Northern Primary Schools’ Readers’ Cup 2023 – a 20th Anniversary

The 20^th anniversary of the Northern Primary Schools’ Readers’ Cup was recently held at Hagley Primary School with teams from 14 participating schools joining together to celebrate reading.

The Northern Primary Readers’ Cup has been running in Launceston for 20 years, and this special anniversary event was kicked off with a brief history presented by Jennie Bales, who first brought the idea to Launceston teacher librarians way back in 2001. She learnt about this wonderful stimulus to encourage reading at a conference in Queensland where it has since grown into a state-wide annual event. The Readers’ Cup has had different iterations in the south, north and northwest of Tasmania for both primary and secondary students. Currently CBCA Tasmania provides book vouchers for participating teams.

A past organiser, Maureen Mann recalls: 

I was involved with Reader's Cup from the beginning in Launceston but mainly in the secondary section as I was then working in high schools. However, along with Judy Moss, and under the auspices of CBCA, we extended the competition to Hobart in about 2008. I travelled down for several years just for Readers Cup meetings to get it going.

Jennie noted how wonderful it was to see such a worthy celebration of reading, literacy and team work continue for two decades due to the dedication and hard work of local organisers, keen teachers in schools and volunteer including judges and support personnel. 

Jill van der Bosch (a previous teacher librarian organiser recalls): 

I think my main memory of Readers' Cup is the enthusiasm it generated, not only among the dedicated readers, but those who would otherwise avoid books and reading at all costs. They all just loved the creative challenge and never ceased to amaze me with their productions. From Grade 3 onward, students would ask, "When can we do that thing?' I'm so glad 'That Thing' continues.

The Tasmanian adaption has unique qualities that combine both a quiz and a creative response to one of the books. The book selection for this event included a mix of new and familiar titles – picture books and novels and in a range of genres. 

The reading list for the 2023 Northern Primary Readers Cup

The Northern Primary event has evolved into a community affair commencing after school with the quiz, the ‘extra challenge’ followed by fuel for the brain (a BBQ this year),  then the performances in the early evening with keen families arriving from across Launceston and its surrounds. The creative response requires each team to present their ‘take’ on one of the books – for example as a play, short film, PowerPoint, dance, diorama or other artistic form. This element adds immensely to the enjoyment and ambience of the evening with a large and enthusiastic audience made up parents, teachers and classmates.

Judges, families, staff and students watch the Creative Challenge performances

The introduction of the ‘extra challenge’ some years ago added a new dimension, with a week’s notice to read an extra book, each team responds to a surprise challenge completed after the quiz. This year the book was Walk of the Whales by Nick Bland.

Work in progress for the Extra Challenge

The most recent coordinator, Jessica Marston, the teacher librarian at Hagley Farm School was the host for this year’s Northern Primary Readers’ Cup event and she writes:

We were very excited to see our 2023 Readers’ Cup return to a live final, after the event was cancelled altogether in 2020, and held virtually in 2021-22. 

Fourteen schools, including Flinders Island District High School via a livestream, saw just under 100 students converge at Hagley Farm School to compete in teams for the prized Cup. 

The buzz in the room was wonderful, as we enjoyed an evening of friendly rivalry through the celebration of children’s literature.  Feedback about the event has been overwhelmingly positive from students, staff and parents.

Participating students also provided some interesting insights via a survey completed after the event which captured some great sentiments:

• I enjoyed getting together with all the other schools and seeing their view and perspective of the books. I also think it was good how you included Flinders Island so they can still participate.
• I loved showing our creative challenge because we worked so hard but I thought that the extra challenge was really fun and such a creative idea. I loved having my family and friends there and the food was awesome.
• I enjoyed seeing all of the other schools out at Hagley and seeing how well everyone did with their creative performances and the quiz working well as a team. I had fun meeting new people and bonding better with my teammates, the food was also so delicious.

Winning team, East Launceston PS, present their Creative Challenge
about The Short and Incredibly Happy Life of Riley.

