Book Corner

1.Who are you? 

I’m a passionate reader, painter, and chocolate eater. Oh, and I’m an English teacher here as well. 

2. What’s your claim to fame? 

I’ve been told I make amazing resources. I’m a bit of a pro at Canva (amongst other things). 

3. When you’re not reading, what do you love doing?

As I mentioned above, I love to draw and paint. Writing is also my jam. I’d love to be a published author one day. I think loving books lends itself well to being a writer because a good reader is an observant one. They are someone who pays attention to not just what happens but how it happens – essentially how the author has crafted the narrative and why they may have made those choices. So, if you also want to be a writer, try choosing a book to read to learn about the writing craft. 

4. What do you love about our library/working at Rangitoto College? 

My most favourite thing about working at Rangitoto College is the wonderful relationships I have with the students I am teaching and students I’ve taught in the past. I love catching up with past students and finding out how they’re going and what they’re reading etc…

5. What were you doing before this role?

Before this role, I was a nanny, a cleaner, a waitress, a bartender, an usher, a keyworder, a tutor and a personal assistant. I’ve had lots of jobs. All of them have taught me so much about life and facing challenges and how to work really hard. Ushering in particular was fun. I got to see Wicked (the musical) 7 times. 

6. What was on the family bookshelf growing up?

Two battered (well-loved) sets of Lord of the Rings and the Chronicles of Narnia. My Dad would read these to my sister and me at night before bed. We were utterly enchanted by these stories and we now both have a great love for fantasy. These moments became essential memories for me and drew me into reading, especially fantasy. Now, whenever I pick up a new fantasy book and delve into that magical landscape, it brings those memories back. 

7. Do you remember reading/loving any books at school?

So many and perhaps too many to count! I remember when I first discovered The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge. It’s an old fashioned Victorian fairytale. The reason I picked it up at first was because it had a recommendation from J.K. Rowling on the front. However, the magic of that tale was so enchanting that I fell in love with it. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live in the valley of Moonacre and be a Moon Princess and have a unicorn prancing outside your window in the moonlight?

8. Tell us about them. What’s a book that’s changed your life/mind? 

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis comes to mind. It’s a book written from the perspective of two demons who are plotting to tempt someone away from their Christian faith. It’s a tiny book, but such an intriguing concept. I think it’s also interesting to think about the kinds of things that might challenge a person’s faith in their religion and this book explores that concept well. 

9. What are you currently reading? 

I’m currently reading (rereading) Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Love a good Neil Gaiman fantasy. He’s a master of magical realism and evokes storytellers of old but still has a lot of modern sensibilities in his writing. Good Omens, which he wrote with Terry Pratchett is incredibly funny if you like satire. Also La Vie de Guinevere by Paula Lafferty – she published it herself and watching her journey getting her book finished and published was inspiring. It’s about Queen Guinevere but has a cheeky Flynn Rider character (Lancelot), a King Arthur that has major Mr. Darcy vibes and all the wonderful fantasy and time travel of Outlander. 

10. Where do you seek inspiration? 

Everywhere. A lot of novels and films inspire me. I love classic Italian films like La Dolce Vita or Roman Holiday, but equally enjoy an epic Space Opera moment like Star Wars. If I have time, I read a lot of fantasy. I love magical realism or gritty detective stories or the elegance and sophistication of an Agatha Christie mystery with that 1920s je ne sais quoi. Also great artists – Van Gogh, Klimt, Monet, Degas, Magritte, Dali, or Alphonse Mucha.

11. What do you always recommend? 

It depends on what you like. Edgy fantasy / romance? Cassandra Clare. Badass women with swords? Anything by Tamora Pierce or Sarah J Maas will scratch that itch. Whimsical prose but set in the real world? Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. An easy read with a great storyline? Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. Edgy thriller / crime with modern grit? Jack Reacher all the way. More importantly, make friends with the librarians and ask them for advice. They truly know their stuff.

12. What’s your favourite book? 

I truly don’t have one. I’ve tried making up my mind before, but I’m worried that if I decide on a favourite, I would have discounted all the books I haven’t read yet, and that seems like a shame. 

13. Describe your perfect Saturday? 

Early morning gym session, coffee and a pastry from Tob cafe (if you haven’t tried the coffee there, you’re missing out. It’s quite possibly the best in the country), get ready for the day, do some writing, eat some pasta, go for a swim and read a really good book. There’s nothing quite like delving into glorious prose and a wonderfully imaginative plotline. 

14. Who would your ideal lunch companion(s) be, dead or alive?

Can I choose a few? Shakespeare, because I think he’d be wonderfully funny and very insightful. He was also incredibly ahead of his time. Louisa May Alcott – I love Little Women so much. C.S. Lewis because of the enchanting nature of his stories and the sheer wisdom in his other books. Maybe… hmm… Zelda Fitzgerald just to hear all of her stories. I think they’d be fascinating. 

