Reading together 

Why reading to our kids is important. (As featured in the Panorama Magazine, July 2025)

Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash

When I look back on my own children’s early years, I recall that there was nothing more special than the times we sat tucked up on the couch sharing picture books together. Sometimes we would read each word aloud. At other times we would pour over the beautiful illustrations, chatting about what might be happening here and there.

It turns out that cherished reading moments like these are also hugely beneficial to literacy and learning. In the simple act of reading a book to a small child you are passing on a gift. The process of building foundational literacy skills has begun, and you have planted seeds that will grow with your child for the learning years ahead.

In a recent article, educational consultant Janet McCarroll makes the comment, ‘Reading aloud might seem simple, but its impact is profound. It builds vocabulary, strengthens comprehension, and deepens attention — all through joyful, intentional encounters with language. When students hear rich, meaningful text, they begin to internalise its structure, rhythm, and vocabulary — long before they’re ready to decode independently’.

The research on parental reading aloud and its benefits is well documented. Much less is known about the bonus factor of building the muscle of ‘holding attention’. In a world where concentration has become fragmented by screen time, the simple act of turning pages and slowing down enough to read a book, is a gentle pathway to regaining attention levels.   

As librarians at Pinehurst, we use reading aloud as a guiding principle, reading the best of picture books and taster chapters of fiction to hook our readers in. During the last weeks of the school year, I have read aloud an entire book to the Year 7 cohort. Though my throat was all but dried up by the end, finishing the story together was a highlight for everyone listening.

Our teachers in classrooms are also reading aloud to your children from Year 0 through to Year 13, introducing them to stories and written texts that have stood the test of time.  Reading together is a practice we all love to pass on to our students.

Janet McCarroll adds:

‘This is what makes reading aloud such a high-leverage strategy: it fills the well of language, especially for students who may not encounter this vocabulary in everyday conversation’.

Remarkably though, evidence shows that it is reading aloud at home that plays the most significant part in literacy development. Early childhood researchers encourage parents to establish a reading aloud habit from the early baby years. Reading board-books and favourite picture books before bedtime is a perfect way to start.

Young children absolutely love repetition. Asking for the  same favourite story over and over is par for the course at this age.  The National Literacy Trust U.K. has noted that although parents seem to be aware of how important reading is in relation to academics, they forget about reading for pleasure.

Author Alison David adds: ‘Parents as a wide cohort, have typically not been explicitly told about the importance of reading aloud to their child, the benefits of relaxation, time together, the importance of building a routine and love of reading’.

Educational psychologist Keryn O’Neill and the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) also endorse the idea that literacy begins at birth. So, be it Nutbrown Hare, Bluey, Harry Potter or Charlotte’s Webb - reading aloud together is a wonderful way to bring comfort and calmness to your Photo by Picsea on Unsplash                            home. 

Reading aloud to your child plays a significant part in later childhood vocabulary development, reading comprehension and an understanding of the world around them.  The added benefits of bonding and emotional wellbeing will also be good for you, the adult. I hope you can take some time to quietly open the pages of a book and share it with someone you love today.

 

Michele Coombridge

Library Manager

New book roundup

Announcing some lovely new arrivals in the library

Beautifully illustrated Non-Fiction 

Dive into the world of Creepy Crawlies in this beautiful Encyclopedia of Insects.

Packed with hundreds of bugs, every one is looked at in fascinating detail by natural history expert Jules Howard. The author's aim in writing this book was to share her love of the insect world and inspire others to commit to helping these insects survive for as long as possible - in a world where their habitats are being destroyed.

Summer Games Olympians share their stories of  starting out as sporty kids. This book is full of inspiring break-through stories about elite athletes.

A wonderful book to share together and read as a family.

This is a wonderful collection of the favourite Little People, Big Dreams mini-biographies. 

This collection is rewritten with new in-depth facts and figures about our world's movers and shakers. It is aimed at a slightly older audience than the original, individual book series. 

