19 December 2006
Happy Christmas
By now parents of students in Years 7 & 8 should have received, in the school mailing, my end-of-term list of reading suggestions - look out for the coloured paper. Do keep it as it’s also a ready-made gift list.
I enjoy reading the books on my suggestions lists. I don’t claim to have read them all, but try to have read at least one book by most authors I’m suggesting. I’ve just looked at the list and counted. I can confidently report that I have read 45 of the 50 or so books listed on the front page. My suggestions also come from reading book reviews in the literary press and online, magazines for librarians and teachers, visiting book shops, as well as listening to recommendations by colleagues, friends and, of course, the young people themselves.
Many parents enjoy reading the books their children are reading and the activity offers an opportunity to chat about shared interests, as well as help motivate reluctant readers. We have some excellent contemporary authors writing for young people. Revisiting children’s classics as adults can not only bring back memories of past favourites but they remind us of the quality of a ‘good read’. However I’m sure you would agree with me that it is better for children to read anything rather than nothing – magazines, popular fiction can all lead to finding the ‘right book’ and author.
I am also keen to promote listening to stories and if you look at this blog you will see that I regularly promote BBC 7, one of the BBC’s digital networks. Stories can be heard live or ‘listened again’ online. Not only is this an enjoyable pastime it also develops listening and concentration skills.
Look at the schedules and you will see that the treats during the school holidays include:
- The Box of Delights: when the wolves were running, a thrilling two part adaptation of the children's fantasy novel by John Masefield
- Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte’s classic novel
- The Chronicles of Narnia, the entire series, continuing into January
- Stravaganza, Mary Hoffman's spellbinding story of Lucien, who is ill in bed in hospital, but wakes from a dream to find himself transported back to a sixteenth century Venice-like city called Bellezza. Here he finds an intriguing world of conspiracy, deception and rivalry.
Happy Reading!
