Laurence Library

Book Week

Book Week is always a highlight in the Library. With everybody in the school reading for the first ten minutes of every lesson we were very busy supplying a fantastic demand for our books.  Some Year 10 students were worried that we would “run out of books”. But our supply met the demand and a wonderful reading time was had by all. Ten minutes reading to start a lesson is a recognised way to create a calm learning environment. One hopes this habit continues as the benefits are manifold.

Between the English Department and Library a number of exciting competitions were held. The Library had an interesting display of maps to be paired with their parent novel. There was also an emoji/book title competition for PCG groups. Our eboards are displaying some engaging photographs from a Book Week competition featuring dogs reading a novel. These photographs were submitted by staff and students. It is always enjoyable to see our community take up creative challenges.

Our three Lego groups have been kept busy.  Hogwarts is nearing completion, but the Millenium Falcon still has a lot of work to get through to completion. Year 8 Lego enthusiast and constant reader, Finn Craig-Harding, generously repaired our Lego Titanic model when it suffered a little damage last week. 

I also read widely over Book Week. Included in my reading was The Nest, a novel by Paul Jennings. This book caught my eye after reading his most recent publication, The Lorikeet Tree. The Nest is an early novel from 2009 and was his first for older readers. While the familiar trope of teen angst and parental mystery was engaging, what really hooked me were the intersecting short stories. Ostensibly written by the main character, they added a fascinating element of magical realism. 

We had processed a delivery of new books in time for Book Week.

 I did manage to read some of these. One of our new novels is Aarti and the Blue Gods, by Jasbinder Bilan. The central conflict of this narrative is the struggle the young protagonist has in order to make sense of her life alone with an eccentric aunt on a Scottish Island. The isolated setting and appealing wildlife create a complex adventure that ends with a surprising revelation. It is a sweet read for younger readers.

Book Week is always such a joy. But then books are always a source of joy as they take us far and wide.

Dr Annette Pedersen

Library Coordinator