FNO.org Hong Kong Conference 3-6 December 2008

We welcomed for the third time Jamie McKenzie at GSIS and congratulate him on a successful conference.

On the first day 50 participants including teachers, librarians, teacher-librarians, Heads of Department, the School Principal and Curriculum Developers from other international schools as far away as Beijing took part in hands-on workshops.

Thank you Jamie

Jamie McKenzie

Conference Speaker

http://www.fno.org/

Ida Griffiths Zee

GSIS, Senior Library

David Best

CAIS, Director of Curriculum & Instruction

Bomb, book and compass : Joseph Needham and the great secrets of China

Winchester, Simon
Call No: 509.2 WIN
London : Penguin, 2008
316 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm.


Updated: September 23, 2008



Last night Simon Winchester (invited by The Royal Geographic Society ) flew to town to introduce his new book, a biography on Joseph Needham to a mesmerized audience of over 500 people at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Joseph Needham was a charismatic biochemist who published a twenty-four volume masterpiece on the history of invention and technology of China: "Science and Civilization in China".

Highly recommended by our very own history teacher, Trevor Taylor, the biography is now available in the senior library.

Summary
The extraordinary story of Joseph Needham, the brilliant Cambridge scientist who unlocked the most closely held secrets of China--long the world's most technologically advanced country. This married Englishman, a freethinking intellectual, while working at Cambridge University in 1937, fell in love with a visiting Chinese student, with whom he began a lifelong affair. He became fascinated with China, and embarked on a series of extraordinary expeditions to the farthest frontiers of this ancient empire. He searched everywhere for evidence to bolster his conviction that the Chinese were responsible for hundreds of mankind's most familiar innovations--including printing, the compass, explosives, suspension bridges, even toilet paper--often centuries before the rest of the world. His dangerous journeys took him across war-torn China to far-flung outposts, consolidating his deep admiration for the Chinese people. After the war, Needham began writing what became a seventeen-volume encyclopedia, Science and Civilisation in China.--From publisher description.

Sinusoidal by Vivian Tong Y13C

so preciously fleeting; these clumsy words just won't do.oh, to immortalise a moment.
a journey through sinusoidal emotions, schizophrenia, and gut-wrenching beauty. a sound unheard, slicing through your consciousness like a sharp knife.
because with every promiseand every goodbyeand every person you loveand everywhere you go you grow just a little bit wiser.
I usually write during extremes of emotion, when I’m manic or depressed or schizophrenic or serene to the point of tears. To me, poetry is more than a collection of pretty words and imagery. They are confessions, expressions of gratitude, self-realisations.
It’s sort of like a moonrise. Sunsets are striking and eye-catching – brilliant hues preluding the onset of darkness. But the moonrise can be beautiful too, in a quiet, contemplative, melancholy sort of way.In this collection, I'm trying to capture the magic in scribbled notebooks and dusty old drawers. Late nights, heavy heads and heavier hearts. The lonely heart-wrenching beauty in pain. The enchanting irrational eternity of perfection. After all, the music of memories is the only thing that lasts for eternity.

Vivian Tong, Y13c

HKBOB semi final 30.4.2008

Recently our Y8 students competed against Chinese International School, French International School, West Island, South Island and Canadian International School students in the Battle of the Books competition. Our students won two out of five rounds.

List of students:

Chan, Callista
Chan, Kallista
Chau, Ka Yu
Chuck, Jonathan
Hackett, Liem
Kiu, Evelyn
Lee, Janice
Lee, Shin-Jae
Tang, Jocelyn
Tang, O.T.
Tsui, Jennifer
Yip, Antony
Yuen, Charmaine

Congratulations and well done for your commitment and participation!

6. A little tiger in the Chinese night: an autobiography in art

Zhang, Song Nan Call No. 759.951 ZHA
A little tiger in the Chinese night : an autobiography in art / Song Nan Zhang.-- Montreal, Quebec ; Plattsburgh, N.Y : Tundra Books, c1993.
48 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 25 cm.
Map on lining papers.
ISBN 0887763200

Book recommendation by Ida Griffiths Zee

Overview

This amazing book was published shortly after the Tiananmen Square Incidence and reveals important aspects of recent history in China, through the eyes of a painter. Aimed for children aged 9-12, this is highly educational. It truthfully depicts the hardship and hopes of the ordinary people in a memorable and touching manner. Song Nan Zhang tells of his early face to face encounter with a wild tiger that left him unharmed. In Chinese culture this is a good omen (foreshadowing and symbolizing good luck for the boy’s future) and in the final episode he is fortunate to be reunited with his family in Canada.

Design and Organization

The square format of the book with a red border framing the green bamboo jungle on the cover is attractive and well lay-out. The pale little boy, the author’s self portrait on the front cover, is somewhat stylized but intriguing and arouses the reader’s curiosity. The organization of the 12 mini-chapters is chronological. This is logical and easy for the reader to follow.
The historical timeline and maps of China included expands the understanding of the reader and provides a good overview. Each chapter is accompanied by a pencil, oil or water colour painting in various sizes.

Accuracy and Style

The style chosen is simple and often explanatory. The enthusiasm and feelings of the author are more visible in his vivid paintings. A few photographs were added to enrich and give authenticity to this autobiography. This is both a valuable art and history book for children and adults alike.

Journey to China

To research for our book project titled Fishball and Mantou (steamed bun) I visited Gaoming in Jiujiang District during Easter break. The ferry from Shun Tak to Sunde or Daliang took two hours. Another one hour of bus ride to arrive to Gaoming and off on a motorbike to the pig and fishfarm (Gold Star) village.

Please click for map location.

This is Ming Ming, the protagonist of our story

5. Fragrant Harbour

Lanchester, John Call No: S-LAN

Fragrant Harbour/ John Lanchester. London : Faber and Faber, 2002

xii, 299 p. : maps ; 23 cm.

ISBN 0-571-21468-1

1. Hong Kong - Social life and customs. 2. Hotels, motels - Fiction.

Book recommendation by Hanna Green

This book reminds me of my braids when I was a girl. Several strands of quite separate stories are told, then there is clasp and like the ends of the various strands of hair come together and form one bunch of hair so you learn towards the end what holds the book together.
All parts follow different main characters´ ways to Hong Kong. They all hope to find better conditions than at home.
In the first part a young journalist has her ups and downs in the British newspaper word until she goes to Hong Kong. Here her features become so popular that she writes an article on the big triads and how their heirs have succeeded in making even bigger deals and money by becoming “respectable”. This plunges her into a situation in which she can either loose her livelihood in Hong Kong or that can catapult her into the centre of power in the media world of South Asia.
The second part unfolds the years of Hong Kong History as experienced by a British lad who in the 1930ies follows his drive to see foreign lands.
A Chinese nun he meets on the ship out to Hong Kong teaches him Cantonese and becomes his link to the non Expat world.
In the last part the young present day businessman is an “astronaut”, someone spending his time on planes between Europe, Asia and Australia. But his enterprise is threatened by the traditional practice of bribery in Asia. He has to choose between ruin for him and his extended family or being saved by (former?) underworld magnates.
After a bit tedious beginning the book develops a speed and fascination one cannot resist. And when you come to the end you feel you know more how Hong Kong ticks.

Our First 'Friendly' HKBOB competition with FIS, Bryant McEntire as our experienced moderator and Y7 and Y8s participating, demonstrating Team Spirit