The task is to submit a creative response to a book that you love. This can be in may different formats, including a short story, poem or video. It doesn’t have to be about one of the Inky list books.

The winner of the competition gets to chose between a digital still camera, a digital video camera and an iPod Touch. There are also a number or runner ups prizes, including T-shirts and books. You may enter as many times as you like, although entries close on the 20th of November. For more information and how to enter visit insideadog.

Some 2008 entries in the Inkys Creative Reading Prize

It can be in ANY FORMAT YOU CHOOSE , so surprise the judges, but here are some ideas from the website to get you started:

• write a short story using the characters/setting (feel free to add zombies)
• make a video trailer
• or a machinima trailer
• write a poem
• or a song
• illustrate your favourite scene/character
• make a quilt
• or a cupcake

Posted by Adam

The categories include the Golden Inky- an award for an Australian book, and the Silver Inky- an award for an international book. There is also a creative reading prize for submissions from teens themselves (more about that in another post). The whole project is set up by the Centre for Youth Literature and the Victorian State library to promote reading as an active, fun and essential activity for all. The Inkys promote Australian authors and their works as well as the very best works for teenagers from overseas.

Once the short list is decided then teens can vote for the best in each category. You must be aged between 12 and 18 to vote and can only vote twice – once in each category. Voting is by SMS or from the insideadog website.

And just which books made it to the longlist? Below is a quick view of the 10 Australian contenders for the Golden Inky. The full list of 20 is featured on our blog focus page: The 2009 Inkys Longlist

Have you read any of these books? We would love to hear what you think. (Go to comments below to add yours.)

posted by Curtis and Mrs Thomson

Images from the inky website

Mr. Chadwick recommended one of my favourites, Eragon, and Mrs. Binet recommended Harry Potter (as if you haven’t finished it yet!) And I am sure you would be quite interested in what your teachers read or prefer to read and what teachers have the same taste as you. You can see the complete list on the TKS Teachers’ Reading Picks page.

Highlights from the list: The most recommended book is To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, with five listings. Books with three listings include The Book Thief by Markus Zusak and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. The oldest book recommended is The Aeneid by Virgil (c. 30BC), described by Dr Bril as “..a haunting poem of regret for what might have been and of longing to get to the other side.” Miss Benz introduces us to the intriguing Syrian-born German writer, Rafik Schami. Mr Kitzinger broadens the language pool with a Spanish and a French selection. Mr Rainey gives us a hint of his own ’Renaissance man’ education with a long and eclectic list of literary treats.

Regarding The Alchemist by Paul Coelho, Mr Moulds says:

It is a very popular and very simple tale about a young man following his dream. The only way I can think to recommend it or suggest why I like it so much is by quoting the poet Rumi: ‘Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray.’

How to operate Tiltviewer:

After you enter Staff Picks, 12 book covers will pop up. You can browse books by clicking the white arrow in the bottom right hand corner. After you find a book you found interesting and you are willing to learn more about it, just click on the cover (which would enlarge) and then click the flick symbol on the bottom right corner of the cover.

By Johnson S

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Sydney Writers’ Festival Secondary School Day Parramatta 20th

Thoughts from Zac:

Mal Peet was my favourite author at the festival for many reasons. Mal was very one-on-one and related to everyone in a comical way which made it more enjoyable and interactive. He was funny and therefore entertaining while still explaining his story.

His book “Exposed” was inspired from something so ordinary and over-rated to become something that I am interested in reading.

Mal also talked from a real person’s perspective that was so true. The way he ‘exposed’ it and talked about it was in a different fashion that just connected to everyone and made everyone listen, learn and be entertained by a few simple ideas from the catastrophic world of stardom to an action packed highly detailed book.

We were very lucky to have Mal Peet and M.T. Anderson come to our school as well. If you were at the Sydney Writers’ Festival day at Parramatta, or at the session at school the day after, then please add your comments here or submit a piece of your own about one or more of the authors.

Other authors at Parramatta were: Isobelle Carmody; Garth Nix; James Roy; Rhanda Abdel-Fattah.

6 August 1945 8:15 am. Never again.

“What you see is one of the few buildings that remained standing in Hiroshima after the explosion of the atomic bomb. The building was designed by a Czech architect named Jan Letzel and served as a market for local products, but inside there were also offices, and a hall where organized exhibitions and cultural events were held. Today the building is known as A-Bomb Dome, and after a long debate, the city of Hiroshima decided in 1966 to preserve it as evidence of the atomic bomb and its destructive power. In fact, the building has remained exactly the same as it was immediately after the impact of the bomb, which occurred at 8:15 am on 6 August 1945 and at a distance of 160 metres southeast and at a height above the ground about 600 metres.”

