Library events for term three

The library has three exciting events planned for term three (that's a tongue-twister)!

1. Geronimo Stilton is visiting our school, along with the Scholastic book fair which will be held on Wed 30th and Thurs 31st July.



2. Janet Martin (Louie the Tui learns to sing, etc.), a well-loved local writer will be visiting all the juniors on Monday 18th August  August. We will run a competition in the lead up to her visit, and I will be selling her books. She has a surprise new book up her sleeve too!


3. Mark Sommerset (Baa, Baa, Smart Sheep, etc.), a multiple award-winning author will be visiting the juniors and seniors on Thursday, 11th September. "Gobble, gobble, gobble!" His books will be on sale before and after his visit.



Watch this space for further details.

I'm really excited!

But first, happy holidays - travel safely if you are travelling.

Reflecting on the year 5 book club - Black & White Inc.

Today was the penultimate book club with the year fives. I needed to split the book club into a Year 5 book club which ran in Term 1 & 2 and a Year 6 book club which will run in Terms 3 & 4 to make it manageable.

I got to know all of the children in the year five book club really well, and what an exuberant, lovely bunch they are. Today we reflected on what we have done together:

• We made book marks that described why we love reading and are personalised with our photograph, serving as a membership card (and useful too).
• Sharing books we have read by sitting in the "hot seat" and sharing with the class.
• Watching book trailers (from the blog) to get ideas about books to read, and then reserving those books.
• "Speed book sharing", where the children sit together in two circles facing each other and share a book with the person opposite for three minutes before allowing the other person to share for 3 minutes. Then the circle moves over and you share with a new person, and listen to a new person - that way one gets to hear about a number of books. Surprisingly, I think the children preferred the "hot seat" to "speed book sharing". 
• A number of children wrote book reviews which I have published on the blog.
• We created a poster about ourselves - with our photographs stuck on, and illustrations of our favourite book characters, and scribbles about why we love reading.
• The most ambitious project was creating book jackets. Bearing in mind that we meet at morning tea once a week, this was a big undertaking and not all children managed to finish their jackets. Well done to those of you who came in at morning teas and lunches to work on your jackets. The book jackets required a front cover illustration, a short book review on one panel, an author biography on another panel (which required researching the author), a back page with quotations from imaginary newspapers and authors praising the book and a spine design.
• We had a session where we reflected on Kate De Goldi's visit and we talked about the poem she had shared with her workshop.
• Lastly - I had promised the children that we could have a "snowball fight" today. The theme was Harry Potter, and the children split into two groups, Gryffindor and Slytherin. They made a barricade using cushions and chairs and gathered at each side. They wrote their questions about the Harry Potter series on strips of scrap paper, scrunched them up and threw them (like snowballs) at the other team, who had to open them, read the question and write the answer and then throw it back. The objective was to have some unstructured fun at (almost) term end.
• Next week we will have a shared morning tea.

It has been super getting to know you all better and I am so impressed with your creativity, and passion for books and reading. Here is a photo of some of the children in book club. 

Kate De Goldi's Visit

What a wonderful day it was! We want to say an enormous Woodlands Park School thank-you to Kate De Goldi from the bottom of our hearts for inspiring our Y5/6 children. 

The day started with an introductory talk in the hall with all the Y5/6 children. Without giving too much away, Kate sang us a special song, and we replied with the Woodlands Park School song (and actions). Kate shared stories she had written as a child and read one of her short stories to us (theatrically). The conversation evolved into an organic one that included questions asked about Kate's books, the inspiration for her characters, her favourite authors/genres, etc. It was a lively morning down in the hall and left many children buzzing about meeting an acclaimed New Zealand author.

The workshop, (held in the library for a class-sized group of senior children) went exceedingly well. The children hung on every word and were utterly engaged (as was I). Through exercises, discussion and her highly entertaining, engaging personality, the children were inspired to write some exhilarating poetry. I will publish some of these poems on the blog in due course. 

The feedback from teachers has been really positive and I am grateful that this opportunity, brought to us through our Book Council membership, was so openly accommodated by Liz and the staff. Thank-you to Lynette at the Book Council for making it happen!

