Library

Kerri Deegan - Head of Libraries

"If you don't like to read, you haven't found the right book."
- J.K. Rowling

Book an Adventure

Book Week Celebrations (August 16 to August 23)

Book week is nearly here, and we in the library are super excited to celebrate the magic of reading with our students!

The theme for 2025 is 'Book an Adventure'. The theme could not be more accurate, because books open up worlds we've never seen and introduce us to people we'd never meet otherwise. Every story our students pick up helps them understand different ways of living and thinking. When they're lost in a good book, they're not just following a plot - they're discovering what makes people tick, learning about friendship, courage and all the messy, wonderful parts of being human.

In today's fast-paced society, our young people must find time and space to immerse themselves in the magic of literature. Reading provides a valuable escape through captivating narratives. The college reading program for Years 7 & 8 is all about inspiring a lifelong passion for books by encouraging our students to engage with literature in an enthusiastic and meaningful way. The reading program encourages and helps students find books they want to read, not books they have to read. When they discover that perfect story, something clicks, and reading becomes something they choose to do, not something they're told to do. The skills they develop through reading - critical thinking, creativity, and empathy - will serve them well in every aspect of life.

Book week celebrations and events like these show our young people that reading is actually fun! This special week of the year shines a spotlight on the incredible stories that exist in books. It's a reminder that reading isn't just about learning facts - it's about exploring new worlds, meeting diverse characters, and opening doors to infinite possibilities. Celebrating events like Book Week reinforces the idea that reading is not a task, but an adventure that should be cherished and embraced.

CBCA Book of the Year 2025

One of the highlights of Book Week is the announcement of the CBCA Book of the Year.

This year, the Bluff Road Book Club has been meeting once a week during lunchtime to discuss the shortlisted books in the Eve Pownall Information Category books for the CBCA Shadow Judging Book of the Year Award. The Eve Pownall Award recognises books that document factual material. Students followed a set of criteria for judging the books, such as:

Books that introduce or extend awareness and knowledge on a given topic.
Consider the balance between infotainment and good book design.
How does the book set up opportunities for discussion?
The information in the book is considered accurate and reliable given the current state of knowledge.
The book's format should be engaging.
The book should include references to source material.

After much discussion and a vote, students narrowed it down to two standout titles: Design & Building on Country by Alison Page and South with the Seabirds by Jess McGreachin (pictured above). Book Clubbers found Design & Building on Country an interesting and informative read, which explores Indigenous building and design on Country. From boomerangs to buildings, fire carriers to fashion, the book showcases how 65,000 years of knowledge continues today. The book gave them a deeper understanding of the relationship First Nations People have with Country.

However, as we live in a democracy, the book with the most votes wins.

South with the Seabirds follows four remarkable scientists to the edge of the world and features pioneering female scientists. Students were impressed that it was about Australian female STEM in the 1950s and their achievements in Antarctica.

Students appreciated both books for different reasons - easy-to-understand information in Alison Page's work and inspiring role models in Jess McGreachin's Antarctic tale.

Being part of the shadow judging has been a fantastic opportunity for our students; it has given them a voice. It has been wonderful to see students so engaged with quality Australian literature and making their voices heard in the national conversation about children's books. The club's next endeavour is to work on a creative response to the books and submit it for the second part of the activity.

Friendship Day

What better way to celebrate International Friendship Day than making friendship bracelets?

Chess Tournament

Throughout Term 2, students competed in the annual Bluff Road Library Chess Tournament.

We had an outright winner in Joshua G. Joshua displayed his expertise, losing only one game. Angus and Tristan battled for 2nd and 3rd place, with Angus narrowly winning.

Joshua G.
Angus D.
Tristan F.

The three place-getters have won vouchers from Augustus Gelatery! 🍦

Book Corner

Top 5 Borrowers and the last book they borrowed (in no order):

Mona Hamilton (The Selection by Kiera Cass)
Kieren Cole (Warhammer 40,000: The Ultimate Guide)
Kayden Tam (So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish by Douglas Adams)
Alisa Tasenko (The Love That I Have by James Moloney)
Evie McKay (Girls Who Burn by M.K. Pagano)

Top 5 Books (in no order):

Eww Gross: Foul Facts and Putrid Pictures by Dan Marshall
One of Us Is Lying by Karen McManus
UnOrdinary by Uru-Chan
Aircraft of WWII
All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

To see the most popular books on each campus and the most recent books added to both libraries, head to the Sandringham College Library Website (scroll down to Book Corner).

Harry Potter's Birthday 🪄

Students celebrated Harry Potter's Birthday this year (31st July 1980).

Treats were given to students who could give me a fact about Harry or tell me what they liked about Harry. Even after their release 28 years ago, the Harry Potter books remain in the top 10 for students at Sandringham College.