Food Poems Published

A few weeks ago, we wrote poems for Paula Green's Food Poem Challenge. Our poems had to have a food theme... they could be about a particular item of food or meal, or be written in the form of a recipe, or simply just mention food.

Some of our writers had their poems selected by Paula and were published on the Poetry Box website. Congratulations to...

Finn Beedie | Rm 12 | A Bed of Clams

Leo Yang | Rm 2 | Mr Whippy

Sam Li | Rm 13 | How to Live a Long Time

Special congratulations to Finn Beedie (Room 12) who has won a copy of Egg & Spoon cookbook (Alexander Tylee and Giselle Clarkson). Gecko Press

https://nzpoetrybox.wordpress.com/2020/12/09/poetry-box-november-challenge-some-favourite-food-poems/

My Name is Leo | by Leo Yang

 

My Name Is Leo

My name is Leo. I come from China. At my school in China, there were more than 3000 people. In my class, 52 people sat together in a small room.

Our break was only 10 minutes long and sometimes we just did school work. I was in Year 3 but school finished at 4.30pm. We didn’t need to bring lunch because we ate it in the school cafeteria. We had lots of homework.

When we got to New Zealand, everything changed. There was no homework, we had morning tea, our classroom was big and school finished at 3.00pm.

But I had a big problem. I didn’t know very much English. My teacher gave me a buddy and my buddy was mean to me. I felt so lonely. Then I met a person called Franklin. He was kind. He played with me and taught me English.

I like living in New Zealand because we have a garden. I like gardening. There are beautiful flowers and many trees and it is very clean and safe.

Everything is better now. I have friends. But I still miss my family and friends in China. I wish I could see them.

'My Name is Leo' was published in Toitoi 17. You can find some inspiring writing and creative activities on Toitoi's website, relating to Leo's piece. https://toitoi.nz/my-name-is-leo/

Humming Lama | by Leo Yang

 

Humming Llama

long, stretchy neck

big flat ears

thick, strong legs

white wool, like snowflakes

humming, like me when I’m tired

Leo's fabulous poem, 'Humming Llama', was published in Toitoi's special Latin American edition. You can visit Toitoi's website, or download the Toitoi app, and listen to a narrator read Leo's poem in both English and Spanish.

There are also some writing and art activities to do, inspired by Leo's work.

https://toitoi.nz/story/humming-llama/

Authors and Illustrators Published

It has been an exciting start to 2020, with six Russley students seeing their work published!

The following students are part of the special Toitoi Connect project.

Daria Morales
A Trip to Ancient Mexico was published in Toitoi's Latin America Special Issue. Daria wrote about Ancient Mexico, their amazing mathematicians and the Maya number system. Daria wrote in English, and her story has been translated into Spanish by translators at the University of Waikato. Daria also illustrated her work, using drawings and collage.

Leo Yang
Leo wrote a poem titled Humming Llama, after researching animals of Latin America. His poem was also published in Toitoi's Latin America Special Issue and has been translated into Spanish.

Franklin Yuan
Franklin researched South East Asia, and wrote a poem about the spotted cuscus, from Timor-Leste. Spotted Cuscus was published in Toitoi's Southeast Asia Special Issue. It has been translated into Tetum, the language of Timor-Leste.

RJ Manalac
A House on a Hill / Isang Bahay sa isang Burol, was inspired by the book 'In a Village by the Sea', and makes the reader think about what it would feel like to leave family and friends in your home country, to move to a new place. RJ's poem has been translated into Tagalog, the language of the Philippines.

Toitoi #18

Parker Knight
Parker was chosen as an illustrator for Toitoi. He was tasked with illustrating the poem titled Trampoline, which appears on page 23 of Toitoi #18. Parker used watercolour pencils and the result is outstanding.

Reuben Veenstra
Reuben's poem titled Spinning Through Time, was published in Toitoi #18 (page 53) and was inspired by the playground roundabout at Crosbie Park.

Congratulations to all our writers and artists, you are awesome ambassadors for the arts at Russley School.

My Name is Leo

Congratulations to Leo, who is now a published author!

Leo's story, titled My Name is Leo was published in Toitoi 17. Leo received two copies of the book for himself and his family.

We have some copies for the school too, so come and see Mrs Koster if you're keen to have a read!

Well done Leo!

Leo, to be published twice!

Congratulations to Leo (room 6), who has had a second piece of writing accepted for publication by Toitoi. Leo's amazing poem, My Name is Leo, was selected from over 1500 submissions from writers all over New Zealand. It will be published in Toitoi 17, at the beginning of term four.

Well done Leo!

Toitoi Connect Special Project

Congratulations to the following writers, who will have their work published in special editions of Toitoi, later this year:

Franklin, Room 2, for his poem titled Spotted Cuscus

Leo, Room 6, for his poem titled Humming Llama

RJ, Room 4, for his poem titled A House on a Hill

Daria, Room 7, for her story and illustration titled A Trip to Ancient Mexico

These special editions of Toitoi are part of the Toitoi Connect project, which celebrates the cultures of Latin America and Southeast Asia. 

One special aspect of this project is that all of the writing in the journals will be published in translation, in both English and a language of either Latin America or Southeast Asia. Toitoi are working with the School of Languages and Cultures at Victoria University of Wellington to translate the students' work. Editor of Toitoi, Charlotte Gibbs, said, "What a fantastic way to celebrate all the different languages that are spoken by young New Zealanders!"

We will have a long wait for these journals, as they are being worked on during the remainder of this year, and will be released in the beginning of week one in 2020!

Thanks to the Centre for Asia-Pacific Excellence for Southeast Asia and Latin America, every primary and intermediate school in New Zealand will receive two copies for their school library.