Writer: English Ambassadors of Eloquence
Editor: Ms Kesavaani
Photographer: Ms Leow Sow Ying，English Ambassadors of Eloquence
Date: July 19,2024
On July 19, 2024, the English Ambassadors of Eloquence and the Library Assistants Association organised the “Book 一样” English book reading event. This event aimed to promote a reading culture within the school and expose students to English literature, in hopes of enhancing their critical thinking, literacy skills as well as vocabulary. In general, this reading event serves as a powerful tool for self-improvement, intellectual stimulation, and personal fulfillment.
The reading event, guided by Ms. Kesavaani, discussed the book “Holes” by Louis Sachar. This story follows Stanley Yelnats, a teenager falsely accused of theft and sent to Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention centre. At the camp, boys dig holes daily, supposedly to build character, but Stanley discovers the warden is searching for hidden treasure. The narrative intertwines the histories of Stanley’s family curse, the outlaw Kissin’ Kate Barlow, and the treasure, highlighting themes of friendship, perseverance, and justice within it.
The beauty of the story was highlighted during the sharing session shortly after attendance was taken. Students listened attentively to the book’s wonders as the sharing session was held. To maintain their engagement, a short game was played where participants linked various characters to those mentioned in the book. This allowed for deeper understanding of the storyline through more precise examples. Ms. Kesavaani also analyzed the themes in the story. There are two main themes discussed in this session, fate and friendship. Fate is someone’s destiny, or predetermined events in someone’s life. The events in Stanley’s life were guided by his family’s fate, and Zero and Stanley’s friendship saves their lives and brings them wealth. After a Q&A session to clear up any misconceptions, the “Book 一样” English book reading event ended with bright smiles, all captured in a group photo.
A total of 94 students and a teacher attended. Both the English Ambassadors of Eloquence and the Library Assistants Association hope this event fostered a shared joy of reading and encouraged good reading habits within the school.
Readers’ thoughts:
Tan Jie Shuen F4M 22011
“The book-reading event for “Holes” by Louis Sachar sparked deep reflections and lively discussions among everyone at the event, myself included. Delving into the plot, characters, and themes, I was struck by the novel’s rich narrative and intricate connections. The first activity, which involved relating a character from “Holes” to another fictional character, encouraged creative thinking and highlighted the universal nature of Sachar’s storytelling. This exercise revealed surprising similarities and differences between the characters, enhancing my appreciation for character development across different media. The second activity, writing a letter as Stanley Yelnats, provided a profound emotional insight into his experiences. This immersive exercise allowed me to empathize with Stanley’s struggles throughout the storyline of the book, fostering a deeper connection to the character and the novel’s overarching messages of fate and friendship. The event left me with a renewed sense of the power of storytelling and its ability to connect disparate worlds and experiences, as well as a couple of new friends from the engaging session.”
Lim Qiao Yun J2K 23118
“The book-reading event for “Holes” by Louis Sachar sparked deep reflections and lively discussions among everyone at the event, myself included. Delving into the plot, characters, and themes, I was struck by the novel’s rich narrative and intricate connections. The first activity, which involved relating a character from “Holes” to another fictional character, encouraged creative thinking and highlighted the universal nature of Sachar’s storytelling. This exercise revealed surprising similarities and differences between the characters, enhancing my appreciation for character development across different media. The second activity, writing a letter as Stanley Yelnats, provided a profound emotional insight into his experiences. This immersive exercise allowed me to empathize with Stanley’s struggles throughout the storyline of the book, fostering a deeper connection to the character and the novel’s overarching messages of fate and friendship. The event left me with a renewed sense of the power of storytelling and its ability to connect disparate worlds and experiences, as well as a couple of new friends from the engaging session.”
