MARGARET MAHY DIED TODAY AFTER A SHORT ILLNESS

This time last year, many KNS students and parents were lucky enough to meet Margaret Mahy at the Kaiapoi Workingmans Club and hear her read a selection of books she had written and ask her questions.

Margaret had written over 200 books and poems and her passing today will be huge loss.  We have many of Margaret Mahy's books in our library. How many can you find?

THE GRUFFALO'S CHILD

STUCK written by Oliver Jeffers

Stuck - one of the stories that Zac Harding read to our junior students.

STUDENT LIBRARIANS

These are some of our fabulous student librarians that help make our library a wonderful place to be.

WOW - WHAT A WEEK!

We have just finished a fun filled Book Week.

'Koala Lou (Mrs Lynskey) and Pirate Bob'

We were lucky enough to have Jennifer Somervell, author of 'THE DAY DAD BLEW UP THE COWSHED' visit us and read her very entertaining new picture book. The feedback from the Koru and Wheki syndicates was 'it was awesome!'

If you are interested in purchasing Jennifer's book @ $25.00, you can make contact at info@talesfromthefarm.co.nz .  The book is also available for purchase at Emma's at Oxford.

The Student Librarians ran a hugely successful bake sale, which raised over $300.00 to purchase new books for the library.  A HUGE thank you to everyone who supplied baking.

We also had Zac Harding from the Christchurch Library - Shirley Branch, visit us and read some very funny stories.  Zac is an amazing storyteller and the students loved it!  Zac gave up his own time to come to KNS, which was greatly appreciated.  Thanks Zac :-)

On Friday, many students and staff came dressed as a 'book character'.  Prizes were awarded for 'best dressed' at school assembly.  Geronimo Stilton also came to visit us at KNS.  Well done to EVERY student and staff member that joined in the fun.

Here are some photos of some of 'characters'.

'Prince Caspian'

'Strawberry Shortcake'

'Storm Troopers'

'Princess & Strawberry Shortcake'

'Snow White'

'Pirate Joshua'

'Thing 2'

'Queen of Hearts'

'Fairy'

'Geronimo Stilton'

'Little Red Riding Hood with her Grandmother'

'Thing 1,  Thing 2 and The Cat in the Hat'

'The Tin Man & Geronimo Stilton'

'The Lion King'

'Pinocchio & The Queen of Hearts'

'Super Heroes'

I have to thank the following people who helped me throughout the week - Rebecca, Lisa T, Jane N, Katrina G, Victoria,  Mike and Keith on the BBQ, Mr O and Mrs Anderson and the office ladies - your help was much appreciated :-)

GUESS HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU (one of my favourites)

SCHOOL CLOSURE DUE TO SNOW

We have had a 'polar blast' here in Canterbury and school was closed for two days.

These photos are of our wonderful library surrounded by snow.

BOOK REVIEW - Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place

Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place, The Mysterious Howling - written by Mary Rose Wood

This is an excellent book because of the well formed and funny characters.  It has an exciting plot (story line) and I would rate it 10/10.  One of my favourite characters is 'Nutsawoo', who you meet later in the book.

This book is a Victorian mystery and there are more books in the series.  The main characters are Penelope, who is the children's governess and  'Cassiopeia', 'Beowulf' and 'Alexander',  the children.

The children have been raised by wolves, were found in the forest and have lots to learn.  When Penelope finds out there is going to be a Christmas party, she has to get the children ready.  One part of the story revolves around the children making it through the Christmas party.  The other part of the story revolves around the fact that nobody knows who left the children in the woods and that old Timothy the coachman is acting suspicious.

I would recommend this book to children 8 years and older, due to some complicated words.

Reviewed by:  Sofia, Room 14

BOOK WEEK / SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR

We will be celebrating our annual Book Week - 18th - 22nd June, 2012

Planned for this week will be - special guests, cake stall, library fund-raising lunch, competitions and much, much more!

Keep checking the blog for more information

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

I hope you have spoilt your Mum today!

ANZAC DAY 25TH APRIL

THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC

This weekend will be the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic

At 11.40pm on the night of 14 April 1912, en route to New York and on her maiden voyage, the RMS Titanic struck the iceberg that would ultimately lead to her sinking less than 3 hours later. At around 2.20am on the morning of 15 April, RMS Titanic disappeared beneath the surface of the Atlantic Ocean, a disaster that resulted in the loss of more than 1,500 lives, almost two-thirds of the people on board. It took 73 years for the wreck of the Titanic to be found on the seabed.

The following clip shows what happened when the Titanic hit the iceberg.

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL FIJI AFER THE DEVASTATING FLOODS

Friends of Mrs Lynskey have had their school destroyed by the floods in Fiji.

What do you think we could do to help?? Let me know.

