28 November 2006
Costa Book Awards shortlists
The shortlist for the Costa Children's Book Award (formerly Whitbread) have been announced:
Clay by David Almond
The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
Set in Stone by Linda Newbery
Just in Case by Meg Rosoff
Over the past 35 years the awards have recognised a wide range of books and authors across all genres, and the Costa Book Awards is the only book prize to use a category system that includes First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book. The other category shortlists are:
Costa First Novel Award
The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore
Cloth Girl by Marilyn Heward Mills
The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
Costa Novel Award
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
Saving Caravaggio by Neil Griffiths
Restless by William Boyd
Costa Poetry Award
Dear Room by Hugo Williams
Letter to Patience by John Haynes
District and Circle by Seamus Heaney
The Book of Blood by Vicki Feaver
Costa Biography Award
Keeping Mum by Brian Thompson
Nabeel's Song by Jo Tatchell
Donne: A Reformed Soul by John Stubbs
George Mackay Brown: The Life by Maggie Fergusson
The winner of each of the five categories will be announced on 10 January.
One of those five will then be named as the overall Costa Book of the Year at a ceremony on 7 February.
See Costa Book Awards website for more details.
Clay by David Almond
The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
Set in Stone by Linda Newbery
Just in Case by Meg Rosoff
Over the past 35 years the awards have recognised a wide range of books and authors across all genres, and the Costa Book Awards is the only book prize to use a category system that includes First Novel, Novel, Biography, Poetry and Children's Book. The other category shortlists are:
Costa First Novel Award
The Amnesia Clinic by James Scudamore
Cloth Girl by Marilyn Heward Mills
The Meaning of Night by Michael Cox
The Tenderness of Wolves by Stef Penney
Costa Novel Award
Black Swan Green by David Mitchell
A Spot of Bother by Mark Haddon
Saving Caravaggio by Neil Griffiths
Restless by William Boyd
Costa Poetry Award
Dear Room by Hugo Williams
Letter to Patience by John Haynes
District and Circle by Seamus Heaney
The Book of Blood by Vicki Feaver
Costa Biography Award
Keeping Mum by Brian Thompson
Nabeel's Song by Jo Tatchell
Donne: A Reformed Soul by John Stubbs
George Mackay Brown: The Life by Maggie Fergusson
The winner of each of the five categories will be announced on 10 January.
One of those five will then be named as the overall Costa Book of the Year at a ceremony on 7 February.
See Costa Book Awards website for more details.
# posted by BH @ 10:46 pm
19 November 2006
Reading and Storytelling Festival: 20-24 November
The Reading and Storytelling Festival will take place in the Library all this week.
Theme: One World - Many Cultures
All week:
Book Fair, featuring books by Beverley Birch, and featured by Sheila Brinkworth.
Storymaking: Come and make up stories with help from a story making box.
World Music: Come and enjoy music from around the world at break and lunchtimes.
Competition: Books of the World. Return entries to Mrs Hickford by Wed. 29 November.
Monday
1.15 p.m. Storytelling activities for Reading Club
4.10 p.m. Reading Buddies. Visit by storyteller Sheila Brinkworth, featuring: Room 13 by Robert Swindells; The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken; Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Other members of Year 7 are welcome to attend. Starting promptly.
Tuesday
9.50 – 11.10 a.m. (Periods 2 & 3), Years 7 & 8. Tree of Life, stories from Iran by professional storyteller Chris Smith. Teachers normally teaching these groups are welcome. In the Chapel.
Wednesday
2 – 3.20 p.m. (Periods 6 & 7), Year 9. Author visit by Beverley Birch. Teachers normally teaching these groups are welcome. N.B. Textiles and Home Ec. groups to leave at 2.40. In the Library.
Thursday
4.05 p.m. Official Opening of the Library by Sister Monica, who will cut the ribbon. If you wish to come along please gather in the corridor.
4.15 p.m. A View of the World: contributors’ celebration and OLC launch.
Friday
1.15 p.m. Ballads by the Books. Wonderful songs and voices. Watch out for some new talent!
3.40 p.m. 7A Monologues from Why the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo. Teachers are welcome to make up a small audience.
Theme: One World - Many Cultures
All week:
Book Fair, featuring books by Beverley Birch, and featured by Sheila Brinkworth.
Storymaking: Come and make up stories with help from a story making box.
