Tag Archives: Reading

Author visit by Cathy MacPhail

S1 pupils today were enthralled by an author visit by award winning Scottish Author Cathy MacPhail. Staff and Pupils were taken on a journey through some of her recent book releases including  “Devil You Know” and “Another Me”. The books are gritty and hard hitting – particularly when the inspiration and background to the ideas in the story were discussed.

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Cathy MacPhail is the first Scottish Children’s Author to see her book turned into a film. Premièred at the Rome International Book Festival, the film is now available online via popular film sites. The book trailer can be viewed at

Mr Foy in the English Department had worked locally to produce a book trailer for Devil You Know which was showcased during the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLp2mcGJbfs

Books mentioned during the tals flew off the library shelves with more now on order to cater for demand.  We hope Cathy will be able to come back and visit us again very soon.

 

Grampian Children’s Book Award 2016 – Shortlist Announced

The shortlist for the Grampian Children’s Book Awards 2016 has just been announced.

Reading Cafe runs Tuesday Lunchtimes in the Library. Come along to take part in the 2016 awards.

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Ainsworth, Eve 7 days
School should be a safe place for Jess, but at the moment it’s everything she dreads. Jess’s life is difficult enough without Kez picking on her. Kez’s life isn’t any sweeter. She has plenty of problems too but she finds comfort in knowing she is better off than Jess – or so she thinks… Told from the point of view of the bullied and the bully, this is a taut, powerful story of two girls locked in battle with each other and themselves, spiralling towards a shocking conclusion.

 

Bergin, Virginia The rain
One minute sixteen-year-old Ruby Morris is having her first proper snog with Caspar McCloud in a hot tub, and the next she’s being bundled inside the house, dripping wet, cold and in her underwear. Not cool. As she and Caspar shiver in the kitchen, it starts to rain. They turn on the radio to hear panicked voices – ‘It’s in the rain . . . it’s in the rain . . . ‘ That was two weeks ago, and now Ruby is totally alone. People weren’t prepared for the rain, got caught out in it, didn’t realize that you couldn’t drink water from the taps either. Even a drip of rain would infect your blood, and eat you from the inside out. Ruby knows she has to get to London to find her dad, but she just doesn’t know where to start.

 

Dawson, James Under my skin

Meet Molly Sue. Once she’s under your skin there’s no getting rid of her…Seventeen-year-old Sally Feathers is not exactly a rebel. Her super-conservative parents and her treatment at the hands of high school bullies means that Sally’s about as shy and retiring as they come – but all that’s about to change. Accidentally ending up in the seedier side of town one day, Sally finds herself mysteriously lured to an almost-hidden tattoo parlour. Sally selects sexy pin-up Molly Sue, and has her tattooed on her back – hoping that Molly Sue will inspire her to be as confident and popular as she is in her dreams. But things quickly take a nightmareish turn.

 

Haig, Matt Echo Boy
Audrey’s father taught her that to stay human in the modern world, she had to build a moat around herself; a moat of books and music, philosophy and dreams. A moat that makes Audrey different from the echoes: sophisticated, emotionless machines, built to resemble humans and to work for human masters. Daniel is an echo – but he’s not like the others. He feels a connection with Audrey; a feeling Daniel knows he was never designed to have, and cannot explain. And when Audrey is placed in terrible danger, he’s determined to save her.

 

MacPhail, Cathy Devil you know
Forced to move away from his dad in Aberdeen to a run-down Glasgow council estate, Logan thinks he’s pretty lucky to have made any friends — let alone Baz and the boys. Baz might have a bit of reputation, be a bit mouthy, but he’s the kind of friend who’ll stick up for you; who’ll make life interesting — or should that be dangerous? When Logan, Baz and the boys get caught up a local turf war Baz is the first to fight back. But the aftermath leads Logan and his friends deeper into a world of real-life gangs, threats and lethal revenge. How far will Baz go, and will Logan follow him?

 

Slater, Kim Smart
There’s been a murder, but the police don’t care. It was only a homeless old man after all. Kieran cares. He’s made a promise, and when you say something out loud, that means you’re going to do it, for real. He’s going to find out what really happened. To Colin. And to his grandma, who just stopped coming round one day. It’s a good job Kieran’s a master of observation, and knows all the detective tricks of the trade. But being a detective is difficult when you’re Kieran Woods. When you’re amazing at drawing but terrible at fitting in. And when there are dangerous secrets everywhere, not just outside, but under your own roof.

 

For more information –

http://gcbookaward.wix.com/gcba

https://twitter.com/GrampBookAward

Metaphrog and the “Red Shoes” Sept 2015

Northfield Academy are delighted to have our Patrons of Reading Metaphrog back in school running workshops to S1 pupils.  We are so pleased they could take time out of their busy schedule to visit us – particularly as they are currently writers in residence for the Edinburgh Book Festival.

Metaphrog have built a reputation for inspiring and encouraging young people through their distinctive graphic novel work and their visits this week have proved no different.  Pupils have enjoyed workshop sessions looking at graphic novels – particularly those that originated as fairy tales before getting time to create their own characters.  On Tuesday staff and senior pupils enjoyed a lunchtime session with metaphrog which was well received.

Pupils and staff were lucky to hear all about Metaphrog’s much anticipated new book “Red Shoes and other Tales” which includes modern day interpretations of two of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tales. This will be published in the UK in November.

Metaphrog will be back with us in November to visit several more S1 classes before a special Northfield Academy book launch of “Red Shoes”.

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Grampian Children’s Book Awards

Top marks to Jordyn and Jordan in Mrs Mackintosh’s S2 English class for winning first place in the book trailer competition at the Grampian Children’s Book Award.  They created a book trailer for shortlisted book Say my Name by James Dawson.

 

The Grampian Children’s Book Award is judged by S1 – S3 pupils in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray. A lively awards ceremony led by award winning Cathy MacPhail and a panel of 3 of the shortlisted authors (James Dawson, Dave Cousins and Kevin Brooks) kept school pupils from across the region enthralled and entertained at the event at Aberdeen University.  Author James Dawson was pronounced 2015 winner to great applause.

 

Grampian Children’s Book Awards

Mrs Wilson’s Reading Café and Miss Duncan’s S2 English class are busy reading shortlisted books for 2014 Grampian Children’s Book Awards.

It is not too late for other pupils to get involved. Books are available now in the library. Why not watch the book trailers of the books to help you decide which one to read first?

http://www.northfieldacademy.co.uk/index.php/lib/557-grampian-children-s-book-awards-2014