POO BUM written by Stephanie Blake

The little rabbit is loved by his family, even though whenever they ask him a question, he answers very rudely. Every morning when his mother said, "Time to get up, my little rabbit," he would reply, "Poo bum!" At lunchtime when his father said, "Eat your spinach, my little rabbit," he would reply, "Poo bum!" One day, he meets a hungry wolf. Will the little rabbit learn his lesson once and for all?

READ THE HUNGER GAMES AND WONDERING WHAT NEXT??

If you have read The Hunger Games trilogy and are wondering 'what can I read now that will be as good?', try 'DIVERGENT', which is the first in a trilogy, written by Veronica Roth. The second book 'Insurgent', will be available in New Zealand in May.

Recommended for our older intermediate students 12/13+



In a future Chicago, 16-year-old Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she is an anomaly who does not fit into any one group, and that the society she lives in is not perfect after all.

KAIAPOI NORTH SCHOOL'S 50TH JUBILEE - QUEENS BIRTHDAY WEEKEND

Queens Birthday weekend 1st and 2nd June 2012.
To register please contact the school on 03 3278803 or e mail to jubilee50@kaiapoinorth.school.nz

THE HARRY POTTER TRIVA COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

The winners of the Harry Potter Trivia Competition were announced at assembly by a very 'specia'l guest straight from Hogwarts! Grace M and Angad both won a packet of 'Bertie Botts' from The Harry Potter Exhibition in Sydney - enjoy! Let me know which flavour you enjoyed most - vomit or earwax perhaps?

Thanks Harry!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE

THE AMAZING MOA HUNT BOARD GAME - new to the library this week

The Amazing Moa Hunt™ is a truly iconic New Zealand game. If you like treasure hunts, you’re going to love searching beautiful Aotearoa for Moa treasures (footprints & eggs) by guessing the location of New Zealand towns and cities. Experienced explorers can play a second, even more challenging game. Using a set of clue cards, you can launch a fast paced battle requiring quick thinking and even quicker answers!

Come on into the games room with some friends and give it a try!

ANZAC DAY - 25th APRIL

Anzac Day will fall just after we return after the school holidays on the 25th April.

How about doing some 'home learning' for growing excellence, by researching ANZAC Day and presenting it on a poster?? (you have four weeks to complete it)

I would love to have some wonderful posters to display in the library :-)

EASTER COLOURING COMPETITION

Its all happening in the library this week - first Harry Potter triva and now, the Easter colouring competition!

Come on into the library to collect your colouring sheet (a different picture for each syndicate). Return it by Wednesday next week and the winners will be announced at the final assembly on Thursday by the organizers, Grace and Tamara.

Good luck!!!

HARRY POTTER TRIVIA COMPETITION

Has started! - come into the library and collect your trivia quiz sheet.

The prize will be announced next Thursday at assembly by a 'special guest'. Thanks to Angad and Jake for organizing this competition.

It's OK! written by New Zealand author, Jo Heslop and illustrated by Annie Roska

We have been lucky enough to have had the book 'It's OK!' donated to our library by Mrs Garing (in the office)'s mother.

It's OK! has been written by a mother of a special needs son from Waitahuna, a small country town near Lawrence, Otago and beautifully illustrated by his teacher aid.

"One day a little boy named Brody starts at a new school. Brody has special needs and his story tells how his classmates come to realise that "it's ok to be different!"

The book can be purchased from selected bookshops and by email: benandjoheslop@xtra.co.nz

JAPAN REMEMBERS

It has been one year since the devastating 9.0 earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan. Whilst people world-wide remember the 19,000 people that died, Japan continues to recover a year on.

I have found this really neat website about Japan. Check it out!

HARRY POTTER COMPETITION

During the Christmas holidays, I went to Sydney and whilst there, went to the Harry Potter Exhibition. I will be running a 'Harry Potter' competition with a special prize that was purchased at the exhibition. Keep checking the Library Blog for more details - as you will be the first to find out!

WELCOME BACK!

After six amazing weeks off we are now all back at school and ready for a fantastic term 1.

We have many new books in the library this term. Come on in and reserve them now.

One of the popular ones will be 'The Art of the Adventures of TinTin. If you went to see the movie (as I did) you will find this book very interesting.

The artists at Weta Digital and Weta Workshop were thrilled to get the opportunity to work with Steven Spielberg to bring Herge's wonderful characters to the big screen in The Adventures of Tintin. They spent five years working on this movie. This book tells the story of how the film makers started with the original Herge artwork and books and ended up with what is seen on screen. It features early concept drawings, sequences, models, costume designs and final stills from the film. The book focuses on the creative process, showing the many designs that made it into the movie and others that didn't. A true insight into the creative thinking behind this ground-breaking feature film.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A photo of Sydney Harbour Bridge (taken by the Sunday Telegraph) What a way to welcome in the New Year! May 2012 be fun filled and less shaky year for us all here in New Zealand!

I have just finished my first book of the holidays. How about you - how many have you read?