Litcham School students ‘Takeover’ the Norfolk Library Service!

Last Friday a small group of us (Eleanor Hebden, Amelia Platt and Madeleine Ridout) went to County Hall in Norwich for ‘Takeover Day 2016’. Takeover Day is where young people takeover someone’s job for the day. We took over Kirsten Francis’s job who is manager of Library Services for Education and Public Library Services for Children. With Kirsten we spoke about why libraries are so important and how we can promote volunteering to young people. We also designed evaluation forms and discussed what makes a good evaluation document. A topic we also looked at was how to promote well-being through the library. We all had a fantastic day in the life of Kirsten and I know it inspired many career paths. Eleanor 10W

057Takeover Day was a fantastic experience. I feel that I have gained new skills and also greatly improved others e.g. teamwork and confidence. During the ‘takeover’ I felt very valued. All our ideas were made to feel really worthwhile. It was interesting to explore County Hall and the different ways the council works. Working with the Head of the Norfolk Library Service was great. As young adults we were we able to give a different outlook on the Library Service. We looked at why the Library Service is so important, what it offers and how to make it appeal to more teenagers.

Another area we looked at was how books and the Education Library Service can be an advocate for issues surrounding young people’s health especially mental health. To combat this issue, the Library Service has released ‘Shelf Help’ a selection of books to help teenagers understand mental health and to offer advice. We looked at ways we could help deliver ‘Shelf Help’ e.g. setting up support groups in the library. It was really interesting to how books can help bring about change in different areas not just reading. They can really make a massive difference to people’s lives.

One of my favourite tasks was being given a budget of over £1000 to spend. Using this budget, we had to find books for the Library Service to buy in. I decided to buy in books that help teach and promote empathy. I also looked at books that explore the refugee crisis. I found some brilliant titles e.g. ‘The Other Side of Truth’ by Beverly Naidoo and ‘Mockingbird’ by Kathryn Erskine. We got to explore the Library Services headquarters and where books are sent to different libraries.

Take over day was an amazing experience. I have come away thinking about possible careers that I could go into and it gave me the chance to enrich skills I have learnt. Above all it reinforced my love for reading. Amelia 9B

 

 

All Hail Summer Reading!

The summer holidays are nearly upon us. However for you bookworms, who are mourning the loss of your school libraries, Norfolk’s book fest is just beginning. This year’s summer reading challenge celebrates the 100th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s birthday. The reading challenge this year is aptly named the Big Friendly Read after our favourite giant.

The Summer Reading Challenge is an annual event which sees thousands of children across the country read 6 books from the library. The annual Summer Reading Challenge helps get three quarters of a million children into libraries each year to keep up their reading skills and confidence. The challenge is targeted at all children. Anyone of any ability can join. A wide range of reading material and genres counts towards the challenge such as; fact books, joke books, picture books and audio books.

The challenge is split into three sections. Every time you read two books you receive a reward. Certificates are awarded to children who complete the challenge in an award ceremony. Having done the challenge,  since it first started,  I can definitely vouch for it being a brilliant advocate of children’s literature. Through the challenge you can discover new genres and uncover brilliant books. The summer reading challenge is also a great way to meet new children with similar interests as you. Some libraries also host special events and workshops connected with the summer reading challenge. For example, Fakenham library is hosting author events and a workshop where they will try to create the longest story ever. Some of these events do require booking. For more information visit Norfolk libraries website or visit your local library.

The summer reading challenge is aimed at children aged from 4 to 11. However for older children there is a different challenge focusing on the creativity released by reading. This is the perfect activity for anyone interested in art, drama and creative writing. Anyone from 10-18 can take part in this alternate challenge as well as the summer reading challenge. Imagination is now in its third year. It was designed by young adults. You’ll get a log when you join, with activities to choose from to help you express your ideas about what you have read, or record how a book made you feel. The great thing about the challenge is that you don’t have to worry about not being amazing at a certain skills e.g. art, as there are so many other options: drama, music and photography. You will also get the chance to be part of a collaborative artwork being made in a library near you. You can share your work with other members on the imagination blog. To find out more about the challenges mentioned visit http://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/   http://imaginationeast.org.uk/sample-page/ . Alternatively visit your local library to find out more and sign up to challenges.

