World Book Week is always one of the highlights of the school year, and this year was no exception, despite all the challenges and obstacles posed by the pandemic and some year groups still working online.
While we couldn’t have our annual whole school dress up day, or our book fair (both postponed to hopefully occur in May), we still engaged in plenty of fun, creativity and learning to celebrate the week. Junior School students attended virtual workshops with a wide range of authors and illustrators , learning how to draw and craft stories from authors and illustrators. Events included Write like a Wizard with Kimberly Pauley (Classes 2, 3 & 4), How to Draw with Tom Knight (Kinder A & B, Class 2), Riddles and Mystery Writing with Lisa Thompson (Class 5), Drawing Animals with Nicola Slater (Kinder A &B), Design a Witch with Katy Birchall (Class 6), Nature Drawing with Sharon Rentta (Class 1) and Fantasty World Building with Vashti Hardy (Class 6).
Congratulations to all of our winners in the Junior School:
Library Treasure Hunt:
First: Penny Mc Donnell, Class 5
Second: Anneke Fan, Class 3
Story of My Life Book Cover Competition:
First: Elsie Craig, Kinder A
Second: Rosie Clery, Class 3
What If? Competition:
Alexandra McConn Walsh, Class 5
Catch Your Pet/Teddy Reading:
Joint Winners: Elsbeth, Class 6, Raye Power McDonald Class 5
Book Bakes:
First: Eimear Byrne, Class 3 – The Gruffalo Cake
Joint Second: Holly Cantwell/Garance Celhabe, Class 3 – Harry Potter/Hedwig Cakes
Third: Lauren Orsi, Class 5 – “Squashed Fly Biscuits”, Murder Most Unladylike
The Senior School enjoyed a fantastic whole-school Q&A session and inspirational talk from the amazing Irish author Louise O’Neill, who was in touch afterwards to say how impressed she was by the standard of questions the girls asked. We’ll have a special “Recommended Reads” featuring books recommended by Louise at the beginning of April. Louise shared her creative process, insight and experience and had lots of words of wisdom for our students and staff alike.
It wouldn’t be book week without our creative and literary competitions, and the standard of entries was superb – the only down side was not being able to taste the amazing ‘Book-Themed Bakes’ submissions. The Senior School had Book Bakes, Write a Story or Poem in Ten or Fewer Book Titles, Guess the Book from the Emojis, The Cover of the Story of My Life and Catch Your Pet Reading Competitions, coordinated and judged between the Library and Vivienne, Lorena and Frances in the English Department. The Junior School had one extra competition, the Virtual Library Treasure Hunt, scouring the Long Room of TCD Library for clues.
Well done to all who took part, earning points for their Teams along the way.
World Book Day Winners 2021
Catch Your Pet Reading
1ST: Tess Morgan
2ND: Kate McGovern
Teacher: Lorena Lampedecchia
Emoji Competition
Junior: Ellen Morris
Senior: Siofra Delany
Teacher: Sandra Pye
Book Bake
1ST: Astrid Alpamo: Alice in Wonderland
2ND : Emily Cantwell: Peter Rabbit
Story or Poem in 10 titles or fewer
Winner: Siofra Delany – “On the Banks of Plum Creek/ Heartless/ Children of Blood and Bone/Ask Again, Yes/How to Build a Universe/The Reply/The Sky is Everywhere/We Are All Made of Molecules/ Why Bother”.
Runner Up: Amelia Quinn
