Book Week Celebrations – 2015

After months of planning, creating and preparing our Book Week celebrations they got underway on Monday, 24th August.  On that day we held our first ever book stacking competition (congratulations Charlotte!), welcomed author Cath Crowley, the Emoji book title competition was creating much interest and voting was underway for what book lit up students’ worlds. … Continue reading Book Week Celebrations – 2015

Reading Matters Conference

I was most fortunate to attend the recent Reading Matters Conference in Melbourne which was held at the beautiful Arts Centre on St Kilda Road in Melbourne.  Over two wonderful days attendees were held spellbound by the many extraordinary stories told by Sally Gardner, Sara Farizan  (in the right of the picture), Laurie Halse Anderson, Clare … Continue reading Reading Matters Conference

The Inky Awards Short List Announcement

Following on the CBCA’s recent announcement of their Book of the Year Winners, the Centre for Youth Literature has announced the short list for the Inky awards.  The Inky awards are different to the CBCA awards in that the books are short listed by a reading panel of young adult judges and then the winner … Continue reading The Inky Awards Short List Announcement

Ellie Marney visits Loreto College

On Wednesday, 20th August we were delighted to welcome author Ellie Marney to Loreto College.  Ellie spoke to the Year 10 students and then ran a writer’s workshop with an enthusiastic group who learnt much about the skills in writing crime fiction.  Ellie then joined the Loreto Book Club, On the Same Page, for lunch and a … Continue reading Ellie Marney visits Loreto College

The Luminaries – Eleanor Catton

Thank you to our Head of English, Adrienne, for the following review of the 2013 Booker Prize winner – The Luminaries by New Zealand author Eleanor Catton. Set in 1866 in the South Island of New Zealand, this story follows the recently arrived Walter Moody who is an inadvertent participant in a discussion by the local … Continue reading The Luminaries – Eleanor Catton

What to read? Two lists compiled by On The Same Page – the Loreto Student Book Club

The On the Same Page ladies are a wise and cluey bunch.  They have put together two lists for fellow students, to offer as a reading guide. Year 7 – 9                                                         Angel Creek by Sally Rippin                                                       Breathe by Sarah Crossan                                                           Quincy Jordan by Jennifer Storer                                           Pirouette by Robyn Bavati                                                          Dancing in the Dark by Robyn … Continue reading What to read? Two lists compiled by On The Same Page – the Loreto Student Book Club

Book Review: You Don’t Even Know

You Don’t Even Know  by Colac author Sue Lawson is a heartbreakingly sad story of a family in distress.  The main character is Alex who we learn is in hospital recovering from a serious accident.  His ‘friendship’ with a fellow hospital patient becomes important to both of them for very different reasons.  Although there are many … Continue reading Book Review: You Don’t Even Know

Congratulations Markus Zusak

A number of years ago, (actually it must have been 1999) I was present at a book launch in Melbourne. The young author was introduced by Agnes  Nieuwenhuizen and she spoke about this young author as one who would go onto very big things.  Indeed, Agnes was right because Markus Zusak has gone onto big … Continue reading Congratulations Markus Zusak

Our Top Ten

At our last Book Club meeting we compiled a list of our top ten reads for the year. We ended up with two lists single novels and series. 1. The Fault in our Stars by John Green 2. The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina 3. Divergent by Veronica Roth 4. Life in Outer … Continue reading Our Top Ten