Over the autumn term, Year 5 pupils have been taking part in the Hampshire Illustrated Book Awards, whereby the School Library Service nominates six picture books suitable for Upper Key Stage 2 children to enjoy and evaluate.  The most popular title, as chosen by Kookaburra and Cassowary, was ‘A Christmas Carol’ adapted by Tony Mitten.

This was also the overall winner of the Hampshire Illustrated Book Award, as chosen by Year 5 pupils from schools across the county.

The five other shortlisted titles were:

‘The Last Tree’ by Emily Haworth-Booth

‘The Day War Came’  by Nicola Davies

‘The Dam’ by David Almond

‘# Goldilocks’ by Jeanne Willis

‘Once Upon a Wild Wood’ by Chris Riddell

Hello Everyone

I hope you have been keeping safe and well over the summer term and are happily looking forward to the summer holidays.  While enjoying the beautiful English weather, curled up with a book in the garden or scrolling through pages on your i-pad, why not join the new Summer Reading Challenge.

Get rewards, play games and earn badges as you discover awesome books to read this summer!

Join the ‘Silly Squad’ with this year’s Summer Reading Challenge.  You can register online or at your local library.

https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/

If you complete the challenge, please bring your certificate into the school library, when we re-open in September, to receive a wonderful ‘Silly Squad’ prize from Mrs Porter.  If you have been taking part online, please e-mail a copy of your certificate to the school office.

I look forward to welcoming you back to the school library and hearing all about the stories you have enjoyed sharing at home.

Keep safe.

Mrs Porter

Have you seen the new book of Guinness World Records 2020? There are two copies in the school library, full of the most astonishing and inspiring achievements. Pupils in Years 5 and 6 were recently set a challenge, to find the answers to five questions hidden within the pages of this amazing annual.

A total of 27 pupils completed the quiz and have successfully earned extra points for their classes on the Book Borrowers’ Leader Board.

During the spring term, pupils in Year 1 will be taking part in the Hampshire Picture Book Award 2020.  Over 120 schools in the county will be participating this year, to choose their favourite story from a shortlist of 4 new picture books.  The main aims of the award are to promote the enjoyment of reading and to develop children’s visual literacy skills and creativity.

These are the new books that Year 1 will be looking at:

During the Spring Term, in their weekly library time, pupils in Year 4 will be presented with five different non-fiction books, from which to choose their personal favourite and cast their vote.  The main aims of this award are to develop pupils’ confidence in using and evaluating information sources and to celebrate the value of information books in an electronic age.

These are the five shortlisted titles:

During the Autumn Term, pupils in Cassowary and Kookaburra class have been taking part in the Hampshire Illustrated Book Award.  They have enjoyed sharing six picture books, chosen by the School Library Service to promote the enjoyment of reading, to develop their visual literacy skills and challenge their critical thinking.

Having evaluated each book, our year 5 pupils voted for their favourite title, which was ‘The Bad Seed’ written by Jory John and illustrated by Pete Oswald.  Throughout Hampshire, this was the book chosen by the majority of pupils and has therefore been awarded the Hampshire Illustrated Book Award 2019.

The Hampshire School Library Service provide an excellent range of resources to support learning in schools, to promote reading for pleasure and provide school libraries with a variety of carefully chosen, new and exciting books.

Throughout the Spring Term, Puffer Fish and Turtles have been reading, exploring and reviewing a selection of new picture books, provided by SLS.  The children have chosen their favourite book, “You’re Called WHAT?!” and their votes have been submitted to the Hampshire Picture Book Award 2019.

Pupils in Kangaroo and Koala have been reading, judging and discussing a shortlist of new information books, provided by SLS.  When the year 4 votes were counted, two books received the same number of votes, ‘Neil Armstrong and the Moon Landings’ and ‘How Does my Home Work?’  These results have been submitted to the Hampshire Information Book Award 2019.

By taking part in this event, the school have received 3 copies of each book, 24 new books in total, to be added to the school library.

What an amazing day!  Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun by dressing up, sharing stories and providing a special Hogwarts experience in the lunch hall.  I hope you all enjoyed spending your £1 book tokens and listening to the special bedtime stories, recorded by members of staff on the school website.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in the World Book Day competitions, winning Roald Dahl pencils, notebooks and £5 book tokens to spend at the Travelling Book Fair.

On Friday 10th November 2017, Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore (The 2 Steves) came to visit us for the day.

The whole of KS2 were completed transfixed during their “Action Dogs” show and even the teachers (Miss Stapley) got in on the action.

The 2 Steves spent the rest of the morning talking to some of the children about being an author.

The winners of the competitions had lunch with the 2 Steves and the children even managed to get some chips from the kitchen for the 2 Steves which they all shared.

After signing books that children had purchased, they spent the whole afternoon with year 6. The talk was inspirational with a few laughs along the way.

It was a great day for KS2 and for the staff. This will be the last time that the 2 Steves will be touring together but we hope to have just the 1 Steve (Steve Skidmore) back again soon.