Book Corner

Who are you? 

My name is Yiyun, a Year 12 student at Rangitoto College. My family and I moved from China to New Zealand when I was Year 6, therefore I always enjoy participating in cultural related school activities. I have been a part of many school’s cultural events such as Chinese Night and Japan Day, as well as being a member of the Arts and Chinese committee in my junior years. I encourage everyone to participate in these celebrations of different cultures as our school is such a caring and diverse community. These experiences have enhanced my ability to think critically and participate in teamwork with other students. Throughout my life, I always enjoyed reading books with topics that relate to history and psychology which expose class struggles and global cultural issues. They make me reflect on the hidden side of our society which makes me care more deeply about all events happening around the world.

Describe your perfect Saturday/Sunday?

The best weekend for me is definitely to lay down on my bed for the whole day without a job and anything else to worry about. I also love to hang out with my friends at the mall or have a nice mealtime. This makes me feel comfortable and refreshed because my friends are always able to light up my day. Spending time with friends helps me reenergise and feel more prepared to start a new school week.

What do you love about our library?

Our school library has such a great collection of books from fiction to nonfiction, English to Chinese literature. As a student with English as my second language, I still remember the surprise when I first saw the whole bookshelf of books in languages other than English when I was in Year 9. These books were categorised into different genres which makes it very easy to find the books you want. For someone like me who enjoys reading nonfiction books, our school library is definitely a place to spend time either before school or after school to look for a new book to read. 

What’s a book you can recommend to others, and why? 

A book I think everyone should read is To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Discrimination and stereotypes have always been a significant issue of our society. This book focuses on exposing the fact that black people often face incredible prejudice  in society because of their skin color. Through the book, Harper Lee exposes that fact and makes us reflect on our own behaviours and attitudes. I have become aware of the consequences of seemingly small things that may affect others and how that may have an immeasurable impact.

What’s your favourite book, and why?

Despite being passionate about reading nonfiction and historical fiction, I’m always a big fan of detective fiction. My favourite book series are Another and House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji, and The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino. While Keigo Higashino is one of the most famous authors of Japanese detective fiction, his works can truly be considered classic among the canon. As well as Ayatsuji’s portrayal of the horror atmosphere in the novel, which makes the readers feel more immersed in his literary world, he encourages his readers to be curious about the surprising yet logical ending. In the end, detective fiction can always burn my brain cells and I enjoy the unexpected endings and surprises the story brings to me.

What are you currently reading?

1984 by George Orwell.

Why do you think people should read?

Reading is a way to learn about history through different lenses. As a student who enjoys learning history, I know the importance of reading from various perspectives as it is a way to teach ourselves new cognitions that we have never imagined. By interpreting and breaking down the messages the book conveys, we can gain inspiration that we cannot learn in our daily lives. The authors who were born and raised in different environments will have different perspectives; hence the stories they portray will also be different to varying degrees. I believe that by reading books, people can expand or reshape their understanding of the world through the author’s delicate writing style and analysis of their views.

Who are you?

Kia ora, my name is Brody Donald and I’m a year 12 student at Rangitoto College. I’ve been fortunate to be actively involved in various areas of school life, including Student leadership programmes, sport, working behind the scenes on many school events and more. 

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

Hanging out with friends, watching sports, playing softball, umpiring softball, going for walks with my dog Bronte, running and working behind the scenes on a range of events.

What’s your claim to fame?

I am a Softball New Zealand Level 4 umpire and have been officiating for six years. I have been able to travel around New Zealand to umpire multiple national tournaments and have even made the odd TV appearance. When I was in Y9, I was fortunate enough to umpire seven international warm-up games prior to the 2022 WBSC Men’s World Cup. I got to officiate teams such as USA, Canada, Argentina, Japan, Philippines, Czech Republic, and I got to work with some international umpires.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Blue Adrenaline by Bill O’Brien. Bill O’Brien is a New Zealand writer, and he has based this book on his experience and knowledge he gained in the New Zealand Police after serving 35 years. I’m enjoying this book so far as it’s given me an insight into how police in NZ work and their day-to-day experiences. I would recommend this book to anyone considering joining the New Zealand Police, as after reading the first few chapters, you would have learnt something you didn’t know, and it might just attract you to the job.