Congratulations to this years’ winners, East Launceston Primary School, and a very big thank you to the CBCA, Tasmanian Branch for their ongoing support of our event.

Report prepared by Jennie Bales (CBCA Tasmania Social Media Coordinator) and Jess Marston (Teacher Librarian, Hagley Farm School).

Editor's note: The Northern Secondary Readers' Cup will be held in Launceston in September.

Dog Tales

Discover some wonderful chapter books about dogs in this week’s post brought to you by Loretta Brazendale. With a focus on the work of Kate Foster, discover her engaging fiction titles that deal with not just dogs but some of life’s challenges.

The last few weeks I have been reading Kate Foster’s chapter books! Now you are probably wondering how I got onto them. Well, I was checking out a book to a child at the library and I saw the cover of Harriet Hound and I thought ‘I have to read this as it has dogs and a girl in dog pj’s!!’ I did ask the child why she had borrowed this book and like me she loves dogs also. So, I placed it on hold straight away!  Read it, loved it, and ordered another three of Kate Foster’s books. I don’t know how Kate does this but her approach to topics on autism, mental health and depression in children is amazing and thoughtful. Her stories are worded so well and the understanding of what can be a daunting subject and a confusing time for a child – she somehow writes without it feeling overwhelming to the reader. Her books can really help children understand how we are all different and how others may see the world or how they are coping. I applaud you Kate for your wonderful books and for the beautiful dog characters in your stories. I can relate to how precious a friendship with a dog can be to a child and even an adult.  Please enjoy my reviews on four of Kate Fosters beautiful stories. 

Paws - Kate Foster, 2021, Walker Books

Loved this warm, funny book about finding real friends. The book is aimed at children ages 7-10 and focuses on autism and moving from Primary to High School. People like myself who are dog crazy will love this beautiful story. 

Kate really did an amazing job with the detail of the story to give a young reader a kid’s perspective of living with autism and the challenges that come with that. I think this story should be read by all primary students, so they understand how everyone is different. Kevin the cockapoo played such an important role in Alex’s life as one friend he can always count on. I love how dogs can always sense when you need a little pick me up like a lick or their head on your knee.  I personally feel dogs bring a calming presence into a space – especially in a school environment. 

I highly recommend this well written story! 

The Unlikely Hero’s Club - Kate Foster, 2023, Walker Books

The story is about a group of autistic kids who attend a week at Hero Club to learn ways to engage, socialise and hopefully make some new friends. Oli, the main character, thinks this will be boring, and he would be happier to stay at home. 

I loved how Kate described each of the kid’s different autistic traits within the story. The group notice a dog running into an abandoned building – they know they have to save it before demolition day.  

The group’s dedication and teamwork is lovely. You cannot help but cheer on the kids of the Heroes Club, as they each use their strengths to help save the dog.

It’s a very sweet book, that I think primary school aged children would enjoy. 

Harriet Hound - Kate Foster, 2023, Walker Books

This book is absolutely wonderful! Gorgeous dogs and an autistic girl with superpowers- what more could you want. The illustrations by Sophie Beer complement. Harriet is an awesome little girl who never lets her autism stop her from doing the things she loves! Harriet’s family run a dog rescue shelter and Harriet knows and loves each and every dog that they care for there. When help is needed Harriet transforms into a superhero, wearing her special dog pyjamas. She only needs to touch a picture of a dog on her pyjamas, and she is there to help with any situation. I have to admit I was reading this story in my dog pj’s, and I felt a bit like Harriet in my now superhero pj’s! Great read for children 7 and up will really enjoy this sweet story. 

The Bravest Word - Kate Foster, 2022, Walker Books

Such a beautiful, well-written book. Wonderful characters and such a meaningful, heartfelt story. Matt, an 11 year old boy used to be happy, but now can hardly get out of bed. Slowly he & his dad realise he might be suffering from depression. One day Matt and his dad are out walking, and they come across an abandoned puppy. They take the puppy in and Matt decides to call him Cliff! The story is already a tearjerker but when I read Cliff my eyes welled up!! Because my 13 year old dog is named “Cliffy” 

A great recommendation to discuss mental health with preteens. 