15. What advice do you have for teenagers today?

I think giving advice to teenagers is cringey, so let’s not do that. I think some general advice that anyone could benefit from is about being kind, even if you’re having a bad day. I don’t believe there is ever an excuse to be mean or cruel to another person. In fact, I think being able to manage whatever is going on in your life (sometimes with support if necessary – nothing wrong with counselling or therapy if it’s needed) and still treat people with kindness and respect as it is a sign of a truly mature and intelligent person.

16. If you could visit any fantasy world, where would you go?

Hands down, Narnia. This is the place I dreamed about as a kid. I was absolutely the person who would sneak into wardrobes just to check if they led there. All this passion culminated in playing Lucy Pevensie in a play when I was about 7. I mean, tree nymphs, talking animals, beautiful palaces on the edge of the sea… who wouldn’t want to go there? I think it would also be one of the safer fantasy worlds. I love Lord of the Rings and all, but I can’t really be bothered travelling hundreds of miles to try to throw a ring into a lava pit. That seems like too much. 

1. Who are you? 

I am Tom Vlaardingerbroek, and I am an English teacher. I studied English, History, and Classics at the University of Otago, did my teaching degree at Victoria University in Wellington, and started teaching at Rangitoto College in 2020. My wife and I live on 12 acres of land, about 10 of which is native bush. We have a small vegetable garden and orchard, and some paddocks with sheep and chickens. It’s a bit of work, but an amazing place to live!

2. What’s your claim to fame? 

I don’t know if I really have a claim to fame – but I guess something mildly interesting or noteworthy about me is (or was) my 1975 Mini 1000 that I owned for eight years. I bought it in 2013, painted it (and everything else in my dad’s garage!) twice, and daily drove it. I had to wear earmuffs past 80km/h, and drove it from Auckland to Dunedin, Wellington, and Palmerston North on separate trips. The only issue was the exhaust falling off just outside of Christchurch – so nothing major!

3. When you’re not reading, what do you love doing?

I am an ‘active relaxer’, so I love being out on the farm, hanging out with my chickens and my sheep, pottering in the garden, mowing the lawns, cutting gorse, planting trees… that’s my happy place.

4. What do you love about our library/working at Rangitoto College? 

I love the fact that students have a lot of opportunities here, and often more than they realise. I love just walking around at interval and lunchtime, chatting to all manner of students and being greeted. I really value that. There are a lot of students here, but when we all talk to each other, the big school becomes that much smaller. Everyone needs that sense of community, being valued, and being appreciated. The library also has a really positive atmosphere, and there are so many excellent books to choose from. I love a good Reading Room! 

5. What were you doing before this role?

Cleaning trains at the Dunedin Railway Station during the summer months, while I was down there for uni. A bit of an odd job.

6. What was on the family bookshelf growing up?

My older brother was an avid reader – my parents have a wall of old books in the attic, so I used to go up there all the time, challenging myself to read every book on the shelf! My favourites were the Clive Cussler novels, but there were a lot of other books up there too – Jeffery Archer, James Clavell, Bryce Courtenay, Alistair MacLean. 

Cussler was probably the most influential for me – for years, I wanted to be a naval architect, helicopter pilot, archaeologist, explorer, treasure hunter, vintage car collector… maybe one day.

7. Tell us a brilliant book memory? What’s a book that’s changed your life/mind? What do you always recommend?

As above – getting lost in the stories of adventure novelists. 

And anytime I read a book/ poem for the first time that ‘hits’ me – here is a list that no one asked for:  

Watership Down, April Fool’s Day by Bryce Courtenay, For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. 

The poems Ulysses by Alfred Lord Tennyson, If by Rudyard Kipling, The Clearances by Seamus Heaney – all of those texts are so well-crafted and really explore what it means to be human, and are kind of inspiring in their own unique ways.

 8. What are you currently reading?

There are a lot of books on my ‘to read’ shelf. I used to buy a lot of books from op shops, but oddly I’ve moved away from fiction, and I’ve been banned from the book section of the op shops by my wife. 

Oddly I have just started listening to a book called Eager, a book all about beavers and why they’re important for restoring the planet. A real page-turner. There are way too many good books out there! Audiobooks can be a great way to reclaim some of that waiting, ‘down’ time between the busyness of life.

 9. Where do you seek inspiration?

On the land. Outside.

10. What advice do you have for teenagers today?

Find out what matters to you, and pursue that. Maybe throw your phone away and start living in the real world, with your eyes up. Maybe go to Bunnings. Build something, break something, make the world a better place.

1. Who are you? 

My name is Natalie Senior. I am an English and Media Studies teacher at Rangitoto College and I also work as the Publicity Manager of the school. 