Latest Releases

Unravelled by Shannon Messenger 

Book 9.5 in the hugely popular Keeper of the Lost Cities series. 

This book is narrated by the character Keefe who has been travelling the human world, learning about the ways of humans. His new knowledge uncovers some deeply held secrets of the Elvin world.  

Dreamslinger by Graci Kim 

This new book by NZ Korean author Graci Kim, is Due for release very soon. 

Graci's series The Last Fallen Star is super-popular here and sits at number 5 on our most borrowed books in primary list! We have some Dreamslinger Royal Mail giveaway envelopes in the library. These include a 6 chapter sampler of the up coming book. 

Ask Mrs. Coombridge if you would like one. 

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman

A virus that makes people happier ruins the lives of powerful corporates who seek to prey on the insecure to sell their cure-all products.

A brand new book by Neal Shusterman, using his trademark 'ethical dilemma' dystopian adventure Style. Shusterman is author of the ever popular Scythe series. 

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins 

Just released! 

Remember Haymitch Abernathy? In this latest new book in the Hunger Games series, Haymitch's own rise from unwilling tribute to his experiences in 'the games' is revealed.  

Coming to the Pinehurst Library soon. 

Into the Wild by Hayley Lawrence 

Into the Wild is a Young Adult(Teen)wilderness survival story set in the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia.

Five teenagers accept a survival challenge and are dropped into the harshest of bush conditions, deep in the Blue mountains. The story is told through the points of view of the five adventurers - slowing revealing an event that caused catastrophic consequences for               the team. A tense and exciting adventure. 

                

I am not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang 

After falling short in her marks and university aspirations, seventeen-year-old Jenna Chen makes a wish to become her smarter, more successful cousin, Jessica Chen.

No one is more surprised than Jenna, when she wakes in the morning to see herself reflected in the mirror with Jessica's body! Jenna finds living life as Jessica Chen is not the dream world she imagined. 

A story about walking life in someone else's shoes.

New Books Full of Adventure

”

Thought I'd share this lovely selection of adventure stories that are new to our library. Each one has been loved and enjoyed and comes highly recommended by our young readers. 

Katherine Rundell, author of the first book on the list has just been named the author of the year at the British Book Awards - the first time in six years that a children's author has received this prize.  

I'm always excited to read a new book from this author and Impossible Creatures, has just won the prize for Children's Fiction Book of the Year at the same awards. 

All the books in this list can be found in the Pinehurst Primary Library. Come in, browse and borrow.

Michele, Sharon and Deborah.

 

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell

Two kids race to save the world’s last magical place in the first book of a landmark new fantasy series, from “a writer with an utterly distinctive voice and a wild imagination.” (Philip Pullman, author of The Golden Compass)

“Katherine Rundell is a phenomenon. She crafts original and brilliant books that delight readers of all ages and kinds.” ―Neil Gaiman, Newbery Medal Winner for The Graveyard Book.

Wild by Ele Fountain 

Jack craves adventure, even if it means getting into trouble at school. He thinks he can get away with it as his mum is too busy to notice. But then she suggests that he comes along with her on a work trip – and doesn't tell them where they're going.

But this will be no relaxing holiday. Soon Jack finds himself on an expedition deep into the rainforest, far from anything he's ever known. He wanted an adventure - but has he plunged into real danger?

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead

When a mysterious little free library (guarded by a large orange cat) appears overnight in the small town of Martinville, eleven-year-old Evan plucks two weathered books from its shelves, never suspecting that his life is about to change.

Evan and his best friend Rafe quickly discover a link between one of the old books and a long-ago event that none of the grown-ups want to talk about. The two boys start asking questions whose answers will transform not only their own futures, but the town itself.

Not all Heroes by Josephine Cameron

Even though her family moved across the country for a “fresh start” after her little brother’s death, eleven-year-old Zinnia Helinski still feels like she’s stuck waiting for her new life to begin. Then she spots her new neighbor, Kris, climbing down the fire escape of their apartment building. He’s wearing a black eye mask! And Spandex leggings. . . . And a blue body suit?

