Blind Dates with a Book

Exploring the world of books

Over Half Term, girls took part in ‘Blind Dates with a Book’, an opportunity for girls to take home books without knowing their titles! A journey of true literary exploration.  The aim of the activity was to promote the new books available in the Scriptorium and for our girls to read for enjoyment over the Half Term.  Fifty books were available to be borrowed and all were taken home.  Ms K Bhatti, Librarian, organised this project and here relates the success of ‘Blind Dates with a Book’.

‘It was all hearts, chocolates and a love for literature in the Scriptorium during Valentine’s Day. Our girls borrowed books from the Scriptorium to take home over Half Term. These books were anonymously wrapped-up in brown paper with only a few clues in the form of key words placed on top of each book as to the plot that lay therein. Once the books were opened the girls were to decide whether or not to date the book. Girls completed a ‘Rate Your Date’, bookmark after reading the books and below are some of the dates that went well!’

Poppy Powell rated ‘Coco Caramel’ with five hearts, saying, ‘‘This book was really exciting and I like how Coco tries to save endangered animals. I think the author describes things really well.’

Anousia Strange rated ‘Summer Dream’ with five hearts.  In her opinion, ‘It is an enjoyable book!!!’  While Milan Dhillon rated ‘Dork Diaries, Drama Queen’ with five hearts, commenting, ‘I enjoyed it and read it all in one night.’

Sofia Krunic thought that ‘Dork Diaries, Holiday Heartbreak’, ‘is very gripping. My favourite part was when she went to the dance and just when everything was going wrong she realised she misunderstood what happened and then it was all good and she had a great night.’ and rated it with four hearts.

Sheyda Ghodrat gave ‘The Hunger Games’ five hearts, saying ‘This book was amazing even though I have read it before. It was packed full with adventure and this is a book of which I will never get bored.’

‘Ways to Live forever’ was given five hearts by Shanura Fernando, ‘It was a sad tale which I was so engrossed in. My date made me feel the way life is for some children. The boy in the book knew that he would not survive but he persevered. I admire this book’.  ‘I’d tell you I love, but then I’d have to kill you’, was awarded five hearts by Shahla Ghodrat who commented, ‘This book was so good and I really enjoyed it. It was a great way to stretch my knowledge in English writing’.

Finally, Siya Sehgal commented on ‘The Castle’, which was awarded five hearts:

‘My date was about a girl called Peta Jones who has a special connection with her dad, but her dad has disappeared and Peta is on a mission to find him. When she gets a strange warning phone message, odd things start to happen at home, Peta is convinced that her father is alive. She will do anything to find him. Next thing she knows, she is heading for an island in the Mediterranean. The truth about her family is hidden there, so do a few other secrets, none of which are safe to discover…

‘This book was very adventurous and scary but loving and mysterious too. Peta was a very courageous and adventurous person who was very sensitive at the beginning but strong at the end.’

‘I would definitely recommend this book!

I absolutely loved this book.’

Enjoying reading and learning to love books – a great way to spend Half Term!