Loretta Brazendale
CBCA Committee Member and lover of all things doggie.

Editor’s note: If you love books about dogs and are looking for some great picture books check out a previous CBCA Tasmania post: Mann’s Best Friend!

NAIDOC Week - Time to read on Country

It’s NAIDOC Week and time to enjoy and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culture. Why not start with a book – there are so many to choose from!

Do you regularly select Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories and information books to share with children and teens? With the amazing array of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander literature available it is easy to include these books into every child’s reading diet. NAIDOC week is an excellent stimulus to celebrate Country, and engage with contemporary and historical First Nation perspectives.

The first week of July is marked as National NAIDOC week and is a time for Australians recognise and celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As well as getting involved at a local level (visit the NAIDOC website to found out what is happening in your area) reading and sharing literature is an ideal way engage young readers and start conversations.

A useful starting point for finding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories for children and young adults is the National Centre for Australian Children’s Literature (NCACL) via the database available in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resource. If this resource is new to you, read  previous CBCA Tas posts including A Gateway to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Literature (Alderman, 2022) and Discover Engaging Stories on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Resource Database (Mann, 2022).

CBCA award and notable titles regularly include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander fiction and nonfiction for all age groups. Shortlisted in 2023 Our Dreaming (Saunders & Leffler, 2022) in the Picture Book category, We are Australians (Smith, Godwin & Cadd, 2022) for the New Illustrator award and Come Together (Firebrace & Biumwiwai, 2022) an Eve Pownell title. This book was a particular favourite of mine for the wealth of highly accessible and current information and the contemporary Aboriginal design motifs employed by Biumwiwai. On the Notable list, Thank you rain! (Morgan & Malibirr, 2022) and Open Your Heart to Country (Seymour, 2022) are two titles that celebrate Country with striking illustrations in both to support the texts.

Past CBCA winners and notable titles  that I have found valuable for my own personal growth and appreciation as well as for sharing with students and recommending to independent readers include:

Heroes, Rebels and Innovators (Wild & Biumaiwai, 2021) – Eve Pownall Honour book

Where We Begin (Mieman, 2020) – Older Readers Honour book – contemporary realistic fiction (mature themes) with excellent historical coverage on the impact of white farming immigrants in rural Victoria on the local inhabitants and the long term impact on the community.

Strangers on Country (Hartley, Myrrat & Leffler, 20210 – Eve Pownall Honour book

Bindi (Saunders & Leffler, 2020) – Younger Readers shortlist

Shirley Purdie: My Story, Ngaginybe Jarragbe (Purdie, 2020) – New Illustrator shortlist

Baby Business (Syemour, 2019) – Notable Picture Book.

Further inspiration can be found on the CBCA Tas blog – check out On Country in Alice Springs  Mann (2021) and With Opened Eyes: Snapshot 3 (Bales, 2022) for some background information and some more great reads.

Many of these titles will be on school library shelves and all of them are available in Libraries Tasmania collection – in print and with some also in ebook format and as a retelling in Story Box Library and therefor easy to access from home and via the Sora app. There are also titles featured this week on the Libraries Tasmania home page to support NAIDOC. If you have a favourite title please share in the comments.

Jennie Bales

CBCA Tasmania Social Media Coordinator.

Retired teacher librarian and adjunct lecturer

A Snapshot of Practice: Expanding Children’s Reading Repertoire Through the Book Battle

Anna Davidson continues to provide exciting and innovative strategies to build reading interest and stamina in young readers. Following of from Book Chats for primary students in an earlier post, this week she introduces the idea of a Book Battle to hook enthusiastic younger readers.

The lower primary years can be an exciting time for students as they develop their skills to read independently. Finding the right titles and series can sometimes be overwhelming for young people, so it is important for library staff to guide students as they navigate their way through the book selection process.

In our library space, we use several strategies in our quest to hook students into great series and expand their reading repertoire beyond the heavily marketed books that need little introduction (Anh Do, I’m looking at you!)

