Library News
Thank You!
Our annual Book Fair was a great success, and I would like to thank families who could visit or buy from the Fair. Your support of this activity has resulted in a wonderful credit at Scholastic that I can now use to purchase more great books for the library.
It was also good to see so many families and children enthusiastically picking their favourite books and fun stationery. On a lighter note, I promise I tried to dissuade them from all the pom-pom pens, skateboard erasers, and ‘In My Swiftie Era’ posters. Sorry!
Book Week Dress Up Parade - Tuesday, 20th August, 12.10 pm
Get ready for a parade of characters like you’ve never seen before! Our Book Week Dress-Up Parade for K-10 is happening on Tuesday, 20th August (Week 5) at 12:10 PM in the secondary quadrangle. It’s time to raid your closets, dust off your glue guns, and let your imagination run wild! Families are welcome to attend and join in the fun—because who doesn’t want to see a life-sized Gruffalo or a walking Harry Potter? Let’s see who can bring their favourite book characters to life!
If you have any queries about the Dress Up Parade, please contact me at school or invlibrary@arm.catholic.edu.au
The closing date for the PRC is fast approaching: Friday, August 23rd. By this date, students must have logged their books on the PRC site and printed their reading logs to return to school. This is a reminder that Kindergarten students are completing their Challenge at school, so families do not need to log their books.
More students have been returning their reading logs this week, which is a wonderful achievement to be proud of. If your child needs a few extra books to get them over the line, please let me know, and I can find some for them. Some books we’ve read in library lessons can also be included for students in Years 1 and 2.
This Week’s Reads
Across K-6, we continue to read more of the CBCA Shortlisted Books of the Year.
Kindergarten and Stage 1 have continued the duck theme by reading ‘One Little Duck’ by Katrina Germain. It’s a fun story based on the song ‘Five Little Ducks’. Unlike the song, Mother Duck calls out various animal sounds that bring all sorts of creatures to her home. Apart from talking about rhyming and onomatopeia words, we’re also singing the song. Something different for this old duck!
Stage 2 is reading two wonderful books from the Picture Book category. This week they’ll be focusing on the use of colour in illustrations when reading ‘That Bird Has Arms’ by Kate and Jol Temple, and also Paper Flower Girl by Margrete Lamond. While they’re both very different, one thing in common is that their illustrations are beautiful. Paper Flower Girl is my pick (not that I have a good track record of choosing the winners!).
Finally, Stage 2 is reading the prologue of ‘Huda Was Here’ by H. Hayek. This book is a sequel to Huda and Me, which was also a shortlisted story and continues with the mischief and hijinks of the two main characters.
Even the blurb is fun: When her dad loses his job as a security officer and has to work interstate, Huda convinces her brother Akeal to sneak out at night to make mischief, hoping to force their dad’s bosses to hire him back.
As their misdeeds escalate, will the daring duo be able to outsmart the authorities? How much are they willing to risk for family unity – and what else might they uncover along the way?
After a more serious book last week, this is a good choice for students who prefer a lighter genre.
SORA’s eBooks of the Week
SORA have another collection of books for students to enjoy. This week’s theme is ‘Imagine and Wonder’. Enjoy!
Meet the Readers
This week, meet another two wonderful readers at HTS. First up is Savannah from 6T, who was the first borrower of the CBCA Shortlisted 'Younger Reader of the Year' book, ‘Being Jimmy Baxter’. I hope you enjoy the remainder of the book as much as Chapter 1.
Last week at the Book Fair, I met Alexander in KD and his family. Alexander was looking for an axolotl book when he mentioned he had one. After I told him I had never seen one, he brought in four amazing photos of his very own. So what else could we read but ‘Axolotl’ by Laura Sieveking? Thank you for sharing your cute photos with the class; I loved them!
Bag Tales
It’s been a while since I’ve shared some of the beautiful bags that students bring to the library. Last week, we welcomed Katalaya, a new student in 1M who had a beautiful mermaid library bag. Welcome to our school!
Miracles Do Happen!
Thanks to Kayd in Year 8, who was a great sport this week. He returned all his overdue books and has a completely clear record! I’m not sure who was more shocked, but we had a laugh at how happy he was to be back in the ‘good books’. It was also great to see him borrow more books afterwards. Long may it last!
Thanks, I think…
Yesterday, I was choosing some books to display for secondary students. I have a great group of girls that come in every morning, and we discuss lots of things, but mostly books, so I asked them to choose a theme. I’m sure we have nothing to worry about…
Finally, last week, I got caught up with the Book Fair and didn’t get to add Bethany’s book review before the Newsletter was published, so I thought I had best include it this week. Here’s her latest review (in her own words). Thanks, Bethany!
Bethany’s Brilliant Book Reviews: Two Can Play That Game
Rating: 3 stars
Review:
Two Can Play That Game by Leanne Yong is a classic teen romance. The book follows Samantha Khoo, an aspiring video game developer, as she attends a workshop to kickstart her career. She competes with Jaysen Chua for the last available ticket. As the competition unfolds, Sam not only pursues her career goals but also embarks on a journey of self-discovery, with Jay supporting her along the way.
Spoiler alert: they fall in love. In my opinion, this trope is just too cliché to write another story about, but, alas, here we are. Keep in mind, I’m not a huge fan of love stories where the main plot is just that – falling in love – but there was enough of a story here to have the love plot as a cushion to fall back on. Final rating: 3 stars.
Happy reading,
Mrs Toni Fraser