2. When you’re not reading, what do you love doing?

Watching a good movie or tv series. I love transporting into other worlds and getting to know interesting people. If I’m not reading or watching something, I’m probably getting out into nature for a walk, run, or hike. 

3. What do you love about our library/working at Rangitoto College? 

I love the exposure I have to new books. Our library is full of so many wonderful books that it would be impossible to not find one you like. Talking to my students, the friendly librarians, and my colleagues I love hearing about the fantastic novels everyone is reading and enjoying. This has led me to try books of all arrays of genres that I previously had not ventured into before. 

4. What were you doing before this role?

Before my current role, I have had a number of other jobs. I worked in retail for several years at Just Jeans. I really enjoyed this role as I liked meeting and chatting to new people (and the discount on Levi’s jeans was great too). My first teaching role was at Green Bay High School as an English teacher, before I moved to Rangitoto College which was my own high school as a student—It wasn’t as weird as you’d think coming back to your old high school. I’m taking a break from teaching at the end of this year to go travelling but I look forward to (hopefully) returning in the near future. 

5. What was on the family bookshelf growing up?

A lot of the classics and fantasy series. I remember my parents pre-ordering the new Harry Potter book when I was younger and the excitement that came when it (and a plushie Hedwig) arrived. There were definitely arguments over who got to read it first. Another great memory is my mum reading Narnia to me when I was young. I remember being so tired and begging her to read the next chapter because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. 

6. Do you remember reading/loving any books at school?

I loved the Tomorrow When the War Began series so it was really fun when I came to Rangitoto College and I had the opportunity to teach a novel that I had loved growing up. I also loved any Jacqueline Wilson book. I still think about some of the characters from those novels as they were very influential as a teenager. Some of my favourites were The Longest Whale Song, Dustin Baby, and the Girls series. Wilson actually came out with a new novel this year that continues following the protagonist from Girls. It was really fun to catch up with those characters and see where they had ended up. 

7. Tell us about them. What’s a book that’s changed your life/mind? 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman is a book that changed my mind. Without giving the story away, the novel starts by setting up the protagonist as a very unlikeable character. She often made choices that I didn’t agree with and I had trouble understanding why she would act in that way. Although her actions don’t magically change halfway through the novel, Honeyman does a fantastic job and slowly allows the reader to understand her more and more. Gradually built empathy towards her and changed my attitude towards her. 

8. What are you currently reading? 

I’m currently reading Someone Else’s Shoes by Jojo Moyes. Every summer I tend to go back to her novels as I find them generally easy-to-read feel-good novels. This particular one is about two women from different socio-economic backgrounds who become entangled together. 

9. What do you always recommend?

I always recommend Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi for a quick read that will get you out of a reading slump. It’s the first novel in a series where you get to see snippets of how different people use the ability to time travel from a Japanese cafe. It’s a great book that is short but beautifully written. It is both tragic and incredibly happy and deals with some tough subjects that almost everyone can emphasize with.  

10. What do you/will you love reading to your kids? 

I think I will really love showing my kids the Beatrix Potter’s books of Peter Rabbit. I loved looking at the illustrations and all the little characters and their adventures. I also loved the Shirley Barber fairy books as a kid and would love to show these to my kids too. The intricate drawings and whimsical storylines were so enchanting and my sister and I spent many hours searching in our garden for any signs that fairies had visited us. 

11. What’s your favourite book? 

My favourite book is You me Everything by Catherine Isaac. I read this book every year. The characters are very lovable and it deals with family dynamics. I appreciate it even more as I get older but it is a novel that I look forward to reading every year. 

12. Describe your perfect Saturday/Sunday? 

On a perfect day I would wake up early and go for an early morning beach walk—we are so lucky to have many gorgeous beaches near us on the North Shore and I try to get out and walk along them as often as I can. After that I would sit out in the sun with some good food and a good book. Most of the time when I am absorbed in a book the day just passes by quickly so I don’t get much else done, but that sounds perfect to me. 

13. Who would your ideal lunch companion(s) be, dead or alive?

My aunt who died before I was born. She was a writer and an artist and although I never met her I know that her and I would’ve gotten on really well. She is remembered at the Takapuna Library as there is a section that is dedicated to her as she enjoyed writing and painting. I go there often, just for a quiet afternoon of reading or thinking and connecting with my family. I would like to think she and I would have a lot to talk about. 

1.Who are you?

My name is Suhyun Esther Cho, and I am a Year Nine student. My given name is Suhyun and it reflects my Korean identity. I prefer to go by Esther as it is much easier for people to pronounce. I was born in New Zealand, making me the first generation from my family to be born here. This is something I’m really proud of because it reflects the two parts of my two different cultures and the country I call home. My parents are both full-time workers, and I have one older sibling, a brother. He has always been someone I look up to the most. Even though we don’t always see eye to eye, we still try to understand each other.

