David Almond is the 2010 winner of this prestigious international award, which had a shortlist of 28 writers. The International Board on Books for Young People gives this award every other year to a living author and illustrator whose complete works are judged to have made lasting contributions to children's literature: "In awarding the 2010 Hans Christian Andersen Medal for writing to David Almond, the jury has recognized the unique voice of a creator of magic realism for children. Almond captures his young readers' imagination and motivates them to read, think and be critical. His use of language is sophisticated and reaches across the ages." The illustrator award went to Jutta Bauer from Germany. The prize is named after the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen, and winners receive a gold medal from the Queen of Denmark.
More information
24 March 2010
21 March 2010
Monday 22nd - Mini Kids' Lit Quiz
On Monday 22nd March, at 4.15 pm there will be a mini Kids' Lit Quiz in the school hall. Everyone is invited to participate in or watch this lively and enjoyable event.
This is a fun team quiz which will finish by 4.50, the end of 'coach study'.
Make up a team of any size and give yourselves a name - anyone can enter, you can even ask a teacher to join your team. OLA Junior School is fielding three teams.
Don't be afraid you won't know the answers - you WILL know the answers to many of the questions! It's a team effort, and answers are written down - no-one is put on the spot! There will be 5 rounds of 5 questions on: fairy tales, animals, characters from classics, blurbs & beginnings and picture books, so even if you are not a great reader you should be able to answer most questions in a team.
There will be MANY PRIZES but you will be surprised at how much entertainment the KLQ generates.
Please join us!
This is a fun team quiz which will finish by 4.50, the end of 'coach study'.
Make up a team of any size and give yourselves a name - anyone can enter, you can even ask a teacher to join your team. OLA Junior School is fielding three teams.
Don't be afraid you won't know the answers - you WILL know the answers to many of the questions! It's a team effort, and answers are written down - no-one is put on the spot! There will be 5 rounds of 5 questions on: fairy tales, animals, characters from classics, blurbs & beginnings and picture books, so even if you are not a great reader you should be able to answer most questions in a team.
There will be MANY PRIZES but you will be surprised at how much entertainment the KLQ generates.
Please join us!
19 March 2010
Oxford Literary Festival 20-26 March
The Oxford Literary Festival, which will feature more than 250 writers, runs from Saturday 20 March to Sunday 28 March. Novelists, biographers, historians, poets, critics, politicians, soldiers, public servants, scientists, and medics will be joined by artists, philosophers, theologians, architects, engineers, botanists, environmentalists and children's writers and illustrators.
Speakers at the Children’s Events this year include Malorie Blackman, Frances Hardinge & Philip Pullman, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Ali Sparkes & Harriet Goodwin, William Nicholson, Anthony Horowitz, Cressida Cowell, Mal Peet & Meg Rosoff, Geraldine McCaughrean & Philip Reeve, Louise Rennison, Catherine Rayner, Chris Riddell & Axel Scheffler.
Throughout the festival, tickets will be available from the festival box office at Christ Church.
More information:
http://www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com
Speakers at the Children’s Events this year include Malorie Blackman, Frances Hardinge & Philip Pullman, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Ali Sparkes & Harriet Goodwin, William Nicholson, Anthony Horowitz, Cressida Cowell, Mal Peet & Meg Rosoff, Geraldine McCaughrean & Philip Reeve, Louise Rennison, Catherine Rayner, Chris Riddell & Axel Scheffler.
Throughout the festival, tickets will be available from the festival box office at Christ Church.
More information:
http://www.oxfordliteraryfestival.com
15 March 2010
Caroline Lawrence - The Western Mysteries
Caroline Lawrence, who has visited OLA twice, is the author of the Roman Mystery series, and the final book of the series is The Man from Pomegranate Street, now out in paperback. Her latest book is a volume of Roman Mysteries short stories, called The Legionary from Londinium and other Mini Mysteries and has some stories that go between the main books.
But as hinted during her most recent visit she is now working on a new series called The Western Mysteries. In her blog she writes, 'For the past three years I've secretly been working on a new series: The Western Mysteries.' The following is from Caroline's new Western Mysteries Blog:
"The Western Mysteries will be set in wild and woolly Virginia City in the fall of 1862.
Why 1862?
Back east the American Civil War is in its second year.
Out West the Silver Boom is taking over from the Gold Rush.
And in the final days of September, a dusty prospector walks into the offices of the Territorial Enterprise Newspaper to take up a position as a 'local' reporter. His name is Sam Clemens but within half a year he will begin writing under the name 'Mark Twain'. But Mark Twain isn't the only exciting thing about Virginia City in 1862. There are also gamblers, miners, con-artists, hurdy girls, prospectors & gunmen galore.
