21st Century 

Learning Space

Library News

OVERDUE LIBRARY BOOKS

As previously advised all library books, readers and novels from class sets borrowed from the main library and classroom libraries are now due back to school. Everyone can login to the Oliver V5 Library Operating System through Compass to check your list of overdue books. Teachers have also been given 'Overdue lists' for the students in their grades.

Thank you to the students who have returned their books already however, there are still some missing. Could all students please have a look at home and return them as soon as possible. If you do not find them keep looking over the holidays!  I will follow up student overdue books in Term 1, 2023. 

If you have any enquiries about the books you have on loan, please come and see me or email so that we can sort it out as soon as possible. Thank you.

As we head into the school holidays, pack the car and head to various places around the State, you will often here children say “are we there yet?” I know this happened on our family trips away - sometimes only five minutes after we left home! 

The Playhouse Theatre at the Arts Centre Melbourne have a play by Finegan Kruckemeyer based on the picture book by Australian author and illustrator Alison Lester called Are We There Yet? The play is aimed at children aged 3 to 10 and celebrates a families travelling adventure around this beautiful land. I particularly enjoy this classic picture book for its humour and insight into family life on the road. For anyone interested in children’s books and theatre productions the play runs from 24th to 28th January, 2023.  It could be a fun day out. Further information can be found at  https://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/2023/kids-and-families/are-we-there-yet 

CHILDREN’S CHRISTMAS BOOKS 

There are lots of Christmas books with wonderful heartfelt messages in them. My favourites include ones with humour, some with lessons on the value of giving and ones that are sentimental to me. So here are my top picks for Christmas! 

Pig the Elf by Aaron Blabey

Pig the Pug thinks Santa will give him everything he wants no matter how silly or outrageous it is. Pig is the world’s greediest Pug who will stay up all night to get his presents!  There are lessons to be learnt here and Pig should know better. Our students love reading this book especially the part where Santa is chased up the chimney! Cheeky, fun, thoughtful and a lovely message about what is truly important at Christmas time.

The Smallest Gift of Christmas by Peter H. Reynolds

Roland was excited about Christmas but when he raced downstairs he found a very small gift under the Christmas tree. He decided then and there that he wanted something bigger! And bigger! And bigger! His travels take him far from home in his search for that big present but then realisation hits! The biggest gift of all is waiting for him at home!

The Night Before Christmas – Every Christmas Eve when my children were small we would go through the routine of getting a carrot for Rudolph, some milk and shortbread for Santa, hop into our PJs and settle in for a story before bed! I have very fond memories of reading The Night Before Christmas to my children every Christmas Eve until they were too old to sit still!  

“It was the night before Christmas and all through the house, 

not a creature was stirring not even a mouse….” 

Books can bring us together to create wonderful memories. I hope you enjoy some fantastic stories with your families at this special time of year.

“Read, Read, Read The More You Read, The More You Learn” – Dr Seuss

I encourage everyone to enjoy a good book over the holidays. Whether its fairies or dragons, cars or cats, superheroes or history, poetry or comics you should be able to find something that interests you. If you haven’t found something you like to read yet keep trying. There are millions of things to read and during the school holidays it’s a great time to refresh and relax with stories of every kind. 

Enjoy the holidays, be safe and I look forward to seeing everyone again next year. 

Jackie Hicks

21st Century Learning Space Manager