Showing posts with label Robbie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robbie. Show all posts

Friday, 29 July 2022

Waitematā Literary Trail

Some of our present and past pupils have had their writing selected by Auckland Libraries to feature in the Waitematā Literary Trail, beginning next month as part of the We Read Auckland | Ka Pānui Tātau i Tāmaki Makaurau festival.

Congratulations to:

James De Wit | How to Get Out of a Maths Test
Porou Rongonui | Remembering Autumn

Robbie de Groot-Tsuji | The Strangest Art Gallery
Amelia Grundy | Baking Comfort
Ruby Jones Johnston | Moon Cycle
Akhila Sharma | Slowing Down Time



Monday, 13 June 2022

Toitoi Jillion 2 published!

Hot off the printing press, this hefty, hardback book is chocka block full of amazing art and writing from students from all over Aotearoa New Zealand. Their creative work has been selected from previously published issues of Toitoi (from 13 to 24) and showcased in this stunning publication.

Congratulations to these present and past Russley Students:

Parker Knight (illustration accompanying the editor's introduction, page 4)
Oliver Peters (poem: Travelling, page 17-19)
Akhila Sharma (poem: Slowing Down Time, page 87)
Ryan Reid (poem: A Family Day at the Beach, page 109)
Robbie deGroot-Tsuji (poem: The Strangest Art Gallery, page 131)
Finn Beedie (poem: A Bed of Clams, page 245)
Harry Fearn (poem: Wilderness, page 321)



Wednesday, 8 September 2021

Jillioneers!

CONGRATULATIONS to Oliver Peters, Ryan Reid, Finn Beedie, Parker Knight, and past pupils Robbie de Groot-Tsuji and Akhila Sharma who have had poems or artwork selected for publication in a hardcover book, Jillion 2. 

In the last five years, Toitoi has published over 2000 young writers and artists. To celebrate the courage, curiosity and creativity of these young people, Toitoi have created The Jillion 2 — a collection of some of the most amazing writing and artwork from Toitoi 13-24. The Jillion 2 will be a beautiful, hardcover book that will be enjoyed by readers all over New Zealand and the world. 

Congratulations to these talented authors, we look forward to seeing their writing published in Jillion 2. 


Monday, 1 April 2019

Coral Reef City awarded Highly Commended

Congratulations to Robbie de Groot-Tsuji, who was a finalist in the NZ Association for Environmental Education's Seaweek Poetry Competition. 

The competition's theme was  “Tiakina o Tātou Mōana - Care for our Seas”  and received over 170 entries from schools across Canterbury. Robbie's poem, titled 'Coral Reef City' was awarded Highly Commended. Robbie was invited to attend a formal prize-giving ceremony at Tūranga on Wednesday 27 March. 

You can read Robbie's poem here:


Coral Reef City

In the coral-reef city
the starfish are lying down on
their balconies with the hot sun panting
down on them

The turtles, flying from city to city
carry massive loads of fish

The fish, crossroads,
looking out for other fish,
walk down the streets
and shop for groceries

The coral houses strong and sturdy
keep the fish safe…
crumbling and fading
losing calcium in our sunscreen,
destroyed by us.

Wednesday, 27 March 2019

Robbie's trio of poems for Sea Week

Robbie Is A Stingray

As I flop into the water,
I gracefully let my blue and white arms out.
I lazily flap them up and down
As I open my mouth to eat.

As my tummy gets bigger,
I feel like it’s time for a game,
so I start to dive-bomb 
and crazily flap my fins in the air.

As the sun goes down, 
I sleepily sink to the bottom of the ocean,
getting ready for a new day.


Hokitika Beach
As we came out of the bush, 
the warm sun poured down on us.
Soft golden sand got everywhere.
The rough sea chasing us, 
but running back to its home,
for the hot, dry sand was too much for it.
The quartz felt as smooth as polished pounamu,
but as rough as my dad’s hands.
That memory will stay with me for a long time.

You Better Hide, Crab!
You better hide, crab, or they’ll grab you!
You better fight them, and they’ll take flight.
And when the tide comes, you better sink, 
or you’ll find yourself in the deep fryer!


The Dancing Sea by Robbie

THE DANCING SEA

Crabs tango through the ocean floor
Turtles fly through the reefs
Octopuses waltz through the coral
Yellow finned tuna ballet dance through the ocean
and…

plastic pollution spoils the fun.

