Pencil-Sharp Primary is pleased to be able to offer ‘Real Reads’: compelling and intelligent retellings of classics such as Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Each book is written with the flavour of the original and is beautifully illustrated. At the end of each book is a ‘Taking Things Further’ section, encouraging the reader to explore character and plot. Real Reads are an innovative and exciting way to introduce young readers to a wider literary world.

Pencil-Sharp is a new educational publisher and resource publicist and distributor. In addition to conventional publishing, Pencil-Sharp offers a joint venture model for authors (with authors contributing costs) – a middle way between self-publishing and the mainstream. Our package for authors includes full publishing project management from design and editorial through to print, marketing, sales and distribution.

We are currently taking proposals for publication in 2008 and 2009. Authors should send their proposals for consideration to James Croft, Director/Publisher, at info@pencil-sharp.com.

Our first imprint is made up of works of critique and commentary on current education policy and practice.

Our first title, Whose Degree is it Anyway? was published on 10th December 2007. A follow-on title concerning the situation of overseas students in the UK, is planned for 2008.

Whose Degree is it Anyway? exposes the ever-worsening state of British universities. Evidence of what is happening in higher education today is presented by the leading players: university vice chancellors and rectors; senior government figures, who have to set and follow policies; teachers in secondary education, who sense prejudice in the selection of their pupils; employers, who cannot rely on the status and meaning of a degree; worried parents, who have to foot the bill, and — at the sharp end — the students themselves and the academics who teach them.

Professor Robert Naylor’s timely and insightful portrayal of the effects of financial cuts on universities, coupled with the unrealistic increase in the workload of academics and academic institutions, is reinforced by first-hand experiences and contributions from lecturers, educationalists and students. Together with the online discussion forum, this book will help to highlight and raise interest in the ongoing problems in higher education; in addition, it will inform relevant stakeholders in HE and provide an unbiased forum for all interested parties to discuss the crucial educational issues of the day.

Whose Degree is it Anyway?
• Provides an overall picture of the problems facing higher education today
• Includes first-hand experiences and contributions from lecturers, educationalists and students
• Allows a realistic understanding of the experiences faced by many students at university, and afterwards, in obtaining employment
• Offers invaluable insights to perspective employers
• Identifies the relative rights and responsibilities of all those involved in Higher Education
• Issues a ‘wake-up call’ to prevent the system from breaking down irretrievably

The publication price is £14.99 £11.99 (£9.99 £5.99 student discount) + £1.50 postage & packing per book. Published 10th December 2007.

To place an order by phone, telephone 01730 895222.

To pay by cheque, make payable to Pencil-Sharp Ltd and direct to Ms Kara Payne, Pencil-Sharp Ltd, Unit F8 Rake Industries, Rake, Nr Petersfield, GU31 5DU.

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