** new challenges starting August 2023**
December Challenge
Our book groups are creating ‘The 12 Days of Reading’ to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas’. Why don’t you have a try? Let Mrs McPhee see your attempt to be in with a chance of a prize.
Also why not have a go at the Christmas Quiz 21?
November Challenge
Book Week Scotland runs from 15-21st November. This year’s theme is celebrating stories.
There will be a competition running until Wednesday 24th November – take a picture of your pet reading. Send your pictures to Mrs McPhee via email or hand them in directly to the library. Prizes to be won!
gw09mcnicolalison@glow.sch.uk
October Challenge
We are having a Halloween Quiz and competition which will launch via English classes after the October break. Details to follow soon.
September Challenge
Roald Dahl Day is held each year on 13th September, Roald’s birthday.
This month our activity tests what you know about Roald Dahl’s books!
Bonus question – Which Roald Dahl book does the character in the above picture come from?
August Challenge
Welcome back!
Why not have a go at our Library Wordsearch ? Simply find the words associated with our library.
Mrs McPhee would love to hear what you’ve been reading over the holidays. Remember we will have a prize each month, chosen from reviews given/sent to Mrs McPhee.
June Challenge
During the holidays you may have the opportunity of reading more and in different/unusual places. If you are reading in a different place, take a photo and email Mrs McPhee (or keep til August). There will be some prizes!
Why not try our Summer Book Bingo 21? Show Mrs McPhee your completed line for the chance to win a prize.
May Challenge
S1 and S2 pupils are lucky enough to be having 2 virtual sessions with The Boy with the Butterfly Mind author, Victoria Williamson in May.
Why not write/draw a review of the book?
Or complete one of the Kindness Butterflies sheets which you can get from Mrs McPhee.
April Challenges
Let’s spring into reading’ in April!
Why not create a scene from a favourite book using this comic strip template?
Or complete a book review for the NA Reading Recommendation wakelet? Please save your review and email it to Mrs McPhee.
Why not ty this Spring wordsearch?
March’s Challenges
March is World Book Day month! This means extra challenges and prizes!
Challenge 1
Design a bookmark based on characters/favourite books/genres or any other idea that represents books or reading.
Here are examples of some possible templates to use but feel free to design your own shape.
Bookmark Competition templates
Challenge 2
Design a facemask based on favourite books/characters/genres or any idea that represents books or reading. The winning mask will be printed for you to wear! Please use the template below when designing your facemask.
Facemask Template
Challenge 3
Write a book review or recommendation as a Tweet, remembering that you can use no more than 280 characters. You may wish to download and use this template
Twitter Review Template
The deadline for entries will be Friday 12th March. Email Mrs McPhee, your English teacher or upload to Teams.
February’s Challenge
While Harry Potter Book Night has been postponed until June, Mrs McPhee thought you might like a wee taster of some activities.
Why not try the 2021 Harry Potter quiz that the book group smashed?! This year’s theme is Diagon Alley –
Harry Potter Book Night 2021 Quiz
January/February Challenge
Using any medium of your choice, design a new piece of artwork inspired by any poem or song by Robert Burns.
Artwork will be displayed along Poet’s Path, the pedestrian walkway which links Burns Cottage to the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Alloway.
12 prize winners will each receive a copy of Cathedral Sky: Poems by SImon Lamb plus am exclusive online Q&A session with the poet.
To enter either:
upload your artwork to Twitter with #PoetsPathArt, tagging @NAC_Literacy or email your work to Angela Noble gw14nobleangela@ea.n-ayrshire.sch.uk
Closing Date 12th February
How appropriate is the above quote for us at the present time?!
Reading allows us to visit so many places, some of which we may be able to visit while others are fictional and so sadly are unable to.
Can you match up these fictional places with the correct title of the book/series that they appeared in?
Festive Quiz
Why not have a go at the book group’s virtual quiz? Thank you to 3rd year pupils Andrew, Joshua and Niamh for creating.
Merry Christmas everyone!
December’s Challenge
December’s challenge is to play festive book bingo. Simple complete a line vertically, horizontally or diagonally and if you manage this, go for a full house!
Click on the following link or collect a sheet from Mrs McPhee to play.
November’s Challenges
This month’s challenges tie in with Book Week Scotland which takes place from 16-22nd November. This year’s theme is The Future.
Challenge 1
Draw/paint/create how you imagine a fictional character or place will look 25 years(or more) after the story ends. You must note the title and author of the book that the character/place are from.
Challenge 2
Pick a book that you enjoyed and move forward 25 years(or more) from when the story ends. Write a short chapter as though the story has continued.
Deadline for entries is Friday 27th November
October’s Challenge
National Poetry Day is on 1st October. The theme this year is Vision. This month’s challenge is to write a short poem from a fictional character’s point of view about what they’ve thought about 2020 so far or their hopes for the future.
Submit your poem for the chance to win a prize by Friday 23rd October.
September’s Challenge
September is the month of the year we celebrate Roald Dahl Day on his birthday, the 13th. Who doesn’t like a bit of Roald Dahl?
Activities will be put on throughout the month.
Activity 1
Click here to try a quiz about Roald Dahl’s life and work
Activity 2
Why not have a go at this crossword?
Activity 3
Still looking for some more Roald Dahl fun?
Fancy a wee challenge all you Harry Potter fans? Try this quidditch quiz to celebrate Quidditch Week. 24th- 30th August!
August’s Challenge
Keep a reading diary for the month of August giving a brief summary of every book you read. Who knows there may be prizes for anyone who can do this for the entire month!
July’s Challenges
Challenge 1
Keep reading over the holidays!
Challenge 2
Harry Potter Escape Room
Why not try the Harry Potter Escape Room with the rest of the family or do you prefer flying solo? To access click here
You’ll also find some more Harry Potter activities at
June’s Challenge – Book Bingo
Have a go at our book bingo
Complete a line across, down or diagonally. If you manage this, well done! Why not go for a full house now?
You can also make up your own bingo card and ask other members of the family to join in.
May Book Challenge
Every (school) day in May Mrs McPhee is setting a book challenge.
Day 1 – name a book set in Scotland
Day 2 – name a book that has been turned into a film.
Day 3 – name a book recommended to you by a family memeber
Day 4 – name a book with a colour in the title
Day 5 -name a book that you would read again and again
Day 6- name a book you’ve read that is the 1st in a series
Day 7 – name a book with a number in the title
Day 8 – join in with #readinglunch
Day 9 – name a book which is set in a foreign country
Day 10- name a book that shows kindness or friendship
Day 12 – name a character that you’d love to be in lockdown with
Day 13 – redesign the cover for a favourite book
Day 14 – which fictional school would you like to go to?
Day 15 – name a book that you enjoyed but also made you sad
Day 16 – name a place from a story that you’d like to visit
Day 17 – recommend an author to your friends.
Well done and thank you to everyone who took part in the May Book challenge
April Book Challenge
Why not try the World Book Day quiz our S1 pupils did in March?
St Matthew’s Academy S1 WBD 20 Quiz
World Book Day Mocktails
And our bartender, Andrew
Here is a 2nd quiz to try
World Book day Book Bonanza 2020 Quiz
We have a desert island reading and display area in the library. We regularly change the display. If you would like to complete a form for our latest display please click here
