Challenging Talk from Bali Rai

Bali Rai (seated, middle row, second from left) with students and staff.

Doncaster College has won the College prize draw in the Six Book Challenge. The prize was a visit from the well-known teen and young adult author Bali Rai.

George Trow, Principal of Doncaster College, introduced Bali Rai to an audience of students and staff. They were treated to a fascinating, hard-hitting talk from the author about his work, his life and culture and the background to his books.

Bali signed copies of his books.

Bali also read passages from his books and took questions from the audience. He then mingled with students and staff, signed books and posed for pictures.

The Six Book Challenge is open to colleges, libraries and work places across the country and is run by the Reading Agency.

The challenge is to six books in six months and is aimed at reluctant readers.

The College has been participating for the last two years and this year the numbers of readers has increased significantly to 132.

Carol Wootton, Subject Librarian and organiser of the Challenge at the College said, "Students get really involved, posting blogs on what they are reading and what they think to the challenge. Apparently Doncaster College uses this facility more than any other.

"Our numbers increased greatly this year, plus the media students took part and did some amazing work around the books they read. All this may have helped us win."

Updated: 12/12/2011