OLCSS Library News

Can you read six books over the summer? Yes, of course you can! I am repeating my encouragement to read over the summer. Read anything, but don’t stop! You could even challenge your mum or dad to do the same, or read the same books as you do.

One way is to go along to your local public library and take on the Reading Mission. You will receive a sticker pack, and as you read six books, a bookmark, fridge magnet, invisible writing pen and badge. The challenge is linked in with the film of Stormbreaker, out this month. There’s a super website at http://www.readingmission.org.uk/. All you need to do now is get reading!

It’s free to join your public library. You’ll need an adult to sign the membership form, and then you can borrow up to 20 books! More info at Kids & Teens @ Libraries, http://kidlib.oxfordshire.gov.uk

If you’re going to be away and can’t visit your local library this summer, then don’t miss out - make sure you do the OLCSS Summer Reading Challenge, which is very similar. If you're already mad about books and reading then why not start a Reading Diary, and bring it in to show me in September.

Tamar by Mal Peet has won the Carnegie Medal, and Wolves by Emily Gravett has won the Kate Greenway Medal. The author and illustrator each win a coveted golden medal and £500 worth of books to donate to a library of their choice. They join the ranks of past winners: writers including C.S. Lewis, Rosemary Sutcliffe, Gillian Cross, Philip Pullman; and illustrators including Anthony Browne, Janet Ahlberg, Quentin Blake, Shirley Hughes, and Jan Pienkowski.

The student shadowers who attended the Abingdon Carnegie Forum were of the same opinion as the judges, voting overwhelmingly for this book as their favourite, but this book can be read with equal enjoyment by adults, as my reading group agreed last Friday.

Tamar is a fictionalised exploration of history and its impact on the present which focuses on the untold story of the resistance movement in Holland towards the end of World War Two. Peet is highly skilled in weaving a complex structure into an accessible and pacy novel combining a young contemporary voice with the history of tragic events sixty years ago. Left a box of clues by her grandfather when he dies, Tamar the teenage heroine of the title begins to piece together what really happened in Holland under German occupation at the end of the War. She uncovers the story of her grandfather and his young friend as they are dropped into Holland with the SOE to help unify the resistance movement. But as she pieces together the codes and clues in the box she unravels some darker family secrets that have a major impact on her life.

"Tamar was a story I particularly wanted to tell," says Peet. "I believe it's so important for young people to grasp the connections between their own lives and the past. Our understanding of history is in danger of becoming hopelessly partial and fragmented; the sense of continuity, cause and effect, is in danger of getting lost. If young people don't make those connections, what hope is there for us to learn from our mistakes rather than repeat them!"

Press release 7 July www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk

As soon as examinations finished, worked resumed on the (old) school hall. One morning during break loud drilling was to be heard as the builders were breaking though the roof to put in the new roof light (30 June).

One hundred students, who had been shadowing the Carnegie Medal, enjoyed a day sharing their views of the shortlisted books. Meeting friends from junior school, and making new ones, the Abingdon Carnegie Forum is an annual event organised by the Librarians of the six secondary schools in Abingdon.

On one of the hottest days of the summer the groups of shadowers discussed the criteria the judges will be using - plot, characters and style. There was no shortage of opinions: over 300 reviews had already been posted by the students from the schools. Guest judges circulated, listening to the groups, then retired for the hard task of selecting the best reviews for each book.

After lunch the discussion groups, which were lead by their librarians and English teachers, gave a short presentations about why their book should win the Carnegie Medal, and voting slips were completed. Whilst the results were being counted we enjoyed a slice of Carnegie cake. Prizes of book tokens and books went to the review winners, the 'Best Group Presentation' , and 'Best Contributor' in each group.

The Abingdon Carnegie Forum voted overwhelmingly for Tamar, which received over 80% of the votes. Find out on 7 July if the real judges agree.

Our thanks to Larkmead School who hosted this year's forum.