Welcome to the end of December — and the end of the year. We hope your holidays are full of books! If you have a trip to the library planned, or a bookstore gift card burning a hole in your pocket, here are some books that come highly recommended by our team of young readers. These titles are their favourites read during December 2014. Let the reading begin!
Here we are at the end of November — and the end of the year is in sight! We hope your last weeks of school are fun and it’s not too hot just yet. It will be time for holiday reading very soon and here are some great reads, recommended by our team of young readers. These titles are their favourites read during November. (Check back on 31st December with the last TOP READS for 2014!)
Term 4 is galloping along! Our team of young readers are back again with the best books they read during October. If you’re after a top read — these ones come highly recommended!
What time is it? It’s time for our team of keen readers to share their TOP READS for the month — the best book each of them read during September 2014. If you need just the right book to read in the school holidays, these books come highly recommended:
Two of our Young Readers are away on holidays and out of contact — we look forward to sharing their October reads with you in a month!
GARY THE GRITTY CAMEL LOSES HIS GLASSES
by Bailey, 8, QLD
One day Gary the camel was going to the River Nile for a bath.
“I hate grit. It’s in my ears, my fur, my mouth and in my hair. It’s everywhere!” complained Gary as he trudged down to the river. Just as he was stepping in to take a bath, his glasses slipped off! “Oh dear! Now I’ll have to get a new pair of glasses”, said Gary. So off he went to the shops at Cairo to get some new glasses.
Without his glasses, Gary had a lot of trouble seeing clearly. Not before long Gary came to a Hairdresser.
“Can I buy some glasses please?” asked Gary.
“Sorry”, said Kerri the Hairdresser. “We don’t sell glasses but I can give you a haircut”.
“Okay” said Gary, feeling disappointed.
BUUZZZZ! In no time at all he had a new haircut. Then he thanked Kerri the hairdresser and off he went to find some glasses.
After a while Gary found a Beauty Parlour.
“Can I buy some glasses please?” asked Gary.
“Sorry”, said Tina the Beautician. “We don’t sell glasses but I can shampoo and perfume your fur for you”.
“Okay” said Gary disappointed.
SCRUB, SCRUB, SQUIRT!!! In no time at all he had his fur washed and perfumed. Gary thanked Tina the Beautician, and then off he went to buy some new glasses.
Ten minutes later, he came to a hat shop.
“Can I buy some glasses please?” he asked Terry the Hatter.
“Sorry” said Terry. “We don’t sell glasses but I can make you a hat?” offered Terry.
“Okay” said Gary disappointed. TAP! TAP! TAP! In no time at all, Gary had a new hat. He thanked Terry the Hatter, and then off he went to find some new glasses.
As he entered the next shop, he was sure he’d found the glasses shop.
“Can I buy some glasses please?” asked Gary.
“Sorry”, said Bronwyn the Tailor. “We don’t sell glasses but I can give you some clothes”.
“Okay”, said Gary still feeling disappointed. Suddenly the sweet smell of lollies wafted up his nose. So he thanked Bronwyn the Tailor and off he went following that sweet smell.
In the lolly shop Gary bought a Gobstopper.
“Be very careful with it”, said Chris the Candy Man. “You don’t want to break a … ” But it was too late; Gary had already broken his tooth.
“Ouch! That hurts!” Gary howled to Chris the Candy Man as he left the shop.
When he finally got over the pain of his broken tooth, Gary came to another shop.
“Can I buy some glasses please?” Gary whimpered to the receptionist behind the counter.
“Sorry”, said Dali the receptionist. “We don’t sell glasses but I can get Cameron the Dentist to fix and clean your teeth”.
“Yes, please,” said Gary, feeling relieved. Not before long Gary had sparkling clean teeth.
He thanked Cameron the Dentist who said, “I know an Optometrist called Peter, he’s a friend of mine. I’ll take you to see him”. And with that, they headed off to meet Peter the Optometrist.
Finally Gary had found the right place to buy a new pair of glasses. Without delay, he chose a smart and shiny new pair, and looked in the mirror. He was surprised to see the camel staring back at him. His hair was trimmed, his ears were clipped, his fur was washed and perfumed. He had a new hat, a brown and blue shawl and his teeth were clean and sparkling. He was no longer a spitty, nitty, gritty camel. Now he was Gary the spunky, funky, hunky camel! He wasn’t disappointed anymore, he was delightedly distinguished!
The End
STUCK
by Tamsyn, 11, VIC
“I’ll be as fast as I can” Meg said.
“Good luck,” Lauren replied with starry eyes. Lauren and Jem stood arm in arm waiting for Meg to complete the task.