Please consider taking part in the summer reading challenge and Imagination. The both are great projects which will lead you into the magical and amazing world of reading. If you complete them you will feel a real sense of achievement. This summer head to your local library and delve into an adventure. I like to finish my blog with the inspirational tagline of the Summer Reading Challenge, “Because everything changes when we read.” How right they are!

Happy Holidays Bookworms!!!!

 

 

 

Transition Treat, by Amelia 9B

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A visit to Litcham School by the Author Julian Sedgwick was kindly organised by Norfolk School Library Service, who arranged funding for this transition initiative from Young Norfolk Arts Festival. Please see this link for more information about Norfolk School Library Service: www.norfolk.gov.uk/SLS . Below is a review of the event written by Amelia Platt in year 9 and some comments from our new Year 7 students.

We at Litcham School were lucky enough to have the author Julian Sedgwick visit us to do a workshop for our new Year 7s on the first day of their induction. Julian Sedgwick was brilliant. A great speaker he instantly captured the interest of the audience especially the boys. His workshop was interactive. He asked questions of the audience, discussed topics and performed an act of knife throwing for us. A main focus of his talk was imagination and the wonderful worlds it can lead us into. He talked about Ghosts of Shanghai and how he was inspired to write it through his obsession with ghosts.

Ghosts of ShanghaiMysterium is a thrilling story that follows the adventures of Danny Woo, whose exciting life in a circus is shattered when his parents die in a suspicious fire. He travels to Hong Kong only to discover a dark world of criminals. The book was written to celebrate the new style of circus that is fast emerging, a darker and more edgy type. Ghosts of Shanghai tells the story of Ruby who obsessed with martial arts becomes increasingly crippled with anxiety after the death of her brother. Faced with a series of hauntings, Ruby begins to see spirits. Soon she is starting to see the darker side of the city she loves.

mysteriumThe talk was directly aimed at the new Year 7s and really, I think helped them to confront their fears of transition. He told us how his transition was the hardest time of his life, he told us how Mysterium was born out of this experience. In the book he wanted to illustrate the momentous journey of the transition from child to adult. Julian said the best tip for writing is “What If.” I completely agree with him. If we have the courage to question the world we can construct amazing stories. Sedgewick also said that writing was the best kind of therapy.

To finish the session Julian Sedgwick called a member from the audience and proceeded to terrify us and him by almost performing a rather dangerous trick. However, he didn’t to our relief but then fascinated us with a performance of knife juggling. He used this as a metaphor to show how you can’t be afraid to make mistakes. Sedgwick himself dropped the knife show044ing that fear of failure can be overcome.

The talk by Julian Sedgwick was brilliant. The presentation and workshop was very interactive. I felt that Julian involved the audience greatly and especially inspired the boys. He really illustrated the power of reading. Altogether the talk was incredible, a deeply interesting insight into the inner workings of an author’s mind. A massive thank you to the Young Norfolk Arts Festival who funded the visit and to the Norfolk School Library Service who organised it.

” I liked Julian’s talk. I loved learning about Chinese culture, but most of all I liked the knife throwing! It was interesting to learn about China, but the stunts were the highlights”. Felix  7S

“Julian told us about how he became an author and about his life. I really enjoyed it and he juggled knives!” Kate 7W

006“Julian Sedgwick came to tell us about his books. It was really interesting. The one called ‘Ghosts of Shanghai’ was sounded especially interesting. Julian was going to show us a magic trick which was a bit scary but fun. A boy called William was chosen to take part. He had to hold an apple in his hand and Julian would chop it in half; he didn’t do it in the end because it was too dangerous! He told us about his life and it really inspired me. Jessica Banham 7B

“Julian Sedgwick came in and signed some books for us the ‘Ghosts of Shanghai’ and ‘The Mysterium’ which was great. He told us a little bit about his life and some ghost stories which I really liked. Ellie 7W

 

 