Soon Zinnia finds herself in a secret club for kids who want to be heroes. The Reality Shifters don’t have superpowers, but they do have the power to make positive change in their neighborhoods. And a change is just what Zinnia is looking for!

At first, she feels invincible. Zinnia finally has friends and is on the kind of real-life adventures her little brother, Wally, would have loved. But when her teammates lose sight of their goals, Zinnia must find the balance between bravery and recklessness, and learn to be a hero without her cape.

Where the river takes us by Lesley Parr

One thing that helps distract Jason from the hardships of his family life, is the urban legend about a beast in the valleys. A wildcat that roams the forest three villages up the river from their bridge. When Jason's friends learn of a reward for proof of The Beast's existence, they convince Jason this is the answer to his and his brother Richie's money problems. Richie can get himself out of trouble before it's too late and the brothers can stay together.

And so a quest begins ... Starting at the bridge of their village and following the river north, the four friends soon find themselves on a journey that will change each of them ... forever.

The Creature Keeper by Damaris Young 

When animal lover Cora learns that Direspire's mysterious owner is looking for a new Creature Keeper, she realises this might just be the chance she's looking for to save her parents' farm. But Direspire Hall is a spooky place and the strange creatures who live there are nothing like Cora is expecting. As Cora settles into her new life, it soon becomes clear that Direspire has its secrets, and that somebody will do whatever it takes to keep them hidden.

An exhilarating edge-of-your-seat story of one brave girl and many wondrous beasts.

Lost on Gibbon Island by Jess Butterworth

A beautifully-written survival story set on a Cambodian island, following a ship-wrecked girl named Lark, and a baby gibbon who becomes her companion. Together, they must evade poachers and find their way home.

'If you're reading this, hopefully you've come to rescue me. My name is Lark Taylor, and I've been shipwrecked on an island. The last mainland I was on was Cambodia, miles and miles away from home...'

The Adventure is now by Jess Redman 

Sometimes it's hard to be Milton P. Greene. He says all the wrong things, his family is falling apart, and everyone at school avoids him because of the very embarrassing Bird Brain Incident. But when Milton plays his video game Isle of Wild, he becomes someone else--Sea Hawk, the brave and brilliant naturalist explorer who conquers danger at every turn.
Then Milton's parents ship him off to the remote Lone Island for the summer, where his uncle Evan is an environmentalist researcher. The island is chock-full of spectacular species, and Milton realizes this is his chance to become the brave and brilliant naturalist he's always wanted to be--and even meet some fellow explorers!

But as it turns out, the future of the Lone Island is in some pretty serious peril, and the only thing that can save it is a field guide full of cryptic clues. If Milton and his unexpected new friends are going to protect the island, they'll have to trust each other, discover new truths, and embark on a wild and wondrous adventure all their own.

The boy in the post by Holly Rivers 

Siblings Orinthia and Séafra Shalloo accept a summer job from eccentric Grandy, who has collected a menagerie of furry and feathered posties known as animails.

The children are especially fond of Geronimo, a homing pelican. But when the big bird fails to return from a delivery, Taber – the youngest sibling – is devastated; so much so, he mails himself to New York, where Geronimo was sent.

Orinthia and Séafra follow suit, stealing a precious stamp and hopping in a freight crate – and soon all are embarked on an extraordinarily daring first-class adventure!

Wild River by Rodman Philbrick

Daniel Redmayne is fast asleep on the first night of a white water rafting trip, when he's awoken by screams. The dam has failed. The river is surging, and their camp will be under water in a matter of moments.

As the shrieking roar of the river rushes closer, the kids scramble to higher ground. They make it to the cliffs to find their counsellors have been swept away behind them. Now they must make their own way down the river to find help and safety. 

