Christmas Tree Challenge

Our final get together of the year included our usual book chat and then a completely non-book activity - constructing a Christmas tree from a limited set of materials.

Also three Wrappers completed the 27 Challenge and received their certificate and Paper Plus gift card.  Congratulations to Melanie, Hannah and Ashleigh.

Book Share - books recommended by the Wrappers from their recent reading.

The Roses in My Carpets   by Rukhsana Ashraf-Khan   (sophisticated picture book)

 Vampyre   by Margaret Wild  (sophisticated picture book)

Gathering Blue   by Lois Lowry  (Number 2 in The Giver quartet)

When We Wake / While We Run  by Karen Healey

Singing Home the Whale   by Mandy Hager

Christmas Tree Challenge

Using an assortment of materials (coloured card, tinsel, ribbon, sellotape) the challenge was to construct a Christmas tree that was free standing, as tall as possible, a traditional Christmas tree shape and decorated. The photos below show the progress and results.  Two teams (the 'oldies' and the 'youngies') took part. The final verdict based on the judging criteria was a tie - and that was honest judging not 'you're just being diplomatic' as someone suggested!

Special Event - Fifi Colston

Teen School Holiday Events - Upcycling

More Beast than Beauty

Although the Beauties were conspicuous by their absence on Friday the Beasts made up for it in force. There were some really ghastly hands and garish (but delicious looking) Zombie cupcakes. 

Beauty and the Beast Teen Event

NZ Post Children's Book Awards Festival

This week we celebrate the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards finalists with a series of events in the district including:

• The Mastermind Competition – local primary schools compete to find out which team knows the most about the finalist books. Mayor, Ross Church, will front the finals on Friday and present the winners with their prizes.
• There will be special story times for the younger kids featuring the Picture Book finalists.
•  Most exciting of all (from the Wrappers perspective) is a workshop and lunch with author Fleur Beale on Wednesday. Her book, Speed Freak, is a finalist in the Young Adult fiction category. 

The NZ Post Children's Book Award 2014 winners will be announced on Monday 23rd June.