Month: March 2020

Thanks to everyone who attended our first Book Club meeting for 2020. This was our 19th meeting since Book Club’s inception at Cerdon a few years ago. Welcome to all new members who were able to join us on Thursday, 27th February. We look forward to sharing our reading journeys with you in 2020. A number of you have commented that your reason for joining is to make a commitment to regular reading and completing books. I hope that we can inspire you and help you connect to books for your own personal enjoyment and that you won’t want to stop reading.

For students who were unable to attend the first meeting, that’s okay. In sharing the recording and book club notes, you will be able to follow the discussion and read along over the next few weeks. Read the notes below and then you can find a fantasy book to read if you would like to explore this genre. If you have any questions about Book Club, see Mrs Sylaprany, Mrs Ryan or Mrs Hanratty. 

This meeting was a general catch-up after the summer school holidays as well as a discussion about fantasy books, the first genre we will be reading for the year. Originally we had planned to focus on urban fantasy books, but as discussed, we have broadened this to include any books from the genre of fantasy. Fantasy fiction involves settings where magic or enchantment occurs. Urban fantasy novels are set in the real world, in a recognisable urban setting with magical elements present, whereas fantasy novels take place in a separate world with its own timelines, culture and history.

 

Why read fantasy? Dunn (2018, August) provides some great reasons for considering this popular genre:

• You can enter a world or worlds where magic is possible, and problems of real life can be put aside or seem far away.
• The characters in fantasy stories often work their way through conflicts which teens can relate to in their own daily lives and the choices they are faced with.
• Fantasy can often involve characters facing hurdles or quests that they work through to come to a better understanding of themselves and their place in the world.
• Themes in fantasy books are often universal themes such as finding true love, good versus evil, defending one’s honour, having a purpose, fighting for what you believe in, and love conquering all.  

As you read your selected fantasy book, think about some of these reasons to see if they resonate with you and your reading experience. 

You can choose any book from the genre of fantasy to read over the next few weeks and then bring it for discussion at our next Book Club meeting which will be held in Week 9. There are so many subgenres within fantasy that it really is a matter of personal taste and interest in terms of which book you choose for yourself. This list of fantasy subgenres includes some book suggestions in eLibrary:

• High fantasy (e.g Marie Lu’s Young Elites)
• Gateway fantasy (e.g Northern Lights by Philip Pullman)
• Fairy tale and folklore-inspired fantasy (e.g Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier; The Lunar Chronicles, the first book in this series is Cinder)
• Mythological fantasy (e.g Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series)
• Urban fantasy (e.g Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series; A blade so black by L.L. McKinney – to be added to the collection)
• Paranormal fiction (e.g The changeover by Margaret Mahy; Wings by Aprilynne Pyke – to be added to the collection)
• Historical fantasy fiction (Grace Mercy by Robin LaFevers; The anger of angels by Sherryl Jordan; The book of whispers by Kimberley Starr; When the lyrebird calls by Kim Kane).

Miss Kadry has put together a wonderful list of recommended fantasy book suggestions for book club (view this PDF: Fantasy Books for Bookclub (2)). This list of recommendations from Miss Kadry is visually appealing and an easy way to identify books by specific fantasy subgenres that appeal to you. You can then look the book up in eLibrary for further information and availability.

For students who love reading fantasy books, you might like to consider some new additions to the collection (see the library staff to borrow or reserve these books):

• Sorcery of thorns by Margaret Rogerson
• Crown of feathers by Nicki Pau Preto
• Call down the hawk by Maggie Stiefvater 

 

 

Thanks to everyone at book club who recommended a wide range of fantasy novels including:

• The Glimme by Emily Rodda (recommended by Rachel)
• Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas (recommended by Erica)
• The Cruel Prince by Holly Black; Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor; Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (recommendations by Georgia)
• Hush, Hush series by Becca Fitzpatrick (recommended by Anjana)
• The property of hate by  (graphic novel – recommended by Gretel)
• A curse so dark and lonely (previously reviewed for SpineOut by Bethany)
• Shadow and Bone series by Leigh Bardugo (recommended by Krista)

Sora also has a wide range of ebooks and audiobooks available. Check out these lists:

• List of fantasy ebooks: https://soraapp.com/library/cenetau/subject-24/page-1
• List of fantasy audiobooks: https://soraapp.com/library/cenetau/subject-24/page-1

During our book club discussion, Mrs Hanratty shared her response to reading My name is not Peaseblossom by Jackie French. Other books by Jackie French which may be of interest include:

• Third witch
• Ophelia: queen of Denmark
• I am Juliet
• Macbeth and son

These books are also on the Premier’s Reading Challenge list.

 

For Term 2, Book Club will read One of us is next by Karen M. McManus, the sequel to One of us is lying (which was very popular with book club members last year and YA readers in general). If you have not read the first book, One of us is lying, copies are available at school, and via Sora. See the library staff for assistance. 

Future Book Club meetings will be held in Week 3 and Week 9. 

Future genres to be read for 2020 based on book club discussions will include:

• Mystery
• Romance
• Murder/Crime/Thriller (historical crime)
• Dystopian

If there is any other genre or book you would like to suggest, please let Mrs Sylaprany know.

Happy reading during Term 1!
Mrs Sylaprany, Mrs Ryan & Mrs Hanratty

Reference

Dunn, L. (2018, August). All about fantasy fiction for teens. Learn about genres. Retrieved from Novelist Plus database.