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.

Powerful Writing by Team Moana

Memories

Do you remember that day when we were trekking in the woods, the buzz of the dragonflies, the trickle of the brook? We had a wonderful discussion on the science of astronomy and would occasionally stop to let our beloved horses lap up water from the stream. Those horses!

Do you remember how Hazel would toss her head like a mustang? The time when Hazel took off and you were clutching the reins for your life? You were OK. But then, she took a sharp turn and you  slid off. You, my precious Primrose. You yelled my name and I just stood there. I didn’t move. I didn't stop you from getting hurt. Me! Your overprotective sister.

Many years on, I still remember that day and how it changed our lives forever. Even after you got better, you still didn't seem the same. You didn't even seem happier when I bought Hazel to you. She neighed and whinnied and still you didn't seem to give any attention to her. But I could see in your face the longing to back on your horse. The emotion in your eyes as you realised that nothing would ever be the same again.

Do you remember that night when you woke up crying for Hazel and I had to tell you that you couldn't see her. You cuddled close to me and I was filled with a love for you that I had never felt before. And even after everything, I couldn't help hoping that tomorrow would bring back the old sister I used to know. I love you Primrose.

Love, Winter


by Ruby Jones-Johnston
Team Moana

Mags

Do you remember that time when we were younger and we jumped on the trampoline in the middle of the night? It was raining but we didn’t care. Nothing seemed to bother us then. Not the thunder rumbling. Not the dark sky. We giggled and wished we could stay in that moment forever. I wish we could go back to that stormy night without a care in the world. Our pyjamas were soaked and mum got angry but we didn’t care. We just laughed and laughed. 

I wish you were here. I wish I could talk to you again, properly. A grave makes a good listener but never a good talker. I want to giggle with you. I want to talk to you. I want to have teenage moments with you. I want to feel the rain on my skin, gluing my hair to my scalp. 

We never had a proper fight. We never had a proper friendship. We only had a few years. My memories of us are disappearing. Your auburn hair fades to grey in my mind. Your bright emerald eyes are now slivers of pale green. Your giggle is simply just a faint hum, getting harder and harder to hear. 

Everyday I miss you a little more but you are disappearing. I don't want to forget you. But I can't control my mind.

Please don’t go. I want to hold on to the memory of you but it's slipping from my hands. That night, that was the best night of my life. 

Love, Zoe

by Poppy Lowe

Team Moana

Mum

I have been thinking about that night when we were lying on a floatie in the pool. Laughing, talking, looking at the stars. I remember you pointing out the pot and showing me my first ever satellite, but we called them moving stars. We were out there for hours pointing and staring at the crowded night sky. When a line of wondering stars came, you were so excited to go and tell the others. I could feel the cold water from my togs dripping down my legs and into my slippery jandals as I ran to stand with you.

We stood there watching them, together, as a family. At that moment it felt like the five of us could take on anything the universe threw at us, until it gave us the hardest thing we could have ever imagined.  

Sitting next to you while you lay in the hospital bed, broke my heart. Gracie, Sebastian and I had been there all week and you still hadn't woken up. Dad had gone to get us some dinner but I wasn't hungry. I was about to hit my teenage years- I needed you, I know that I have Gracie, but it's not the same. 

When you closed your eyes for the very last time, I was in so much pain. All I wanted to do was cry and cry some more. I wanted to skip school but I knew you would want me to go, so I did. For a long time I would just come home and cry. I tried to be brave in front of Sebastian since he was so young and didn't understand. 

We miss you mum. 

by Lana Chapman

Team Moana

Dear Mimi Murphy

You won’t get this letter. I know that for a fact. You’re halfway around the world. That won’t stop me though. 

Remember the summer of 2014? We were in Paris, and we rode our bicycles downtown until the dusty sun set behind the Eiffel Tower. When we went home, at midnight we ran away from home just to feed leftover mashed potato to the kitten down in the alleyway. That was fun. When we got home, your mother threw a pillow at you and grounded you for a week! The way we had to communicate was through our windows using Morse code by flashing small torches. It didn’t help that I didn’t know Morse code! 

