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.

Cosmic writing from Shona and Nathan

Space Beast

in deep space lurks 

a savage beast

consuming everything 

in its path

every cell

every atom

it stands

speechless

invisible

ready to devour

its next victim

the fascinating

afterlife

of a dead

star

By Shona Beedie 

The Sun is a lightbulb and the Moon is a disco ball

Dangling from the dome, that is known as the sky, Sun floats over. The grass shines.

Sun grows tired, he’s been on all day. Sun gently switches himself off. And now Moon attends to life.

 Shimmering, Moon leaps up. Her shining craters flash the world in a darklike colour.

We watch Moon, as she soars higher and higher. Now fun can begin. Dance, drink, eat. Moon is our reason to be happy.

Sun, happily rested up, slowly stalks onto the dome. Sun springs up and grabs the cord, and shakes Moon off.

Many people stand in shock, how could day come so soon? The world wakes. The grass begins to wave. Willow trees swish in hysteria.

A shadow looms below Sun.

Clouds cover the sky, Sun grasps the edge of the dome, slowly being swept away

Sun gone, Moon kicked out. The darkness marches on.

Darkness forever...

Until Sun and Moon can return once more.

by Nathan Hobbs

Year 8

Poetry by room 7 and 8

The Fancy Moon

by Jasmine

Bold ogre stomping in a dark echoing cave

A cute poodle yapping at a cat

A delicate china bowl smashing on a rock

It is a white daisy shimmering

Dragon scales shining

Icy snowflakes spinning like string

Drops of glitter sparkling

It is a bright light that attracts stars like moths

Solar System

by Lana C, age 8

Moon shimmering all night

sparkling disco ball turning

icy snowflakes falling

glittery paper drawing

pancake mixture swirling

white flowers glimmering.

The Pearly Moon by Shona B

The moon is a pancake soaked with golden syrup,

nibbled every night

It is a shiny disco ball

lighting up the dance floor

a wrinkled eyelid coated

in silver eye shadow

The moon is a glistening pearl

in an oyster, tight shut.

white rabbit sleeping by Niamh

the moon is a

white rabbit sleeping

it is a delicate

snowball flying

the moon is a silver bug crawling

away

it is a cratered stone, sandy

a bright night sky

second place blueberry pie

the moon is a

stealthy hiding kite

PAPER MOON by Riley

The moon is a silver paper plane

flying

It is a white polar bear

curling around its baby

to protect it

from a wolf with knife-like teeth

The moon is a fishing rod bending

with a blue cod clinging on

It is a paper ball lying

in the green of the recycling bin

The moon is a shiny glass

penguin swimming

It is a black dog’s tail arching

THE GLISTENING MOON

by Sienna

The moon is a big, glistening pancake,

round banana slices on top

It is a holey grey cheese, sliced each night

It is a pearly white crocodile tooth

a

single

apple

sitting in a big black tree

a ginormous sequin sparkling

in the dark night sky.

Found Poetry

Found poems take existing texts, reorder and rehash them, into a poem- sometimes keeping the context and meaning, but often completely changing it.

First, our writers went on a treasure hunt, looking for fabulous words from within the text they were given. Then, like an artist creating a collage, they played with the words, switching the order several times, until they were happy with what the ended up with. Sometimes the results were surprising!

Here are some of Mrs Koster's favourites:



From Team Awa Nui

FOUND POEMS using a page from Margaret Mahy's 'Tale of a Tail'

Magical tiger
powers slipped
unexpected wishes
   - by Emilia K


From Team Roto

FOUND POEMS using a page from Margaret Mahy's 'Tale of a Tail'

Wondering Flower - by Edwin

wondering
wishing flower
magical drinking
exploded blossoming
frightening trees
wild hanging


Emptiness - by Tristan

Careless wishing
suggested muttering
a street quiet
completely empty
green happiness
unwanted


Charging Charge - by Tristan

Gang!
Mouse mumbled charging!
Scratch!
Kick!
Whirl!
Screaming gansters!
Squash.


Remembering Happiness - by Hamish L

Quiet
completely empty
flapping branches
careless wishing
strange happiness


Wild Day - by Manaal

wildly wondering
exploded day
astonished nod
suddenly scared
wishing alone
up and away


Towards the Clouds - by Ryan S

mysterious yowling, wind blew
shivering bare branches, blue skies
clouds apart, rising above
winking trees, towards the clouds

Flying Alone - by Ryan S

backwards, forwards
charging wildly
flying backwards
leaping forwards
bigger and stronger


Flowering - by Hannah M

delicate flowers
blossoming trees
wonderful plums
spring-time wild


Wild Flowers - by Shona

magical, flowering
astonishing
remarkable, blossoming
wondering wild
shining blossom
exploded


Spring Time - by Xanthe Moore

wondering flowers
drinking spring time
flowering blossom trees
single garden
twigs wide open
delicate flowers appear
astonished neighbour stared


My Street - by Hannah LM

Sun Shower
Whizzing around
Bumbling houses
Green pine trees
Mum yowling


Wishing Leaves - by Lucy C

green pine trees
sunny day
raining next
leaves whizzing
around
   wish on a leaf


Tigering a Cat - by Sophia T

Red blossoming plum
painted gardens
quiet orange and red sunshine
blossoms swirling and swirling


Found Poem - by Josh T

Suddenly appeared wild
blossom
shining around red roof
old house hide
wishing tree wish
distance leap
around blossom tree


Found Poem - by Josh CP

believe
imagine
strange happenings
wish secret blossom
spiked winking
spring plum powers


Strange Happiness - by Kimberly

strange happiness dancing over
remembering bumbling buses
garden gap
careless wishing
dancing on the lawn
hovered dark
empty