The new Library progresses...

The new LRC is rapidly taking shape - it's the top floor in the pictures. We only have six weeks left in the present LRC before we camp out in a classroom until November 5th when the new school opens.

Design your own book cover Competition

This Valentine's Day inspired competition proved popular; here are some of our favourite entries.

By Diem 10E

By Epaphrodite 7H

By Zahra 7H

By Reem 11T

Guardian Open Weekend

This weekend I took two fourteen year old students from EGA, Khadra and Mahmuda to the Guardian Open Weekend. The youth events that we had tickets for all took place in The Hub, Kings Cross. What a lovely space it was - an old looking building with a contemporary feel. The first seminar we went to was run by Sara Shamsavari, artist: How to make a photograph tell a story, where we looked at basic photography techniques and discussed a selection of photographs. Next we visited Candy Gourlay, author of Tall Story where she videoed the girls talking about their favourite books.

In her own words:

'Yesterday I spent the day filming children at the Guardian's first Open Weekend which was like the Hay Festival except in the middle of King's Cross. I loved meeting young people and finding out what they loved to read. (These photos are just screenshots from the videos) I also asked them what advice they would give someone who finds it hard to read. Brilliant answers! I'm hoping to interview more children, I just need to finish writing my novel then I'll be looking for more filming opportunities. The film will be screened at the Pop Up Festival on June 30.'

                           PS And here is a bird that Khadra painted in the watercolour workshop

http://on.fb.me/GNLLEF

Here is my photograph of Khadra being filmed by Candy (using techniques learnt...!)

On Sunday we visited the Book Barge - a kind of floating book shop where the girls were impressed with the childrens selection.

Then it was back to the Hub for two sessions with Meg Rosoff. The first was on her latest book 'There is no dog' where God is a teenage boy called Bob. Meg discussed starting writing and finding the voice which makes each of us individual and the experiences that shape us. The audience ranged from about eight to adult and was very enjoyable. Then there was a short break, where I spoke to Meg and we talked about her visiting EGA and she signed the EGA library copy of 'There is no dog.'  

Creative writing with Meg Rosoff was the next session, once again catering to all ages. She got us thinking about ourselves and the experiences and emotions we could bring to writing, gave us some questions to answer and we discussed them as a group. Mahmuda commented afterwards that she wished it had lasted for another hour!    

  

                       

We had a quick look around the Guardian Offices at Kings Place but it was very crowded - the best bit was The Three Pigs display in the foyer, based on the making of the TV advert!                         

The new LRC takes shape!

I went on another site tour this week - I couldn't wait to see what the new LRC looked like. 'A building site' my husband commented, but I can get a much better idea of what it will look like. The view over the London

skyline is fabulous!

 

The new Learning Resource Centre

This photo was taken earlier this month. The new school is scheduled to open in November 2012. The LRC is, I think, the room at the highest level on the left, with a window. I have been on a site tour and the view over London is amazing. We have to vacate the current Library in May/June and will have a temporary space for a few months.

The Bookaholics Carnegie list

Students always complain about the Carnegie shortlist as they rarely like  many of the books chosen and have their own ideas about what should be on it. So this year The Bookahlics have been through the Carnegie longlist and a synopsis of each book and they have selected the titles they would like to read. We hope to compile our own shortlist, plus any of their choice and see how it compares to the real thing!. Their list so far is:

 

Blackman, Malorie Boys Don't Cry
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780385604796

Barraclough, Lindsey Long Lankin
Publisher: Bodley Head ISBN: 9780370331966

Brahmachari, Sita Artichoke Hearts
Publisher: Macmillan ISBN: 9780330517911

Bowler, Tim Buried Thunder
Publisher: Oxford Children's Books ISBN: 9780192728388

Bruton, Catherine We Can Be Heroes
Publisher: Egmont ISBN: 9781405256520

Collins, B.R Tyme's End
Publisher: Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408806470

Condie, Ally Matched
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141333052

David, Keren Lia's Guide to Winning the Lottery
Publisher: Frances Lincoln ISBN: 9781847801913

Dogar, Sharon Annexed
Publisher: Andersen ISBN: 9781849392211

Downham, Jenny You Against Me
Publisher David Fickling ISBN: 9780385613507

Earle, Phil Being Billy
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141331355

Eastham, Ruth The Memory Cage
Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 9781407120522

Evans, Lissa Small Change for Stuart
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780385618007

Gibbons, Alan An Act of Love
Publisher: Orion ISBN: 9781842557822

Grant, Helen Wish Me Dead
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141337708

Halahmy, Miriam Hidden
Publisher: Meadowside ISBN:9781845395230

Kennen, Ally Quarry
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN:9781407111070

LaFleur, Suzanne Eight Keys
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141336060

Mulligan, Andy Trash
Publisher: David Fickling ISBN: 9780385619011

Perera, Anna The Glass Collector
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141331157

Pitcher, Annabel My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece
Publisher: Orion ISBN: 9781444001839

Priestley, Chris The Dead of Winter
Publisher: Bloomsbury ISBN: 9781408800133

Rai, Bali Killing Honour
Publisher: Corgi Childrens ISBN: 9780552562119

Rooney, Rachel The Language of Cat
Publisher: Frances Lincoln ISBN: 9781847801678

Rosoff, Meg There is no Dog
Publisher: Puffin ISBN: 9780141327167

Saunders, Kate Magicalamity
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN:9781407108964

Stephens, John The Emerald Atlas
Publisher: Doubleday ISBN: 9780857530189

Young, Moira Blood Red Road
Publisher: Marion Lloyd Books ISBN: 9781407124254

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins

 

The Bookaholics have requested a group outing to see the new film ‘The Hunger Games’ which comes out in March 2012. I thought I had better read the book first to check what I was letting myself in for.
The novel is set in a post-apocalyptic world in the country of Panem, which is divided into 12 districts. Each district is distinct from the others and has its own characteristics and laws. The country is overshadowed by the annual competition, The Hunger Games, which takes place in The Capitol, in which a girl and a boy are selected from each district to take part. Of the 24 competitors only one will emerge the winner – and the only survivor, as the object of The Games is to kill the other competitors.

The novel follows Katniss Everdeen a 16 year old from District 12, who volunteers to take the place of her younger sister Primrose who has been selected to take part. After the lavish ceremony where the participants are dressed up and paraded in front of the nation, they are thrown into the arena. Each year the challenges are different. Katniss is skilled at hunting, but will it be enough to save her? The whole event is compulsory for the nation to watch on TV and representatives of the participants compete for sponsorship – sponsors are allowed to send in gifts at certain points during the Games.

I found this book very gripping, a surreal play on the idea of reality TV. There is plenty of action and twists and turns as the Gamemakers can and do change the rules and conditions of the Games.  One of the twists is that Katniss is also encouraged to fake a romance with Peeta Mellark, the other representative from District 12. Peeta says he is in love with Katniss and their romance grips the nation; Katniss presumes Peeta is faking his feelings as she is, or is he playing a deadly game?

I was swept along by this book and particularly liked Katniss although I found the character of Peeta very annoying and was hoping he would die in the end!
My reading of the book convinced me that it would be a good film to go and see, although having recently completed ‘Blood Red Road’ I think that book was the better of the two and will stay with me for longer as I loved the way it was written. I am now reading the second book of the trilogy, ‘Catching Fire’ as it continues the story where the first left off.