I came across Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton when I was looking for a book that felt very different to my usual non-fiction academic analysis on maths, law, politics or economics. Unlike many of the books I usually read, this is a true story rooted in the natural world. From the very first pages, it becomes clear that this is not a book about action or drama, but about quiet observation, patience, and learning to understand something entirely outside of human control; most probably something that I (and many others) may find a little uncomfortable.

The debate over the use of social media amongst young people has intensified in recent months in the UK after Australia banned under 16s using social media in December. The ban has meant that under 16s are unable to access popular social media platforms such as Tik Tok, Instagram and You Tube which has led to 4.7 million social media accounts being deactivated. This month the UK government are launching a consultation on banning social media for under 16s. BBC News have reported that if a law is introduced to ban social media, there would be measures included which would give Ofsted power to check school policies on mobile phones and it is expected by ministers that schools would become ‘mobile phone free’ as a result. While there is significant support for a ban in the UK with a number of MPs backing the ban and the mother of murdered teenager Brianna Ghey also supporting a ban, there has been some opposition to the proposal. 

As 2026 is the National Year of Reading, I have shared the details about the Public Library Service’s Reading Challenge for both children and adults. The Penguin Books website also has some ideas to widen your reading, and I have included the link. The Hazelwick School Book Club members have agreed the discussion themes for this year, and the themes with the dates of our meetings are listed at the end of my article. Thank you to Mr Elliott for being our guest book reviewer of an American classic this month.

My Year of Reading: Reading Challenge

West Sussex Library Service has launched their reading challenge for this year, and I thought you may wish to sign up! Each month will have a different reading theme, and you can join as an individual reader or as part of a reading or family group. The challenge aims to ‘Discover new stories and share together in a love of reading.’ The challenge for January is to read a short book or short story, and the February challenge is to read a book set in another country. Further information can be found by clicking the link below:

https://arena.westsussex.gov.uk/my-year-of-reading

Penguin Books Fourteen Fun Reading Challenges

Penguin Books have some creative ideas to mix up your reading habits for the year. I like these as they are a departure from focusing upon the number of books read in a year.

https://www.penguin.co.uk/discover/articles/reading-challenges-for-bookworms

Hazelwick School Book Group

I have just shared the dates and discussion themes for the Hazelwick School Book Group for this year. The group is open to students from all year groups. Our first meeting takes place on Friday 30^th January in the library after school and we will discussing our best reads of 2025.

Dates and discussion themes:

• Friday 30th January: Our best books of 2025
• Friday 27th February: New author swap
• Friday 20th March: Fiction vs Non-Fiction
• Friday 24th April Spring meeting: Graphic novels
• Friday 26th June Summer meeting: Summer Fun

National Year of Reading 2026

The Education Secretary made the announcement about the National Year of Reading last year. The Department for Education and National Literacy Trust are working together to ‘foster a love of reading for pleasure in children and young people, ensuring all children get the best start in life’.

Please check out the link to the Press release for further information.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/parents-urged-to-read-more-to-boost-childrens-life-chances

Keep reading!

Mrs Thornton BA (Hons) MCLIP

School Librarian

Guest Reviewer

Our guest reviewer this month is: Mr Elliott

Book Title: The Great Gatsby

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald

I once thought to myself, who decides which books, art, or any form of media is famous? Are they the best ones? The ones with the most interesting backstory? The works are often put into a ‘canon’, which generally defines the most important works of the Western World. I decided to give one of these celebrated books a go when I read The Great Gatsby (1925) by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Despite being considered a relative commercial failure at the time, this book has been catapulted into the higher ranks of literary works in the century since its release. The book deals with themes such as; ‘The American Dream’, the mentality of the American upper-class, and Love/Marriage. Fitzgerald does this not through the perspective of the titular Gatsby, but through someone just on the outside of this world, Nick Carraway.

I won’t spoil it of course, but the book follows the extravagant adventures of Jay Gatsby, an incredibly wealthy and famous man who throws huge parties at his mansion in the outskirts of New York City. The author examines the relationships between Gatsby and his friends (some might argue fanatics), the mystery surrounding the millionaire, and everyone’s desire to be famous and important.

What do I think of the book?

I feel like the context of the book is very important, and I definitely would have got a lot less out of the book without it as a backdrop. The story can wander at times and there is no clear villain or hero, which I actually found refreshing since I sometimes have the tendency to fall back into familiar stories and structures. I loved the characters and how they felt stereotypical yet complex. It was fun thinking about who these people were, picturing their likes and dislikes, and what they want in life.

Who would enjoy this book?

Anyone interested in American History, or the decade of the ‘Roaring’ 1920s. The setting plays a key role in the film and I think it would enhance your experience if you enjoy the time period. Anyone who wants to get invested in characters and their backstories too since this is very much a character-driven story. Exploring the characters and why they do what they do in the book was the most fun I think!

Competition to be selected for a solo/duo spot had been fierce, with nearly thirty auditionees for eleven places in the final show. 

Over 240 Year 7 students attended the Lodge Hill trip, cementing their relationships in their forms, developing their teamworking skills and having a lot of fun at the same time.

The issue of misogyny and sexism in schools was raised as far back as 1982 when Margaret Attwood called them a “breeding ground for sexism” where six year old boys are “told not to cry, to toughen up” and girls are told that “boys knocking them down is a sign of affection.” A survey by the National Education Union revealed that 64% of teachers said they hear sexist language every week with 29% saying it is a daily occurrence. A BBC survey from earlier this year revealed that more than a third of secondary school teachers have reported misogynistic behaviour to their school in the last week. Schools do face considerable challenges in combating such behaviour due to the rise in online misogyny and sexism.

We are incredibly proud to highlight the outstanding achievement of one of our brightest stars, Nayonika Sujitkumar, who represented Hazelwick School with exceptional skill and determination. From the moment Nayonika embarked on this journey in September, she has shown remarkable dedication and an inspiring level of perseverance.

During this period, they organised a wide range of events for the students at Hazelwick such as bake sales, hot chocolate stand, car wash, culture day, fun run and more

New friendships were formed amidst the joy of reading.

The students also enjoyed a celebration breakfast together at school before travelling to Crawley Library for an informative and fun time finding out what happens behind the scenes and about library career path opportunities.