Library
Events
Year 7 Author Visit
Katherine Rundell, writer of The Girl Savage and Rooftoppers and fellow of All Souls, came to talk to Year 7s about her life and writing. Here are some of their responses:
‘She was a ball of energy!’
‘I thought she was very funny and you could definitely tell she was very passionate about what she did and enjoyed writing. I really liked it when she said that she tied herself to her chair with her boot laces to remind herself why she was there, when it got tough.’
‘She is SO COOL! I wish I had lived in Zimbabwe…I really want to be like her. No, hang on, I want to BE her! She is so random and awesome that she is like a character in a book.’
‘Rooftoppers? What a good title! She comes up with good ideas. From scratch!’
‘One of my favourite stories that she told was of her climbing up the walls and towers of All Souls College in Oxford. It seemed so exciting to be up that high in the depth of the night, all alone with the world at your fingertips.’
‘I liked the way she wore an old key round her neck, the key to her library.’
‘It was really funny as when she shared her wish to go to the South Pole and someone asked her ‘Why?’ she replied ‘Who doesn’t?’ in a shocked but casual voice.’
‘It made me want to write myself.’
‘I felt very inspired to never give up.’
‘She said that you shouldn’t say you are bad at something when you are actually really good at it.’
‘She loved being up high as a child to have her own freedom.’
‘She really liked tight rope walking and has a tight rope in her study in college which I thought was really cool. She said it made her blood tingle.’
The Year 7s are now reading her books avidly. Thanks to Rachel Phipps of The Woodstock Bookshop for introducing us. We all enjoyed the event and are looking forward to reading her new novel for adults once it comes out.
You can follow Katherine on twitter: @kdbrundell
World Book Day 2013
World Book Day this year was celebrated in our customary literary fashion. Y7 marked the occasion by dressing up as their favourite book character and parading in the ‘Carnival of Characters’ in the library at lunch time. We saw some truly spectacular characters and were delighted by the creativity of the costumes. This was followed by our annual House Lit Quiz which attracted great crowds of girls to pit house lit wit and gain house points – and of course, chocolate!
KIDS LIT QUIZ 2012
Two teams of girls from Y7 and Y8 competed in the very exciting regional heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz at the end of last term in St Gregory the Great School. The Y7 team took 2nd place, narrowly losing to Cherwell School, and Y8 came 7th out of approximately 35 teams from across Oxfordshire. Congratulations to both teams on their outstanding performance.
Y7 team: Grace Bagnall-Oakeley: Carys Bufford: Isabella Henstridge: Flora Pinne.
Y8 team: Isobel Bruce: Flora Tucker: Maddy Whitby: Kate Whittington.
Sadly, one of the team members, Matilda Butterworth, was taken ill on the day and couldn’t compete. Fortunately, we had two excellent reserves, Anna Russell and Maddy Whitby and so at the last minute Maddy joined the Y8 team.
Author Visit: MG Harris
In March, we hosted a visit from local author MG Harris and were delighted that students from Cherwell and New College School could join us for the event. MG gave a very entertaining talk on ‘Apocalypse Moon’, the latest book in her ‘Joshua Files’ series. There was great interaction with the audience and she answered questions on her writing, her inspirations for the books and her experiences with the publishing world. Mark Thornton, of Mostly Books, Abingdon, attended the event and set up a wonderful display of her books in their striking shiny black slip covers.
Author Matt Dickinson visits Oxford High School
Author Matt Dickinson visited Oxford High School on Thursday 2nd February to talk about his new book, Mortal Chaos, and his adventures as a filmmaker for National Geographic Channel. The students were gripped by his tales of daring on icy surfaces. The book was actually published (by OUP) that same day, so girls were able to buy the very first editions. It is the first in a trilogy, and everyone who has got hold of a copy is already saying it is absolutely gripping, and they can’t wait to see the second – which just might be in the hands of the OHS librarian as a proof copy!
