Author Archives: Mrs Baird

Bunker 10 by J.A.Henderson

a thrilling read

In this exciting book the story begins with the dramatic destruction of all the main characters, the main characters, a group of teenagers, are residents of the top secret and isolated Pinewood Military Base.
Jimmy Hicks, a 15 year old boy, unintentionally sets off a chain of unpredictable events involving time travel, genetic mutations, computer simulations, undercover operations, and violent explosions. With snappy dialogue, short chapters, and video-game-like action, this book will be a good match for many readers.
Boys will likely find the violence brilliant, and girls should appreciate the tragic love story and romantic conclusion. The author’s plot twists and surprise revelations will appeal to readers who like to be tricked. This book is one of the best I have ever read.
You feel sympathy for many of the characters, and the discovering the truth about Pinegrove was one of the biggest plot twists I have ever seen, in text and film.
I thought this book was the perfect example of a Thriller Novel because of its wonderful plot and fast-paced action. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes Thriller or Action books or to anyone who hasn’t yet read a Thriller Book.
Dean S2

Frozen in Time by Ali Sparkes

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After A BORING SUMMER Ben and Rachel certainly didn’t think that they would find an underground lavatory in their back garden. It was created by a previous scientist who had lived in their house, fearful that that time a nuclear war was going to occur. He built it for shelter but also, as a scientist, had been experimenting in ‘freezing’ his children if a nuclear war was to occur. This was so they could have basically eternal life.
After finding and exploring the lavatory Ben and Rachel found in a far room two missile looking containers. Actually, this contained two children the same age as Ben and Rachel who had been frozen successfully by their father since 1950s. After finding and retrieving the two children they bulk of the story began as the two children Freddy and Polly tried to fit into modern day life.
An amusing story which ends as Polly and Freddy find their father who had been frozen somewhere in Russia and had been found and released and had returned to England in hope his son and daughter had been a success. It ends as they walk through the streets in London, trying to think what to do fit into their new life.
It was an extremely enjoyable book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is searching for a good Thriller.
Paul S3

Aye Write and Michael Grant

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How would you like to meet an author and not just any author but hit US author Michael Grant?

If your first thought is Who? Then skip this page. If your first thought is ” I would eat my own sock to see this man” then come and see me in the library by Friday 25th to secure a place. It should only cost about £3 and will take place at the Mitchell Library in sunny Glasgow on Wed 14th March.

(please note that due to the timing and location of the event you will be a bit late getting back to school so you will need to make arrangements to get picked up)

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

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Dystopian fiction is all the rage at the moment; taking over where the vampires all left off.

Obviously, the big blockbuster of the summer is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins but why not try something a little different?

The first couple of chapters lacked something of punch but stay with it as soon as her quest begins and we witness just how feisty and gutsy our heroine is the story moves along quite nicely.

There is a strong cinematic feel to this book and indeed if rumours are true it may indeed grace the big screen (though hold off on buying the popcorn yet it will be a year or two).

So, back to the book – once Saba is on her quest we meet a rag taggle bunch of heroes and anti-heroes. From a girl gang that would give the Mafia a run for their money to a pompous, vain and brutal King to a handsome hunk!

The author has used an interesting dialect which takes a few pages to get in to the swing of- unless, that is, you are Canadian.

This is another title on the long list for the Carnegie award and another that I think might make it to the short list.

A good read for those who read good!

Animoto

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As many of you know I HATE boring presentations but to be honest who does?

So, one web site I am very happy to tell you about is animoto.

This is a clever little site where you can create your own mini videos; or as I am currently working on with S1 mini adverts.

You can sign up for free as long as you only want to create vids or films of 30 seconds long then it stays free.

Bye Bye Powerpoint- hello Animoto

Add your own pics or ones from the web – add some music – add a groovy backgrouns and Robert is your mother’s brother!

Http://animoto.com

The Great Death by John E. Smelcer

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The Great Death

I found this book to very enjoyable, I felt it emphasised the hardship that the native Alaskans’ faced and enlightened me on their extraordinary way of live.

This book is about a small Alaskan village that is ravished by a terrible disease. Millie and Maura are the only survivors from their village. Along with their two dogs, Millie and Maura try to travel down river to find a trading settlement where hopefully they will find other people. However, during this epic journey almost nothing goes to plan and lives are lost.

This book is great because it’s full of courage and family loyalty and you really feel the author portrays the emotions excellently. Moreover, Smelcer manages to capture the overwhelming beauty of the harsh but beautiful Alaskan landscape and makes it rise vividly from the page.

Lastly, Smelcer manages to tell us in an underlying theme about how a peaceful and enduring culture destroyed by ignorance and greed. Furthermore, I found this to be a real eye-opener because it really does make you think that it was completely wrong for us to go and destroy an entire culture just for money.

Mathew S3

Go BZRK!

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http://gobzrk.com/

This is the brain child of Gone author Michael Grant (who will be coming to Glasgow soonish for the Aye Write festival). If you have read his other books then BZRK will not be too much of a shock if you have not then be afraid probably very afraid!

This web site is a brilliant example of a growing trend in storytelling called “Transmedia” – which started as an academic term, coined by Henry Jenkins in his book Convergence Culture who said, “transmedia represents the integration of entertainment experiences across a range of different media platforms,” Jenkins defines transmedia as storytelling that “immerses an audience in a story’s universe through a number of dispersed entry points, providing a comprehensive and coordinated experience of a complex story.”

One person has described the book as if “Stephen King had written Lord of the Flies”, this should give you an idea (or warning!) of what to expect.

I am planning something of my own transmedia project in the next few months based on The Hunger Games – so watch this web site for more information. Oh, and enjoy going BZRK!

Flip out over this brilliant read

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: What would you do?

Fourteen-year-old Alex Gray wakes up one morning to discover he’s not in his own bedroom. More surprising is that he doesn’t recognize his hands, or his legs… When he looks in the mirror he gets the shock of his life! How is it possible that Alex has become another boy – a boy who everyone calls Philip? And how have six whole months passed overnight? A riveting psychological thriller by a brilliant new voice in children’s books.

This is also on the long list for the Carnegie award.

Well worth getting your hands on, this fantastic read incorporates ideas that will linger with you long after you have reached THE END.

The Kindles have arrived!

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We have just taken delivery of three little tiny bundles of joy in the form of some library kindles.

The plan is to have a set of 6 which can be used with class projects and be loaned out to avid readers.

If you are interested in borrowing a Kindle or would like to recommend what I should download just let me know or if you have access to GLOW pop to our Kindleland site there and add your comments.

Hungry for a great read?

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Twilight schmilight, Potter who?

THE big read of the summer is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.

Follow our heroine Katniss Everdeen in her life or death adventure in the arena – and you thought lunchtime in the forum was tough!

So, if you have not already taken the challenge get yourself into the library where, for a limited time only I am selling the first in this thrilling series for a measly £3 – saving you £4.99.

MARCH UPDATE: ONLY 4 COPIES LEFT