Harestock Primary School in Winchester won the Reading Force 2012 Competition prize for the most participating school by entering an eye-catching group of completed scrapbooks. Although children do Reading Force at home with their family and friends, school support and encouragement is a real boost to activity, and it was clear that Harestock staff got behind the initiative.
The school’s prize was a visit from fantastic girl-pirate author Sara Starbuck, who supported Reading Force throughout 2012. Sara pulled together a pirate crew from the Harestock audience, then quizzed them on their pirate knowledge to see if they were truly fit for sea. Those that got a question wrong were thrown overboard and back into the audience. Would you have remained on deck? Try answering these two questions:
1. What is cackle fruit?
a.A sweet tasting exotic fruit from Madagascar
b.An elderly pirate
c.Chicken eggs
2.Who wrote the classic pirate story, Treasure Island?
a.Robert Louis Stevenson
b.J M Barrie
c.Johnny Depp
(Answers at the end of this post)
As well as testing who had sea legs Sara talked about how important books are, and how books and stories can take you anywhere and everywhere (without having to become a pirate on high seas).
Harestock children then took Sara’s much loved Bookaneer Reading Pledge:
“Do you promise to read because you want to, not because you have to?
Do you promise to visit fictional worlds?
Do you promise to seek out awesome characters in books
Do you promise to visit your local library?
Do you promise to share good books with your friends?
Do you promise to turn the telly off when you’re not really watching it?
Do you promise to live your lives so you have a story of your own?”
Those who pledged are now Bookaneers!
Thanks Sara for such a fun visit, and thanks to Harestock Service children for taking part in Reading Force and sending us your scrapbooks. Sara said of the children, ‘They were just such a lovely bunch. And they knew about pirates and books!’
Congratulations to Harestock Primary School on winning the Reading Force 2012 most participating school prize.
If you would like to take part in Reading Force 2013, email hattie@readingforce.org.uk to register your school, or to receive your free scrapbook to complete with your family. All Service children are invited to take part, and to enter the Great Reading Force Scrapbook Competition.
Answers to Sara’s Pirate quiz questions:
c. Chicken eggs
a. Robert Louis Stevenson
Sara Starbuck is the author of The Dread Pirate Fleur and the Ruby Heart and The Dread Pirate Fleur and the Hangman’s Noose, published by Red Fox.