2.  When you’re not reading, what do you love doing?

When I’m not reading, I love to draw. I love it because it lets me express myself creatively. I also enjoy spending time with my pets – playing with them and just being around them. I find a lot of comfort and joy in hanging out with my family and friends. Whether it’s catching up with friends or sharing a moment with my family, these moments are really important to me. What I love to do most is to annoy my brother. 

3. What’s a book you remember reading/having read to you when you were little? Describe why that book is memorable to you.

The first book I read was Dog Man by Dav Pilkey. I have a distinct memory of reading that book with my brother at Whitcoulls while our mum was shopping in the mall. Every time a new book in that series came out, my brother and I would beg our parents to get it. We didn’t like sharing, so we would get different books from the series, and then swap when we were finished. We went to Whitcoulls again and again for Dog Man books and now I have a whole shelf of them.

4. What are some books you’ve enjoyed reading here at school?

I loved reading I’m Not Esther by Fleur Beale. It was interesting because the main character has my name. My own experiences are very different to the story, but it was still fun to try and relate to Esther’s journey. Another book I enjoyed is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. It’s a mystery novel that keeps you on your toes, and I love how the author builds suspense.

5. What do you love about our library?

I love how the library offers such a wide variety of books. Whether you’re in the mood for a mystery, an adventure, or something deep and thought-provoking, the library has something for everyone. The librarians are also so helpful and friendly. They are always ready to recommend a great book and help you find something to read for class if you are unsure what book to get.

6. What’s your favourite book, and why?

My favourite book right now is 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson because it really challenged me to think deeply about life. Even though some parts were complex, I found it fun to dive into the different topics of how to deal with different parts of your life, and it helped me see things I’ve gone through from new perspectives. It’s a book that sticks with you long after you’ve finished it.

7. What are some mottos you live by?

“It’s no use crying over spilt milk” has always stuck to me. I’m learning that some problems in life just can’t be fixed and there’s no use worrying or stressing, because I can’t actually do anything about it. I also like “we have tomorrow for a reason” because it tells me to look ahead positively to new experiences and challenges.

8. Describe your perfect weekend.

A perfect weekend for me would be spending time with my family, maybe going on a trip to a peaceful place like a beach or hiking trail. I’d also love to spend some time drawing or reading a book in my own quiet and independent space, with my pets nearby. Ending the weekend with dinner with family would make it just right.

1.Who are you? 

My name is Ken and I am a Year 9 student. I was born in Chengdu, China and came to New Zealand at the age of five. We moved here mainly because Chengdu is covered in heavy smog and causes many health risks and illnesses. I am currently 13 years old and I turn 14 on the 25th of April 2025.                 

2. When you’re not reading, what do you love doing?

I do Vex IQ robotics outside of school. I’m currently part of Team 22020B. We put together parts and create digital things like robots. It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing. This weekend I am travelling to the South Island for a robotic competition where we have to get our creations to finish some random tasks. 

3. What’s a book you remember reading/having read to you when you were little? Describe why that book is memorable to you.

Fairy tales are the most memorable stories to me because I loved them when I was younger. Little Red Riding Hood specifically was the first story I ever read, and because I thought fairy tales were so interesting, I started reading at a pretty young age. 

4. What are some books you’ve enjoyed reading here at school?

I enjoy reading history books, mainly about World War II. I don’t find very many World War II books in public libraries and I feel like I’ve read all of them. I have to rely on online sources mostly for World War II findings and I don’t completely trust the internet. I enjoy reading about it more. I think the war is interesting because it’s such a complicated event with many factors and consequences. 

I also enjoy graphic novels for a quick read. I specifically enjoy the Alex Rider series. Just read it for yourself and you will understand why. 

5. What do you love about our library?

There are plenty of books to choose from and there is such a large variety. The books are also focused a lot on students, so you can just pick up a random book and start reading something interesting. This means you don’t have to stumble over difficult random words like gobbledegook or munificent. 

Another reason I love the library is to do any leftover homework or research tasks. But some people in the library at lunchtime just go there to play games and the librarians, who are so nice, can’t get them all out, so I think this process can be better somehow. 

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently halfway through The Ickabog by JK Rowling. It is an interesting story, but not in an action-heavy kind of way. The story is more focused on building suspense and revealing things to you slowly. The plot revolves around the king of a very wealthy and famous country. He is brainwashed by two noble lords, who call themselves the king’s friends but really have devious plans in mind. I won’t spoil anymore – just read it for yourself, it’s a gripping story. 

7. What’s your favourite book, and why?

The answer to this question changes a lot. Currently, my favourite books are Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Not only are they amazing fantasy worlds, they are pretty quick to read (but I think I might just be a fast reader).