The young author Zanna published her first book, Zanna’s Amazing Shakespeare: As I Like It, when she was just seven years old. It began as her highly commended entry for the national Shakespeare Week competition in 2023, which was later featured in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust’s online exhibition. The Trust has since selected her original manuscript for its museum collection. Encouraged by this recognition, Zanna expanded her idea into a full-length book that reimagines Henry V in a fun, modern context, blending gaming, music, YouTube references, and characters from various Shakespeare plays. The book also features puzzles, quizzes, word searches, and drawing tasks to help children learn through play.

Her second book, My First Coding Adventure (Ages 3–5), reflects her passion for coding. After winning two global coding competitions and a local one, she wanted to help younger children discover that coding is creative, enjoyable, and accessible. The colourful, interactive book introduces early coding concepts through school-life storytelling and simple hands-on activities that do not require a computer. An interactive eBook version is in development, along with a follow-up title for ages 6 to 9.

Through this donation, Zanna hopes to give pupils across the Trust free access to her books and inspire them to explore stories, technology, and their own imagination.

About St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust (https://www.stfrancistrust.net)

St Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy Trust (St Francis Trust) is a multi-academy trust established in 2021. It now serves nine Catholic schools – eight primary schools and one secondary school within the Diocese of Westminster. The Trust’s mission is to provide an outstanding Catholic education for all the children in our schools, helping them to grow in faith and reach their full potential. Guided by the values of St Francis, the Trust promotes academic excellence, spiritual development, and service to others.