Well done to all our Readathon Winners!

Top Class – Grade 4 K 


Top Readers per grade:
Grade 4
Kayleigh Mathieson (4 218 pages)
Liron Horowitz (2 592 pages)


Grade 5
Gabriella Wysoke (5 326 pages)
Jayden Toker (2 394 pages)


Grade 6 
Aden Wasserman (3 214 pages)
Steven Stern (2 119 pages)


Grade 7
Talia Gabay (3 060 pages)
Tasha Mervis (2 926 pages)


And Mazel Tov to Gabriella Dave for winning the Kindle in the lucky draw.

The Hunger Games By Suzanne Collins

Would you risk your life for your siblings? Well, Katnis Everdeen certainly did by volunteering to take her sister, Primrose Everdeen’s place when she was drawn to be District 12’s female tribute in the Seventy-Fourth Annual Hunger Games.

In the ruins of a place once known as North America, lies the country of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Once a year two tributes, one male and one female, between the ages of 12 and 18 from each district are to be chosen to participate in The Hunger Games. A fight to the death on Live TV.

If you are looking for a gripping, exciting, speed-rap of a novel that creates almost constant suspense, then The Hunger Games is certainly for you.

As the plot thickens, find out how Katnis handles the Capitol, what goes on in the arena, the choices she will have to make to stay alive and the conflict of a new love appearing in her life.

Daniel A 7.D

Beast Quest 

There is a series of books that I really like called Beast Quest. The books are about a boy named Tom that saves different cities from beasts that are from out of this world. Tom goes and defeats the beasts with his companions, his friend Ellena and his stallion Storm and Ellena has a wolf named Silver. 
The beasts are super super cool.
I really think people should start reading this series too. 
Tal P, 4 - R

Hooked on Books  

Hooked on Books visited us today and we all had a wonderful time learning about these exciting new books. Below is a list of the books that were on show. Please let us know which of them you would like to read and what you think of them when you do.

• SKY HAWK by Gill Lewis - Oxford University Press – 9780192756244
• SOS ADEVENTURE, TUSK by Colin Bateman – Hodder – 9780340998885
• MUNCLE TROGG by Janet Foxley - Chicken House – 9781906427030
• SECRET NINJA SPIES by Alex Ko – Usborne – 9781409515104
• FINTAN FEDORA THE WORLD’S WORST EXPLORER by Clive Goddard – Scholastic – 9781407121031
• THE AMAZING CAPTAIN CONCORDE - Superhero Poems chosen by Paul Cookson – Macmillan - 9781447201724

Horrible Histories

If you’re a fan of history, then “Horrible Histories” is the perfect book series for you. It’s packed with tons of mind-blowing facts and stories of some of the greatest people of all time. There are over 30 outrageous books to collect such as, “Savage stone age”,” Vicious Vikings”,” Measly middle ages”,” Awesome Egyptians”, “Awful Egyptians”,” Groovy Greeks”,” Rotten Romans”,” Ruthless Romans”,” Smashing Saxons”,” Stormin’ Normans”,” Cut-Throat Celts”,” Angry Aztecs”,” Incredible Incas”,” Terrible Tudors”, “Even more terrible Tudors”,” Terrifying Tudors”,“ Slimy Stuarts”,” Gorgeous Georgians”, ”Vile Victorians”, “Villainous Victorians”, “Barmy British Empire”, “Frightful first world war” “Woeful second world war” “Blitzed Brits”, “Who’s horrible in history”, Handbook “Knights”, Handbook “Pirates”, Handbook ”Villains”, Handbook “Warriors”, Handbook “Witches”, Handbook “The horrible history of the world” and many more. If you ever get sick of reading “Horrible Histories”, you can always read the “Horrible Science”, “Horrible Geography”, “Horribly famous”, “Foul football” or “Murderous math’s” books series! Have fun reading!

By Jesse D 5-M.

This is a picture that I found on the internet and

Shows that everyone should read!

Bianca R 4 - S

“The Hardy Boys” This Franklin W.Dixon book series stars Frank and Joe Hardy out on a quest. Each book has a different mystery that the boys need to solve. In attempting to try and solve the mysteries, exciting yet freaky situations form which the boys need to control. All of this is done in a way that you cannot put the book down. Are you curious to see how the boys solve the cases? Then read any one of the Hardy Boys books but only if you are ready to be taken on an adventure of a lifetime.

