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Wharenui School

5,116 pages read and 3,072 team points

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    AES

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    CMHAM101

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AES

6,144 pts
(5,116 pages read)

  • The Lonely Little Tree

    By Moya Kirby
    4 stars

    A beautiful picture book about a Christmas tree in New Zealand that becomes a friend to all our native birds. A great story to read that is a Christmas message but without being overly Christmassy for those who do not celebrate Christmas. Also a lovely story about our native birds and looking after our environment.

  • In the Time of Five Pumpkins

    By Alexander McCall Smith
    4 stars

    This is book 26 in the series and it is like having a catch up with old friends when reading this book! The book is well written and there are always interesting observations of life, mixed with comments from Mme Makutsi's shoes! I would recommend reading this book if you enjoy mystery novels without the trauma of dead bodies and if you enjoy learning about life in Botswana.

  • At the Same Moment, Around the World

    By Clotilde Perrin
    4 stars

    She writes the most beautiful illustrated picture books. This one is all about people at the exact same time doing different things in different places. A fantastic book to enjoy about time zones and journeying around the world.

  • The Girl at the Front of the Class

    By Onjali Q. Raúf
    4 stars

    An amazing picture book to help students understand how it might feel to be a refugee in a foreign country. This book tells what is a very sad story in a way that makes it accessible rather than overwhelming, helping children to see how they can show kindness and help others.

  • Paper Chase

    By Julia Donaldson
    4 stars

    A very clever book, with Donaldson's usual rhyming style but with a more mature storyline. Love books where things link back together to enhance the story and this is a great example. Also another great way to raise children's awareness of looking after our planet calmly but effectively.

  • The Night Gardener

    By The Fan Brothers
    4 stars

    Another stunning picture book where the illustrations tell as much of a story as the words. About how something unexpected can change many peoples' lives for the better. Also how nature can impact on our well-being.

  • Rain before Rainbows

    By Smriti Halls
    4 stars

    This is a beautiful picture book with some lovely ideas which make you think of the state between sleeping and waking - what ideas might we think of and what places may we go? Also what things do we need to create other things?

  • The Book of Beginnings

    By Sally Page
    3 stars

    Some great parts to this book- especially about the ideas around the cemetery and how the ghosts of the past may choose to spend time together. Liked how the stationery shop was the centre of her new life and introduced her to lots of new people and friends. However, the ending was a bit too contrived which I think distracted from some of the book's better ideas.

  • The Last Garden

    By Rachel Ip
    5 stars

    This is a beautiful picture book about war, but told in a way that is not distressing for children. Focusing on the importance of the garden and with beautiful illustrations that also convey messages in the story.

  • The Watervale Ladies' Writing and Firefighting Society

    By Mette Menzies
    2 stars

    Really liked reading about an Australian small town and references to other places in Australia. Some nice parts about rebuilding your life when things have not gone according to plan, but the book was far too cliched.

  • DallerGut Dream Department Store : the dream you ordered is sold out

    By Mi-Ye Yi
    4 stars

    This was a very enjoyable escapist novel, interestingly read as a 'normal' insight into a person's daily life but contrastingly the story is set in a world where not only can you buy dreams but animals, leprechauns and Santa Claus are all real, talking characters. I was not sure if it would work but it did!

  • Katabasis

    By R F Kuang
    5 stars

    This book is about Alice making the journey to Hell with lots of references to classic literature to guide her knowledge of what to expect. It is interesting that she manages to make the novel both dark and light with a final twist at the end that gives a surprisingly happy ending for a novel about Hell!

  • The magician of Tiger Castle

    By Louis Sachar
    0 stars

    This was a fantastic book with lots of adventure and some interesting moral dilemmas, with some magic thrown in!

  • Dinner at the Night Library

    By Hika Harada
    4 stars

    Another perfect mix of learning about the lives of others, books and a mystery. Love the idea of a mysterious library only open at night, and especially the restaurant where food is made to match the books. I would love to work here!

  • The second chance convenience store

    By Ho-yŏn Kim
    4 stars

    A fantastic Korean book, where you are immersed in the lives of people looking for a second chance in life. The book looks at the lives of several different people all linked together by the Store. You feel like you do not want the book to end as you want to know what happens next to the characters.

  • We'll prescribe you another cat

    By Syou Ishida
    4 stars

    Another short but in depth look at the lives of ordinary people, looking for help and support in their lives. This has a fantasy/magical mystery background of the doctors clinic, where the staff are not who they seem and the medicine prescribed is of an unusual nature.

  • The mysterious case of the missing crime writer

    By Ragnar Jónasson
    4 stars

    This is the second in a series of books, really enjoyed the first book and this one is just as good. Lots of intrigue and suspense and parallel stories running throughout the book that linked at the end. The only major downside was that the story ended on a cliffhanger - it was very frustrating not to even know when the next book is out. Also one of the parallel stories was also left unresolved. I would wait until the next book is written until you read this one!

  • When the Deep, Dark Bush Swallows You Whole

    By Geoff Parkes
    3 stars

    An interesting NZ based mystery. The story builds great suspense and exposes lots of dark secrets in a small town. However, the ending felt unconvincing and was a bit of an anti-climax.

  • Three Dogs Two Murders and a Cat

    By Rodney Strong
    2 stars

    An animal detective may be a stretch too far! Had classic cozy mystery characteristics but left feeling like it lacked any depth.

  • The Bookshop Detectives #2: Tea and Cake and Death

    By Gareth and Louise Ward
    4 stars

    A great follow up to the first book. A great New Zealand read with lots of references to local places and events. Linking two very popular concepts, books and murder!

  • The passengers on the Hankyu Line

    By Hiro Arikawa
    5 stars

    I loved this book - the concept of having snapshots of the lives of people who regularly travel on the same train. Seeing how their lives interact and change according to who they meet. You also meet the characters again with them moving from first to third person.

  • The healing hippo of Hinode Park

    By Michiko Aoyama
    4 stars

    A Japanese book about the slightly unbelievable but quirky premise that a statue of a hippo in a playground could grant your wishes. The books looks at 'normal' peoples' lives and how we all have problems but we can find solutions, with perhaps a bit of magic! The stories with the book interlink so you meet characters again and see them from a different perspective.

  • We'll prescribe you a cat

    By Syou Ishida
    4 stars

    I am really enjoying slightly quirky Japanese novels, often featuring cats - like this one, and a mysterious, magical backstory. Predominantly the stories are about 'ordinary' people finding contentment in their lives via slightly unorthodox methods, in this case having a prescription of a cat!

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