In today’s world another option is available on the internet. In a game form, you can test your knowledge of words, while at the same time working to end world hunger – this is the Free Rice game.

FreeRice is a sister site of the world poverty site, Poverty.com. and it has two goals:

1. To provide English vocabulary to everyone for free. 
2. To help end world hunger by providing rice to hungry people for free.

It’s worth a visit for the challenge and the chance to encourage the sponsors of the site to contribute to world hunger issues by donating free rice. (The rice is paid for by the advertisers whose names you see on the bottom of your vocabulary screen.)

WARNING: This game may make you smarter. It may improve your speaking, writing, thinking, grades, job performance, etc. Try a visit yourself, and let us know what you think – have your word skills improved? Don’t forget to check out the rice tally too.

You can vote via the web or SMS for both the Gold Inky (for Australian authors only) and the Silver Inky (a list which includes international authors). Check out the lists and details for voting at Inside a Dog and cast your vote!

Of course, there are categories for Younger Readers, Early Childhood, Picture Book and the Eve Pownall Award for Information Books. Among many of these, we see some old favourites, like Jackie French and, no surprises, Shaun Tan. Alongside there are also some interesting titles – like All Cats have Aspergers, Woolvs in the sitee, and Doodledum Dancing! Also available from the CBCA website is a list of 91 notable books for 2007.  This provides a great selection of books from which to choose for those who are participating in the school’s Reading Challenge. All good reasons to view the lists at: http://www.cbc.org.au/short07.htm

The CBCA also announced the opportunity for readers to participate in voting this year.In a new initiative, the Council launched the CBCA JUNIOR JUDGES PROJECT – a development to encourage children to take part and judge this years’ short list, based on the criteria used  by the CBCA judges. Therefore, students from all over Australia can be involved in this year’s judging process!! Will you take the opportunity to vote?

Interestingly, 5 of the 6 authors who are shortlisted this year for the ‘Older Readers’ category have had the honour of being shortlisted in the past. Do you think that is why they were chosen? Or has their success in the past encouraged their writing? Are they simply good writers?

Librarything will host a list of up to 200 titles free of charge – after that there is a nominal charge. It has some interesting features once you have a few books entered and tagged, as it will show you which authors are popular on your list (’author cloud’), and it gives a ‘tag cloud’ which gives a visual of the subjects included in your books. It also gives details about which books you have in common with other people as soon as you ehter them to your list!

You can then visit the lists of other people – which is probably a great way in which to get recommendations from those who have similar interests. There is also the potential to leave comments on the lists of others, and to participate in a blog (something I have yet to investigate).

At the moment, I am slowly adding to my list, focussing on those I am reading, and mainly those I own myself. For an idea of what it looks like and what features are included, visit: http://www.librarything.com/catalog.php?view=weeksy.

If it interests you, try it out. You only need to give minimal information and there is no danger of private information being used by others – just a place to list and keep track of your own library and share reading recommendations with others. Leave a comment here if you find it useful.

Earlier this year, writer Justyn Walker spoke to students at our school about using their dreams to begin the writing process. As he is a fantasy writer, this made a lot of sense. As some of his books involve heroine Georgie Tanner tackling dragon pits, booby-trapped meals, traitors, spies and combat croquet. He must have very vivid dreams.

What happens in your dreams? Can you remember them when you wake? Would they spark the start of a story if you jotted down some ideas? Why not try it and see? I’m going to start a ‘Dream Diary’ and see how far I fly! (and how often!!)

In this, I hope to add some comments – whether I enjoyed the book, if it was deep-and-meaningful or light and entertaining, useful for work or play, or just an interesting view of the world.

The first book I have read is called ‘Wolf Brother’ by Michelle Paver – chosen after hearing the author describe the trouble she went to with her research, and the stories she told about her unusual childhood – she must have had very understanding parents! 

“…we lived in London, my options were limited.  I bought a rabbit from the butcher’s “with the fur still on”, and skinned it and cured its hide with salt.  I got rid of my bed, and slept on the floor. I dug up the lawn to grow obscure medicinal herbs.  But although my parents tolerated the herbs and the sleeping on the floor, they drew the line at a wolf, and got me a spaniel instead.” (from http://www.harpercollins.com/)

Do you think this is a challenge you might take on too. (Might be useful for those studying journeys at HSC level – to keep track of books, poems and journal articles you come across?? Just a thought!)

Favourite books from Inside a Dog

YARA Australian Titles - recommended by Australian Kids – search for the category which is right for you.

YA Authors & Book Lists - from the ACT Virtual Library – mentions lots of authors to seek out.

And of course, booksellers sites like:

Allen & Unwin

Dymocks

Angus & Robertson

Koorong

Why not recommend a few titles your self?

Bookcrossing – n. the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.

Bookcrossing.com has over 500, 000 members, and has recorded the release of over 3 million books since April 2001 when it first began. By registering a book on the website, it is possible for many to be tracked, sometimes even across the world as even books travel!

There is a ‘biggest book release in one day’ planned in Australia on October 21 2006, so you could be part of this! Here’s what you do before then:

• Check over your bookshelves for a book you have enjoyed
• Log onto bookcrossing.com and join as a member (perfectly safe as no personal details are viewable by others)
• Register the book(s) you are going to release
• Print off a bookcrossing logo – the Australian one is available at: http://www.byokids.com.au/content/view/31/57/
• Label your book
• Then release your book on October 21 – in a park, café, bus stop, shop, somewhere a booklover might pick it up.
• Check back to the website from time to time to see if your book has been ‘caught’ and ‘released’ again.

Even if you miss this date, give the idea a try anyway – you never know who will come across your book, and what pleasures you will provide for others.  What do you think of the idea?