What’s a book you can recommend to others, and why?

Legacy by James Kerr. This book was recommended to me by Mr Searle after he set a few questions from chapter one for homework for the year 12 leadership programme. After getting inspired from just the first chapter, I continued to read it. If you’re an aspiring leader, I highly recommend this book to you as it will equip you with different leadership techniques and inspirational quotes that will improve your leadership craft. If you don’t see yourself as a leader, I would still recommend this book.

What are some mottos you live by?

“Opportunities multiply as they are seized” 

“Respect is a two-way street; if you want to get it, you’ve got to give it”

“The key to success is Action”

Describe your perfect weekend?

On Friday evenings, I play in the North Harbour U19 Boys softball grade, having been involved in the sport since the age of four. Saturdays are dedicated to officiating, beginning with junior grades in the morning and concluding with premier men’s and women’s games. Sundays are reserved for rest and spending quality time with friends and family.

What are some of your hopes and dreams for the future?

After school, I plan on studying Criminology at Uni. After finishing university, I plan on travelling the world for a bit and on returning to join the New Zealand Police with the goal of becoming a police dog handler and stepping into some leadership positions. I also plan on continuing officiating softball and following my dream to one day get my WBSC international certification and umpire at the Olympics and multiple World Cups around the globe.

Who are you? 

Hi! I’m Dr Kevin Huh

What’s your claim to fame? 

Surviving a PhD in political philosophy without completely losing my mind, and becoming a high school teacher… and maybe also my ability to talk politics without getting people angry.

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

I enjoy gardening, long walks on beaches, and playing Pokemon Go.

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

I love our library and the amazing staff there. They are always warm and friendly, and happy to find books I am searching for. I enjoy working at Rangitoto College for the opportunities staff can get involved with. Also since I am an alumnus, I am building new memories from my past of when I used to attend school here.
 

What were you doing before this role?

I was studying for my PhD and also teaching English for after school academies in Korea. I lived in Korea for the past 7 years before coming back to New Zealand, last year.

What was on the family bookshelf growing up?

Our family bookshelf had a mix of both fiction and non-fiction. Non-fiction included Guinness World Records, encyclopedias, and books that teach you how to run a business, achieve goals, manage money and become rich. Fiction books ranged from authors like Roald Dahl, C. S. Lewis, J. K. Rowling, and Dan Brown to name a few. 

Tell us a brilliant book memory? 

I remember reading a book series called ‘The Wind on Fire Trilogy’. It was soooo good! It’s about a dystopian society that is divided by classes, and strict exams. I think I must have been 12 years old at the time when the first book came out. I read each book one after the other, as soon as it came out. It might not have been adapted into a movie but it was a very vivid book memory I had while growing up.

Do you remember reading/loving any books at school?

I remember loving Dan Brown books, when I was in my senior years at Rangitoto College. To all the history and art history students, I highly recommend reading The Da Vinci Code, and Angels and Demons. The best way to read these books is through the illustrated edition, which has pictures of the actual sites and art works from the book.

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

One book that has changed my life, is the self-help book on relations, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’, by Dale Carnegie. Basically, if you want to be someone that gets along with others, which in life we need, this book guides you on exactly that.

What are you currently reading? 

I am currently reading Dune Messiah. After watching the first Dune movie, I wanted to get ahead of the movies and read the books. Dune is to science fiction, what Lord of Rings is to fantasy. I’m sure everyone knows Starwards, but Dune is kind of like the original space fantasy story. Watch this ‘space’, there is more Dune to come! 

Where do you seek inspiration? 

I seek inspiration from philosophers and through the books they have written. I think there are so many life hacks that are just waiting for us to discover in their works. Timeless ideas and practical wisdom that can guide us through modern challenges, if we’re willing to research, read, pause and reflect.

What do you always recommend?

I will always recommend students to study what they are interested in. Rather than being good at, or being a subject you think you should study because everyone else is telling you to. Same goes for books. Read books that are interesting to you. 

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

Dr. Seuss, or any other books with lots of rhymes. I think reading books and poetry with rhymes really helped me learn English when I first came to New Zealand at the age of 5.  

