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 Idea Stores E-News
Go on a reading quest this summer  
In This Issue
Quest Seekers
Summer Is Here
Tower Hamlets Book Award 2009
June's Pirate Poetry Competition Winner!
Idea Store Roving Reporter
Greetings! 
 
This month take on a great adventure by becoming a Quest Seeker and discover all the great activities happening for you.
 
Best wishes,
 
Karen & the Idea Store Team
Quest Seekers!
 
Start the Quest and get reading!
 
Use the power of your imagination to journey into a mysterious and wondrous land where you can discover the joy of reading.
 
Help our three Quest Seekers: Raj, Belle and Louis complete the three staged challenge to find the golden book. Complete Stage 1: Firebird Rising, Stage 2: Mountain Mission and Stage 3: Dragon's Lair, to fulfil your destiny and complete the challenge.
 
Every book you read gets you closer to completing the quest, winning a medal and entering a prize draw for some fantastic prizes.
 
The adventure starts in your local Idea Store or library where you will meet Cadmus the Gatekeeper who will give you your quest.
 
Quest Seekers starts on Saturday 18 July and ends on Saturday 5 September.
 
Find out more here. 
 
Don't forget to visit the Quest Seekers website where your adventure will been taken on another dimension. 

Quest Book List!
 
Why not choose one of these great reads to begin your quest with?
 
Little Boat by Thomas Docherty
After all his nautical adventures, our hero finds out he is not such a little boat.
 
Bravely Victor and his horse Quince venture into the Dark Forest of Nevermore populated by Very Large and Ferocious Orange Bats, a flock of Eagles and a witch casting sinister spells.
 
Lilly Melkun is out fishing with her sea-cat when the bloodthirsty Reavers come raiding and steal the Prime Minister's daughter. Her village blamed, Lilly decides to find the girl. Off she sails in secret with a ransom - an extraordinary talking jewel. But nothing can prepare her for what happens next...
 
Dragons in Areth each have a single predestined rider and life mission, given to them by the Oracle. Kira and her dusk dragon, Longfang, must find the third orb to save the Oracle, leader of all dragonkind. Following a path beset with dangers and traps, the four dragonriders must reach the twilight world of the Castle of Shadows. Kira knows enough to be anxious. What twisted sacrifice will this orb demand?
 
When a messenger bat arrives at the RSPCB, Ulf the werewolf receives news of trouble in the wild. Trolls are being smoked out of their mountain home for use in a beast-hunting range. Can Ulf stop the troll hunt, or will he be hunted too? The future of the RSPCB depends on him...  
 

Summer Is Here!
 
So the summer is here and you are thinking about all the fun things you want to do. Don't worry because all the great activities are here at the Idea Stores and Libraries!
 
Here are just a few but there are loads more besides...
 
Idea Store Bow
Futuristic Toys
Come along to a special session on futuristic toys, be innovative and take home your very own prototype!
Thursday 27 August 2 - 4pm
 
Idea Store Canary Wharf
Mike Belgrave Entertains
Songs, fun and stretchy balloons with popular children's entertainer.
Friday 14 August 2 - 3.30pm
 Idea Store Chrisp Street
Tintin Anniversary - Treasure Hunt
You will need to be able to think quickly like Tintin to be able to follow all the clues and find the hidden prize.
Wednesday 12 August 2 - 4pm
 
Idea Store Whitechapel
Girls Allowed!: Music and Dance Session
Sing your heart out, practise your moves and just have fun!
Friday 24 July 4.15 - 5.45pm
 
Bethnal Green Library
Hog Tails - A Twisty Tale from the Royal Armouries
Using the iconic status of the White Tower and the impact Henry VIII had on London, this workshop involves storytelling and a 'build your tower' craft activity sponsored by Find Your Talent.
Tuesday 11 August 10am - 12noon and 2 - 4pm 
 
Cubitt Town Library
Crumbs!
Ice and decorate biscuits and cakes - then eat them!
Monday 17 August 2 - 3pm
 
Watney Market Library
Ancient Bangle Making
Come and design a marvellous mosaic stained glass bangle.  Limited tickets available from Library at 12pm on the day.
Thursday 30 July 2 - 4pm
 
Tower Hamlets Book Award 2009 
 
The book award is to be awarded to the fiction book for ages 10 - 13 voted for by pupils in years 5 - 8 as the best book of 2008.
 
On Friday 27 March, pupils from Mulberry Girls Secondary School, Bow Boys Maths and Computing College and Blue Gate Fields Junior School along with librarians from the Schools Library Service, primary and secondary schools and Idea Stores, made their choices for the 2009 long list. It was a fun meeting and the discussion was very heated with librarians and pupils shouting about their favourite books and what should be on the list.
 
Now is the time to read all of the books and in September you will be able to vote for the shortlist ready for a grand finale in November.
 
Why not read some of the great stories on the list to help you complete the Quest Seekers Summer Reading Challenge?
 
I know which book I will be voting for but what about you? Send me a short review of your favourite to ideastore@towerhamlets.gov.uk and I will send you a copy to keep.
 
If your school is not involved you could show your teacher this newsletter and ask him or her to contact the Schools Library Service for more information.
 
Brain foodBrain Food
 
Slavic folk tales which tell us of a hero's quest to the Other World and back are based on an ancient belief that these quests bring wisdom and power to the hero.

Mike the PirateJune's Pirate Poetry Competition Winner!
 
Last month we invited you to write a poem about pirates and enter it into our competition. Here is the winning poem as written by Ali Ahmed:
 
The pirate ship is coming we seen it on the bay.
The pirate ship is coming and its after me and you.
Yo hoho and a bottle of rumm pirates like to have there fun.
Yo hoho and the saltiy breeze as the sail the seven seas.
 
The captain wears an eye pacth a cutlass in his hand.
And on the bridge besides him his faithful pirates stand.
Yo hoho and a bottle of rumm pirates like to have there fun.
Yo hoho and the saltiy breeze as they sail the seven seas.
 
A skull and cross bone on the mast a wild and noisey crew.
The pirate ship is coming and its after me and you.
 
Well done Ali!
Back packingIdea Store Roving Reporter
 
Become an Idea Store Roving Reporter by reviewing an Idea Store event that you attended.
 
Your report can be as long or short as you like. You could write it as a news article, interview, poem or a rap, you could even tell it as a picture story.
 
Send your reviews to us at ideastore@towerhamlets.gov.uk with your name, age and address, the best review will receive a prize! Get reporting! 
 
 
 
Get reading, playing and reporting.
 
Best wishes.
 
Karen & the Idea Store Team