Are you there God? It's me Margaret. - Judy Blume

This is a classic book. It is a book I would recommend to all girls to read so they can feel like they are not the only person who has stuff happening to them that no one else understands. In the story Margaret has to move away from the life she loves in New York City and her Grandmother to life in the suburbs in New Jersey. She is about to turn 12 and is concerned with what is happening to her body, making new friends in this new place, boys!, and religion as her parents are Jewish and Christian by upbringing but no longer practise any religion. Judy writes sensitively about all those subjects while injecting humour and being realistic.

Rating

8/10

Mrs Silver-Hessey

Other books by this author:

Otherwise known as Sheila the great, the Fudge series.

The Unwanteds series - No: 5 -The Island of Shipwrecks, Lisa McMann

I have read all five of the books in this series and am looking forward to the next, (maybe the last?). The story is based around the people of the Island of Quill, where when you turn 12 you are assessed and it is decided whether you are a Wanted, a Necessary or you are an Unwanted. The Wanted go for further schooling at the Quill University, Necessaries train for those necessary jobs that need to be done and the Unwanteds are killed or are they? To be designated as Unwanted you have shown emotions and been seen to be creative. Not desirable characteristics on Quill. Book One tells of what happens to Alex and his twin brother Aaron, when it is found out what really happens to the Unwanteds. The other books continue to follow them as they grow up and learn about the other islands around them. There is magic and magical creatures, friends are made and lost, relationships develop, adventures occur.

Rating

9/10

Mrs Silver-Hessey

The Extraordinary Mr Qwerty, Karla Strambini

This is the book that I read to the Years 4/5's this week.Mr Qwerty is an extraordinary character, with fantastical ideas. This book combines minimal text with mainly black and white illustrations, the text includes a few idioms and is well-paced. The illustrations are extraordinary they are made to be pored over, they add an extra layer of meaning to the story. The children really enjoyed the story, and got the idea that imagination and believing in yourself is vital as well as the point that no-one knows what is going on in anyone else's mind. A wonderful book.
Rating 8/10

Mrs Silver-Hessey

The Executioner's Daughter, Jane Hardstaff

This book is historical fiction with fantasy intertwined as superstition. The time and place is Tudor England, with Anne Boleyn making an appearance. Moss is the 12 year old daughter of the executioner in the Tower of London, she has the job of catching the heads in a basket, a job she detests. Moss wants out of the job and the Tower, but her father tells her she cannot leave. Then she learns that her father has lied to her. Her search for the truth and freedom begins when she finds a tunnel that leads to the banks of the river Thames. As she travels along the Thames she meets some very interesting characters and finds out about what is important about her past and makes decisions about her future. This is a great finding oneself/coming of age story with a great look into what it was like for people in the time of the tudors.
Rating 6.5/10

Mrs Silver-Hessey

Bedtime is Cancelled, Cece Meng

'Bedtime is Cancelled' is the picture book that I read to the junior classes this week. It was very well received with lots of positive comments. The story follows the exploits of a brother and sister as they write a note to their parents to cancel bedtime, the wind carries off the note and the message is published and believed by people all over the world, the consequences of having no bedtime are funny as depicted by both the ideas in the text and the illustrations. The power of the press and of the impact social media can have are perhaps a little over the heads of the children but as an adult I appreciate the point made. Of course the new note penned on the last page gets all the children laughing. 

Excellent as a read-a-loud. Rating 7/10.

Mrs Silver-Hessey

eBooks and Ereaders

Queenspark School now has an ePlatform through which students and their families and staff can borrow eBooks. To access this service go our eBooks page and follow the instructions to register. We have a limited selection of books available at present but that will increase soon as I choose some more for this collection. Send me a comment with any recommendations. To go with this way to borrow eBooks we also have 10 eReaders available for students to borrow from the library - written parental permission to borrow these will be required.
It is great to be working with a new way to access reading materials.
Happy reading.
Mrs Silver-Hessey

Red Rocks, Rachel King

This book was recommended by Miss Boyle. It is Red Rocks by Rachel King and is a finalist in this years NZ Post Children's Book Awards, voting closes today. It is set in Wellington, and is based on the Legends of the Selkie, seals that shed their skins and transform into people to come onto land. One of the Selkie's skin was found by a boy and taken away without him realising what it was. The story tells of his friendship with Jessie and Ted, the difficulties that having the Selkie skin cause for him and his father and how he deals with the consequences. 
A really good read 4/5.

Mrs Silver-Hessey