What’s your favourite book? 

My favourite book of all time must be The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho! I think it’s more than just a story! It’s a book that I return to, time and again. There are so many life lessons to learn from this one book. Also the story itself is captivating.

What are some mottos you live by?

When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho.

Describe your perfect Saturday/Sunday? 

A perfect weekend is a weekend where house chores are completed by Friday, leaving the weekend for a nice brunch with friends, visiting a beautiful sunny beach, and a movie to go to in the evening.

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

My ideal lunch companions would be my favourite comedians Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and Dave Chappelle. I admire their ability to make people laugh. 

What advice do you have for teenagers today?

Sign up for many things now; try new sports; learn an instrument; join clubs; learn a new language; play games; make new friends; and get involved. Now is your time to find your passion and dream big!

Which book are you planning to read next?

I would like to read Pachinko by Korean American author Min Jin Lee. And also some of Han Kang’s works, who was the first Korean to be a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Who are you?

Graeme MacDonald

What’s your claim to fame?

AHoD Mathematics, girls basketball coach, and the lesser half of the 5th strongest power couple at the school. 

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

Spending time with my wife and cat Harry, playing basketball, playing video games.

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

I love that our library is a place where staff and students can enjoy the peace and quiet of getting lost in a book or study. In the sometimes sensory overload of our daily lives with phones, laptops, music, etc. It can be a nice change of pace to go back to a nice paperback book and not have any distractions to pull you away from getting lost in a different world or your own imagination.

What were you doing before this role?

This is actually my 2nd time at Rangitoto College (first time was from 2015 – 2017), and between my two stints here I worked as a teacher in Stockholm, Sweden and in my home country of Canada at a private school in Vancouver, before returning to Rangitoto college in 2022.

What was on the family bookshelf growing up?

I read all kinds of books as a kid, but the ones that were a fundamental part of my childhood were the Harry Potter books. As those books were released, I was around the same age as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the books so it felt like I was a part of their journey (or they were a part of mine), in a way. 

Tell us a brilliant book memory?

Continuing from the last question, my all-time favourite book memory was the 2 days after the last Harry Potter book (the Deathly Hallows) came out. My mom took me to the book store right as it opened and I went home and started reading. I was about halfway through the book at around 10.00pm and my mom asked if I was going to finish the book tonight, to which I replied “no, I’ll probably just read one more chapter and then go to bed”. I went to my room and after finishing a few more than just one chapter, I looked at my clock and it was midnight. I then said to myself “one more chapter”. In what felt like only a few minutes later, I had finished the book and looked at my alarm clock and it was 5.30 in the morning!

Do you remember reading/loving any books at school?

Yes, I read several books in both primary and secondary school. Some particular ones that I remember are Artemis Fowl, Martin the Warrior, Silverwing, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Outsiders, Life of Pi, and Frankenstein.

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

After graduating high school and going to University, I stopped reading books for a while as I was caught up in my studies and figuring out adult life for the first time on my own. The book that got me back into reading was Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. Since then I have been reading consistently and discovering more and more stories to allow me to escape and enjoy another world all on my own.

What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. I’ve read almost all of his books and love them.

Where do you seek inspiration?

From within. After 33 years of rotating around the sun, I’ve realised I’m capable of quite a lot if I set my mind to it. While others have certainly helped me tremendously along the way (and continue to do so), ultimately most of my triumphs and failures have been of my own doing. 

What do you always recommend?

For boys who sometimes struggle with getting into reading, I’d highly recommend the following books: Ender’s Game, The Martian & Ready Player One. 

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

The Hobbit, Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

What’s your favourite book?

My favourite book is The Road by Cormac McCarthy. 

What are some mottos you live by?

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” – Gandalf

Describe your perfect Saturday/Sunday?

Playing basketball in the morning, playing Magic the Gathering in the afternoon, and then curling up on the couch to watch a movie with my wife and cat Harry in the evening after a nice barbecued dinner.

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

Chris Cornell would be the #1 person I’d love to have lunch with, if he were still alive. 

What advice do you have for teenagers today?