Here are some of the original ideas I had for The Western Mysteries.
1. The series will be for children aged 8 - 14+
2. The detective will be a loner: the western hero is always a loner.
3. The detective will be a kid.
4. The detective will own a Smith & Wesson seven-shooter.
5. Real historical figures will appear in the books.
6. The bad-guys will be gunfighters, tricksters & newspapermen.
7. The mysteries will be based around real historical events.
8. The books will be told in the first person.
9. My detective will love black coffee and layer cake.
10. I am going to have a lot of fun writing these books.
Here are some of the things which have made it into the first book:
1. A hero like nobody you've ever met before.
2. A terrifying, sadistic bad guy...
3. ...and his two side-kicks.
4. A terrible massacre, apparently by Indians.
5. An exciting stagecoach chase.
6. A beautiful hurdy girl, a Chinese boy & a handsome gambler.
7. Shootouts galore and some Bowie knife action, too.
8. A Pinkerton detective. Kind of.
9. A heart-stopping showdown in a deep mine shaft.
10. An ending that promises more."
(4 February entry)
The first book is due to be published next year.
But as hinted during her most recent visit she is now working on a new series called The Western Mysteries. In her blog she writes, 'For the past three years I've secretly been working on a new series: The Western Mysteries.' The following is from Caroline's new Western Mysteries Blog:
"The Western Mysteries will be set in wild and woolly Virginia City in the fall of 1862.
Why 1862?
Back east the American Civil War is in its second year.
Out West the Silver Boom is taking over from the Gold Rush.
And in the final days of September, a dusty prospector walks into the offices of the Territorial Enterprise Newspaper to take up a position as a 'local' reporter. His name is Sam Clemens but within half a year he will begin writing under the name 'Mark Twain'. But Mark Twain isn't the only exciting thing about Virginia City in 1862. There are also gamblers, miners, con-artists, hurdy girls, prospectors & gunmen galore.
Here are some of the original ideas I had for The Western Mysteries.
1. The series will be for children aged 8 - 14+
2. The detective will be a loner: the western hero is always a loner.
3. The detective will be a kid.
4. The detective will own a Smith & Wesson seven-shooter.
5. Real historical figures will appear in the books.
6. The bad-guys will be gunfighters, tricksters & newspapermen.
7. The mysteries will be based around real historical events.
8. The books will be told in the first person.
9. My detective will love black coffee and layer cake.
10. I am going to have a lot of fun writing these books.
Here are some of the things which have made it into the first book:
1. A hero like nobody you've ever met before.
2. A terrifying, sadistic bad guy...
3. ...and his two side-kicks.
4. A terrible massacre, apparently by Indians.
5. An exciting stagecoach chase.
6. A beautiful hurdy girl, a Chinese boy & a handsome gambler.
7. Shootouts galore and some Bowie knife action, too.
8. A Pinkerton detective. Kind of.
9. A heart-stopping showdown in a deep mine shaft.
10. An ending that promises more."
(4 February entry)
The first book is due to be published next year.
04 March 2010
Blue Peter Book of the Year
The Blue Peter Book awards were announced today.
Frozen in Time written by Ali Sparkes has won the Blue Peter Book of the Year award. It's available for loan from the school library and can be found in the Junior Fiction section.
There are three categories in the Blue Peter Book awards:
Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things won Most fun story with pictures,
Why Eating Bogeys is Good For You won Best book with facts and
Frozen In Time won Book I couldn't put down, and was voted the favourite to win Blue Peter Book of the Year.
More information
Frozen in Time written by Ali Sparkes has won the Blue Peter Book of the Year award. It's available for loan from the school library and can be found in the Junior Fiction section.
There are three categories in the Blue Peter Book awards:
Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things won Most fun story with pictures,
Why Eating Bogeys is Good For You won Best book with facts and
Frozen In Time won Book I couldn't put down, and was voted the favourite to win Blue Peter Book of the Year.
More information
World Book Day
Since we had the excitement of World Maths Day yesterday I decided some time ago that at OLA we'll celebrate International World Book Day next month instead. On 23 April we'll have a variety of activities, some favourite ones and some new.
This week all students have received a £1 World Book Day voucher which can be used towards book purchases in a variety of ways: as a £1 token in participating bookshops or orders from Cover2Cover magazine in school, or exchanged in bookshops for one of the six specially produced books.
This week all students have received a £1 World Book Day voucher which can be used towards book purchases in a variety of ways: as a £1 token in participating bookshops or orders from Cover2Cover magazine in school, or exchanged in bookshops for one of the six specially produced books.
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