May is manga month!
We have been having various themes for each month and May, we decided, is all about manga!
Manga are comics and graphic novels from Japan, usually printed in black-and-white and covering a diverse range of content, from robots to demons, school hijinks to fairies! And, they are very, very popular!
The most important thing to remember about manga is there is something for everyone. Whether you like high school romantic comedies or high-fantasy epics, there is a manga for you.
New magazine titles!
It sometimes seems that magazines are dying as a thing... Are students still interested in reading them at all?
We are always looking for ideas and titles to engage students so have started getting Vogue and Marie Claire, thinking that they might be interested in fashion and the like. If there are other suggestions, please contact us so we can try to locate something! ( did have a request for something on K-Pop and that is a bit hard to source...!)
Access to textbooks
The school is moving towards digital textbooks in many areas. These are access using Readcloud, a service which brings logins and access together to make it easier for students to get into the various titles.
Once there, they can log in with their school username and MIS ID password. The various classes and textbooks will be listed for them and if not, they should contact us so we can fix it!
Feature book of the month
Steven Herrick, How to Repaint a Life
Steven Herrick is one of Australia's best writers for young people and he usually writes in verse, which can make his books appear difficult to read but they actually are much simpler!
Despite the apparent simplicity, though, they are always moving and heartwarming. His newest title is no exception and has been shortlisted for the CBCA Book of the Year. It deals with a young lad, Isaac, who has a home life that is violent and depressing. He leaves in dramatic fashion and catches a bus, eventually arriving in a small country town where he tries to find out who he is and where he fits in the world.
It is a brilliant story with relatable characters and a mix of humour and pathos. Highly recommended!