Robbie's Wild Sea

THE WILD SEA

As the wild storms breaks out
the bobbly waves turn
into snowcapped mountains

Small ships bounce around
waves crash onto each other like cymbals
playing wrestling games

Some waves race each other as fast as they can go
but when they reach the sand
they tiredly lap the shore

Thursday, 15 November 2018

The Sunny Past

Another Summer poem... from Robbie:


The Sunny past

I remember all the salads with crisp lettuce and juicy tomatoes.

I remember the salty sea at Taylor's mistake.

I remember the whack of a ball against a cricket bat.

I remember the hot fireball shining down on us.

I remember ice cold water spraying on my face

and a water gun in my hands.

But, putting on sunscreen always annoys me.




BY ROBBIE DE GROOT-TSUJI



Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Here at last!

These amazing writers have had their poetry published in Toitoi 13.

Robbie de Groot-Tsuji's poem 'The Strangest Art Gallery' describes the Christchurch Art Gallery in wonderful detail, with the "windows like a patchwork quilt" and the "bull, about to jump from the piano and crush it into a million pieces".

Rebekah MacClure's poem 'Waiau' captures a wonderful moment of fluttering fantails and secret ice creams.

Kayla Raadgever's poem titled 'Hanmer Springs'
is a feast of similes with "hot pools like blankets" and "slides as slippery as soap".


Congratulations to our published authors, we are so proud of you!

Words by Rebekah MacClure, Pictures by Ariana Ala'ifiva

Words by Kayla Raadgever, Pictures by Marne Le Roux

Words by Robbie de Groot-Tsuji, Pictures by Vickie Jiang




Wednesday, 26 September 2018

Spring Inspired Poetry


Last week on a glorious Spring morning, some of our Team Awa Nui writers explored the Russley gardens for some inspiration.

We collected specific nouns, vibrant verbs, sights, smells and sounds...

We selected the best words and played around with them until we had them in the best order.


Check out the finished products below.






Buttery Daffodils and Freshly Mown Grass


Daffodils as buttery as the yolk of an egg
Blossom tree like a wedding
pink as candyfloss
petals stuck on a web like they’re floating


Trees shredding and growing back like sheep
Seeds like caterpillars
Sweet peas like beanstalks
Broccoli growing like trees


Grass freshly mown
Warm noise of bees
Blackbirds chirping like they’re in a choir
flying as low as the bright orange flags

by Cooper



Spring


thorns sharp like knives
pink ballerina flower dresses


sun growing lettuce
and other vegetables


snow-like flowers
everywhere I look

by Finn D

Spring is Back

stars in the garden
bees in hot pink blossom
creamy caterpillar sliding on the branch
smell of mown grass
freshly painted 100m track
I want to run in the sun

by Kyla


A Perfect Day for the Bees

song thrushes making melodies like a choir
daffodils bright like egg yolk
five layers blooming with joy

crocus yellow like lava
bees buzzing warm and tingly
blossoms perfectly pink

falling
into
my
book

by Leah


I Love Spring

broccoli, puffs of green
daffodils, yellow stars shining in the night sky
garlic, waving green tentacles
sparrows happily chirping

tree with tiny grape-like seeds
hanging from its branches
sakura, pink flowery foam
and a petal on my page

by Robbie



Thursday, 6 September 2018

Oral Poetry

Our Awa Nui (am) Writing Group has been having fun with oral poetry. We decided on a topic, then each came up with a word or group of words. We stood in a line and each person said their piece, which when strung together formed a very cool poem. We then experimented by re-shuffling our positions, putting the words and "lines" in a different order. Here are a few of our pieces, about various locations in Canterbury.


https://youtu.be/ffxUciyLO3g

The Margaret Mahy Playground - by Finn, Robbie, Cooper, Kyla & Leah

bouncy trampolines
soft sandpit
fast flying fox
slippery slide
climbing to the top

slippery slide
climbing to the top
fast flying fox
soft sandpit
bouncy trampolines

climbing to the top
slippery slide
soft sandpit
bouncy trampolines
fast flying fox


Here's one about the Canterbury Museum:

Museum - by Finn, Robbie, Cooper, Kyla & Leah

creepy mummies
   old rocks
      hairy cavemen
         strong snowplough


Taylor's Mistake by Finn D, Robbie & Cooper

lifeguard flags waving
pinchy crabs nibbling toes
cool-as surfers racing
                          down the waves



Monday, 3 September 2018

Newly published authors in fingers comma toes

Congratulations to three brilliant authors who have had their writing published on the international online literary journal, fingers comma toes.

