories.

"Every school should have a library."

Both Duck Feet and A Wee Bit Magic are set in Renfrew, where Ely grew up, and draw heavily from the high school experiences of them and their peers in the 2000s.

Although they were initially worried that people in Renfrewshire would hate their stories, Ely said that there's been an overwhelmingly positive reception, with many people reaching out to share similar childhood experiences.

Their books also provide students with a chance to learn about local Renfrewshire history.

For example, in A Wee Bit Magic, Freda is obsessed with the witch trials that happened in Renfrewshire, so the teaching resource includes lessons about this history.

Both Duck Feet and A Wee Bit Magic are set in Renfrew (Image: Supplied)

Ely hopes that teachers will encourage their students to try their hands at writing.

They said: "You might not make lots of money, but wherever you come from, whether you write in English or Scots, you come from a housing scheme or a mansion, your story matters, and you should be allowed to have a go at writing that story down, or speaking that story on video."

Ely has also recorded an audio version of the story as a teaching resource accompanying the booklet.