Book Week: Thrills, Spills and Chills: Mysteries and Intrigue in English
The theme of this year’s Book Week was ‘Thrills, Spills and Chills: Mysteries and Intrigue in English’. Book Week activities kicked off with an incredible artistic display of posters, sculptures, tableaux and games created by pupils in Years 7 to 9 in the atrium.
For Monday morning’s assembly we welcomed crime novelist Charles Cumming, who shared his journey to becoming a crime novelist thanks to inspiring teachers, friends & MI6! The Cluedo mystery competition was also launched – one of our teachers murdered Dr Pearce, but who was it?! – and clues were posted throughout the week. Finally the murderers were revealed to be Miss Archer (Miss Scarlett) and Miss Cagnino (Mrs White). Well done to the students who guessed correctly – Ruby A (Year 11 Sharman), Allegra VJ (Year 7 Nightingale) and Kassie H (Year 7 Eliot).
At 1pm a bell rang to remind everyone to ‘Stop, drop and read’ – girls sat down wherever they were to read a book – and this was repeated each day throughout the week.
On Tuesday there were quizzes in form time, as well as our regular BBC and ABC book clubs.
Award-winning novelist Jenny Valentine held a workshop for Year 9. She spoke about her novels and her approach to writing, where she focuses on character rather than plot and often surprises herself by the endings that her stories reach! Year 9 participated in some creative writing activities, using fun visual prompts inspiring a wide range of stories. Jenny is an award-winning novelist who writes for middle-grade and YA readers. For her best-known title Finding Violet Park (HarperCollins, 2007), she won the annual Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, a once-in-a-lifetime book award judged by a panel of British children’s writers.
On Wednesday, Years 7 to 9 enjoyed competing in a Spelling Bee.
Thursday was World Book Day and NHEHS was invaded by detectives, mystery writers, murderers, witches, Cluedo characters, Draculas, Miss Trunchbulls, James Bonds, The Famous Five, Men in Black, Arsène Lupin & many, many more as most of the school and teachers came dressed as their favourite book character. Winners were Ella C in Year 7 for best individual with her Sherlock costume; Jonna Y and Amy B for Best Pair as Georgie and Pennywise from IT; and best group was Year 11s Jasmine, Florence, India, Carolina, Pearl, Caterina and Sophie who all came as Miss Trunchbull.
Our English Reps, all dressed as Dracula, started off the day with an assembly about Gothic Literature, while the Poetry by Heart recital finale for Years 7 to 9 was held after lunch. The winners of the classic competition were Isobel LB, Alice W and Daisy G. Winners of the freestyle competition were Aanya C, Yumie P and Shree M.
Book Week finished on a brilliant high on Friday with a visit from bestselling crime author Janice Hallett, who gave a fantastic talk followed by a Q&A session led by two of our Y12 English Reps, Iris and Lauren.
Thanks to all those involved in organising such a varied and packed week of mystery and intrigue!
View this post on Instagram
View this post on Instagram
