It is Sea Week throughout NZ this week and we've got a great display up in the library with lots of information about our oceans and sea life, as well as lots of books that you can borrow. We are also having a Sea Week Writing Competition.
To enter you have to choose one of the three photos below and write a story related to your photo. Your story can be a page or more and you can illustrate it if you like. On Friday I will choose two winners - one junior and one senior. The winners will receive a notebook and pen (so that you can continue your awesome writing) and a whole bunch of chocolate fish for you to share with your class.
Your entry needs to be in by the end of the day on Thursday with your name and room number at the top of the page. You can enter a story for every photo or just one. Here are the 3 photos that you can choose from:
If you had really bad acne you would want to do anything you could to get rid of it. You would try every possible remedy you could, possibly even resorting to less scientifically-proven methods. Imagine, though, that you had tried everything that you possibly could and were feeling pretty downhearted, until one day you wake up and you’re actually invisible! Not only can nobody see your spots, they also can’t see your whole face or the rest of your body. This would be enough to freak anyone out and you would have to figure out how and why it has happened. This is the weird situation that Ethel finds herself in in Ross Welford’s fantastic new book, What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible.
What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible is a weird and wonderful story full of mystery and marvels. There is something for everyone in this book, from an invisible girl and her family secrets to unexpected friendships and secret missions. There are plenty of mysteries to keep you guessing and some really tense moments too. I was holding my breath in anticipation in several parts of the story, wondering whether Ethel’s invisibility would be noticed. Ross also lightens the mood with some funny (and embarrassing) moments. Ross captures both the excitement and the terror that I’m sure you would experience if you found yourself invisible. Some of the seniors have Ross Welford's first book, Time Travelling with a Hamster, as a read-aloud at the moment. If you are enjoying that book you should try this one. You can get it from the library now. Here is the blurb: 'Turning invisible at will: it’s one way of curing your acne.
But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried
a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed.It’s fun at first, being
invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary
ability secret. Or does she…?When one day the invisibility fails to wear off,
Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep
herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the
mystery of her own birth.'
The Olive of Groves series by Katrina Nannestad is one of my favourite series. It's all about a girl called Olive who goes starts at a boarding school called Mrs Groves Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers. Olive isn't any of these things so she has to learn how to fit in.I love everything about this book, from the crazy antics to the loveable characters. Olive is only one of the many wonderful characters that inhabit Mrs Groves Boarding School for Naughty Boys, Talking Animals and Circus Performers. If you step through the doors you’ll meet Blimp (a rat with a large bottom), Wordsworth (a rat who loves words), Chester (a rat who loves buttons), Glenda the Goose (who faints at the thought of the nine times tables), Reuben the Rabbit (who loves nothing more than a good spin in the washing machine), Fumble (a shy talking moose), Mrs Groves (the ‘teeny-weeny bit odd’ headmistress), the villain of the story, Pig McKenzie, and many, many more. I love all the characters, but my favourites are the three rats – Blimp, Wordsworth and Chester. We have the first three books in the Olive of Groves series in the library now so come and grab them.
Are you a football fanatic? Do you heaps of interesting facts about space? Are you the world's biggest Harry Potter fan? Try these awesome quizzes and find out!
David Walliams' books are very funny and pretty silly. We love his books here at Halswell School! The main problem though with finding an author you really like is then finding someone else that writes stories like them. David Baddiel is another author who writes hilarious and silly stories. He has written four books - The Parent Agency, The Person Controller, The Boy Who Could Do What He Liked and his latest book, AniMalcolm. You can borrow AniMalcolm now and the other books will be available soon.
Check out this book trailer for AniMalcom. This book will make you laugh out loud!
Raina Telgemeier is an author and illustrator that is becoming super popular in our library. Raina is the creator of Smile, Sisters, Drama and Ghosts, some awesome graphic novels.
Both Smile and Sisters (which we will have in the library very soon) are autobiographical, meaning that they are about the childhood of Raina. Smile tells the story of the time that Raina tripped and knocked out both of her front teeth. She has to have surgery, get braces and a special retainer with fake teeth attached. Not only that but there is a major earthquake, and friends, boys and family to deal with.
Sisters is about Raina and the sister that she never wanted. The book follows Raina and Amara as they go on a roadtrip with their mother, and there are lots of flashbacks.
Drama is about Callie who gets the chance to become the set designer for her school play. The play isn't smooth sailing though as the crew are having trouble working together, the actors argue, and then a couple of cute boys enter the picture and things get crazy.
Ghosts is Raina's latest book, which is about two sisters who move to a seaside town and discover that the place is crawling with ghosts. It's funny and a little spooky.
Raina has also illustrated four of the Babysitter's Club stories which we will have in the library soon. Keep your eyes out for these.
Check out these book trailers for Raina Telgemeier's books too:
It's been so cool seeing your crazy photos of the unusual places you've been reading over the summer. Here are some of the entries we've had so far:
It's not too late to enter! Just email me your photo by Wednesday next week to get in the draw for book prizes. Send your photo to zac.mccallum@halswell.school.nz.
I'm really curious to find out what books you enjoyed over the summer holidays. I got the chance to read lots of books (23 great books!) and we'll be getting some of them for the library. If you've read an awesome book and we don't have it in our library please let me know so we can get it.
We have a Summer Reading display on the wall in the library. Let me know what your favourite summer reads were and I'll add them to the wall. Let's fill up the wall!
Welcome back from your fantastic summer break! It's great to have you all back in the library again and I can't wait to hear all about the books you've been reading.
There are going to be heaps of exciting things happening in the library this year, including competitions, special events, author talks and cool activities.
If you want the chance to be part of the library team I'll be asking for kids to apply to be librarians next week.
Don't forget to submit your photos for the Unusual Reading Spot Competition and hand in your Summer Reading log for your chance to win prizes.