Norwich Castle says farewell to it’s dragons by Amelia, Year 8

ficturesOn the 30th of May,  Norwich Castle sadly bid farewell to its rather strange guests. From the 6th of May to the 30th of May,  Norwich Castle had been home to DRAGONS. Norwich Castle hosted an exhibition honouring and showcasing author Cressida Cowell’s bestselling children book series, To Train Your Dragon. The exhibition titled A Viking’s Guide to Deadly Dragons transported you to Berk, an island where both humans and dragons dwell! It was created by Seven Stories, The National Centre for Children’s Books. I was lucky enough to visit the exhibition myself and it was amazing. My whole family enjoyed it from ages 2 to 13. Proudly wearing our Viking helmets and armed to the teeth we stalked the corridors of Norwich. We saw Cressida Cowell’s amazing concept drawings (basically her first drawings.) It was amazing to see the process that led to the finished book. The characters from Cressida’s books came alive. Literally! By pressing buttons you could hear the different characters, voiced by David Tenant. We were able to watch filmed interviews of Cressida Cowell’s where she gave us tips for writing and even taught us some DAmelia viking 3ragonese!

One of my highlights was the Viking longship that dominated the exhibition. I loved standing at the prow of the ship, shield raised high. I felt invincible!

We learnt how Cressida Cowell’s holidays as a child, on a small uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland, first sparked her desire to become an author, She says herself, “I spent a great deal of time as a child on a tiny, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland…By the time I was eight, my family had built a small stone house on the island, and with the boat, we could fish for enough food to feed the family for the whole summer. From then on, every year we spent four weeks of the summer and two weeks of the spring on the island. The house was lit by candle-light, and there was no telephone or television, so I spent a lot of time drawing and writing stories.” She has always been fascinated by dragons as there is no one alive today to say they don’t exist. My favourite part of the exhibition was looking at Cressida Cowell’s school books in which she penned some of her early work. As someone who aspires to become an author this really showed me the power of not only writing, but imagination,  and where it can take you. There was also a display dedicated to the movie that was created from the book, with a signed and dedicated score to Cressida Cowell of the theme tune of the film by John Powell.

Cressida Cowell’s books feature on the misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third, a weak and puny Viking. This unlikely hero grows up on Berk,  an island of tough and rather rude Vikings. Hiccup is somewhat a disappointment to his tribe, but more importantly his father (the chief of Berk) aptly named Stoick the Vast. However, as Hiccup befriends feared dragons and goes on many heroic adventures, he proves that there is more to being a hero than muscles! The How To Train Your Dragon series are very amusing stories with great illustrations. The books are also an ode to the trials and tribulations of growing up and also the beauty. When I was growing up I loved these books as they taught me I was a hero deep down. I would strongly recommend these books. Packed full of dastardly villains, hilarious jokes and even a mention of poo, these books will make you laugh but also make you think.

I loved the exhibition. It was a credit to Norwich Castle, Seven Stories and Cressida Cowell. Hopefully children were inspired to start reading. It really illustrated the power a few words can make.

The Teenage Guide to Stress by Nicola Morgan – a review by Amelia Year 8

 

ficturesMental health is a growing issue for young people with 1 in 10 young people having a diagnosable mental health issue. To help combat this public libraries across England are launching a scheme. This will enable young people to borrow a range of books that offer support to young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing. The books have been written by experts. They offer the advice on how to deal with a range of mental illnesses. Eleanor Hebden one of our fantastic Reading Hack volunteers will be reading Faceless (a poem ) by Benjamin Zephaniah at the launch of Shelf Help at Dereham Library on 1st June. We wish her the best of luck! Shelf Help is a brilliant idea and having read one of the books on the programme, I really think they will make a difference. Helping young people to combat a serious issues through reading.

The Teenage Guide To Stress is an interesting and informative book that helps and informs the reader on all areas of stress. It is split into three sections; section one (dealing with what’s and whys of stress), section two (your worries and questions), section three (on how to prevent stress.) The author presents the information in a clear and concise way. Unlike other guides, books and talks on stress, after reading the book you are given actual and more importantly do-able things to combat stress. The book is comforting and reassures the reader they are not alone. Although the author is an adult you feel likes she truly understands you and the world of teenagers with the inclusion of quotes from real teenagers. The book covers a wide range of issues relating to stress including exams, relationships, social media, depression and drugs & alcohol. The book has a wide age range and so younger readers may find they can’t relate to or are disturbed by issues covered.

The cover of The teenage Guide to Stress

The cover of The Teenage Guide to Stress

The book gives an unbiased views on techniques used to combat stress, analysing them in depth. Some readers may find the book disturbing and upsetting,  however having read the book this is unlikely as the author cleverly peppers the text with funny stories that help lighten the text. The book is a reasonably easy read with a good layout, font and size of text. As mentioned above, the book is split into three sections meaning the reader can dip into the book. Useful websites and links are given in the back. All in all a great book. I would recommend to any teenagers suffering from anxiety/stress, also to teenagers who don’t suffer, as it can help you to understand and relate to your friends. This book I feel would be great for parents to help them understand their children and the issues that affect them.

 

Norfolk’s Great Big Read: Shakespeare Re-Written – a blog by Amelia Year 8

23rd April 2016 marks the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. To celebrate this special anniversary Norfolk Libraries is making their annual Great Big Read all about Shakespeare. It is aptly named as Shakespeare Re-written. The Great Big Read is a series of activities encouraging adults and young adults to get reading. This year Norfolk Library has released a list of 20 modern books from different genres including; romances, history, tragedies and comedies. These books have all been inspired by Shakespeare’s classic tales but have been given a new twist by their authors. These books have been handpicked by our county’s brilliant librarians. They will be available for loan from every Norfolk County Council Library and on Norfolk Library’s e-book and audio service. Norfolk’s Great Big Read is targeted at adults, however there are some great books for young adults on the list which are listed below. Shakespeare is a great way to discover one of Britain’s most talented playwrights.  Having embarked on the read already I have found it is a great way to discover new books and step into new genres.

Recommended Books

  • Noughts and Crosses by Malorie Blackman – This novel is about two young friends who love for each other is tested by society who wish to keep them apart. A poignant re-working of Shakespeare’s epic romance Romeo and Juliet. Will this story end differently?

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  • The Daughter Of Time by Josephine Tey – This book explores the mystery and conspiracy surrounding the tale of Richard III and the princes in the tower

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  • Dead Father’s Club by Matt Haig – This story is a modern take on Hamlet. Philip is a boy in a crisis. His father has died. His mother is falling for the greasy charms of his Uncle. And to make matters worse he has started seeing the ghost of his father

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  • Exposure by Mal Peet – Written by the famed Norfolk writer this book tells the story of Otello a footballer who is wrongly implicated in a scandal that greatly changes his life and that of those around him. Based on the Shakespeare’s story of Othello

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  • A Midsummer Night’s Steampunk by Scott E. Tarbet – This steampunk retelling of A Midsummer’s Night Dream features love, Victorian technology, mistaken identity and lots of danger.

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  • Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett – In this story we return to the fantastic Discworld. Only this time with a Shakespearean twist as Discworld play host to the witches of Macbeth.

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To see the full list pick up a leaflet from Mrs Berry in the library or go to Norfolk’s Big Read online site at https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/libraries-local-history-and-archives/libraries/whats-on/norfolks-big-read

If you want to publish a review you have written of one of the books on The Norfolk Library Service’s own blog go to https://norfolklibrarybookreviewblog.wordpress.com/

We also love to have some reviews for our own blog – simply email them to litchamblog@litchamschool.net

 

Tom Gates Gets Gold by Amelia Year 8

ficturesRecently I found the list of the top 10 library books taken out in Norfolk. A massive 5.7 million books were taken out of Norfolk libraries between 2014-2015 . The 100 most popular titles were borrowed 120,000 times. But what books made the cut ? Well in the list of the top 10 books taken out, Liz Pichon, author of the Tom Gates series definitely rules the roost. She was the most popular author with her book ‘Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at Some Things)’ gaining top spot. Others of her Tom Gates books got in at 2nd, 6th, 7th and 10th position. Jeff Kinney also made the list with his Diary of a Wimpy Kid books making 8th and 9th position. The list shows how much children are using the library with at least 7 of the 10 books on the list being children books. However my plead to all you readers out there is let’s try and get different authors on this list. Kate Saunders, Michael Morpurgo and Philip Pullman for example. Please !!!!!!

