This is a new release of a book, first published in French in 1992, but there is nothing outdated in what it says. It reminisces the fun times of reading to your children as they first discover the delights of books. Then it recognises the sometimes rushed finishes of nighttime reads… It ponders the busyness of school, and the demands we place on students to understand what the words say, as our children first begin school. And how this continues as school life progresses…
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According to (excuse me!) Wikipedia, a graphic novel is “a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels, and often aimed at mature audiences”. So does that make them a good thing, or are they something to be avoided by schools?
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Students often wonder why it is necessary to study the life and times of writers. The study of Shakespeare in Australian schools is certainly one which demands an understanding of the context of his world, which of course was very different to our own modern world.
A recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald (April 26, 2007) gave a slant on this, when it revealed an engraving which Shakespeare composed for his own tomb at Stratford-on-Avon. The prose read:
Good frend for Jesus sake forebeare, To digg the dust encloased heare; Bleste be the man that spares thes stones, And curst be he that moves my bones.
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Announced today! The shortlists for the Children’s Book Council of Australia awards for 2007. In the Older Readers category, there is great variety with a humorous look at family life from Lisa Shanahan, My Big Birkett; an intriguing look at recent history by award winning Ursula Dubosarsky, The Red Shoe; and a selection of short horror stories from Margo Lanagan, Red Spikes – the third in a series. Combine these with Michael Gerard Bauer’s humorous tale in Don’t Call Me Ishmael; Judith Clarke’s well-woven tale of teen angst and love, One Whole and Perfect Day; and the beginning of a new fantasy trilogy by D.M.Cornish, Monster Blood Tattoo, and you have an interesting collection!!
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Markus Zusak will be inside a dog for a month! Well not literally, but from the point of view of being Writer-in-residence at ‘Inside a Dog’ for the month of April. By visiting this web site you can get an insight to the mind of a writer, and be privy to ideas which inspire the creative writing process. Read the rest of this entry »
Last year, quite a few students and their families took part in the Australian Readers’ Challenge which supported indigenous youth in the far north of Australia. They combined with many Australian schools to raise $80,000 for this goal. This challenge has been running for a couple of years now and, unfortunately, will not run in the same format this year. However, we are developing an alternative school-based challenge. Visit Challenges for more information. So, stay tuned for further details!
I’ve just finished a book by Randa Abdul Fattah, Does My Head Look Big in This, and have started on the sequel, 10 Things I Hate About Me - both if which reflect on issues facing young adults - body image, friendships, choices, faith and religion. This started me thinking about how students select the books they read. Do secondary students enjoy Realistic Fiction like this, or something else?
Also, I have just spent time with classes looking at some examples of Historical Fiction, which is a favourite genre of mine. Students were enthusiastic, teachers were enthusiastic, and lots of popular titles and authors were shared and borrowed. Why is this genre so popular?
Throughout my ‘library experience’, authors of Historical Fiction have enthralled me. Tales about the rigours of their research have always facscinated me (e.g. with Michelle Paver swimming with killer whales, and spending time with the natives and wildlife of Iceland, Norway, South America, the Rockies for her research purposes! and Carole Wilkinson going into detail about a particular flower for Dragonkeeper, or historically correct detail for her Ramose series).
But I have gone off track. Which fiction genre appeals to you? (e.g. mystery, fantasy, crime fiction, adventure, school stories, humour) Or do you just read what you have to, to meet school requirements? What was the last book you read purely for pleasure?
How do you judge a book? Using its cover? Maybe with recommendations from a friend? teacher? Just by reading the blurb? or a few lines? Well, according to a snippet on Read Alert, quoting from a New York Times article, some people can judge a book from just one word! “The inclusion of the word has shocked some school librarians, who have pledged to ban the book from elementary schools, and reopened the debate over what constitutes acceptable content in children’s books” i.e. judging it inappropriate for schools based on one word.
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One of the laments of many teachers and parents these days is that ‘their kids’ aren’t reading anymore. Is this true? Do students of the Net Gen actually read less than their parents? And if boys spend so much time on computers, do they take the time to read books?
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With lots of time to enjoy new books and revisit old favourites, I have now found a way to keep track - Librarything! As suggested by a visitor to this blog, (thanks, Jill), this can be used to maintain details of the books you own, or those you are currently reading. This can then be accessible online at any time - just for you, or to share with others.
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