During library lessons, we formally book talk new titles, both those that are newly published and those that might be new to individual readers.  We also informally promote books to students in one-on-one ‘Me as a Reader’ conversations, providing book preview stacks for students to explore.

By far, the most exciting way to expand children’s reading repertoire in the lower primary years is by having a Book Battle!  It’s super easy to set up and run, students have a great time and, most importantly the Book Battle gets kids talking about and borrowing a new range of books.
   

Book Battle wall display and borrowing boxes.

So, how does it work?

1. Choose eight lower primary series to battle it out over 7 weeks.  Hint – I try to choose series with lots of titles available to increase access for children borrowing.
2. Each week, read the first chapter from two books.
3. Students scan the QR code linked to a Microsoft Form to vote for their favourite title.
4. The winning book proceeds to the next round.

Voting in action - Book Battle Round 1A

Displaying boxes of the participating series under the Book Battle fixture means students can easily access the books, leading to increased borrowing of these series.

What do the Year 2 students have to say about the Book Battle?

“I love that we get to decide which book we like the most.  It’s always a surprise to see which book goes through to the next round of the Book Battle.  I’m really nervous about which book is going to win the Grand Final!” 

Sam

“I love that we get to listen to lots of different books. It helps me get into new series.” 

Louis

“Some of the books are really funny. I love choosing which book I like the best.” 

Tom

“It’s such a fun challenge.  Every week we have fun and it is a bit of a mystery which book will win.” 

Oliver

“All of my favourite books are in the Book Battle! There are so many different types of books – funny, adventure, sporty” 

Jack

“The book I vote for keeps on winning, which is awesome!” 

Nateo

“The Book Battle helps me choose different books when I don’t know what to choose.” 

Morris

An unexpected highlight of the Book Battle is the attention drawn to the Book Battle display.  Older students regularly ask, “Can we have a Book Battle too?”, debating which series/books they would include.  Older students also enjoy reminiscing about which series they enjoyed when they were in lower primary.

The Book Battle is a simple, fun way to expand children’s reading repertoire and encourages them to talk about what they are reading.  

Anna Davidson

Twitter - @davidsonteach

Junior School Teacher Librarian, avid reader (mad for Middle Grade Fiction), dog lover, yogi, nature lover, tea drinker

Tassie Rhymes for Little tigers – Read aloud to babies every day!

This week Narelda Joy, Tasmanian author and illustrator, provides behind the scenes insights into her publication of a nursery rhyme  book for young Tasmanians and an accompanying braille edition.

In 2020 I was thrilled to be chosen to create a book for the Help Babies Learn project, an initiative of Toast for Kids Charity Inc. Having had first hand experience of the low literacy rate in Tasmanian schools, I knew the idea behind the project was important - to encourage parents to read aloud to babies and young children by providing a *free book to the parents of Tasmanian newborns, and to create a braille and low vision companion version of the same book, so that parents with print disabilities would have the same opportunity.

 

Reading aloud to a newborn baby, toddler, or preschooler every day is important because it provides them with the building blocks of language, and introduces them to words and phrases that aren’t used in everyday talk. Stronger connections are formed in their brains from the repetition of words and sentences, and this helps them process language faster, and be ahead when they start school. If they don’t have these strong brain connections by kindergarten, it is much harder for them to learn. 

 

Spending time reading aloud to a child also develops a special bond that makes them feel loved and secure, exercises their concentration and imagination, and creates a fun, positive experience of reading. Kids that read succeed! Interestingly it doesn’t matter what you read aloud to a newborn baby, as it’s the sound of the words, the cadence of your voice, and your expressions that they absorb. It could be the Financial Times, Australian Dairyfarmer, a brochure on a steam train ride, or even Shakespeare! 

 

A book with a Tasmanian theme, as defined by my brief, was far more fun and appealing to me! I decide that I wanted the book to feature the quirks and uniqueness of Tasmanian animals, as well as the different environments in which they live. I wanted the book to have multigenerational appeal, to encourage older siblings to read aloud to younger, and to hopefully peak the interest of adults into learning more about the animals with their children. The book also includes a counting game in which the reader looks for animals hidden in each illustration, and the palawa kani names of the animals in the book.

