e c r u o s e R e h T hristmas Edition C
DECEMBER 2021
NEWS FROM THE RESOURCE CENTRE CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD
BOOK TO MUSICAL CHRISTMAS IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS! RESOURCE CENTRE
Dear Students, We all have our own Christmas memories and stories to tell. For me, Christmas was always a magical time as I was growing up in a little village in Northern Greece. My family did not have a lot of money but Christmas was never about the presents; in fact, exchanging gifts was not a tradition at all back then. Instead, we received a gift on New Year’s Eve and often it was something small like a book or a new pair of shoes. The magic of Christmas was to be found in the love of family and in the sights, the smells and the sounds of the season as we celebrated the birth of baby Jesus. Decorating the Christmas tree was always a highlight as was helping my mum to bake delectable sweets that filled the house with those heady Christmas aromas of cinnamon, clove and orange. Christmas was always white and we had so much fun playing in the snow, building snowmen and sledding. Christmas Eve was spent going door-to-door singing carols and listening to my grandmother’s Christmas stories. The big day commenced with dawn mass and a special family feast filled with delicious food and much laughter and joy. Continued...
Some of our family traditions have changed over the years but Christmas is still the most magical time of the year for our family. When I had children of my own, the highlight of Christmas Eve was reading ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Christmas Grinch to my children. These stories never failed to capture their imagination and to this day they hold a special place in their childhood Christmas memories. Our stories of Christmas, or indeed any of our stories, have a way of keeping our traditions and memories alive; they connect our past to our present and they help us to make sense of a world that is jam packed with information, technology and fancy gadgets. Stories will always matter, now and in the future. I wish you all a magical Christmas filled with the love of family, peace and good health! Ms Pavlidis
SOME RESOURCE CENTRE HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2021! Lego Challenge ~ The Masked Reader ~ Book Trivia ~ Harry Potter Origami ~ Hogwarts Christmas ~ Live Chicks ~ CLC House Display ~ Year 7 Reading Challenge ~ Write-a-book-in-a-day ~ Book Week Parade ~ Free Bookmarks!
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Christmas Classics A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens Bitter, mean and miserable Ebenezer Scrooge has no friends. On a cold Christmas Eve, three ghosts appear and show him his nasty ways. Scrooge visits his past, present and future, and learns to love Christmas and those that surround him.
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott While not strictly a "Christmas" book, Little Women bookends Part One of the story when the March sisters experience their first Christmas without their father.
Image: Macmillan
Image: Macmillan
Christmas around the world... Finland
Christmas morning in Finland consists of porridge made of rice and milk sprinkled with cinnamon, milk, or butter for breakfast and one family member will find an almond hidden in theirs! At the end of the day, it's time to warm up in a sauna!
Iceland
For 13 nights before Christmas, Icelandic children leave a pair of shows by a window. Every night they are visited by the 13 Yule Lads (mischievous pranksters) who leave shoes full of sweets or rotten potatoes!
Germany Mulled wine in one hand, bratwurst in another as you tick those items off your Christmas shopping list. The sprawling, festive markets spring up all over the country!
Norway
Little Christmas is celebrated on December 23. Each family has a special ritual for the day: tree decorating, making a gingerbread house or eating hot rice pudding.
Italy Italian traditions include attending Midnight Mass at the Vatican, displaying a 'ceppo' (a pyramid shaped Nativity scene) and feasting on panettone, a type of sweet bread traditionally eaten around Christmas time.
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Mrs Oaten
Over the holidays I have a large stack of books to while away the hours at the beach. Top of the list is ‘The Children of Jocasta’ by Natalie Haynes. Classicist Natalie Haynes is a wonderful author who skillfully blends her comedic skills and vast knowledge of the Ancient Greek world to create engaging reads. ‘A Thousand Ships’ is her most recent release and is well worth a read.
I am currently reading ‘The Beekeeper of Aleppo’ by Christy Lefteri. This work of fiction draws from the author’s experience working with refugees. The novel is a powerful portrait of the experience of Syrian refugees as they struggle to keep their lives and sanity during the arduous journey to find sanctuary.
g or n i d a e e 'r e r o w t a a rd t w Wh r o gf r th e l o o k in e v o ng rea d i ays! d i l o h
Miss Tess As a big fan of fantasy I'm looking forward to reading House of Hollows. And Little Women is on my list because of its Christmas theme!
Ms Pavlidis You’ll Be the Death of Me by Karen McManus I loved everything that Karen McManus has written and her books are very popular among students. I'm also looking forward to The Christmas Bookshop because I love a Christmas chicklit story.
Book to Musical DID YOU KNOW?
WATCH THE FULL MUSICAL HERE
The Mary Poppins series comprises eight books written by Australian-British writer P. L. Travers published between 1934 and 1988. Travers was born in QLD and spent most of her life in England. The original Disney movie was released in 1964, followed by Mary Poppins Returns in 2018.
HAMILTON Hamilton the musical was adapted in 2015 from Alexander Hamilton, a 2004 biography. Hamilton was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda adapted the book to the stage and went on to win many accolades, including 11 Tony Awards.
CURIOUS ABOUT BROADWAY SLANG? LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA WILL RUN YOU THROUGH IT!
FUN FACT! Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of Hamilton, starred in Mary Poppins Returns!
SUMMER READS THE GILDED CAGE by Lynette Noni The second book in the Prison Healer trilogy has arrived. The Gilded Cage is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir! Kiva Meridan is a survivor. She survived not only Zalindov prison, but also the deadly Trial by Ordeal. Now Kiva’s purpose goes beyond survival to vengeance. For the past ten years, her only goal was to reunite with her family and destroy the people responsible for ruining their lives. But now that she has escaped Zalindov, her mission has become more complicated than ever.
LUCKY CALLER by Emma Mills if you're after a book filled with warmth, friendships, romance and wit, pick up a copy of Lucky Caller. When Nina decides to take a radio broadcasting class her senior year, she expects it to be a walk in the park. Instead, it’s a complete disaster.
Summer Reading Challenge
This summer we're holding a Reading Challenge like no other! Read a minimum of 4 books over the summer holidays to go in the running for the Grand Prize! Submit your card at the start of Term 1 to collect your participation prize.* Count me in! How do I sign up? Visit the Resource Centre and pick up your Summer Reading Challenge card today! *You must read a minimum number of 4 novels
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HOW TO ACCESS SS E C EBOOKS C A P LAPTO Year 7-8
USERNAME Your student number (found on your student ID card)
Year 9-12 USERNAME Your network name (first 5 letters of your surname and first 3 letters of your first name)
LL A r o f d r Passwo ents is stud
t n e d u t s c l c
DID YOU KNOW WE HAVE A BOOK CLUB & A WRITERS' CLUB?
If you'd like to join either of these clubs please email the Librarians at library@clc.vic.edu.au
Simple reasons why you should come to a Pen, Paper & Passion meeting: You love writing, storytelling and reading, and/or you would like to have a career as a writer!
Simple reasons why you should join the fabulous Pagelings Book Club: You love books!
ALL STUDENTS WELCOME!