World Music: Come and enjoy music from around the world at break and lunchtimes.
Competition: Books of the World. Return entries to Mrs Hickford by Wed. 29 November.
Monday
1.15 p.m. Storytelling activities for Reading Club
4.10 p.m. Reading Buddies. Visit by storyteller Sheila Brinkworth, featuring: Room 13 by Robert Swindells; The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken; Inkheart by Cornelia Funke. Other members of Year 7 are welcome to attend. Starting promptly.
Tuesday
9.50 – 11.10 a.m. (Periods 2 & 3), Years 7 & 8. Tree of Life, stories from Iran by professional storyteller Chris Smith. Teachers normally teaching these groups are welcome. In the Chapel.
Wednesday
2 – 3.20 p.m. (Periods 6 & 7), Year 9. Author visit by Beverley Birch. Teachers normally teaching these groups are welcome. N.B. Textiles and Home Ec. groups to leave at 2.40. In the Library.
Thursday
4.05 p.m. Official Opening of the Library by Sister Monica, who will cut the ribbon. If you wish to come along please gather in the corridor.
4.15 p.m. A View of the World: contributors’ celebration and OLC launch.
Friday
1.15 p.m. Ballads by the Books. Wonderful songs and voices. Watch out for some new talent!
3.40 p.m. 7A Monologues from Why the Whales Came by Michael Morpurgo. Teachers are welcome to make up a small audience.
# posted by BH @ 5:18 pm
17 November 2006
A View of the World - just published
A View of the World is an annotated bibliography which I have co-edited with three other librarians, and which has been published this week.
You may well ask "What is an annotated bibliography?" It's a list of books, and in this case also films, with a brief synopsis and review for each entry. The main audience will be people who are looking for ideas about what to read or want to find out more about our multicultural world.
We set out to find books and films, which spoke with the authentic voices of the peoples of different cultures, and if possible, written or made by people from within those cultures, or who had a deep, first-hand knowledge of the culture. The list includes novels, poetry and biographies, but we generally avoided travel books. We also set ourselves the task of finding material recently published so that the view of the world we presented would be as current as possible. Many of the titles chosen reflect the experiences of migrant populations, of life in unfamiliar surroundings, of the perils and difficulties of escaping from repression.
Above all we have tried to find books and films which will be enjoyable, or challenging or thought-provoking, suitable for readers from age 11.
A View of the World is published by the School Library Association and includes reviews not only by many librarians working in Oxfordshire schools, but also staff and students from OLCSS. There will be an official launch at Waterstone's in Oxford (date to be confirmed) and a celebration for OLCSS contributors during the Reading and Storytelling Festival in the Library next week.
Copies may be ordered from me in the Library.
You may well ask "What is an annotated bibliography?" It's a list of books, and in this case also films, with a brief synopsis and review for each entry. The main audience will be people who are looking for ideas about what to read or want to find out more about our multicultural world.
We set out to find books and films, which spoke with the authentic voices of the peoples of different cultures, and if possible, written or made by people from within those cultures, or who had a deep, first-hand knowledge of the culture. The list includes novels, poetry and biographies, but we generally avoided travel books. We also set ourselves the task of finding material recently published so that the view of the world we presented would be as current as possible. Many of the titles chosen reflect the experiences of migrant populations, of life in unfamiliar surroundings, of the perils and difficulties of escaping from repression.
Above all we have tried to find books and films which will be enjoyable, or challenging or thought-provoking, suitable for readers from age 11.
A View of the World is published by the School Library Association and includes reviews not only by many librarians working in Oxfordshire schools, but also staff and students from OLCSS. There will be an official launch at Waterstone's in Oxford (date to be confirmed) and a celebration for OLCSS contributors during the Reading and Storytelling Festival in the Library next week.
Copies may be ordered from me in the Library.
# posted by BH @ 6:18 pm
14 November 2006
Kids' Lit Quiz Oxford Heat - OLCCS team are 2nd
Congratulations to our teams who took part in the Kids' Lit Quiz today. The Year 8 team from OLCSS came 2nd, our best ever result!
At the half-way stage our Year 7 team were in 7th position, above Year 8 who were then in 8th position, but Year 8 still had their 'joker' to play, which doubled their score on their chosen round. At the end of the quiz Year 7 were 9th. There were 32 teams taking part, so both teams deserve our hearty congratulations.