How about a couple of autumns ago? We spent all day at school longing to be at the library. It sucked that we couldn’t because of the fire. You, Isabel and I spent lunch planning what we would do. You wanted to issue out 20 books and spend the rest of the day reading until they kicked you out. Isabel kept retelling the story of when she accidentally locked Mr Hallows in the book room because she thought it was one of us! I wanted to study up on chameleons because I was almost certain my parents would get me one for my birthday (I wanted to call it Cabbage because of the colour). We were so engrossed in planning that we missed the bell and we all got after-school detention! Apart from that last part, it sure was a magical day.

If only it was good enough to keep our friendship alive.

Sincerely, Me.

by Micaiah Veer

Team Moana

Blanket Forts

Lockdown has been the perfect time to construct epic blanket forts in the lounge. Some of these blanket forts have inspired some wonderful descriptive writing. 

Blanket Palace

I enter the peculiar blanket palace, I see clusters of vivid hues circling the black hole. The prisms of light reflect through the needle punctured cavities bouncing off the partially full crystal tumbler, striking each light stream creating what the people of the palace call the exponential effect.
Abruptly, the cruel, calculating dictator sharpened his glossy black teeth. His blood coated body gradually arose from the umbra causing an interruption in the exponential effect. Intentionally the dictator’s awakening had decomposed fragments of their home. Pulverized was the only word that could describe this tribulation.
The semi condensed smooth butter like houses; shattered glass was all that remained of bus stops and other essential components of the city. Couches had been thrown through neighborhoods. The only remaining building had posters praising the dictator all over it. The debris was becoming airborne, enabling the residents to inhale particles that have combined with the air.
I left wondering what all the chaos was about.

by Caleb Collins-Polata
Age 11



Just an Average Blanket Fort

It was day 20 of the lockdown, I needed something entertaining to do. So I decided to build an average blanket fort. I needed some supplies so I gathered up chairs, lots of blankets, pillows, cushions and rugs. I arranged some room in the lounge for the simple blanket fort, and I combined the supplies together.

As I crawled under the wooden chair legs there was a chilling/sleeping area with squishy pillows and cushions. In the other corner my ipad was set up ready to watch movies. As I crawled in deeper I passed the huge James statue and yummy soda machine. I crawled to my right into my personal library, there were baby books at the bottom, the rest of the books were upstairs. I yanked a secret book off the shelf to open my secret passage. There was a movie theater, it only had 15 seats in the VIP area, and there were 3 choices of popcorn (milk chocolate, regular salty, and garlic shrimp), but the next movie was at 8pm and I couldn't wait that long, So I kept crawling. I couldn't decide between the swimming pool or the shark aquarium. I forgot my togs anyway, so I kept on crawling. I was getting hungry so I crawled to the McDonalds to get some food, it wasn't open yet so I had a rest under the Eiffel tower.
I finally got back out of the fort and into the sunny lounge again. That only filled up 11 minutes of my day, so I yelled into the sunlight, "DAD! I'M BORED!"

by James de Wit
Age 8


Fort of Feathers

Blinking fairy lights hang centimetres above my scalp
Drowning in indigo blankets and lime striped throw pillows
A lone cup of coffee beside my head
The blue light of my computer shines in the corner of my hideaway
Assorted duvets and blankets scattered on the floor
Everything is peaceful
In my fort of feathers

by Micaiah Veer
Age 12


My Dream Blanket Fort

My dream blanket fort would be
a warm, suggly place
with two rooms and a bookshelf
stacked with games and books.
My blanket fort would be perfect
for a dreary winter day.
The best bit about it is...
my brother wouldn't be able
to knock it down!

