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Blogs and Interviews

Reading and Storytelling at CLC
31st January 2025

Miss Muhlberg

Head of Library Services

People love stories – and at CLC we are no exception. This time of year, especially, is exciting for us as we look forward to several annual reading-related mega-events.  

In January, for example, we launch the LC3 ‘Battle of the Books’ – in CLC acronym-obsessed fashion, speedily dubbed ‘BoB’. This is a House competition involving reading, persuasive writing, and public speaking, designed to help our LC3s leave their literary comfort zones in preparation for their move from Lower to Upper College, and consequently, from LC to Main Library this September. The whole year group gets involved, with everybody reading a book posing a personal challenge – perhaps something from an unfamiliar genre, or something more linguistically complex, or something about a new or complicated topic. Throughout January, students read their ‘battle books’ and, just before half-term, produce a piece of persuasive writing to explain why others should read their book too.  

This is where proceedings get turbo-charged, as we select the writers of the two most persuasive ‘pitches’ from each junior house – 18 students in total – to go forward into the public speaking ‘Battle Heats’. These final entrants convert their pitches into speeches, and the field is whittled down further via Quarter- and Semi-Finals. The final two remaining contestants battle it out for the win during Prayers in the lead-up to Reading Week mid-March. A huge achievement! The audience will vote ‘with their feet’ as to which book’s champion should take the menacingly beautiful boxing glove trophy to display in their House for the year.

March also sees two other massively popular literary events, the brand-spanking new Charity Literary Quiz, conceived and organised by the Library and Charity Reps and, of course, World Book Day - the very next day. What an excellent double-bill! Our English Reps have put a new spin on the fancy-dress theme this year: ‘Literary characters from your home country’, and we cannot wait to see everybody taking their turn on the World Book Day catwalk. All costumes are eligible to enter the ‘Guess the Character’ competition afterwards, keeping the fun alive for another week or so.  

World Book Day 2024

Finally, and on a more wistful note, we are so proud of our SFC2 Leavers each year, and thus the Leavers’ Legacy was born. Before our SFC2s disperse first into exam leave and then into ‘the real world’, we ask them to share the stories that delighted and inspired them during their time at CLC, and during their final Reading Week, all their book suggestions will be made available to the younger year groups. We also immortalise their chosen titles on special edition bookmarks – both for us to remember them, and for them to keep as mementos of their CLC reading days. Is there a better way of reminiscing than over a pile of excellent books?

Sharing stories is so important – especially to us as school librarians. How lucky we are to share them with youngsters, whose minds are so beautifully open and curious about the world and their future in it. What safer way to travel, or experience difficult circumstances, or see the world from new perspectives than hearing a story or reading a book. We truly are privileged and proud to accompany our students on each of their very individual journeys of discovery and hope that stories will continue to inspire and delight them throughout the rest of their lives. 

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