At the half-way stage our Year 7 team were in 7th position, above Year 8 who were then in 8th position, but Year 8 still had their 'joker' to play, which doubled their score on their chosen round. At the end of the quiz Year 7 were 9th. There were 32 teams taking part, so both teams deserve our hearty congratulations.
# posted by BH @ 10:33 pm
13 November 2006
Kiwi Prof Quizzes Kids
There is great excitement in our school as our two teams prepare for the Oxford Heat of the Kids' Lit Quiz tomorrow, at the White Horse Tennis and Leisure Centre, Audlett Drive, Abingdon, 1.30 p.m. - 4.30 p.m. This is the fourth year that the quiz has been brought over to this country by quizmaster Professor Wayne Mills, Senior Lecturer at Auckland University, New Zealand.
There will be 32 teams of four students from Years 7 & 8 who will be battling their wits answering questions about books and literature: 100 questions in 10 rounds, with prizes of books after each round. The winning team will win book tokens and a place in the National Final on 4th December which will take place at The Seven Stories, Newcastle. The team winning the National Final will be invited to travel out to New Zealand to compete with teams from around the world for the World Title.
There will be several well known authors and illustrators present, including Mark Robson, Helena Pielichaty, Joanna Harrison and Stephen Cole. Sponsorship has been given by Serco Aerospace from Benson, Oxford University Press have provided the book prizes.
This will be a great afternoon of lively competition, and it is also a hugely exciting spectator sport. There will be some between-round questions and book token prizes for the grown-ups too! It is always a very entertaining and fun occasion and everyone present marvels at the young students' breadth of knowledge.
I'm one of the co-organisers of the Oxford Heat. The three of us organising it are all volunteers, but we agree that it is such a fantastic event that it deserves wider recognition in the UK. In New Zealand the Final is shown live on television!
Wayne Mills will be interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford Breakfast Show on Tuesday morning and we are hoping that this will help raise the profile of the KLQ.
There will be 32 teams of four students from Years 7 & 8 who will be battling their wits answering questions about books and literature: 100 questions in 10 rounds, with prizes of books after each round. The winning team will win book tokens and a place in the National Final on 4th December which will take place at The Seven Stories, Newcastle. The team winning the National Final will be invited to travel out to New Zealand to compete with teams from around the world for the World Title.
There will be several well known authors and illustrators present, including Mark Robson, Helena Pielichaty, Joanna Harrison and Stephen Cole. Sponsorship has been given by Serco Aerospace from Benson, Oxford University Press have provided the book prizes.
This will be a great afternoon of lively competition, and it is also a hugely exciting spectator sport. There will be some between-round questions and book token prizes for the grown-ups too! It is always a very entertaining and fun occasion and everyone present marvels at the young students' breadth of knowledge.
I'm one of the co-organisers of the Oxford Heat. The three of us organising it are all volunteers, but we agree that it is such a fantastic event that it deserves wider recognition in the UK. In New Zealand the Final is shown live on television!
Wayne Mills will be interviewed on BBC Radio Oxford Breakfast Show on Tuesday morning and we are hoping that this will help raise the profile of the KLQ.
# posted by BH @ 10:51 pm
05 November 2006
2006 Booktrust Teenage Award
The Booktrust Teenage Award, aimed at older teenage readers, has been won this year by Anthony McGowan for Henry Tumour .
A controversial choice for its irreverent style and to many, highly offensive language, Henry Tumour tells the story of Hector Brunty, who struggles to cope with his alter-ego, his abusive but hilariously funny talking brain- tumour Henry.
Mal Peet, Chair of the judging panel comments: “Henry Tumour by Anthony McGowan is a dirty boisterous comedy about a boy with a tumour. It’s also a wise, sensitive and questioning novel about the conflicting forces that make us who we are.”
The Booktrust Teenage Prize was launched in 2003 to recognise and celebrate contemporary fiction written for teenagers. Booktrust administers the prize with the support of writers, publishers, teachers, parents and libraries. The winning author receives a cheque for £2,500 together with a trophy.
The shortlisted books for the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2006 were:
Siobhan Dowd A Swift Pure Cry (David Fickling Books)
Ally Kennen Beast (Scholastic Books)
Paul Magrs Exchange (Simon and Schuster)
Anthony McGowan Henry Tumour (Doubleday)
Marcus Sedgwick The Foreshadowing (Orion Children’s Books)
John Singleton Angel Blood (Puffin)
Above text taken from the Bookheads website.