by Miriam Surrey
Age 8


Blanket Fort

I lugged the heavy chairs down the hallway to my room. I sat them in the doorway and walked over to my bed. “Well, that will never do,” I whispered to myself. I pushed my bed over to the far wall. “Much better!” I thought. I pulled in the chairs and propped them up about two and a half metres apart. CRASH! “Whoops!” I muttered, as I walked over to the corner to pick up the lamp that had fallen to the ground. When I was done, I tugged the big, blue blanket off my bed and chucked all the cushions on the floor. When I had draped the blanket over the chairs, I arranged all the cushions in my little cave, grabbed my old teddy and settled into my fort. With a water bottle and a pile of books, I was set for the night! Oops, I forgot! I ran around my room, tearing down my fairy lights. I hooked them up over my blanket, allowing a warm glow to envelop the room. I changed into my favourite green pyjamas and settled down with my new book, in the best blanket fort ever.

by Ruby Jones-Johnston
Age 10

Blanket Fort: by Ruby JJ

Talented authors published

Published authors: Micaiah and Keziah 

Micaiah and Keziah received their copies of Toitoi (A Journal for Young Writers and Artists, issue no.3).

I love the way the publishing team at Toitoi bring together writers and artists from different schools all over the country. Our Russley School writers have had their work illustrated by artists from other schools. It's really exciting to see how the illustrators interpret the poems and we were delighted with what they came up with!

Micaiah's poem Diwali Senses features on page 26, beautifully illustrated by Ava Leong. Keziah's The Keziah Veer Poem can be found on pages 48-51 with gorgeous illustrations by Jasper Rerekura-Peters (hard to believe he is only 11 years old!)

Ex-Russley pupil, Monica, had her poem Mum and illustration of a lion published in pages 18 & 19 of this same issue.

Congratulations to all!

Lion by Monica Koster

More Team Roto Poetry to Colour Our World

Team Roto (Years 3 & 4) brainstormed colours together- it was amazing how many strange and unusual things they came up with, inspired by a particular colour. Check out their writing below and see if you can work out which colour they are!


I am a penguin's pale tummy.
I am a pure cloud floating across the sky.
I'm a spotless clean sheet on a new bed.
I am the wool of a sheep getting shaved off.
I'm a tissue being delicately pulled out of a box.
I'm the shaving cream getting put on my dad's face.
I am the smell of garlic, rising from the food.
I am the milk running down your chin.

     - by Xanthe, year 3

I am a fiery sun. I am a sparkler glowing bright in the night.

I am a volcano erupting with lava, I am Pacman on the beach. I am an Autumn leaf getting blown away from a kowhai tree.

I am a sunflower on a sunny day. I am solar.

I am a golden bird snatching gold coins from a person playing a bright guitar.

I am custard being eaten by little fluffy chicks.

I am a pineapple getting chopped by a knife.

I am mustard squirted into a sausage. 

I am Goldilocks sitting on a throne.

     - by Chloe, year 4

I am a shiny one dollar coin.

I am a gold tooth in Bones' mouth.

I taste like onions.

I am gold earrings hanging

on soft earlobes.

     - by Maddy, year 3

I am lemon and corn,

mango, juicy and delicious.

I am a chick picturing the bright

sun. The sunny flavour of sweet rice.

I am a pineapple getting chopped into

little bricks.

I am mustard spreading on bread.

I am a great volcano erupting

lava.

     - by Manaal, year 4

I'm a wicked windmill. I am the tummy of a penguin. I am tasty rice. I am wool of a sheep being shaved. I am shaving cream from someone shaving. I am foam from the edge of the sea. I am a big rainy cloud in the sky. I am a round garlic.

     - by Max, year 4

I am a little drooping daisy petal. I am a tiny wriggly huhu grub. I am fluffy wool from a sheep. I am a jar of salt beside the sugar. I am a penguin's wobbling belly. I'm crackling polystyrene. I'm sea foam at the edge of the waves. I'm the outside of the egg. I taste of whipped cream. I am a delicate piece of paper.