The highlight for me was when Marlo, a student, said to Kate De Goldi, "It's not every day that a real life author comes to visit our school. Thank-you!" and Aidan said it was his "best day ever".

The ACB with Honora Lee

Book Reviews by Black & White Inc. Book Club

Do you have a gran who is always forgetting things? Meet Honora Lee, the main character of this book. This is a story of Perry, who wants Gran to cooperate and help with the ACB; Gran who is stubborn and always hurrying about and forgets most of what everyone tells her, and all the others at Santa Lucia. Doris with her airy kisses and love for Nina's baking, Dorothy who wears lots of jewellery and is always playing the piano, and Melvyn Broome who Gran steals mints from, who used to play cricket every weekend. 

This is a hilarious book and I recommend to anyone who likes reading. Join Gran and Perry as they write this crazy, mixed-up alphabet book called the ACB. I think this is a great book and I hope you do too.

By Alex, Room 14.

Kate De Goldi is coming to visit!

Yes, I kid you not! Kate De Goldi is coming to visit OUR school on Thursday 5th June. That's next week! As members of the New Zealand Book Council, we are partaking in the Writers in Schools programme and we have managed to secure a visit with Kate De Goldi, a multiple award-winning New Zealand author.

I've recruited a creative team of school librarians who have named themselves "Team Goldi" whose primary aim is to make Kate feel incredibly welcome at Woodlands Park School. They are creating a welcome poster which we will display in the school library and, inspired by the style of the Lolly Leopold series (Billy & Clubs) they have decorated the library windows with liquid chalk. I explained to some of the new entrants (who were staring, aghast) that we aren't usually allowed to draw on windows, but this was a special pen that can be rubbed out, and that these children had special permission because a famous New Zealand author is coming to visit! The windows are drawing fascination from passing students, however many of them can't resist the temptation to rub their fingers through the chalk to see what happens...



Keep an eye out for a couple of book reviews on The ACB with Honora Lee, coming soon. 

Quick facts about Kate De Goldi:

Kate has won countless awards, including: - 

- The ACB with Honora Lee was a finalist in the 2013 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in the Junior Fiction category.

- New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 2009 Book of the Year for The 10 PM Question.
- New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2005 Book of the Year for Clubs.
- Storylines Notable Books List 2007 Picture Books list for Billy.
- New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 1997 Young Adult Fiction Winner for Sanctuary.

·                     Kate De Goldi was born in Christchurch, but now lives in Wellington. She used to write as Kate Flannery before winning awards for her first young adult novel, The Sanctuary.

·                     Kate loves visiting schools, getting new ideas for a book, and finishing a book.

·                     Her cat, Sylvie, is "ever-so-slightly wild, very beautiful and quite neurotic" (NZ Book Council website)

·                     Kate started out by writing short stories and has carried on from there. She advises children to Read, Read, Read and to sit down and get started with writing something down.

·                     Kate's favourite colour is yellow, her favourite food is pasta and she likes a range of genres and authors.

Black & White Inc. Book Club Book Reviews

Gangsta Granny

by David Walliams, illustrated by Tony Ross

The book ‘Gangsta Granny’ is about a boy called Ben. Ben didn’t like going to his Grandma’s place every Friday. He didn’t like his Granny because Granny would always spit in her used tissue that she kept up the sleeve of her cardigan and wipe Ben’s face with it! Her TV had been broken since 1992 and now it was covered in dust so thick, it was like fur. Granny also stank of cabbage!

So what do you think of Granny? I suppose you think she is boring, but you don’t know the kind of adventures Ben and his Granny have. If you want to find out more, read this awesome book.

I thought the book was one of the best books ever, if you like funny books. I recommend this book for eight years and up.

By Dan Rm 14

Black & White Inc. Book Club book reviews

Care of Henry - by Anne Fine

Hugo has to choose who to stay with while his Mum is having a baby. Granny? Mrs Mariposa next door? Uncle Jack? Who is the best? I think that this book is for aged eight and up. I give this book a ten out of ten. By Fenna - Room 14