A controversial choice for its irreverent style and to many, highly offensive language, Henry Tumour tells the story of Hector Brunty, who struggles to cope with his alter-ego, his abusive but hilariously funny talking brain- tumour Henry.
Mal Peet, Chair of the judging panel comments: “Henry Tumour by Anthony McGowan is a dirty boisterous comedy about a boy with a tumour. It’s also a wise, sensitive and questioning novel about the conflicting forces that make us who we are.”
The Booktrust Teenage Prize was launched in 2003 to recognise and celebrate contemporary fiction written for teenagers. Booktrust administers the prize with the support of writers, publishers, teachers, parents and libraries. The winning author receives a cheque for £2,500 together with a trophy.
The shortlisted books for the Booktrust Teenage Prize 2006 were:
Siobhan Dowd A Swift Pure Cry (David Fickling Books)
Ally Kennen Beast (Scholastic Books)
Paul Magrs Exchange (Simon and Schuster)
Anthony McGowan Henry Tumour (Doubleday)
Marcus Sedgwick The Foreshadowing (Orion Children’s Books)
John Singleton Angel Blood (Puffin)
Above text taken from the Bookheads website.
# posted by BH @ 1:49 pm
02 November 2006
Family Storytelling Day – 2 November
On 2 November StoryQuest is launching a campaign to invite as many people as possible to turn off their evening television for at least an hour, to remember and tell family stories.
Every family has its stories, but how well do we know them? StoryQuest is encouraging families to set off on their own quest to discover and share their family stories with each other.
Who in your family has a story to tell? We have all lived our own lives, full of experiences, some of which will have left a tale worth telling.
Our stories develop a sense of identity, a sense of values, a sense of belonging, a sense of where we have come from and of what stuff our ancestors were made. They place us in the continuum of our family tree. Get the stories flowing!
Three simple ways to make time for storytelling are…
- Eat a meal together as a family and simply talk about interesting things that have happened.
- Turn off the television for a while! Get out family photo albums, old keepsakes and heirlooms - and talk about people in the pictures or who the objects belonged to.
- Go for a walk - and talk!
Once the quest for stories has been launched you’ll find them everywhere!
The above information is taken from the Storyquest website.
# posted by BH @ 7:58 pm
01 November 2006
Kids’ Lit Quiz heats
Heats to win a place in the school's two teams for the Oxfordshire Heat of the Kids' Lit Quiz are currently taking place in the Library.
The Kids' Lit Quiz (KLQ) is an international annual literature competition, where teams of four students, from Years 7 & 8, work together to answer wide-ranging literary questions. The winning team from each region competes in the national final, which will be at the Seven Stories: The Centre for Children's Books, Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 4 December.
Each school can arrange their own preliminary heats as they wish, using a set of pre-test questions taken from past competitions and supplied by Wayne Mills, the KLQ Quizmaster.
The KLQ came from New Zealand three years ago, where it is HUGE! The competition has been running for over 15 years and is fully sponsored and the Final is televised. The KLQ is the brainchild of the hugely entertaining Wayne Mills, who also happens to be a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland.
Wayne Mills will be arriving shortly in the UK to compere all the 16 UK heats plus the Final, and inviting the UK Winners to join the World Final in New Zealand in June 2007.
For more information about the Kids' Lit Quiz see the KLQ website.
The Kids' Lit Quiz (KLQ) is an international annual literature competition, where teams of four students, from Years 7 & 8, work together to answer wide-ranging literary questions. The winning team from each region competes in the national final, which will be at the Seven Stories: The Centre for Children's Books, Newcastle-upon-Tyne on 4 December.
Each school can arrange their own preliminary heats as they wish, using a set of pre-test questions taken from past competitions and supplied by Wayne Mills, the KLQ Quizmaster.
The KLQ came from New Zealand three years ago, where it is HUGE! The competition has been running for over 15 years and is fully sponsored and the Final is televised. The KLQ is the brainchild of the hugely entertaining Wayne Mills, who also happens to be a Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Auckland.
Wayne Mills will be arriving shortly in the UK to compere all the 16 UK heats plus the Final, and inviting the UK Winners to join the World Final in New Zealand in June 2007.
For more information about the Kids' Lit Quiz see the KLQ website.
# posted by BH @ 9:25 pm
