Alvin and Me
A week before Alvin arrived, I got summoned to the principal’s office. I was a good kid. I never got into trouble. I was sure I’d done nothing wrong. But still, I couldn’t help worrying...
About this resource
Series: School Journal Level 3 May 2017
Reading year level: 5
Category: Non-fiction
Topics: Cantonese, change, Chinese New Zealanders, culture, difference, embarrassment, ethnic diversity, friendship, heritage, identity, individuality, race, relationships, respect, responsibility
Alvin and Me
Words by Chris Tse
Illustrations by Peter Campbell
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More from this series
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School Journal Level 3 May 2017
Inside this School Journal are three stories (Kopūwai and the Clever Girl; Who Froze Farrell Flint?; New Boots), one poem (Thumbprints), one memoir (Alvin and Me), two articles (Becoming a Martian; Designed for Good) and one interview (Haritina Mogosanu - Starryteller).
1 of 8Kōpūwai and the Clever Girl
This story is from Rapuwai, an ancestral iwi of Ngāi Tahu. It is set on the banks of the Mata-Au/Clutha River, in Otago, and comes from a time long ago when moa roamed the land and giant tuna swam in the rivers.
2 of 8Who Froze Farrell Flint
Minnie Sharp, detective, is the narrator of this science-fiction story. The setting is a futuristic research centre on Mars. Minnie has a mystery to solve following the discovery of a frozen scientist in the Cryogenic Storage Room.
3 of 8New Boots
Charlie’s own pack was fine, but he was hungry, and his new boots pinched. Plus his mates were way ahead, having a great time – and here he was stuck at the back with Mr Ngaia and the new kid.
4 of 8Thumbprints
Mum left Sāmoa in 1952. To‘ono drove her to the harbour in a jeep abandoned by American marines.
5 of 8Becoming a Martian
“Becoming a Martian” is a challenging article that considers the possibility of humans living on Mars. The article begins with the concept
6 of 8Designed for Good
The New Zealand environment has been badly affected by introduced pests such as rats, stoats, and possums. “Designed for Good” follows the process of developing an effective and humane trap to reduce these pest populations. The article tells the story of the project, from the first “That’s it!” mome...
7 of 8Haritina Mogosanu - Starryteller
Meet Haritina Mogosanu: astrobiologist, science communicator, president of the Mars Society in New Zealand, and “starryteller”. In 2012, she was commander of the first New Zealand mission to the Mars Desert Research Station in the United States.
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