JAGS Prep School Celebrates Book Week
Last week, JAGS Prep School celebrated book week with a series of events.
Last week the Prep School immersed themselves in five days of celebrating books and stories, with three author visits, a creative book competition, an after school Book Quiz, Book Swap and a Dressing-Up Day. It was an amazing feeling to invite authors into the school again and have all the years gathering together for events.
On Monday, forty girls took part in a fun Book Quiz in the Library. Teams such as “The Booky Kittens”, “The Book Quiz Queens” and “The Book Buddies” competed against each other in a closely contested 4 rounds of questions!
Tuesday saw the author Onjali Q Raúf join us in the Vaughan Williams Auditorium on Zoom. Onjali explained how all of her children’s books have themes inspired by her interests and her activism, whether that’s homelessness, refugees, racism or food poverty. The girls were fascinated to hear her first-hand account of volunteering in the refugee camps in France. She explained how no one chooses to be a refugee and encouraged all of the girls to always question what they read or see or hear – “Don’t lose your TIntin hat” she said, always keep exploring and enquiring about the world.
On Wednesday there was a big Book Swap where hundreds of books were swapped. It was great to be able to have new books to read and to help the environment too!
Patience Agbabi came to speak to Year 5 and 6 on Thursday about her tetralogy series, The Leap Cycle. She introduced us to her diverse cast of time-travelling characters, who form the gang The Infinites, fighting crime across time. The girls asked some very searching and thoughtful questions – Patience said they were some of the best questions she’d ever been asked on school visit!
Friday was not only Dressing-Up Day but there was also a visit and workshop from the author and illustrator Rob Biddulph. Rob also joined our assembly to see our fantastic book character costumes. He said to the girls that reading a book was like opening a door, and he felt that every person in the room had gone through that door into the world of imagination and stories. It was wonderful to be able to celebrate our love of books all together and well done to everyone in taking part in the playground parade and catwalk show in the Hall. And thanks to all the girls and families for the care and effort put into all the costumes and outfits.
After Rec Year 3 and 4 were treated to a hugely inspirational and entertaining workshop with Rob Biddulph where they got to draw their own Doodle the Dog, a character from Rob’s latest book Peanut Jones. Rob explained how important it is to practice and practice and never give up on your path to being who you want to be.
A big thank you to all of the pupils who made Book Week such a success, and to Mrs Hickson for all her hard work in organising these fantastic events.