Shane B 7-H

THE DIVINE CONJUROR

As the plot thickens, the deep emotions of the writer falls out and becomes more and more powerful. This is an untouched treasure which people have probably not read however they should.

This book is a powerful book that you should read but can you handle it? 

Gabriel F 7-W

Diary of a Wimpy Kid- A story about a boy named Greg Heffley who writes in his diary.

He is not a very popular person at school but he does still have a best friend whose name is Rowley.

He has two brothers, Rodrick his older brother and Manny his younger brother.

If  Rodrick ever steals his diary he will tell all of Greg’s secrets……. If you want to find out more about Greg and his family, read Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Lauren C 6-S

Varjak Paw

The book is an enchanting book of a kitten who has to learn the way of Jalal. The book uses great words with depth in them. It brings you and draws you in to the story you feel like you are right next to Varjak. When you read it it's like a dream catcher catching your attention pulling you in and hypnotizing you to read more. If you are a person who loves adventure and action you will love this book.   Written by:Tali M. 6 - S

James and the Giant Peach- an Adventure!

James and the Giant Peach is an adventure that will never be forgotten!! It has wonderful characters that bring life to the book. James lives with 2 aunts who despise him ( as his parents were eaten by a rhino ) James refers to his aunts as “you disgusting little beast” and all other names that you could not imagine. A  mysterious man gives James magical seeds that have the best powers known to man. By mistake James tripped and dropped the seeds…. Something mysterious happened, something grew, something that killed his aunts and rolled away into James mysterious adventures.. read the book to find out how James gets trapped in the middle of the sea, gets surrounded by sharks and meets the most amazing, but weird creatures….. a definite 10 out of 10 for this book

Lauren C, Jade B and Kiara J 6-S 

Travelling Bookshop

The Travelling Bookshop is currently visiting our school, with a huge variety of interesting and reasonably priced books. This is what some KD Readers have been saying about it:

“I love all the selections of books that you can’t find in a normal bookshop! Thanks”

“They have a great selection of books that you can’t resist!”

“I think it’s great because it gives children a good opportunity to read and there is a huge variety!”

“I think it is great because it gives children an opportunity to read more books.”

“I think it’s awesome. Why? Lots of cool books (and free lesson!)”

“I think it’s fun to just relax and look for books to explore and read. I LOVE The Travelling Bookshop.”

“I think the Travelling Bookshop is cool because it has nice books that are not too expensive.”

“It has so many interactive books and a huge variety. I think it really encourages kids to read more and at a good price too.”

Ways To Live Forever is a book about a boy dying of Leukemia (blood cancer) .
In this book Sam writes his own book about himself and his dreams. He makes his own notes and lists and writes questions nobody answers.
This is not a true story.
I highly recommend this book as it is one of the best books I have ever read.
It is very sad.

Jamey W, 6 - M

Welcome to our Annual Readathon!

One very exciting new aspect of the Readathon this year is the introduction of this reading corner. We would love to know what books you are reading as well as your opinions of them.  Please email any reviews you write and articles of interest to the library and they will be posted on the blog. Be sure to read and follow the blogging rules and guidelines for writing good comments before submitting any writing. This will ensure the overall safety and enjoyment of all people using and reading the blog.

You can comment directly on existing posts and these comments will appear after they have been moderated. Also send in pictures of your friends and family reading in interesting places and positions and these will be added to the gallery and slideshow. Remember to vote on the poll and check the results. Your voice and opinion is important. Check back regularly to see new questions and results.

Have fun and happy reading!

Blogging Rules

• You are welcome to post reviews of any book you read or anything else you feel will be of interest to the library and its users.
• You may comment on any post in the blog any time, just remember to follow the guidelines.
• Please use your first name only.
• Never leave your email address or any other personal details in a post or comment, but you can write what class you are in.
• All comments will be read and approved before they appear on the site.

Guidelines for writing good comments

·         Take time to read the posts that others have written and respond to them. We all love getting feedback.

·         Be positive!  Comment on things that you liked about the post.

