This week’s Book Boffz session put truth to the test, as pupils explored how to spot misinformation, challenged common myths, and tried to outsmart one another with a mix of real facts and carefully crafted fakes. A lively hour of curiosity, debate, and detective work!
Writes Rachel Harrison, Assistant Librarian
Our latest Book Boffz session focused on sharpening our skills at telling solid facts from the kind of “everyday untruths” that slip easily into common belief.
We began with a quiz featuring claims many people have heard but rarely question, such as whether goldfish really have only a three-second memory, or whether the Great Wall of China can be seen from space. These familiar statements sparked instant debate, and the boys proved impressively difficult to mislead.
We also looked at a real example of misinformation that circulated during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Book Boffz were quick to identify how such false claims can spread confusion and cause genuine harm, and they offered thoughtful suggestions about how people can check information more carefully.
The main activity involved exploring the library’s excellent non-fiction collection. Each Book Boff set out to find two genuine, interesting facts and to invent one convincing fake fact designed to trick the rest of the group. The statements they produced were impressively varied, from the number of London Underground stations, to whether ten sheets of paper really make a quire, to whether peanuts are actually nuts, to the height of the Statue of Liberty. Curiosity filled the room as they researched, invented, and presented their statements, all trying their best to fool the group. As ever, they approached the task with energy, insight, and plenty of laughter.
Book Boffz meets every Friday after school in the Junior Library. Thirds and Upper Thirds are welcome to join.