     - by Micaiah, year 3

I am a dolphin gracefully gliding through the sea. I am the sky, crying, raindrops falling from your eyes. I am a wave soaking everyone on the beach. I am a water fountain granting wishes.

     - by Lucy, year 4

I am the bright, sunny, cloudy sky. I am a wave rising up from the sea. I am a sunshower falling to earth. I am a forget-me-not stretching my petals. I am a waterfall rushing over bumpy rocks. I taste like the salty ocean.

     - by Hannah M, year 4

I am a pure penguin's tummy. I'm fluffy wool from a sheep. I'm a sparkling sheet of paper. I'm snowy rice waving in the wind. I'm spotless cotton balls. I'm clean garlic.

     - Hamish, year 4

I am Nature lurking in the forest.

I am leaves in the warm summer.

I am dangerous ivy people dare to approach.

I am stems coming out of the bottomless dirt.

I am a caterpillar strolling down a branch,

wee chubby little cheeks.

     - by Hannah LM, year 4

I am fat orange staying on a plate.

I am pumpkin, sour and delicous. I am 

a golden sun, soft like wool. Once I was dark,

but now mango is my new colour.

I sound like an alarm.

     - by Edwin, year 4

I am a penguin's tummy, feathers ruffling.

I'm sugar, poured into a bowl.

I'm a snowflake, patterns all over me,

a cherry blossom petal, falling with the 

wind.

I'm a grain of rice, as small as the tip of a pen,

a polar bear roaring out loud,

I'm a cotton ball as fluffy as a kitten.

I feel cold, skin pale as snow.

     - by Shona, year 4

I am a raging fire dancing around,

I am a running fire engine spraying water,

I am a waving poppy swinging in the breeze,

I am a beach-ball being thrown by a human,

I am a werewolf's pupil, all angry.

     - by Tristan, year 4

I am a bowl of blueberries, squashed with others.

I am a dangerous fin upon the top of the ocean, surfing.

I am a raindrop falling from the sky.

I am a waterfall upon rocks. I am an antidote 

and cure for poisons. I'm the screen 

of a computer, making me the homepage.

I'm the sound

of loneliness calling for help.

     - by Ryan S, year 4 

Athletic Poetry from Team Roto

Sports Challenge
by  Manaal age 8

Bang! The clappers snipped!
Running like a skateboard
Smelling like a dog
Tasting my dry mouth
Hearing the bell ting
As the camera flashes
Feeling warm fuzzies
Tasting a lemonade ice block


"Go Woodbury!"
by Xanthe, age 8

Butterflies in my tummy
On Your Marks!
Get Set!
BANG!

"Go Xanthe!" is all I could hear
One metre from the
finish line

2nd place in the heats!
WOW!


CLOSELY
by Micaiah, age 7

Rainbow stripy mat
I jump off
Sighs from the crowd
Smelly sweat
Refreshing juice
Cool wind blowing my hair
I am like a bird


THE GAMES
by Micaiah, age 7

Click and a blink
A loud cheering crowd
Sand filling up my shoes
Petals falling into my mouth
Lemonade ice dripping
down my hand


ATHLETICS BATTLE
by Hannah M, age 8

Bang! Clappers close
fast like comets
Flashing of cameras
Grass on face as I fall
Sweaty armpits
Delicious cool ice-blocks


ATHLETICS DAY
by Chloe K, age 9

Running like a rocket
Jumping like a kangaroo
Puffing like a steam engine
Cheering like a clown
Diving like a penguin
Butterflies in my tummy
Blood taste in my mouth
Cheering in my ear
I smell fresh air
People bolting by


EVENTS TURN OUT FUN
by Ryan S, age 9

Fresh air
Heat melted me
Siren screamed out
Shotputs shined
Dry lips, frozen
Drink bottles slurped


LONG JUMP FACE-OFF
by Hamish L, age 8

Bang! We're off!
Butterflies in my tummy
Fresh air whooshing past
Dripping saliva
Dipping into the sand
3.10m new PB