Page 8 - Raise Coronavirus Edition 3

FEATURE
8
ANDREW MCKENZIE
If you’re looking for family activities or ways to get more involved in your child’s learning during this period of isolation, you may like to ask the young people in your household what they are reading for school.
“ You might find yourself re-acquainted with books from your past or you might find a new interest in a whole new field of fiction. If you show an interest in reading a book and starting a discussion about the characters or story you might find it re-kindles interest from your children and young people”.
And, as an added bonus, many of the books on the study list have film adaptations and your school may be able to provide the necessary links for a family movie night with a difference. You might enjoy seeing a black and white classic like To Kill a Mockingbird or more recent titles like Lord of the Flies or Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
You will need to check with the young people in your household as to what they are reading for their school in Term 2, but some local secondary colleges provided the following list to whet your appetite – a great mix of Australian and international fiction, some big names and some well-deserved timeless classics.
YEAR 7S ARE READING THE FOLLOWING NOVELS:
- Hatchet by Gary Paulsen; Coraline by Neil Gaiman; Blueback by Tim Winton and The Barrumbi Kids by Leonie Norrington; Matilda by Roald Dahl.
YEAR 8S AND 9S ARE READING THE FOLLOWING NOVELS:
- Wonder by R.J. Palacio; Once by Morris Gleitzman; Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman; Hitler’s Daughter by Jackie French and Refuge also by Jackie French, Everything I’ve Never Said by Samantha Wheeler; Tomorrow, When the War Began by John Marsden
YEAR 10S ARE READING THE FOLLOWING CLASSICS:
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee; Lord of the Flies by William Golding; Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.
St Mary’s College Librarian Eloise Harnett says,
“these titles introduce our students to characters who display resilience, courage and hope - qualities which we are all seeking to find in
our current lives at the moment”.
Andrew is the Cairns Catholic Education Manager – Governance and Engagement
Sharing the Reading Experience
Looking for ways to be more involved in your child’s education during isolation? The answer may be in a family movie night or catching up on a classic novel!
RAISE MAGAZINE • SPECIAL EDITION 3