·         If you have any criticism, you are allowed to say so, but in a constructive, positive way. Maybe mention how the post could have been even better than it already is. Make suggestions for improvement.

·         Explain why you like a post, don’t just say that you like it. Mention what it is about the post that appeals to you. Comments can be read by anyone from all over the world so use your best writing skills and always check your spelling. Take pride in your comments and posts.

·         If you are stuck for ideas, try to start your comments with the following:

o   I can relate to this because…

o   This makes me think of…

o   When I read this I discovered…

o   I don’t understand what you meant by…

o   I was reminded that…

o   I found myself wondering…

·         Above all, enjoy sharing your thoughts and ideas with the world.

Happy Reading!

Book or Movie?

Each time a new movie comes out that is based on a book, I hear a lot of conversation about the pros and cons of reading the book first versus watching the movie first.  Some people feel that if you read the book first then you get a better understanding of the plot and characters and have more of an opportunity to create the characters in your own mind using your imagination. An obvious downside of this is that you open yourself to disappointment, if the characters in the movie don’t meet your expectations.

Some people prefer to watch the movie first and get an overview of the story and a ready-made perception of the characters and then read the book after to fill in the gaps, although others maintain that the story is often too confusing to follow without reading the book first.

The practical reality of movies is that they need to fit all the action into a certain amount of time and budget, whereas a book can be as long and fantastical as the author decides it should be. So when the screenwriters and directors come to make a book into a movie, they have to be selective about what they put in and what they leave out.  This is a very subjective process and there is often debate that vital elements have been left out of the movie even though they were pivotal in the book.

Whether you read the book first or watch the movie first, I would always suggest that you do take the time to read and enjoy the book complete with its intricate descriptions and scope for imagination. The original story will always be exactly what the writer wants you to perceive so you have a window into his or her thoughts and feelings.  You can spend as much time as you need or want to absorb and enjoy the story and go back and reread favourite, confusing or surprising parts. As much as we all like to spend time socialising with our friends, it is sometimes very refreshing to have some private quality time with a book.

The Lorax

There is no better way to illustrate the plight of our struggling Earth than the message of The Lorax, who speaks for the trees against the greedy Once-ler, as told by Dr Seuss. When we hear about the greed and closed-mindedness that compels the Once-ler to continue destroying the Truffula trees, it is a sharp reminder for people of all ages to sit up and take note.

There are many books in the library such as Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and The Gaia Warriors by Nicola Davies that show us the urgency with which we need to act, as well as ideas and practical suggestions on how to go about doing this. Every person, whatever their age, needs to find a small way to contribute. Every light we turn off, every bottle or paper we recycle, every tap we shut tight will contribute to us saving the Earth from the same fate as the polluted, grim world we see in The Lorax. And never before has the warning of the book been more relevant than it is today:

"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." -The Lorax

We must always remember that “There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew.” - Marshall McLuhan

To listen to a beautifully dramatised and illustrated reading of The Lorax by Dr Seuss go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNnXEDUb_zw

Here are some fun bookmarks for you to make and enjoy:

http://www.origami-resource-center.com/books-and-bookmarks.html

http://nheilke.com/blog/2011/02/corner-page-bookmarks-3/

Please remember to come and show me what you have made.
Have fun!

Shakespeare

Some new books have arrived in the library, including a lovely set of very easy to read and understand Shakespeare classics. The writing style and humorous illustrations make these books accessible to readers of all ages. It is lovely to see Shakespeare’s writing in this fun format for all to enjoy.

A man learns to read at 91 and writes a book at 98

Read this fascinating and inspirational story that illustrates to us all that it is never too late to learn!

Harry Potter

After much ‘gentle’ persuasion from some students, I finally got around to reading the Harry Potter series. Better late than never, it has been said. I have seen bits of the movies and had a general idea of what the books are about, but it wasn’t until I began reading that I fell in love with the story and the characters. I have now started the third book, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and am enjoying it tremendously.  I have always enjoyed reading fantasy, so the wizards and mythical creatures and events appeal to my imagination. I enjoy the way that J.K. Rowling builds up the conflict in the story and then leads us to an unlikely and unexpected conclusion. I highly recommend the series for any readers who enjoy the fantasy genre.