BevsBookBlog

Pop-up Library

NovaNews — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:30:46 +0000

A pop-up-library, designed and built by Nick Korody of Los Angeles district Pacific Palisades, has appeared just outside the Canyon Charger School.

Developed as part of his architecture and urban studies course, it’s always pleasing to see any kind of initiative that promotes reading and literature!

The ink bridge – Neil Grant

NovaNews — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:32:17 +0000

Grant’s penmanship transports the reader to a world known only by Afghanis. The abject fear instilled in them by the Taliban and by the poverty, hardship and sheer terror that surrounds them on a daily basis unfold slowly and clearly reaching into the very soul of those reading it. Grant’s choice of words and phrases and his manipulation of them to create not only a story but a mood and atmosphere make this novel stand out. Omed and Hec, the two main characters, one an Afghani and the other an Australian, are so credible that they feel as though they are in the room with us as we read. Never again, on completion of this read, is it possible to consider ‘asylum seekers’ as we had previously. A poignantly told story of Afghanistan and its people. A great read.

Rating: *****
Theme Fiction: Historical Fiction
Suitable: Year 9-12+

Friday Brown – Vikki Wakefield

NovaNews — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:31:14 +0000

Friday Brown runs away from her grandfather’s home soon after her mother dies. She is lost and alone when found by a boy nicknamed Silence. Taken into his ‘home’ Friday learns to live rough with a bunch of street kids. A power play between the leader of this motley group and Friday has a feel of being highly contrived. The characters in this story do not seem real. It’s a strange novel which is a disappointment following Wakefield’s previous book “All I ever wanted” which was quite gripping.

Rating: ***
Theme Fiction: Person to Person
Suitable: Year 10-12

The wrong boy – Suzy Zail

NovaNews — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:30:19 +0000

While trying to paint a picture of the bleak and horrific realities of the Holocaust, Zail has aimed to increase readership amongst the young adult audience likely to read this book by throwing in an unlikely ‘love story’ with characters that don’t seem wholly credible. This tactic however, not only detracts from the novel’s main theme, but tends to ‘ease’ the horror that faced those tortured, starved, gassed and executed at the notorious concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. Zail’s writing style, which tends to paint broad sweeping scenes that jump awkwardly in time, place and location, may only be best understood by those readers very familiar with historical facts of the Holocaust. For those without this in depth knowledge, the picture created tends to be far ‘rosier’ than reality.

Rating: ***
Theme Fiction: Historical Fiction
Suitable: Year 9-12

Affirming the role of Teacher Librarians!

NovaNews — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:30:38 +0000

April is School Library Month in the US.

I came across this video in which five authors talk about the value of both libraries and teacher librarians in their lives. If you are having any doubts about our value, just have a listen!

Prehistoric Googling

NovaNews — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 22:30:37 +0000

For those of us old enough to remember …..

The stats are frightening. Get reading!

NovaNews — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:30:28 +0000

The stats presented on the literacy levels of our students really is quite frightening.

young children spend twice as much time in front of the televison as they do reading
household duties and tiredness get in the way of parents reading to their young children
20 per cent of parents had not started reading with their 12-month-old

Presented in an article Young children spend twice as much time watching TV as they do reading stories this research by Australia Post coincides with the launch of the Let’s Read National Early Literacy Campaign. Some great strategies and ideas to promote reading are listed on this website. Well worth the time to explore.

What’s YABBA?!

NovaNews — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 22:30:56 +0000

If you’ve had a ‘What on earth is YABBA’ moment, then take a few minutes to check this video out!

YABBA, the acronym for Young Australians Best Book Awards, were established in 1985 in Victoria and aim to give children the chance to choose books worthy of awards. Kids love it and authors revel in the opportunity to be honoured by their readers.

Nice book shelf: Boekenwurm – Bookworm

NovaNews — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:30:13 +0000

Being able to take centre stage in any home, this book shelf, custom built on order, is a curved shape comprised of thin layers of MDF bent along custom made moulds. Balanced by a stainless steel leg on one wall, the base of the lower inner wall provides a place for the reader to sit and relax while reading. A lamp, suspended from the upper inner side of the worm ensures sufficient illumination for the reader.

With a range of colours to choose from, this impressive structure is sure to be an attractive option for ‘jazzing’ up any room in the house!

Mark Twain says it so well!

NovaNews — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 21:30:29 +0000

Just love this quote. So very true!!

Courtesy Lifehack