Student Voices - our book reviews

Some of our students have been working through their Reading Challenge documents and recently sent me these wonderful reviews. It is always good to have peer reviews, so here's what the kids say are their favourite and most recent reads: 

Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Words on fire is a great book for anyone who enjoys history, war, action, and a sweet and small love story on the way. It’s about a young girl named Audra, who is an illegal book carrier, trying to keep the Lithuanian culture alive. It is about an adventure she is on to save her parents who have been taken by the Russian government and she meets another book carrier as part of the adventure. In no parts of this story was I ever bored, and it always kept me interested and on the edge of my seat. I always thought romance was my genre until I read Words on Fire. I just wish the ending was longer and that the future of the characters wasn’t explained in one page. Overall, this was a 5-star read and I recommend this book to everyone.

Reviewed by Miley.

The Famous Five Collection by Enid Blyton.

    The Famous Five is about 4 kids and a dog going     on adventures! The oldest of all the kids was     13 years old when they first met and the kids     soon became very good friends. Though they        always accidentally fall into an adventure they     never disappoint. The ending is a little            repetitive, and it would have been better           if the ending of a few books were a cliffhanger     so the adventure could be way more exciting as     there is more space to go into detail. But, the     current story is satisfying enough for young      readers from 5 to 9 years old. And it isn’t        too   boring for slightly older readers from                10 to 12   years old. 

Considering the first book of the series came out in 1942, it still holds up really well as a fun story. I recommend it to families with young children as the book is a good length for kids. 

I give it four stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐.

Reviewed by: Noah B

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.

A boy discovers his father’s identity which ends up changing his life, doing many unnatural things and learning new life skills. This novel kept me entertained the entire way not losing interest once in this series whilst learning many new things. I would highly recommend this book or series since its very fascinating with many relatable feelings. The targeted age is around 12-year-olds. 

I gave it 4/5 stars.

Reviewed by Otto

Horrible Science: Fight or Flight

The book Horrible Science: the Fight For Flight shows us how flight was made and all the fails the people had to go through to obtain flight. This book is fun to read because the information is easy to understand. This book made me feel happy because I understood the information .

I highly recommend it to people who are 13 years old or under.

 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reviewed by Edward 

Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee.

Brother's Keeper is a very sad story. It is about a girl in North Korea who escapes with her family while the Korean war is happening. They go on a very long journey to South Korea. She must take care of her brother and bring him safely to South Korea. This story is very sad, and you will learn lots of new things about the Korean War. I rate this book 5/5. 

I felt sad about this story because of how much they had to endure in the cold weather and the chase from the North Korean soldiers. I loved it because it taught me a lot of things and it was very interesting; I couldn’t take my eyes off the book. 

This is also one of my favorite books I've read.  Everybody should read it.

Really Recommended.

Reviewed by Zoe Q.

Arsenic For Tea by Robin Stevens

Arsenic for tea is a mystery story by Robin Stevens. This book is the second book in the 

A Murder Most Unladylike mystery series. 

The main character, Hazel Wong goes to her friend Daisy Wells’ house to spend the holidays, but on Daisy’s birthday one of the guests mysteriously dies.

Hazel and Daisy decide to investigate this mystery and find the murderer. The pouring rain floods the lands, and they are trapped inside the house with a dead body and murderer. They must find the murderer fast before they strike again. 

This is a mysterious and adventurous book. After I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. Millions of problems keep on coming up and it is interesting to see how the Detective Society will resolve all the problems and find the murderer. 

I really enjoyed Arsenic for Tea, and I would recommend it to people who enjoy reading murder mysteries. I would give this book a 5 star rating as I personally really enjoy murder mysteries and this is one of the best ones I have ever read. 

Reviewed by Candy.

Waking Romeo by Kathryn Barker 

After Romeo slips into a coma, Jules visits him every day- and walks us through the tragic story behind what seems to be the end of their love story. A mysterious time traveller - Ellis- travels from the future- to help wake her husband, Romeo. He shows her what real love is like and makes her rethink her love for her seemed-to-be-perfect husband.

