Bookworms tested in annual ‘Lit Quiz’
Young bookworms were tested on their knowledge on all things literary from knights and wizards to nursery rhymes on their way to being recognised as Northland’s best readers.
Kamo Intermediate students Bailey Miller, Mason Gray, Finn Kallu and Laura Shepherd were crowned the Northland champions in the regional heat of the Kids’ Lit Quiz on March 6.
More than 25 teams made up of four students aged 10-13 from Ahipara School in the north down to Mangawhai Beach School duelled for their chance to win $1000 and to compete in the New Zealand final in Wellington on June 10.
Just one point separated the top three teams with Matarau School team two and Kerikeri High School team two taking runner-up and third place at the event held at Kerikeri Primary School.
Kamo Intermediate teacher Trudy Norrish says the team are very excited to get the chance at the NZ title and will be meeting weekly to practise.
‘‘It’s nice to see kids who read get recognised,’’ Norrish says.
Piper Young, 10, from Kerikeri Primary School team two, who won the year five to six category says the group spent heaps of time in the library.
‘‘We took notes of characters, settings and authors, and I love reading in my spare time.’’
Piper says she was ‘‘shocked and so happy’’ to take out the primary school division along with team mates Nikita Bennett, Freddy Jarman and Silvester Bell-Bowers.
The Kids’ Lit Quiz was founded 27 years ago in New Zealand by quizmaster Wayne Mills, with questions taken from everything written for children over the past 200 years.
Mills says he was inspired in the wake of the 1991 Rugby World Cup as the country was ‘‘sports mad and there were no prizes for kids who like to read’’.
‘‘Readers didn’t get recognised - now 27 years later we are still going.’’
The quiz is now held in 13 countries every year including Australia, Hong kong, Singapore, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
From the Wellington event in June, New Zealand’s best young readers will compete in the World Final in July where they will compete against teams from nine other countries.
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