the portal

Emil and Karl is a story about the holocaust suitable for readers in their early teens. I class it amongst other great books in this genre, such as I Am David, The Boy in Striped Pyjamas and the Diary of Ann Frank. One fascinating difference however, is that it was published in 1940. The author, whilst aware of the anti-semitic atmosphere in Europe and the distressing treatment of Jews already taking place, could not have predicted the mind-numbing scale of the extermination that was to come.

This is a tale of a much more personal nature – the story of two small boys who find themselves without parents in the troubled city of Vienna in 1938. Emil’s parents have been taken away because they are socialists. Karl is a Jew, and his mother succumbs to insanity when her husband is arrested. The boys must fend for themselves, aided by two resistance fighters - Hans, who masquerades as a simpleton in order to escape the suspicion of the nazis, and his kind, pragmatic wife, Matilda.

Emil and Karl’s story is one of loving humanity, friendship and loss. It was beautifully written in Yiddish by the Polish Glatshteyn, who aimed to inform young American Jews of the events unfolding in Europe. Published for the first time in English in 2006, its power is undiminished 66 years after it was written.

Mrs Sweeney

The story runs from 1933 in a Bulgarian village along the Danube to Moscow to Spain to Paris to the Alsace and back down the Danube to the Black Sea. A young Bulgarian observes the rise of fascism, is recruited to the NKVD, trains a s a spy, is assigned to the communist ‘volunteers’ in the Spanish Civil War, is betrayed and escapes to Paris, is betrayed and imprisoned, is released and escapes to the Vosges becomes a partisan and is betrayed again, escapes and journeys down the Danube to try to save and old friend deep in Soviet controlled Eastern Europe … is saved by an old friend. The nobility of the human spirit ascends above a less than ideal world. Noir, Noir, Noir!

Mr Wheat

This is a self contained novel that chronicles the life of Huckleberry Finn’s father. It is a fine example of American Literature with simple, clear yet evocative prose that matches the novel’s setting on the Mississippi River. The central character, Finn is simple and quite base. Finn, as a consequence of his lack of thought and compassion, acts out a number of dark deeds. The novel chronicles these without moralizing. Highly Recommended Reading!

Dr Coulson

It’s incredible what lengths some dedicated and passionate teachers will go to just to get people reading! A primary teacher in Colombia enlists the help of his two donkeys every weekend. Intrigued? Read this inspiring article.

There’s a charming slideshow too.

Image: New York Times 23/10/08  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/world/americas/20burro.html?_r=3&ei==5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin 

Mrs Sweeney

This was a timely read for this Philip Pullman fan, with the Sally Lockhart series on the ABC and renewed interest in His Dark Materials with the release of “The Golden Compass’ last year. Nicholas Tucker guides the reader through the major influences in Pullman’s life and writings and introduces us to the recurring themes of science and religion in his books. An insightful and immensely enjoyable celebration of the world of Phillip Pullman.

In apparently one of the first novels to deal with the 9/11 tragedy, Jonathan Safran Foer writes with a post-modern flair using multiple narrators, scrap-book photographs, coloured highlights, a variety of fonts and layout, and even blank pages to give his book a stimulating visual dimension. Oskar is a nine-year-old amateur inventor, jewellery designer, astrophysicist, tambourine player and pacifist whose father died in the World Trade Centre collapse. Oskar embarks on a quest for answers about what exactly happened to his father and why; a haunting, humorous and emotional story.

Ms Crynes

Mister Pip is set in a small village on an unnamed tropical island which closely resembles 1990s Bouganville during its struggle for autonomy. As the Papua New Guinean embargo and fighting close in, all the whites leave the island, leaving Matilda and her friends without a school teacher. Mr Watts, a strange, tragi-comic figure who is married to a black woman, takes over the role. His only resource is a copy of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations, which he reads to the students in segments. The story follows the relationships which build between the students and Mr Watts, the coming of rebels, Matilda’s relationship with her mother and Matilda’s later life. The novel explores the impact which fictional texts, and particularly their characters, can have on readers as a relationship between the two develops. The book is ambiguous in its message: while on one hand the students are enriched by the work of a canonical Western author, it is Great Expectations which leads to major violence in the village. And while the reader expects Mr Watts to become a stereotypically inspiring teacher, he ends up being honestly portrayed as lacking power, knowledge and certainty. This book is easy to read yet at the same time thought-provoking.

Ms MacFie

Aravind Adiga has won the 2008 Man Booker Prize for his first novel, The White Tiger.

The novel is about the struggles of a rickshaw puller in New Delhi, and is described by the judges as a book that “shocked and entertained in equal measure”.

Aravind spent some of his teenage years in Sydney, and claims this influenced his writing about the class systems in India. Read this interesting interview with the 33 year old author.

Mrs Sweeney

   

Term 3’s round of The Scotch Factor was tightly contested by Maa’s homebaked Cookies (Stormbreaker), Pending Due to Court Order (Watership Down) and The Unseelie Court (Tithe – Holly Black). Alex, Stuart and Sam, of the latter team,  were just too good on the day, and narrowly beat Nick, Chris and Andrew by half a point.

Thanks to Ms Morris who ran the show with panache whilst I was in Alice Springs.

We can now look forward to the Grand Final for 2008.  The Scotch Factor Trophy awaits new names, to sit proudly below those of Ed, James and Sam, winners of the 2007 Grand Final…or will some of the names be the same?

Mrs Sweeney

Outside the sun was shining and Scotch was in a flurry of preparation for the next day’s Family Day activities. Inside, the Senior Library was abuzz with talk of ‘rendition’, ‘erroneous rendition’ investigative journalists, CIA operatives, terrorist attacks and government overthrows. Just another busy lunchtime you might say? Well yes, but with the added excitement of local author James Phelan at Scotch’s launch of his latest blockbuster, Blood Oil.
Around 60 students and staff gathered in the reading area as Year 12 student Rob Marsh eloquently introduced James to his eager audience. James then read a passage from Blood Oil, his third book to feature investigative journalist Lachlan Fox working for GSR, Global Syndicate of Reporters. In this instalment, Fox is assigned to cover a terrorist attack on an oil refinery, which then leads to him uncovering a plot to overthrow the Nigerian government! Just another day at the office for Lachlan Fox!!
Year 8 student Michael Holloway scored a copy of Patriot Act and Staff member Ms. Joanne Fisher was most excited to win a copy of Blood Oil by answering James’s trivia questions. A Q & A session followed, with people keen to find out when a movie version of Lachlan Fox’s adventures would be made, as well as how Phelan chose the names for all his characters.
Book sales and signings followed with most of the audience taking up the opportunity to purchase one of James’ novels from the bookstall and have the author personally dedicate it. All too soon the bell rang and the launch was officially over, with sales of Blood Oil sure to soar as a result of a most successful Scotch launch.

Ms Morris