The pupils had been studying Shakespeare's Macbeth in preparation for a special performance at the Lowry. Witches’ amulets, that they made as part of their studies, are included in the design as well as their depictions of the atmospheric landscapes in the play.

Literally Magic takes its inspiration from the magic of six children’s books that are part of a summer exhibition at The Lowry. These were combined with the school’s values, community and the spirit of Salford’s young people.

When asked what books meant to them, the children said they were a “vehicle to visit faraway places” and an opportunity to “lose yourself in a world of wonders”. This BookBench portrays the imaginary worlds we dream about when getting stuck into a good book.

Pupils from two classes decided on referencing one of their favourite books, The Boy who Grew Dragons by Andy Shepherd. They had the opportunity to draw their own dragons and fruit and wanted the design to be bright, colourful and busy. As such, a myriad of their illustrations can be found on the BookBench.

The children were inspired by their love of fantastical foods and spectacular places in their favourite books, such as The Tiger who came to Tea and The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eccles Cakes were a favourite treat and although they are tasty, the pupil’s decided they weren’t colourful enough.

The pupils and Emily wanted to create something bright and colourful visually that would represent the cover of Emily's first ever children's book, Find Your Happy, which was published by Walker Books on 2nd June. The idea behind the bench was that it encouraged children to recognise different feelings and emotions and help them find their happy in this funny old world. The back of the bench is filled with words and inspiration from the children based on what they do to 'find their happy'.

The design was inspired by The Memory Tree by Britta Teckentrup which looks at reminiscence, friendship and the passage of time. 150 pupils worked with Lauren Mullarkey to create glass insects that might live in the orchard at Ordsall Hall, and ghosts, as it is rumoured that the hall is haunted. These are carefully worked into a mosaic on the back of the BookBench that also references Primrose Hill. All pupils at the school, and their parents, were invited to reflect on their memories of Ordsall via drawings, descriptions and poetry. These have been integrated into their own memory oak tree by the school’s artists in residence, Marie Cash.

The school’s setting, backing onto fields and woodlands near Wardley Moss, is the main inspiration for this BookBench. The children told stories of the visiting wildlife, such as deer and buzzards. Wardley Woodland Wonders shows the creatures that come out to play throughout the day and in the night.

Frozen Kingdom takes its inspiration from the class's recent studies of life in the Arctic and Antarctic, exploring the natural world, as well as its history. Of the numerous books they read during their learning, one favourite followed the story of two penguins who adopted an egg in New York Zoo.

The Raven takes its inspiration from supernatural themes of classic children’s books such as Skellig by David Almond and Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling. Poems were another source of inspiration for the pupils, from the classic Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven to their own poems, one comparing people to stars “like diamonds in the night sky”.

This Bench celebrates the pupils of St. Lukes' love of books and nature. This a a special place where the animals come to enjoy a good book! Salford is over 60% green space, with 60 green spaces, including The Cathedral Garden. The sound-birds represent the pupils of St. Lukes who have performed at the Cathedral.

Take a Leaf Out of our Book is inspired by the pupils’ advocacy for wildlife conservation and how their school’s core values can be found through the joy of reading. It is a celebration of the gardening skills, they learned at RHS Bridgewater, as well as Salford, a place they’re proud to call home.

Jenny wanted to stay true to the children's original drawings and for the BookBench to be bright and colourful, full of characters and rainbows. The children wanted it to be “somewhere people can sit if they are feeling down”.