The children in Puffer Fish and Turtle Class have now chosen their favourite title in the Hampshire Picture Book Award 2021 – ‘Let’s All Creep Through Crocodile Creek’ by Jonny Lambert.

However, across the county of Hampshire, most Year 1 pupils voted for ‘Elephant in my Kitchen’ by Smriti Halls and Ella Okstad, making this book the winner of the Hampshire Picture Book Award 2021.

Pupils in Year 4, the Koalas and Kangaroos, have now completed their evaluation of the five new and exciting non-fiction books nominated by the School Library Service for the ‘Hampshire Information Book Award’.

The majority of our pupils voted for ‘Red Alert’, by Catherine Barr.  This beautiful book highlights 15 critically endangered animals in 6 habitats around the world, the perils they face and how you can help them to survive.

Throughout the late spring and early summer terms 2021, pupils in Kangaroo and Koala will be reading, discussing and judging a shortlist of five new information books, provided by the School Library Service.  The aims of the award are to develop the pupils’ confidence and skills to use and critically evaluate information sources, while celebrating the value of non-fiction books in an electronic age.

These are the five titles:

Throughout the late spring and early summer terms 2021, Puffer Fish and Turtles will be reading, exploring and reviewing a selection of new picture books, provided by the School Library Service.  The aims of the award are to promote the enjoyment of reading, to develop visual literacy skills and pupil creativity.  These are the four shortlisted books:

As I visit each classroom in turn, it is wonderful to see all the happy faces of children ready and eager to listen and learn.

Sadly, the school library remains closed to pupils at the present time.  However, a trolley full of carefully selected fiction and non-fiction books has been placed in each ‘bubble’, from which your children have been able to browse and borrow items to take home.  As these books are returned to school, they are placed in quarantine, in large covered boxes in the library, for a minimum of 72 hours, in line with health and safety requirements.

Keep Safe and Keep Reading…

‘You can find magic, wherever you look.

Sit back and relax, all you need is a book.’

Dr Seuss

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: