Tuesday 17 May 2016

BOOK WEEK PARADE

Remember to dress up as a book character this Friday 20 May (or if you wish to come in international costume that is fine too), please bring your book to carry with you on the parade.  Prizes for best costumes.  Parents are welcome to watch as the parade will start about 9.10am.  There are lots of great costume ideas on the internet and our judges appreciate home-made efforts just as much!

PDS BOOK WEEK 2016

The Year 1 and 2 students had a wonderful visit with author Anna Theed who talked about being brave, popcorn, wind (!) and other tips for writing stories.  She also gave every visitor a bag of Sweet As Popcorn to enjoy.  If you would like to purchase a copy of Anna's book "Juicy the Peach and the Popcorn Palaver ($29.99) please email me on KatrinaW@parnell.school.nz.

Our Year 5 and 6 students (together with some lucky Intermediates) have been entranced by author Des Hunt today.  We've had burning steel, nuclear fusion machines, ray guns and other exciting experiments showing us how science can be incorporated into fiction and what makes a great story.  If you want to read quality New Zealand fiction with science themes/details, try a Des Hunt book especially his latest "Cool Nukes".


Tuesday 10 May 2016

PDS BOOK WEEK 2016


This year our Book Week theme is "Around the World with Stories" and we are lucky to have the following authors coming to visit us during the week.

Thursday 12 May     Donovan Bixley

Author of "Much Ado About Shakespeare", Donovan will be talking to the Year Seven and Eight students and offering insights into William Shakespeare's world.  For more information see his website on http://www.donovanbixley.com/


Monday 16 May    Anna Theed

Anna will be talking to the Year One and Two classes about her book "Juicy the Peach and the Popcorn Palaver".  For more information about Anna click on her link  http://www.beeswaxbooks.co.nz/

Tuesday 17 May      Des Hunt

Des will be talking to the Year Five and Six classes and he has just released a new book called "Cool Nukes".  Many of Des' books have strong scientific or environmental themes and he has been a very popular visitor to PDS.  For more information click on his website http://www.deshunt.com/

Thursday 19 May    Melinda Szymanik

Melinda has written a number of picture and chapter books for children.  Her book "The Were Nana" is particularly popular in our library.  She will be talking with our Year Three and Four Students.

Friday 20 May       9.10 am Book Character Parade
                              2pm Tales of the Sun Performance

Tuesday 3 May 2016

50 NEW ZEALAND BOOKS EVERY KID SHOULD READ BEFORE AGE 12

From Booknotes:

Last week when Stuff published 50 books every kid should read by age 12 (http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/parenting/big-kids/79367223/50-books-every-kid-should-read-by-age-12), we started talking about NZ books we loved as kids, and NZ books that the kids in our lives love.
We’ve compiled a (very subjective) list of 50 NZ books we think every kiwi kid should read before they’re 12. We’re not making any high claims of this being THE list. (What even is THE list?) This is just a selection of books we’ve been talking about in the office lately – more of a jumping off point to start a conversation about what NZ books us kiwis think are important for our kids. We’d really love to hear your thoughts! Tell us in the comments below what NZ books you think every kiwi kid should read before they are 12.
Top three – Mahy, Cowley and Gee
Margaret Mahy, Joy Cowley and Maurice Gee are the holy trinity when it comes to NZ children’s authors. There was much bickering in the office trying to agree the best book by each author. In the end, we gave up. Our recommendation is for everyone to read ALL of their books – they’re the holy trinity for a reason!
Mahy
Cowley
Gee

4. The Wheels on the Bus and Old MacDonald’s Farm by Donovan Bixley
Okay, we also bent the rules and gave Donovan two books – they’re equally amazing and we have so many nieces/nephews/cousins who are obsessed with these two classics!
donovan

5. I am Not EstherI am RebeccaBeing Magdalene by Fleur Beale
We recently surveyed our member schools, and found that this series is the most taught NZ book in schools for 2016.
beale

6. See Ya, Simon by David Hill
see ya simon

7. The Bone Tiki by David Hair
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8. Genesis Bernard Beckett
genesis

9. The Wednesday Wizard by Sherryl Jordan
wed wiz

10. The 10pm Question by Kate De Goldi
10pmquestion

11. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy by Lynley Dodd
hairy

12. The Runaway Settlers by Elsie Locke
Runaway Settlers

13. My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton, illustrated by Lynley Dodd
catlikestohide

14. Night Vision by Ella West
nightvision

15. The Little Yellow Digger by Betty and Alan Gilderdale
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16. The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith
donkey

17. I Am Not a Worm by Scott Tulloch
not-a-worm

18. Alex by Tessa Duder
alex

19. Duck’s Stuck by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Ali Teo and John O’Reilly
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20. The Kuia and the Spider by Patricia Grace
pat grace

21. Oliver in the Garden by Margaret Beames
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22. Mr. McGee and the Biting Flea by Pamela Allen
pamela allen

23. How Maui Slowed the Sun by Peter Gossage
maui

24. Brain Jack by Brian Falkner
brainjack

25. The Boring Book by Vasanti Unka
boring book

26. Changing Times: The Story of a New Zealand Town and its Newspaper by Bob Kerr
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27. The Traveling Restaurant by Barbara Else
traveling

28. Baa Baa Smart Sheep by Mark and Rowan Somerset
baa baa

29. Pigtails the Pirate by David Elliot
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30. Why Do Dogs Sniff Bottoms? by Dawn McMillan and Bert Signal; illustrated by Ross Kinnaird
dogs sniff

31. Grandpa’s Slippers by Joy Watson and Wendy Hodder
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32. The Bantam and the Soldier by Jennifer Beck  and Robyn Belton
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33. A Treasury of NZ Poems for Children edited by Paula Green & illustrated by Jenny Cooper
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34. The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera
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35. Purple Heart by Andrew Fiu
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36. Baxter Basics: Poems for Children
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37. Telesa by Lani Wendt-Young
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38. Stomp by Ruth Paul
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39. Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam by Juliette MacIver, Sarah Davis
978-1-86943-928-6

40. Red Rocks by Rachael King
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41. Project Huia by Des Hunt
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42. The Red Poppy by David Hill, illustrated by Fifi Colston
red poppy

43. Juggling with Mandarins by V.M. Jones
four_col_Juggling_with_Mandarins_by_VM_Jones

44. Conrad Cooper’s Last Stand by Leonie Agnew
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45. Chicken Licken by Gavin Bishop
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46. New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 Remarkable Kiwis by Maria Gill
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47. Mōtītī Blue and the Oil Spill by Debbie McCauley
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48. Ngā Ki by Sacha Cotter and Joshua Morgan Translated by Kawata Teepa
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49. Anzac Day: The New Zealand Story by Philippa Werry
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50. School Journal
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