news
I’m sure most of you (if not all of you) will have heard about the bombings in Boston. By the time this post goes public there will probably be more information about it.
Last year was the Newtown shootings.
There is also the threat of North Korea.
All international, heartbreaking stories... and this always seem to be the time when I start reading historical fiction.
It might have been released waaaaay back in 2010, but not only is it still a brilliant read, Fiona Wood is visiting my Library for Reading Matters! (!!!) So if you haven't read it already, here's 5 reasons to read Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood:
1. Howard, the psychic dog. (Can I just make every reason Howard? No? Okay...)
2. It contains very useful information on how to fit in at a new school. Like: you probably shouldn't turn around when someone calls out 'Hey, dickhead!'
Lets take a moment for the glory that is the Catching Fire trailer.
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Oh. My. God. Paw high five, everyone. Paw high five.
It's going to be epic. Who's with me?
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Novels are often adapted into movies. Since many already have a loyal following, it’s logical to think that an adapted movie will be successful. And sometimes, it can work amazingly well. Think Harry Potter. Whatever anyone says, those movies were faithful to the book and incredibly well done. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is another of my favourites.
Earlier this week the Children's Book Council of Australia announced their picks for the best titles in youth literature for older readers. There's six shortlisted titles, so it makes sense that I have six choices this week :)
Out of all the books-to-movies to come out this year.... Percy is the one to make me jump in my seat with impatience.
I like me some action and adventure, and the Percy books always delivered. The first movie was good... but I'm excited to see how Percy and co have grown up. I also think this movie will be a little 'darker' (aka the scare factor will be higher!) and I can't help but wait with baited breath for it.
My budding authors! April is upon us and so are a lot of writing opportunities.
Don't forget that I'm not adverse to being the recipient of a dedication, should your creative heart so desire.
Monash University Undergraduate Prize
For creative writing 1500-3000 words long. Open to any student enrolled in a Bachelor degree at an Australian university.
For my birthday last year I received a copy of The Fault in Our Stars. That weekend, I read it twice. I have never, not even for Harry Potter, read a book twice in two days. So John Green is pretty special.
Before The Fault in Our Stars, I had read Paper Towns and Looking for Alaska. After The Fault in Our Stars, I read the rest of his books. While none of them made me flail on the ground sobbing like TFiOS, they all seemed to leave a mark.
So I started to think…why is John Green such a good writer? I came up with several reasons. One, because he made me read a book twice in a weekend. Two, because his books are insightful, bold, irreverent and raw (this wasn’t my observation – I read it on the back-cover blurb of TFiOS). Three, because he just is.
But those don’t seem like good enough reasons for me. How can a person who puts Sharpie all over his face write such amazing books? What makes books like Harry Potter, Twilight, The Fault in Our Stars and The Hunger Games so good?
5 reasons to read Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell:
1. Eleanor. Weird, sarcastic, not-nice Eleanor.
2. Park. Polite, reserved, beautiful Park.
Prizes, Prizes, Prizes!
Aren't you excited? I know I'm barking up a storm in the office right now. I do get a little excited by our competitions. I love giving away books.
Just call me the book whisperer! The dog-book whisperer?
February was the month of L-O-V-E poems! May I just say that you are all budding poets! I laughed! I cried! I yelled nooo in despair! Brilliant poems everyone.
After much deliberation the winning entries (we couldn't possibly just pick one!) are:
