Published Authors!

Congratulations to these talented writers, who all had poems selected for publication in the NZ Poetry Society's anthology.

Henry Peters

Kelvin Ma

Angela Zhao

Their work was selected from over 1500 submissions, so this is a fantastic achievement.

The book, There Are Rabbits Here will be in the public library and is available to purchase from the NZ Poetry Society and all good bookstores.

https://www.poetrysociety.org.nz/product/there-are-rabbits-here-2025-anthology/

Henry wins major poetry prize!

NZ Poetry Society 2025 International Poetry Competition

Huge congratulations to Henry Peters who has won 1st Prize in the New Zealand Poetry Society’s 2025 International Poetry Competition, Primary/Intermediate section, Haiku Junior category. Henry's award brings automatic publication in the NZPS 2025 Anthology, to be published in November and $50 in prize money. 

In addition, Angela Z was awarded 2nd place in the open junior division and Kelvin Ma was awarded Commended.

Congratulations to all!

https://www.poetrysociety.org.nz/our-news/

NZ Poetry Society Anthology

Last term in Writing Club some of our Russley Writers worked hard to create some strong entries for The New Zealand Poetry Society Te Rōpū Toikupu o Aotearoa, an international poetry competition. They wrote  ekphrastic poems (a poem inspired by or in response to an artwork). These poems were entered into the Open Junior category (17 years and younger) - so they would have had some tough competition!

We are thrilled to announce that three Russley Writers' Club students had their ekphrastic poems selected for the 2024 NZ Poetry Society anthology to be published in November.

Congratulations to:

• Leyan Abdelfadil The Red Hat
• Lucas Yee The Pearl Earring
• Henry Elkins Fanfare

A Trio of Authors

We are fairly certain that the Peters brothers have broken a record for being the most published family in Toitoi!

Here are Oliver, Henry and Ned with the journals and books which feature their writing.

Congratulations to the trio, we are super proud of you!

link to Toitoi's Facebook page

 

Published author again!

Congratulations to Henry, who has been published again! Henry's poem, Watermelon Pink, appears in Toitoi 22... along with writing from ex Russley students, Akhila Sharma and Joseph Surrey.  Awesome to have Russley so well represented in this beautiful publication. You can find Toitoi on the shelves in our school library, or ask your teacher to borrow a box full from the resource room. Toitoi is also for sale in bookshops - how cool is that?! 

Bridges to Books

 Read these fabulous entries some of our writers produced for the Tamariki Book Festival's competition, 'Bridges to Books'.

Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and James

When I open the book
I am under the roots of a tree
with Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail...
and Peter

Slipping on my sky blue jacket
hopping quickly to...
Mr. Mcgregor's garden

Page eight I squeeze under the gate
Chomp Chomp I chow down the carrots
so many vegetables 
it is like a themepark of food

Oh no! MR MCGREGOR!
I hear his his heavy steel capped boots stomping
CRRRR my jacket ripped 
now it´s made into a…
scarecrow

Rushing to the gate to get out
SLAM! I close the book
and hide under my covers
hoping Mr McGregor doesn't find me

by James De Wit

When I open the book, Fing 

it feels like I'm getting pulled right in

I'm in Mr and Mrs Meek’s house 

freaking out

because their daughter Myrtle Meek 

she gets whatever she wants

I feel like this is not going to end well

Myrtle wants a fing...

I am wondering 

how is this going to end 

nice… or deadly

- by Isaac Elkins

My love of reading

When I open the 117- treehouse comic, 

My mind is chaos

movies swirl in my mind, 

making me feel like I’ve been on a long roller coaster ride

It's as hilarious as British-white cattle dancing 

to ‘Dance Monkey’.

I keep coming back to story police, a giant foot and a enormous hand 

I just can never take my eyes off it

- Sam Li 

Henry Potter

I open the book...

I am in Quality Quidditch Supplies

my nose pressed against the window at a Firebolt

the latest broomstick model

Crowds and new reporters

from the Ministry of Magic

all stand around Professor Lockhart

Harry Potter by his side

Platform nine and three quarters

steampunk train painted with golden letters 

HOGWARTS EXPRESS

Professor Sybill Trelawney

the mysterious divination teacher

looks into a crystal ball

Professor Dumbledore

with a long white beard

announces Gryffindor wins the house cup!

 - by Henry Peters  

Writers selected for Toitoi's next issue

There were over 1,000 submissions made to Toitoi, from students all over New Zealand. The editing team have finally selected the work to be published in issue #22 and we are thrilled to have THREE students from Russley School included.

Congratulations to these talented writers, who have had their poems accepted for publication in the upcoming edition of the Toitoi journal:

Henry Peters | Rm 13 | 'Watermelon Pink'

Joseph Surrey | Rm 4 | 'Scarred'

Akhila Sharma | Rm 2 | 'Slowing Down Time'

Toitoi #22 will be published during Term 4, and copies of the journal will be delivered at the start of Term 1, 2021. The published authors will receive two copies each, to enjoy and share with their families.

Editor, Charlotte Gibbs said, "Please tell your other young writers and artists not to be disappointed. Being a writer or artist takes determination and perseverance. We would love to hear from them again. The deadline for Toitoi 23 is on November 27, 2020."

Colouring our World with Poems

Our Russley Writers have been exploring colour. They each created a poem which celebrates a colour of their choosing and entered the Poetry Box Challenge. Author Paula Green congratulated all our students who submitted their writing. She said, 'Your choice of words made colours come alive, your poems were full of movement and zest. I really liked the pictures that grew in my head as I read. I especially liked the way they all flowed so beautifully. So many standout lines and images. Brilliant!'

Paula received hundreds of submissions from schools all over NZ and has chosen some of her favourites to publish on the Poetry Box website. Twelve students from Russley School have had their poems selected. 

Special mention to Beau Twidle, who Paula chose as one of her top three favourites overall! Beau wrote a fabulous poem about black and has received a copy of Paula Green's book, 'Groovy Fish' as a prize. Congratulations Beau, and to the other published poets:

Beau T 

Esme S

Evrin M-T

Morgan C

Madeleine H

Jay P

Akhila S

Joseph S

James DW

Isaac E

Henry P

Oliver P

Here is Beau's poem:

Black

night covering penwood street

ants running across the dirt

a sleuth of bears sleeping

a box of old fashioned telephones

a patrol unit of arrows flying at the target

a bundle of cables, like snakes

by Beau Twidle | Year 5

Announcing the arrival of Toitoi #20!

 It was so exciting to receive our copies of the latest Toitoi journal, number 20. We are delighted to see mahi from FIVE Russley students published! 

Congratulations to the following published authors and illustrator:

• Shona Beedie | poem | 'Space Beast'
• Henry Peters | non fiction | 'Fabulous Sea Turtles'
• Micaiah Veer | poem | 'Fort of Feathers'
• Ruby Jones Johnston | illustration | 'Junk Drawer'
• Isaac Elkins | article | 'Interview with my Grandad, John Stalker, 73 Years Old'

Here are some photos of proud authors, Isaac and Henry, with their copies of Toitoi.

Russley School's Astonishing Bubble Time Poems

Paula Green has written a beautiful post on Poetry Box, about these talented Russley writers:

Finn B
Henry P
Willow R
Oliver P
James dW
Isaac E
Annabelle K

Paula emailed me to say, "These poems are magnificent... I love the music, the detail, the flow, the mood, the shared expereince. These are the best and most moving things I have read all year."

Read more on the Poetry Box blog:

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2020/05/30/poetry-box-may-challenge-russley-schools-astonishing-bubble-time-poems/

Paula is sending a copy of her book, Groovy Fish, to each of these students. Congratulations to all!

Published on Poetry Box

More of our Russley Writers have had their work published on Paula Green's website, Poetry Box. Congratulations to:

Ella-Rose - Daisy
Eabha D - Cat
Liam Bond - Mingles, my Pet Cat
Reuben Veenstra - Millie
James de Wit - Explaining a Cat to an Alien | Ocean
Oliver Peters - The Prowler of Night
Lillia Poh - Greygrizzledog
Henry P - Things that Wake Me in the Night
Willow Rentoul - Going to the Sea

These students have been picked by Paula to win a copy of her book, Groovy Fish: Liam, Reuben, Lillia, Henry and James.

Congratulations!

Poetry Box Poets

The following Russley writers have had their poems published on Paula Green's Poetry Box website. Sophie Elkins was chosen as an overall favourite, and wins a copy of Paula's book, Groovy Fish. Congratulations, Sophie!

I also want to make special mention of prolific poet James de Wit, who had THREE poems published. Awesome!


Sophie Elkins - My Favourite Tree

James de Wit - Death of an Autumn Leaf, The Wiggly Squiggly Hose, The Peaceful Night
Lillia Poh - Lockdown List
Lucas Yee - Lockdown Walk, Bean Bag
Ella-Rose - Beans
Reuben Veenstra - Mondial Rose
Liam Bond - Nibbles My Pet
Liam Clark - Autumn
Eabha Dalton - String Lights, Things That Wake Me Up in the Night
Aaliyah Rentoul - Weedeater
Ila Rutherfurd - Things That Wake Me in the Night


Paula also published two of our Pass the Poem pieces...

Team Roto Writers (Mrs K, James, Lucas Y, Emilia, Henry, Oliver, Amber & Sam)
Pass the Poem - Ninja Cat

Team Awa Nui Writers (Mrs K, Lillia, Aaliyah, Sophie, Lily T, Therese)
Pass the Poem - Button Moon

Fabulous Sea Turtle Writing

Super Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have a strong beak, as sharp as a flaming sword. A crooked mouth covers their old face. Turtles look like an angry man saying ‘Get off my lawn!’ Huge, beady eyes bulge out of their rough skin. Their chin looks like the corally Great Barrier Reef. Their  wrinkly neck tucks into their shell, which is as hard as titanium. Turtles have a bony shell with hexagonical* scutes on the top of the slippery body.

Sea turtles like to eat baggy jellyfish and seaweed that sways in the luminous water. Sea turtles have rear flippers for steering and front ones to propel through the ocean. Turtles slice through the water like a silver bullet. They have little sharp claws at the end of their flippers. Sea turtles are amazing animals!

*made up word alert:

Hexagonical: (adjective) having patterns of hexagons

By: James De Wit | year 4 | 8 years old

Note from Mrs K: 'hexagonal' is actually a real word relating to or constituting a hexagon; having six straight sides and six angles. But, I really like the way James' version of the word ('hexagonical') rolls off the tongue. The famous NZ author, Margaret Mahy, was well known for making up words in her stories (like, 'flingamango' and ‘horrakapotchkin’).

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have a beak as sharp as a sword. They have a mouth that looks like a boomerang. They have knobbly chins. Turtles have big black bulging eyes. Sea turtles have nostrils next to their eyes - weird, right?

Sea turtles have rear flippers for digging holes and for steering. Turtles use their front flippers as propellers. Sea turtles glide through the ocean like a bird.

On turtles' backs they have a firm shell, with something called a scute. They are hexagons. On top of the scute they are costal. They have a little tail. 

Turtles eat jellyfish, sometimes they mistake plastic bags as jellyfish. The sting does not harm turtles. 

Don’t litter - save sea turtles!

Isaac Elkins | age 8 | Year 4

Fabulous Sea Turtles

A sea turtle looks like an upside-down spaceship. They have a pointy beak as sharp as spikes. Sea turtles have a big goofy mouth that is shaped like a croissant. Sea turtles have a round bumpy shell with these things called scutes on them. They can come in many different colours including green, black, yellow and olive.

They use their front flippers to propel through the blue, clear water and use their back flippers to steer and dig.  Sea turtles can glide through the water like a boy on a greasy waterslide. 

They eat jellyfish and slippery sea sponges. Sometimes they mistake plastic bags for food and eat them because they look like jellyfish. My advice to you is not to litter, save sea animals, especially sea turtles.

  

By Henry Peters | age 7 | year 3

Sea Turtles

The sea turtle’s tail is as smooth as an eel. It has a strong powerful beak with extra sharp claws. It has droopy flippers with 100% use. Its front flippers are used as propellers. It helps them to speed forwards. Its rear flippers rotate the turtle. It also uses its rear flippers for scooping dirt and putting babies in the holes. It has a hard bony shell shaped like a teardrop.

Sea turtles eat jellyfish, slippery sea sponges and sea grass which glows through the water like a biofluoresce fish. Jellyfish look like plastic bags so they sometimes mistake a plastic bag for a jellyfish, then they choke. 

Sea turtles’ populations are decreasing fast because of pollution and littering.

By Samuel Li | Year 4 | Age 8      

SEA TURTLE FACTS

A sea turtle's shell is big and round like a ball. A sea turtle has little flippers to glide through the ocean. They have big googly eyes. A sea turtle’s mouth is like an upside-down U. 

Sea turtle’s shells can be olive green, yellow, greenish brown, reddish brown or black. Their shell is as tough as a shield. When they’re scared, they can just hide away in it. 

Sea turtles can live up to 100 years old. There are about 12 types of sea turtles. 

by Ila Rutherfurd | age 7yrs | Year 3

Sea Turtles

Sea turtles have flippers like wings to glide like birds. They have front flippers like propellers to push them to the sea. When they get to the water they zoom like rockets.

From their chin to their tummy, they have scaly skin which looks like pebbles. Their skin is like seaweed. They have really small tails. Their eyes are quite thin and beadie.

Sea turtles like to hang around the bottom of the sea. They eat jellyfish and sea grass. Sometimes turtles mistake plastic for jellyfish. Sea turtles are still not extinct from all the plastic and pollution waste. I think we need to stop using plastic and polluting the ocean.

By: Amber Hicks | Year 3