Thunder – Lily O’Halloran

Thunder sounds like the clouds
are banging together and
fighting.
Thunder sounds like
drumming monkeys.
When I hear thunder
I hide
under my blanket.
Lily O’Halloran is eight years old, and lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Wild – Khadija Sheikh

skin, silky smooth skin
venomous teeth sharp as knives
eyes pitch black
it slides through bladed grass
waiting for its prey
Khadija Sheikh is eleven years old, and lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

When I Walk into the Jungle – Robbie de Groot-Tsuji

When I walk into the jungle,
thick vines block my way.
Tall trees climbing to get to the sun.
Snakes striking
at the sneakiest possible moment.
The cassowary is fast, but
when you turn to look at him
he’s gone.
When I walk into the jungle,
I taste the sweet, sweet air
and smell the smell of rain.
The birds sound like
The Puppy Concerto
on the piano.
When I walk into the jungle,
I feel calm
like a sloth.
Robbie de Groot-Tsuji is ten years old, and lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Monday, 13 August 2018

BREAKING NEWS...

GIANT THIEF ROBS BANK
by Cooper MacMillan

Breaking news! There is a giant wrecking Christchurch.
“The giant was really big. The giant was green, like a troll. You could hear screaming. He smelt like rotten eggs.”
The giant made shock waves through the city. There were cracks in the ground and bank alarms going off. The giant has been in schools and banks. Everyone is evacuating Christchurch.
“Evacuate now!” the mayor said.
Police called the Army for back-up. The military got a big net to capture the giant, but the next day he escaped from prison.
But, the police and army had put a tracker on the giant, so they could see where the giant was. A couple of hours later, the giant was seen at the school putting rooms in a giant sack. Kids were screaming and running from the giant.
All the shops and schools are now closed.


DESTRUCTIVE GIANT

by Finn Davie

Lyttelton Harbour has been attacked by a destructive giant stepping on trucks and buildings. People are running up and down telling other people to get the heck out of their houses and run.
It smells as disgusting as one hundred farts mixed with gasoline. His legs are as big as trees. His toes are thumpy like rocks.
The Prime Minister said, “We should make peace with the giant.” But, the General of Defence said, “We should use nuclear weapons!” But the government said no, so they decided to build a wall.
But that won’t stop him ever. He just breaks through it, like nothing is in his way. Nothing will stop this destructive giant.


RUNAWAY GIANT
by Kyla Holmes

Everyone evacuate the city now! A giant entered Christchurch yesterday morning.
She smells like stinky socks. The girl wears an ugly dress, shoes, ugly hair. She has hair in her ears and nose. When you see the giant and you scream the giant grows bigger.
Last night the giant was seen down Mrs Koster’s street and Mrs Levings screamed, “A giant! Run and save yourselves!”
In Christchurch, everyone is frightened. The giant had been at Russley School. The giant tore the school up and rooms 1 through to 9 were destroyed. Rooms 10 to 19 are still standing.
The police said for everyone to hide until the giant has been jailed.


GIANT ESCAPED PRISON
by Leah Falconer

A giant escaped prison on Thursday at 2pm, letting out villains everywhere. People are running for their lives. The giant has big hairy ears. When people scream, the giant grows. She is very big, twice the size of the Eiffel Tower.
First, she began to take down the city, roaring houses down with her smelly breath. It smells like turned milk.
She went through Russley School and flattened it. Police were getting people into cars but she chased them down.
But then a baby laughed, and the giant shrunk to normal size.


GIANT CAUSES HAVOC IN CHRISTCHURCH
by Robbie de Groot-Tsuji

A giant has been causing havoc for the past 20 minutes in Christchurch. The giant started its course at the tourist spot, the Gondola, in the Port Hills. It reached Ferrymead and is slowly travelling to the city centre.
Eye witness Sera Jones, resident of Ferrymead said, “First we thought it was some aftershocks from the earthquakes. It was about a magnitude 2.5. But then we saw IT looming in the distance - a giant. It was picking up buildings and cars and putting them in his sack. He was picking up people and eating them. He smelt bad, what a horrible sight.”
The giant has moved through the industrial zone by Lyttelton tunnel. Civil Defence is saying to keep calm and evacuate. The city is slowly evacuating and the mayor is saying that it is good progress. The giant has rapidly sped up and made the halfway mark to the city centre. Scientists estimate that it will take the giant half an hour to get to the city centre.
The police has called in the NZ Army and the giant has been slowing down since. Wanted posters have been sent out.






Thanks to Connor Turner, for inspiring these articles. Connor's description of a giant, 'All Raged', was published in Toitoi 12.