Literacy

Family Read

Is your family looking for it’s next family book turned into a family movie? Well 3H has a recommendation for you. The book ‘Runt’ written by Craig Silvey, was the Winner of the ABIA, BookPeople & CBCA Children's Book of the Year 2023 and is now being made into a movie. Released on September 19th 2024, Runt will feature a cast of well-known Australian actors including Celeste Barber, Deborah Mailman, Jai Courtney and Jack Thompson.

The book follows eleven-year-old Annie and Runt, her stray dog, as they attempt to win the Agility Course Championship at the Krumpets Dog Show in London in order to save their family's farm from drought and misery.

3H recommends you read the book before the movie is release because:

The book has far more details- Elisa S

Ms Davis said you must read the book first!- Ollie W

The book is usually longer and you will get to enjoy it for longer- Maxi

Runt is funny but has a strong message, and you can learn about dogs and their talents-Mia, Spencer, Zac

The book will always keep you hooked at the end of each chapter. We didn’t want Ms Davis to stop reading- Eden

Solway Writing Competition Entries

Congratulations to Sam H, Ameyaa, Max P and Lucas G on their winning Solway Writing Competition entries. These winners received book vouchers from The Leaf book shop at assembly on Friday to recognise their impressive efforts. Mrs Dordevic and Mrs Watkins are already looking forward to the 2025 Solway Writing Competition.

A Spark of Possibility by Max P 5D

My aching feet were thumping down the long, dark and deserted hallway.  It felt like it had been ages since I’d wandered past my friend Tommy's house.  I could still see the butterfly that I had followed into this eerie building, its colours gleaming in the darkness surrounding me.  Then all of a sudden the butterfly flew out the nearest window.  I turned around.  Where was I?  I continued down the hallway and turned to another hallway.  I pressed on and now I could hear whispers.  I started to get creeped out.  Still I pushed on. Now the whispers were shouts and threats and then followed by a few screams of agony. It sounded like someone is dominating a fight and another was sadly losing.  My brain wanted to turn back but my body was egging me on.  I reached a hallway where there was an exit at the end. I felt comforted that there was an escape route if needed. I heard another scream of pain coming from one of the rooms so I decided to check each room but found each one empty.  When I reached the last room I found a man on the floor with blood stains all over him and another man standing above him, fully dressed in black and looking pleased with himself.

I could hear him saying he was after payback. 

“Do you remember all those years ago when you betrayed me?” the guy in black said.  “We were a criminal duo but then you turned me in.  Your final words to me were that you’ve changed and you want to be a better person.  Do you know how much it hurts to get betrayed by your best friend?” 

The guy in black pulled the poor guy by the collar and dragged him towards the door.  I suddenly got a wave of confidence and I stood in his way but he just smirked and pushed past me.  The two men were halfway down the hallway, the wounded guy wailing in pain. Then I remembered Tommy had been teaching me Kung-Fu.  Without thinking I ran up and scissor kicked the bad guy in the head, knocking him out cold.  I grabbed the other guy and we started heading for the exit.  But suddenly he stopped dead and I tried to pull him further towards the exit but he wouldn’t budge.

“What are you doing?” I asked. "We need to get out of here before he regains consciousness.”

“No, I can't leave him,” the guy insists. “I know he has tried to hurt me really bad, but he was my best friend, we can help him start a new life, everybody deserves a second chance.” 

I can’t believe what I am hearing.  His so-called best friend almost killed him and I could have ended up dead too. 

Does he really think no matter how bad the situation is, everyone deserves a second chance?

Lucas G – Pencilvania 6S

Ahh.  Another day, sitting here, in the rusty tin where old and decrepit stationary go.  How I wish I could sharpen my blunt tip, but oh, how could I ever reach the other desk.  May I remind you that I am stuck in a tin with huge 10cm walls!

‘Hey Pencil! I know you want to get out of here, and I’ve been thinking of an idea to ditch this place.’

‘Yeah, yeah.  We’ve tried all the ideas, Ruler. Open your eyes—we’ll never escape.’  We don’t have names for each other, rather nouns, such as sharpie, or pen. 

‘But this one is different!  I’ve done the calculations—it’s gotta work!  We need to ROCK!’ Ruler is just plain silly to suggest something so ridiculous. 

‘I do love music, but how’s that gonna work?’

‘No—not Rock and Roll, rock the tin from side to side so it’ll fall over so we can escape.’ Ruler directs a sigh of annoyance at me. 

‘Oh.’

‘I’ve already told everyone else—,’

‘YOU WHAT! How come it took you so long to tell me the escape plan!’  Fury radiates

from me as I spit words at Ruler. 

‘As I was saying, I’ve already told everyone else, so… ON THREE! One!’

Everyone lines up.

‘TWO!’ We lean back. 

‘THREE!!!’ Slamming our bodies against the metal wall, the tin rocks, teeters on its edge, and comes crashing down, freeing us all. 

‘HOORAY!’  We all shout. 

‘Who goes there?’  A voice shouts from the shadows. 

‘Awwe!’

Oh no. 

It was horrible. 

It was terrifying. 

It was… THE ERASER WARRIOR!

Some of us trembled, but we held our ground against the pin-wielding, thimble- wearing WAR MONSTER.  He was even grasping a thumbtack shield. 

‘Die!’ Cried the Eraser Warrior. 

‘CHARGE!’ Dust flies up as we gallop, or rather, inch our way, into battle. 

The Eraser Warrior knocks us down, but we get back up and staple him down. 

‘I will get you one day!’  He makes a feeble attempt to threaten us, but we already defeated him, so he will never escape. 

‘Yeah, we beat him, but how will we get to the other table?’  One of the broken protractors brings up (yes, there are many). 

‘Hmm… maybe… say, uh, we could connect the textas together to make a bridge!  Yeah, that’ll work!’  My idea is brilliant!  And I will finally find my love, the Sharpener. 

Click! Click! Clack!

‘The bridge’s ready! Last one there’s a rotten egg!’ Ruler challenges us all. 

My life flashed before my eyes as I took a step by careful step closer to the table.  But I slipped. 

I tumbled off the texta bridge. 

The ground hurtled toward me at a tremendous speed. 

‘Ow!’ I smack my head on the surface of the table, stars spinning around me. 

Huh?  Yes! I made it!  And she’s just sitting over there!

‘Sharpener!’ I yell as I frolic toward her. 

‘Hoorah!  I’m sharp again!  Huh! What! No! Don’t pick me up! I’m… I’m writing! Yay! Hmm? Oh?

Ahh, another day…

Sarah Watkins

Acting Assistant Principal/Literacy Specialist