For anyone interested in this topic click the link below to see full article on the EDP. The full top ten list is below. Feel free in the comments below to discuss the list. Are you a fan of the books on the list? Any authors you would like to see next time?

http://www.edp24.co.uk/news/education/the_top_10_most_borrowed_library_books_in_norfolk_are_1_4462172

TOP 10 LIBRARY BOOKS: NORFOLK

  1. Tom Gates is Absolutely Fantastic (at Some Things) Liz Pichon
  2. Genius Ideas (Mostly) Liz Pichon
  3. Be Careful What You Wish For Jeffrey Archer
  4. Never Say Goodbye Susan Lewis
  5. Dying Fall Elly Griffiths
  6. Excellent Excuses (and Other Good Stuff) Liz Pichon
  7. The Brilliant World of Tom Gates Liz Pichon
  8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Jeff Kinney
  9. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever Jeff Kinney
  10. Everything’s Amazing (Sort of) Liz Pichon

Language is Power Conference – presentation by Litcham students

ficturesOn Thursday (10th March) we were invited to a Norfolk Library Service conference held in Norwich called ‘Language is Power’,  to talk about our experience of taking part in the World Final of the Kids’ Lit Quiz. On arrival we were greeted by the organisers and shown into the auditorium where we would be speaking. It was full of large round tables and a huge stage, which was a little bit daunting to start with!  First we listened to the charismatic author Tanya Landman speak about the ‘Danger of Books’ and the ‘Power of Words’. It was brilliant watching her speak and how she wasn’t afraid to express her views. Afterwards we had an hour to talk to her on our own and she answered our many questions. During the break we practiced in the auditorium using the microphones – then the time came for us to give our presentation. Kirsten Francis, the Manager of Children’s and Young People’s Library Services in Norfolk, introduced us to the stage – then we began! I think we did well despite our nerves and it all went according to plan. At the end I bought a book which Tanya Landman signed. It was a brilliant day. Eleanor 9W

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The trip to the conference was amazing. It was incredible to meet Tanya Landman (author and winner of the 2015 Carnegie Medal). She gave a brilliant presentation and was engaging, lively and passionate about her subject. We enjoyed looking at the fantastic exhibition that focused on literature for example; the Writers’ Centre and the Fly Festival (Festival of Literature for Young People). Performing our speech out loud was incredibly nerve wracking, but amazing at the same time. The atmosphere was electric. As soon as I began to speak my nerves vanished. We were met with a brilliant reception at the end of our talk. It was incredible to be invited to such an important literary event and to meet important literary minds such as Tanya Landman. A big thank you to the Norfolk School Library Service for inviting us and Mrs Berry for driving us there.” Amelia 8B

Meeting Tanya Landman: Feeling like literary royalty

Meeting Tanya Landman: Feeling like literary royalty

Litcham School to Host “Shelf Talk” Blog

ficturesAfter half-term, Litcham school will be hosting the Norfolk Library Service blog for young people called “Shelf Talk” visit:   http://norfolkshelftalk.edublogs.org/shelf-keepers/blog

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On Monday, our Reading Hack representatives Eleanor, Amelia and Madeleine, visited Old Buckenham High School the current host, for the official handover of the blog. It was a great opportunity to meet with other students who share a love of reading and who were able to give us some useful hints and tips on how to manage the blog page. “Shelf Talk” will provide an excellent opportunity for Litcham school students to share book recommendations, reviews and other literary links with other schools and young people in the community. We hope that all students will take the opportunity to blog about the books they are reading, share pieces of creative writing or write film/game reviews. Further information about the blog site will follow next term.

“On Monday we ventured to Old Buckenham High to talk about the Shelf Talk blog that we will be taking over shortly. We discussed the ins and outs of the blog and how it worked with students from the school. They were really enthusiastic about it and gave us lots of tips on how to manage it”. Eleanor 9W

“Over hot drinks and biscuits we discussed our favourite books, interests and ideas for the blog. We shall be launching the blog after half-term and we hope to establish a long lasting link with Old Buckenham High School. We came away with many new ideas for our school library, including lots of Harry Potter ideas. A big thank you to Old Buckenham for hosting us so well”. Amelia 8B

“It was really good fun to see how other schools layout their library and they had an amazing Harry Potter display. Everyone was really down to earth and we came up with some great ideas we plan to use soon.” Maddy 9W