New Books

Split Second by Sophie McKenzie

Charlotte and Nat become bound together by the devastating consequences of a terrorist attack in London. Life can change in the blink of an eye - whether you are ready or not.

The Guardian review wrote "Split Second was surprisingly unpredictable, fast-paced and packed with plot twists".

Received a 4/5 star rating on Good Reads

Moon at Nine by Deborah Ellis

Set in 1988 Iran, where homosexuality is a crime, and can be punishable by death. Based on a true story.

You Tube: Pajama Press

Like No Other by Una Marche

A story of forbidden love.Two teenagers from very different backgrounds experience first love.

Shakespeare with a hip hop flavour

The Ugly Shakespeare Company is going to entertain you next week, and I have always enjoyed their performances.

Othello the Remix is a hip hop adaptation of this play. The Q Brothers are the writers and directors. The play was recently performed at the Auckland Festival. In the following video they also took their production to a prison. Rap music brought Othello to life for these prisoners and they thoroughly enjoyed it. Just goes to show that Shakespeare's stories are timeless.

                                    You Tube: Othello the remix in Cook County Jail (Q Brothers)

If that video had you wanting to know more then watch an interview with the Q Brothers.

                                         You Tube: Rappers remix Shakespeare's Othello

Insurgent Quiz

To celebrate the release of Insurgent, the second film in Veronica Roth's Divergent trilogy, The Guardian has created a quiz.
Go to Quiz to see how big a fan you are.

In the meantime, if you haven't had the chance to see the film, here is the movie trailer.

                                         You Tube: Insurgent Official movie trailer

Celebrating diversity - Race Relations day

Every year communities across the country host events - from food fairs to cultural festivals - to celebrate Race Relations Day.

This year's Race Relations Day theme "Big Change Starts Small" was created by a Vietnamese Kiwi who had lived in Auckland for less than a year when he won last year's Race Unity Speech Competition. Thai An Vo's speech is inspirational because it is achievable.
                                                     

Worth watching!

                                      You Tube: NZ Police -2015 Race Unity Speech winner

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, held on March 21 every year (our Race Relations Day), marks the 1960 Sharpeville Massacre when 69 black South African citizens - including 10 children - were shot to death by their own Police for protesting against racial apartheid laws.

                                          You Tube: ABC News (Australia)

A warm welcome to our Thai students

It has been a pleasure to meet the Thai students who will be with us for a while. It would be awesome to be able to greet them in their own language, so please take the time to watch this video created by a lovely Thai girl who offers some tuition about common phrases.

                                                             You tube: StilloKay

World Book Day

World Book Day is a worldwide celebration of authors, illustrators, books and reading.

To mark World Book Day (which is March 4 in New Zealand) there is a competition you can enter.

The competition involves matching an extract from a book with the book cover. Entry is online. Go to noticeboard opposite the library to view.

The prize is still to be assembled, but will include an Easter egg, an Eco store product, and a few other little goodies.

The competition will close on Thursday 12th March.

The Word is Out

Image: SchoolforYoungWriters

A collection of writing by New Zealand teenagers. This edition is made special because of its inclusion of works by our own talented Lydia White. A Monopoly on Life is thought-provoking, contentious and a serious choice. I encourage you to read this and Just a Moment's Thought.

Congratulations Lydia on your success.

One Girl, One Dream - Laura Dekker

(Image: Harper Collins)

Adventure, courage, strength of character

In 2012, at the age of just 16, Laura Dekker became the youngest sailor ever to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe. In realising her long-held dream, she had not only braved the wild oceans and long weeks of solitude at sea, but also the doubts and sometimes hostile resistance of officials.

In this remarkable account of her incredible journey - for the first time in English - Laura describes in her own words what it is like to sail solo around the world, and the determination it takes to do it at such a young age.

Exciting, awe-inspiring and inspirational, this is a real-life adventure for readers of all ages.(Back cover)

Video created by National Geographic

City of Halves by Lucy Inglis

(Image: Chicken House Publishers)

Action, danger, conspiracy.

London. Girls are disappearing. They've all got one thing in common; they just don't know it yet. Sixteen-year-old Lily was meant to be next, but she's saved by a stranger: a half-human boy with gold-flecked eyes. Regan is from an unseen world hidden within our own, where legendary creatures hide in plain sight. But now both worlds are under threat, and Lily and Regan must race to find the girls, and save their divided city.(Back cover)

For a review of this book go to City of Halves