Love Your Library

New collection of novels focuses on the context of war  

The Library is the happy hunting ground of bibliophiles. As Term Two gets under way, so too are students flocking to the library to read or borrow from our extensive collection. Over the break books and displays were revamped to foreground a new selection of novels. 

As yesterday was ANZAC Day, we have focused on a digital and physical display of books dealing with the context of war. Our brilliant teacher/librarian, Tamsin Sykiotis, has also curated a selection of war stories for Years 7, 8 and 9 teachers’ Wider Reading programs.  In our Quick Reads section Barrington Stokes’ publications by Tom Palmer offer younger readers accessible stories exploring lesser known aspects of WW2. These include a young boy’s research into soldiers parachuted into France with their dogs, or the experiences of young refugees arriving in England in 1945 and trying to find a new life. For older readers Phil Earle’s novels are more challenging. When the Sky Falls and While the Storm Rages both focus on teenage protagonists dealing with WW2 and struggling to both adapt to the turmoil of war and take care of animals caught in the chaos. “When the government advises people to have their pets put down in readiness for the chaos of war, hundreds of thousands of people do as they are told. But not Noah.”

In an exciting initiative, Head of School Operations, Shannon Allen, has started a Lego Club for students from Years 8 and 9. This runs on Tuesday, in the Library, at lunchtime. All Year 8 and 9 students are welcome to join. We are excited at the prospect of another Lego project in our Library. Our Year 7 Lego Club is still going strong. Tamsin Sykiotis is running her Puzzle Club on Tuesday afternoon in the Library and Philosophy Club is also running on Wednesday afternoon in the Library. Homework Club runs after school on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3.30 to 4.30pm.

My own reading has been varied. On the recommendation of staff in a bookshop, I bought and read I am Pilgrim, by Terry Hayes. I struggled with this “thriller”. The novel meandered through a post 911 landscape with a vaguely offensive commentary on women and Muslims. I am not sure why I thought I should finish the book, but it is depressing to buy a new book only to bin it after one hundred pages. After this sad experience I was nervous about starting another novel. However, Claire Keegan’s Small Things Like These, is a joy to read. Short and sweet, this novel has instantly gone onto my list of Christmas reads. Despite the tough context of Ireland in the 1980’s, the plot reminded me of a wonderful lyric from Leonard Cohen, “there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” I am halfway through Sebastian Barry’s Old God’s Time. Again, beautiful writing, difficult context, but so far, no light. I am also reading Phil Earle’s When The Sky Falls. As I looked through the pages before putting it out for our students, I noticed there is a long-haired whippet in the novel. It is now on my desk to read. George Bernard Shaw said; “Make it a rule never to give a child a book you would not read yourself”.

Together, let us read.

Dr Annette Pedersen

Library Coordinator