School Journal – Books
On this page: Part 1 Number 1, 2007 | Part 1 Number 2, 2007 | Part 2 Number 1, 2007 | Part 3 Number 1, 2007 | Part 4 Number 1, 2007
School Journal, Part 1 Number 1, 2007
“Giant Snails” by Jill MacGregor. Sa‘ese‘ese and her father face an ongoing battle trying to rid their family farm in Sāmoa of the giant African snails that spoil their crops.
“Please Don’t Sneeze!” by Julie Scott. This play uses humour to remind readers of the importance of taking care of ourselves when we are sick and of not spreading germs to others.
“Golf Champ” by Karen Phelps. After just one year’s experience, 8-year-old Kiwi golfer Kota Kagasaki is already showing the ability and determination needed to be a champion golfer.
“Mice for Sale” by Julia Wall. A sister and brother enjoy caring for and playing with their pet mice but are dismayed when one mouse gives birth to seven babies. The school fair provides an opportunity to resolve their problem, but the solution still requires some creative thinking to be successful.
“Morning on the Marae” by Sue Gibbison is the poem in this Journal.
SJ1107, distributed February 2007.
School Journal, Part 1 Number 2, 2007
“Use Your Imagination” by Bronwyn Tainui. In a familiar scenario, Clare is finding holidays boring. Her friends are away, and Mum is always working. Her mother’s suggestion to find some books and use her imagination proves a better one than Clare anticipates.
“Kiwi Grub for Mohua” by Iona McNaughton. This report describes the way staff at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve in Christchurch cared for Mohua, a great spotted kiwi, when part of her beak broke off.
“Piri and the Tekoteko” by Robyn Waitangi Nightingale. On a visit to Nanny’s marae, Piri feels challenged by the tekoteko on the roof of the wharenui. His Nanny helps him understand that the tekoteko’s fierce appearance is designed to protect him and the rest of the people of the marae.
“Living in a Shipwreck” by Anne Young. On a stormy night in 1912, The Star of Canada was wrecked off Gisborne. This article describes how the crew managed to save the wheelhouse, which later became a family home and is now on display at Tairāwhiti Museum.
“Sake’s Adventure” by Lisa Fuemana. This play is set on the island of Niue. Sake the baby uga (coconut crab) is tired of staying at home and wants to set off on an adventure. He is saved only by the quick thinking of Nimo, a mokotaliga (lizard).
“Laugh” by Lorraine Marwood is the poem in this Journal.
SJ1207, distributed March 2007.
School Journal, Part 2 Number 1, 2007
“The Anything Everything Shop” by Simon Cooke. The evil Slurps capture and enslave King Portly and his people, but help comes from a mysterious alien shopkeeper.
“Charlie and Maria” by Bartha Hill. This report begins by recounting a day in the life of Charlie, a Kenyan child whose life is dominated by the need to make twice-daily trips to fetch water for her family. Her experiences are contrasted with those of Maria, whose village has benefited from an aid project led by a Kiwi couple, which brought water to over 15 000 people.
“World’s Water Running Out” by “special reporter” Philippa Werry. It is February 2037, and world leaders are gathering in Washington to discuss the worsening water crisis. Outside, members of a group of protesters reminisce about what it was like when everyone assumed that there would always be plenty of water.
“Caterpillars” by Tipene Watson. The unnamed narrator in this gentle story describes how he and his koro watch and care for two monarch butterfly caterpillars.
“The School Bus Robot” by Sue Gibbison. Ms Vai, the regular driver, is on a training course. Her replacement Zoom, a bus-driver robot, is a stickler for the rules. It’s not long before things start to go wrong.
“Freaky Fridge” by Bev Wood and “Changing Landscapes” by Desna Wallace are the poems in this Journal.
SJ2107, distributed February 2007.
School Journal, Part 3 Number 1, 2007
“The Sun and Other Inventions” by Simon Cooke. Grandpa Sid takes Emma to the International Science Fair – and it turns out he has a lot to say for himself.
“The Vege Car” by Peter Stevens. Last year, James “nui” Macdonald and his son James “iti” drove from
Bluff to Cape Rēinga in a car they’d built to run on vegetable oil. Why did they do it – and how did the
trip go?
“A Passion for Ponies” by Donna Cherry. There are many chores to be done for him before Chelsea can enjoy a ride on Teddy, her nineteen-year-old, part-Welsh pony.
“The Big Game” by Sue Gibbison. A small-town brother and sister are thrilled to discover that their town will host a rugby game with all the big names. Share their excitement – and Mum’s conversion!
“Wild Life” by Alicia Ponder and Peter Friend. Monkeys, zebras, and wildlife documentary makers all want out of the mosquito-infested jungle. They’ll go to great lengths to achieve their aim.
“A Chinese Song” is the poem in this Journal.
SJ3107, distributed March 2007.
School Journal, Part 4 Number 1, 2007
“Potiki Crew” by Sue Gibbison. Potiki Crew are practising in earnest for the National Hip Hop Competition. Join one of their rehearsals.
“The Matata Flood: Ethan Beach’s Story” by Adrian Muller. One rainy May evening in 2005, Ethan Beach looks out his window to see his street filling with muddy water. An unforgettable night is about to begin.
“Koro’s Dream” by Jacqui Brown. Koro has always talked of moving back home to the East Coast, and one day, after receiving a sign, he suddenly goes. When his mokopuna visits, what dose she think of Koro’s new life?
“I know just about everything now that I know about …” is the poem in this Journal.
SJ4107, distributed March 2007.