Translated (with a few corrections) by Google Translate from the photographer’s Italian original.

 Posted by Mrs Thomson with apologies for any errors in the above translation.

On the 20th of May 2008, our class attended the Sydney Writers’ Festival with many other students at the Riverside Theatre, Parramatta. The entire festival was active over a 6-day period, from the 19th – 25th of May. Writers such as Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki, Nicki Greenberg and JC Burke entertained and informed the entire audience with their interesting – often humorous – commentary and reviews of their books. Even questionable comments were shared such as Dr. Karl’s yawning and the individual reactions to those who are using anti-depressants and the stage adaption of JC Burke’s ‘Starfish Sisters’. The entire session was of a light-hearted, yet knowledgeable and meaningful tone.

The first speaker – Dr. Karl Kruszelnicki discussed his passion for science, common myths, and conspiracies. However, his eccentric shirt caught the entire theatre’s attention. Firstly, he presented the common myth of ‘The Bermuda Triangle”, and made the inference that the Bermuda Triangle having any kind of ‘supernatural’ force behind it was as credible as man walking on the sun, and that word of mouth has twisted the truth of the actual ‘mysteries’.

Secondly, his humorous hypothetical of ‘ How to get rid of a trapped horse, with a pack of wolves approaching’ relaxed the audience, and spawned an ‘interactive’. In asking how to remove the horse, the main responses were either to leave it to be killed by the wolves or to try riding it to safety. Both these responses were incorrect, as Dr. Karl concluded that blowing it up was the best conclusion. He then revealed a scanned image of “How to detonate an animal” and showed the audience the images of how to ‘blow-up’ a cow, a horse and a dog. Due to time restraints, he was unable to continue his remaining information in depth, but still managed to inform the audience as to the biological consequences of yawning whilst taking anti-depressants.

The second performance was from The Australian Theatre for Young People which consisted of an adaptation of JC Burke’s ‘Starfish Sisters’ that lasted 15 minutes. Whilst a ‘modern’ piece, and an interesting reflection of the worst parts of society, the underlying political message being conveyed and the lack of plot could not be avoided. Firstly, the plot was not developed and was not substantial in any interpretation. Secondly, the underlying political message of a ‘Utopian society where all forms of idiosyncrasies and ailments were socially acceptable’ was completely idealistic, fictional and unrealistic. This ideology preaches an emotionally unstable and antisocial youth because of the fictional acceptance being conveyed in this novel.

The four main characters – the first of whom slits her wrists and hurts herself – is insinuated as being a realistic reflection of a quarter of the female population of Australia. The second girl is rich and wants friends, the third girl is young and annoying (but more talented than the others) and the fourth girl is the loyal friend who is only suffering because she doesn’t have electronics. This story is oddly familiar, as all these characters are unoriginal and the entire adaption is remarkably clichéd.

Although the adaptation of ‘Starfish Sisters’ was not generally appealing, the other book of JC Bourke’s that was presented was more interesting and incorporated a Psychic girl who likes vintage clothes. This story, “The Red Cardigan” was more original, yet immediate hints to already existing television shows and books were evident. Upon hearing the review of the book, “The Red Cardigan” – JC Burke, books such as “The Lace Maker’s Daughter” – Gary Crew and Channel Ten’s television show, “Medium” was spontaneously recalled to the audience.

The third speaker – Nicki Greenberg is a graphic novelist/cartoonist who has authored and illustrated the Graphic novel adaptation of ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Nicki Greenberg presented an interesting adaptation of the original novel into that of a graphic novel. Her descriptive insight into her ‘process of elimination’ stage of her illustrations was informative and reflected how hard a graphic novel is to illustrate. Her clever use of positioning the individual frames in the novel was interesting and instructed the audience on how visual literacy and Imagery are crucial in a novel, particularly in a graphic novel.

Overall, the speakers were highly insightful, informative and presented many different interpretations and adaptations of modern society and existing texts. The broad range of authors gave the entire audience a deeper understanding of their individual writing techniques and styles. We enjoyed aspects of all the speakers – some more than others – and concluded our own views of the authors and their books.

HeathS.

If you attended the Festival the organisers would like to hear your thoughts. Respond to the 2008 audience survey by 11th July and you might win a prize.