 

After many hours of research into Tasmanian animals, writing and refining the sixteen rhymes, illustrating the animals and the landscapes, designing the layout, typesetting, editing and proofreading, Tassie Rhymes for Little Tigers was sent to the printer, and then officially published in August 2022.

Print book launched by Roger Jaensch (Tasmanian Minister for Education, Children and Youth)

L to R: Roger Jaensch, Narelda Joy, Steve Martin (President Toast for Kids Charity Inc, 
Sally Darke, (TAS Community Fund)

 

I then set to work on the braille and low vision companion version. It was such an honour to work in collaboration with the team at Next Sense (previously known as the Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children) to make this happen. This institute has been supporting those with print disabilities since 1860, and believes that “everyone should have the power to reach their potential”… I also believe this!

 

I quickly discovered that the illustrations needed to be completely different to my usual detailed textural style, in order for them to be viewed by someone with low vision. I started from scratch and simplified each animal into groups of shapes, and used thick black or white lines around each shape to define them. I then chose the colours for the shapes specifically to provide a high contrast between each of the elements on the page.

A comparison of the Tasmanian devil illustration by Narelda Joy

 - showing a high contrast image for low vision on the left. © Narelda Joy

The sixteen rhymes from the original book, which feature Tasmanian animals, remained unchanged, as did the translations of the animal names into palawa kani, (and I’d like to thank the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre for providing those). However other incidental text within the book needed abridging, for as I have learnt, the amount of braille that will fit on a single page is 40 characters across and 20 lines down. It was important that the words in braille on the left side of a double page spread were replicated exactly, in a large size font suitable for a person with low vision, on the right side of the spread, to enable a parent with low vision and a child without any vision, to read along together (or vice versa). 

 

The illustrations were sized to fit any available space that remained on the low vision (right-hand side) pages. The book became quite thick, as each page is actually an A3 sized paper folded in half, so that the dot impressions of the braille do not impact the low vision text on the reverse.

 

Her Excellency, the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania launched this braille and low vision version at Government House. That night, a mother of three vision-impaired young children contacted me, after the launch was reported on the TV news, and we were able to personally deliver her a copy of the book the next morning!

Braille and Low Vision companion version book launched by

Her Excellency, the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania.

L to R: Sonali Marathe (Manager, Accessibility and Inclusion, Next Sense),

Steve Martin (President Toast for Kids Charity Inc), the Honourable Barbara Baker AC,
Narelda Joy

I was genuinely shocked when I heard that there were very few books for young children with visual impairment, and that most were home-made by parents. Hopefully this book will be a step in the right direction to rectify this. There are so many exciting possibilities available, for example Next Sense have the ability to produce a braille outline of an illustrated character so that a child can trace it with their fingers, or a 3D model of an animal that a child can hold and feel while the book is being read, to get a sense of its shape.

 

I’d like to thank Steve Martin and the Toast for Kids Committee, for their enthusiasm and determination to create these two books, our generous sponsors, and especially the CBCA Tasmanian Branch for their support.

 

My hope is that both versions of Tassie Rhymes for Little Tigers will foster and encourage a love of reading that spreads throughout Tasmania, and continues for generations of Tasmanians to come.

 

Narelda Joy

Award winning children’s book illustrator, author and designer.

 

*If you are the parent of a newborn, please refer to the Toast for Kids Charity Inc. Facebook page for the terms and conditions of receiving a “free” book, or contact T4K directly. https://www.facebook.com/toastforkids/

Book signing in a Hobart bookstore
© Narelda Joy

If you are a member of the general public, the original book is available for purchase in Tasmanian bookshops, or through T4K, for $20. The braille and low vision version has a high production cost as each is individually printed, and as such will be printed on demand. Please contact T4K directly for pricing and details of how to obtain this version. 

 

 

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