It may sound easy coming from an adult, but don’t be afraid to be yourself. There is only one version of you, so be that person to the best of your ability. This means don’t feel bad about doing things that you enjoy, even if the people closest to you don’t also enjoy those things. Despite being a basketball player my whole life, I also am extremely and unapologetically nerdy, and I love spending time reading a fantasy book written by Brandon Sanderson, playing Chess, playing Magic the Gathering or geeking out about movies. Be you and no one else!

What is an underrated book/author you think more people should read?

Jane Harper is an Australian author who writes thriller/murder mystery novels. She has written 5 books so far, and while I’ve only read 3 of them, they’ve all been very enjoyable page turners. My favourite by far is her first book, called ‘The Dry’.

Who are you?

My name is Chloë Atkin McCollin and I am a senior here at Rangitoto College. I am originally from England but lived in Malaysia for a couple of years prior to moving to New Zealand where I have been for the past two years. I have two younger brothers aged 8 and 14 who I love very much (although they definitely get on my nerves!). When I’m not reading I enjoy running, going for walks, playing netball and taking photos. 

What’s a book you remember reading/having read to you when you were little?

When I was younger, I read quite a lot. It was initially because either my parents or teachers told me to, but once I got into reading the book, it was hard for me to put it down. I would tend to go for books that had a sequel or were part of a series so that I knew the enjoyment wouldn’t be over after that one book. As a child I read Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’ and ‘Secret Seven’, Malorie Blackman ‘Noughts and Crosses’ series and Judith Kerr’s books about the war. These books by Judith Kerr initiated my love for war novels where I went on to reading anything about the war that I could get my hands on. Some of the standouts for me are; The Tattooist of Auschwitz, The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank) and The Twins of Auschwitz. 

What would your perfect weekend be like?

My perfect weekend would consist of going for a long run in the morning before going out for brunch and a walk with family/friends. I would then go home and spend the afternoon and evening laughing and playing board games with my family and cooking a yummy dinner. If I could meet anyone for lunch it would have to be Katerina Johnson Thompson, who is a British heptathlete. She has been my role model and inspiration for as long as I can remember and it would mean the world to me to exchange just a few words with her. 

What’s a book you can recommend to others, and why?

I had been putting off answering these questions because I could not for the life of me think what my favourite book is. I wanted to choose a book that was perfect and in all honesty, no book is perfect and that is what I love so much about them. Additionally, there are so many books that I would like to recommend to people as I want them to experience the rollercoaster of emotions that I felt while reading that book, but nobody would read a list that long. So instead, I am going to leave you with a quote from a phenomenal lady called Maya Angelou who said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Now just let that sink in.

Who are you?

My name is Haoming Liu, year 12 student. I came to New Zealand from China, and I enjoy sci-fi a lot.

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

Besides reading, I enjoy playing grand strategy games and Go. I like the challenge of deep strategy and long-term planning with sufficient time.

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

When I was still in primary school, I read Death’s End, the third book in Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy in Chinese. That was my first entry point into the series, which is unusual since most people start from The Three-Body Problem. Later, after I moved to New Zealand, I read the other two books online. This series stuck with me because it was so imaginative and mind-bending; it really made me think differently about science, the future, and humanity’s place in the universe.

What are some books you’ve enjoyed reading here at school? (either here or at a previous school) What are you currently reading?

Recently, I found the English version of The Three-Body Problem series in the school library, and I’ve now started reading it again and rethinking the deeper themes.

What’s a book that’s changed your mind about something?

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking changed the way I think about the universe. Before reading it, I understood space and time mostly as abstract concepts, but this book provided enough information about the cosmos and allowed me to examine the science behind the stories while I’m reading a sci-fi story.

What’s your favourite book, and why?

Definitely the Remembrance of Earth’s Past series. It makes me reconsider what alien life and space travel might be like, and how societies respond under extreme conditions.

Why do you think people should read?

Reading allows you to explore ideas and worlds beyond everyday experience. It’s a way for knowledge, experiences, and perspectives to pass directly from the author to the reader. Some books inspire curiosity about the universe, technology, and the limits of human knowledge, while others encourage reflection on society, power, and human behavior. Through this exchange, reading sparks imagination, empathy, and a deeper understanding of both the world we live in and the worlds that could exist.