The great brass doors creaked as Meg opened them. Looking back one last time and very much wishing she didn’t agree to the dare, she stepped inside. She hastily crossed the groaning floor to the stairs. Clutching the banisters tight with knuckles turning white, she climbed steadily towards the landing. But as she placed her foot on it, a piece crumbled and fell away to the floor below, hurtling Meg forward and burying her face in dust and mould. As she stood, the strong, thick taste of blood reached her lips, but she wiped it away with her sleeve and began walking along the long dim corridor. She tried to remember Jem’s exact instructions, “Go along the first corridor off the landing, turn right. The door you want is at the end.” Looking straight ahead as she rounded the next corridor, she didn’t need instructions to know what door it was. The black spider web covered spooky door was by far the scariest of them all. As she reached out to the dust covered door knob, an ear-splitting scream started ringing in her ears. She sprinted back to the stairs with shock and fright. Was the screaming getting louder?
She did not know; all she cared about was getting out. About to fly down the stairs, she yelped in fright at a small figure clinging tightly to the landing and sobbing.
“Meg! Help me!” the figure cried.
With a jolt of surprise Meg recognised Annabelle. She grabbed her sister’s arm and heaved her onto the landing.
“What are you doing here?” Meg panted, puffed from the effort of pulling. “Go home!” Meg ordered.
“NO! I don’t want to go back; I want to stay with you!” Annabelle sulked and burst out crying.
“Great, just great,” Meg muttered and forced out the words “fine, follow me”. She had calmed a bit and decided to head back to the door. She once again groped for the doorknob in the dim light. No high pitched shriek came so she turned it cautiously. It clicked open with ease. There was no going back.
She stepped inside, leaving Annabelle cowering at the doorway. Lit candles in brackets cast an eerie glow. She briefly thought someone must have been here recently. Quickly, a blinding flash of light speared into her eyes and she fell to the ground. Her eyes jammed shut, and groaning in agony, she hobbled back to Annabelle. Leaning on her, they shuffled back to the landing, pushed themselves over the gap and onto the step. Meg kept pushing, no longer caring about the dust or cobwebs. Annabelle followed shakily behind. They eventually reached the door. Annabelle turned the door knob over and over, her face scrunched up in concentration. Nothing happened. Meg had a go, yet realisation turned to rising panic. They were stuck …
Happy Spring Eve! (Well, tomorrow is the first day of spring in Australia. That counts as Spring Eve, don’t you think?) It’s the last day of August and that means it’s time for our team of keen readers to share their TOP READS for the month — the best book each of them read during August 2014. If you’re looking for a book to read, here’s a good list to start with:
NB: Sometimes a book might be out of print. Don’t forget to ask for it at your library!
** Warning for younger readers: Although Cuckoo Song is an amazing book it contains a fairly creepy concept and some frightening scenes.
~Veronica
The next school holidays aren’t far away. If you live in NSW, we’ve heard that The Children’s Bookshop will be hosting some fabulous school holiday workshops for young readers, writers and actors.
Workshop 1: Deborah Abela — The Secret to Writing Great Stories (For students in Years 3–6)
Join Deb for a morning of writing fun as she reveals the secret to creating your own great stories. Then stay to celebrate the launch of New City, the sequel to her bestselling book, Grimsdon. Food and drink provided!
When: Monday 29 September 2014, 9–12-30pm
Cost: $50 per student . All materials are provided. Book early!
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Workshop 2: Geoffrey McSkimming — Character Building (for children in Grades 5–8)
Join Geoffrey McSkimming, author of the Cairo Jim chronicles and the new Phyllis Wong mysteries, for a fun morning looking at how to create and flesh-out characters.
When: Tuesday 30 September 2014, 9–12-30pm
Cost: $50 per student. All materials provided. Book early!
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Workshop 3: (Where’s) Wally Comes to Beecroft!(For Children Ages 5-7)
Share the stories and adventures of Wally from the Where’s Wally series. Lots of craft and art activities for the kids and a Where’s Wally show bag! Wally will be visiting and the kids will be asked to find Wally in Beecroft at the end of the workshop.
When: Wednesday, 1 October 2014, 9–11am, then a Search for Wally between 11–11-30am with prizes!
Cost: $30 per student. All materials provided. Book early.
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Work 4: The Tangled Tricks of Twelfth Night (For Students in Years 3–7)
Run by our resident drama teacher and Shakespeare enthusiast! A drama workshop full of fun and creativity — come and play with one of Shakespeare’s great comedies and discover Disguise, Fools, Forgery and Yellow Stockings. A hands-on and FUN workshop!
When: Thursday 2 October 204, 9–12-30pm
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RSVP for any of these workshops: to The Children’s Bookshop, 6 Hannah Street, Beecroft. Ph. 9481 8811
Our Roses are Blue giveaway closed on 6 August. We put all the names into a soup bowl and pulled out the winner — TESSA BENNETT!
To enter, you were asked to visit the Poetry Tag website and choose your favourite poem (by Sally Murphy). You also had to tell us why you chose that poem.
Tessa said:
Fond Farewell is my favourite poem by Sally. It reminds me of my mum. At school drop off, even in the car, I wish had some Mum repellent too! At least if I had my head buried into Roses are Blue she might not come at me!
Congratulations Tessa! We hope you enjoy reading Roses are Blue.
alphabetsoup.net.au 