This romance-oriented Sci-Fi novel is ideal for readers aged 15-20. It has a shifting point of view and is inspired by a combination of Emily Brontë's ‘Wuthering Heights’ and William Shakespeare's ‘Romeo and Juliet’, assuming they had alternate endings. It’s the best character development I’ve ever seen in a book- and I would highly recommend it. 5 stars.

Reviewed by Michelle 

Legend, Prodigy and Champion by Marie Lu.

"Legend" by Marie Lu is a dystopian action series set in a future where two teenagers, June, and Day, from opposite sides of society, uncover a government conspiracy and fall in love.

This fast-paced romance explores the themes of inequality and revenge, with an alternating point of view between the two main protagonists. The author highlights the characters’ relationships well- with a very innovative dynamic. 

This is one of my favourite series of all time- with ‘Champion’ really standing out. The books get progressively better as the series goes on.

5 stars.

Reviewed by Michelle

Book review: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The novel “Hunger games” is written from the point of view of the protagonist, Katniss Everdeen, and is set in the Capitol of the nation of Panem. The Capitol is a harsh and cruel place which sends one boy and one girl from each district to go participate in the “Hunger Games”. It is a fight to the death and the last one standing wins the whole thing. Katniss Everdeen at the age of Sixteen sees this as her death sentence. As she steps up for her sister’s place in the Games. But if she is to win, she brings glory and fame to herself and her family.

I liked this book, as it is an adventurous and violent book! It is of interest to children that enjoy a jarring and violent story. I rate this book 5 out of 5 and recommend it to young adults from 12+.

Reviewed by Elvies 

Holes by Louis Sachar 

Holes is an exciting adventure story that follows a boy named Stanley Yelnats. Stanley is sent to a strange place called Camp Green Lake for a crime he didn't commit. But this is no ordinary camp, there's no lake, and the kids there have to hard labour digging  big holes in the ground every day.

As Stanley and his friends dig, they uncover secrets about the camp's history. Together Stanley and his friend Hector Zeroni are challenged to save their lives.

Rating = ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Reviewed by Sofia.

Haikyuu! Vol. 4 By Haruichi Furudate.(Graphic Novel)

The volleyball training camp kicks off. Hinata and his teammates train in preparation for the practice game against Nekoma, but they’ll need to polish their receiving skills if they want to win. After all their hard work, the moment they’ve all been waiting for finally arrives—the revival of the long-standing rivalry between the Cats (Nekoma) and the Crows (Karasuno, Hinata’s team)! I like the new relationships that Hinata makes with the new characters and the new characters themselves as they provide more comedic relief. I like the determination and build up that Karasuno displays even though its just a practice game because when reading it made me fired up and curious as to who will win the game. I would recommend this book to all ages anyone who enjoys slice of life and comedy. If you like this book I would also like to recommend watching the anime and reading and watching the series Blue lock.

Review by Lena.

The Fault in our Stars by John Green.

This romantic drama follows Hazel Grace and her star-crossed lover, Gus. Hazel Grace is diagnosed with cancer at 13 years old. 3 years later, she meets 17-year-old Augustus Waters at a support group.

With the love of the same book and author, they fly to Amsterdam to meet the estranged author – Peter Van Houten.

I loved this book; it shows the importance of the common phrase ‘You only live once.’ It also displays the important ideas of friendship, love, family, life, and death.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. Green has conveyed emotions and scenarios well, the only thing I would change about this book is some of the characteristics of Peter Van Houten, even though his personality is extremely important in the story.

I recommended this book for people aged 14+.

Reviewed by Kacey. 

The boy who stepped through time by Anna Ciddor.

This book is about a boy who is on holiday in France, he is exploring the ruins of the Romans, when he is transported to the Roman time. He blends in as a slave to try and survive, and he makes a friend, but he is worried that he might know his fate. He is faced with a decision to help his friend or find a way home.

This book is very exciting because it kept my on the edge of my seat and it made me want to keep reading. You learn about the Romans and how they live. I thought the character was very cool because he is very calm and cool even while being transported through time.

I think that people aged 9-14 would enjoy this book. 

Reviewed by Daniel B.