All About Books

Beware! Space Junk Geronimo Stilton

His name is Geronimo Stiltonix and he is the captain of the Mousestar 1 which is the biggest and the most fabumouse spaceship in the whole galaxy. He had an inspection of his spaceship but even though it happens twice a year he still doesn’t have any idea about it. He has his inspections with Sally De Wrench. After the inspection, Geronimo’s cousin Trap, asked him to have dinner with him. Suddenly small and large sized particles of trash were hitting their spaceship at a high speed. Geronimo went out of the spaceship and started to collect the trash using the trash collector. He tracks down where all the trash is coming from. When he arrives, there is a war going on, but thankfully he saves everyone, stops the war, and saves the galaxy from being trashed.

The scene which I liked is the control room scene. Sally De Wrench was happy to come with Geronimo to help him figure out what kind of objects they were and where did they from. They hopped in an Astrotaxi and zoomed toward the command center and when they stepped into the room everyone turned and looked at them. Grandfather William looked angrier than a cosmocat with space fleas. Grandfather William asked “What took you so long? Don’t tell me that you were at some place having fun and we are here

having a moment of crisis. We have never dealt with anything like this before, so we don’t know how to deal with it.” He said some other mean things to Geronimo, but before he could say anything else, Sally De Wrench intervened. She talked some sense in his grandfather.

I liked this book because it has many funny parts and it is a book about space mice being attacked by piles of trash so they have to go find where it is coming from and put an end to it before the galaxy is all trashed, and they need to fight against rebel robots before taking over planet Cleanix. Also, people who like to know about space would love reading this book as it has informative illustrations. The author writes in a funny and an adventurous way that will make you laugh very hard. She makes up new adjectives like “fabumouse”. I chose this book because the title makes you want to read it and my school library is filled with these books, and of course, everyone loves to read them. The title is appropriate because chunks of junk started hitting their spaceship. I would like the author to add a little more to the ending of the story. I think it is appropriate for 6-13-year-olds to read this book.

So, go grab this book and start reading. You are most welcome to share what you liked in this book with me. It would be a pleasure to read your thoughts as well.

My name is Piyush Sehgal and I am ten years old. I study in Year 6 at The Winchester School. I like all kinds of sports and activities and my hobbies include badminton and football. My favourite subjects are Maths, English, Science, Art, Physical Education, Arabic and French as I have good teachers to teach me. I enjoy reading books of different genres like suspense, comedy, fiction, non-fiction, adventure, and personal experiences. I hope you find pleasure in reading my thoughts and views.

Book Trails

A collection of book reviews written by the participants of the Winchester summer reading challenge 2020

The Hate U Give, Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas is an American young adult author, best known for writing The Hate U Give (2017). Her second young adult novel, On the Come Up, was released on February 25, 2019.A thrilling and very intricate commentary on the social issues that minorities face in today’s society. It is narrated from the perspective of Starr Carter, a girl whose life is shaken to the core because she watched her childhood friend die at the hands of a racist policeman. A thrilling and heartfelt read I recommend to everyone.

Kanchan Kumar Palakode, Year 12

The Complete Sherlock Holmes Novels and Short Stories (Volume 1), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Although this book is only 263 pages, the language used, complex plots and font size make it a lengthier read. The language in this book leans more towards traditional English, using phrases and words that are rarely used in today’s time. Everything mentioned above, coupled with the mystery, suspense and crime themes of the Sherlock Holmes novels, are sure to make a complicated, brain-racking and time-consuming experience.

Rishit Singh, Year 10

Wonder, R.J. Palacio

Wonder is about a young boy, August Pullman, who contains a congenital facial abnormality who deals with a variety of reactions to his unusual appearance. Some kids use hateful language, and a few people suggest that Auggie is mentally deficient. However, goodness wins out, and readers should find it inspiring and uplifting. Author R.J. Palacio writes the book in multiple voices – Auggie's, a number of his friends', his sister's – and also the different points of view are mostly very wellrealized and show the inner feelings of the various characters. Wonder by RJ Palacio was astonishing! This book can teach many different lessons. The one that stood out to me was not to judge by the way someone looked but by the inner character of that person.

Sarah Abbas, Year 8

When Breath Becomes Air, Paul Kalanithi

This memoir is so incredibly and thoughtfully written that it will be etched in your mind forever. The reader is forced to think about ‘what makes life worth living’ and the importance of the little time a person has left when he is on the brink of death as Paul Kalanithi takes us on a wonderful, passionate and moving journey which transitions from being a medical student to a highly competent neurosurgeon-neuroscientist to a patient diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. This unexpected transition reflects very accurately on the unpredictability of life, the evaporation of a future you had anticipated and the inevitability of death. Though Paul Kalanithi died when he was just thirty-six, he left a lasting impression on this world with his book that would serve as a universal donor. You become so immersed in this book that it seems incredulous that this incredible man has left this world.

Ayman Iqbal, Year 13

Benefits of Being Bilingual

Viktoria Georgieva, Year 6H

My name is Viktoria Georgieva from Year 6H, and I am a bilingual. A couple of weeks ago, during a UAE Social Studies lesson one of my classmates asked if Bulgarians speak the Belgian language. I am writing this article for two reasons. First to introduce myself and give you more information about my nationality and language, and second to list some of the benefits of being bilingual.

Fortunately, more and more people of all ages and backgrounds are learning languages today. In fact, more than half of the world’s population is bilingual or multilingual. At The Winchester School, we are given the opportunity to learn Arabic and French apart from English.

Speaking a second language can provide more job opportunities, depending on which languages you speak. Communication in the workplace is important, and more companies, especially those with international offices, are considering bilingualism a high priority.

Learning a language is a great way to keep your brain healthy and sharp.

Being bilingual can improve a person’s multitasking skills, attention control, problem solving and creativity as it promotes outside-the-box thinking. It can also help improve your memory. Studies have shown that bilingual children can outperform monolingual children in a number of subject areas. The effects of bilingualism can help improve a child’s educational development, cognitive functions, social skills, literacy, and emotional skills that have positive effects for many years to come.

Duolingo is a great app, and can help you learn a new language within months! So what are you waiting for? Start learning!