Author Archives: Mrs Baird

Meet the folks who know WHODUNNIT

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3 local, very funny and engaging, crime writers coming together for a November Crime Night on Wednesday 21st November 7pm-8.30pm, at the Primavera Bistro here in The Avenue. They are Caro Ramsay, T.F.Muir and Michael Malone.Our authors will be discussing their work and the state of writing in Scotland.

If any 5/6th year(16+) budding authors would like to attend, the tickets are free and available from Waterstones or Primavera. Refreshments will be available to purchase from Primavera on the night.

If you can not get to Waterstones or Primavera before the big night just let Mrs Baird know and I will get you a ticket or two set aside.

Sounds like a great night!

JABBICA

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Outside the library you can not fail to miss the HUGE advert for our latest competition –
J A B B I C A.
JUDGE A BOOK BY IT’S COVER AWARD.

There are four nominated titles – all new graphic novels for the lilbrary selected by Saint Ninian’s library assistants.

All you have to do is tick your favourite and pop it into the box in the library by Nov 29th.

The winner will get a voucher worth £15 to spend at the library book sale on the 30th.

Will you pick?

Hamster and Cheese?

Or will you go for
Baggage

Or do you fancy
Beauty and the Beast

Or how about
Captain America

This is a prelude to our school signing up for the Stan Lee Excelsior Award which one lucky class will be taking part in.

The Crucible

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Something spooky is going on down in the Drama department. Whispers of talking cats and dancing in the woods – no it’s not the weekly departmental meeting it’s the wonderful play The Crucible by Arthur Millar.

The Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. The action begins in the home of Reverend Parris, whose daughter Betty lies unconscious and appears very ill. Around midnight the night before, Parris had discovered Betty, his niece Abigail, and Tituba, his black slave, dancing in the woods, causing Betty to swoon. The local physician is unable to determine the cause of Betty’s illness. Mr. and Mrs. Putnam arrive and reveal that their daughter Ruth is also ill. There is talk in the village of an unnatural cause.

If you want to do a bit of research on the topic and the time – take a look at these resources.

www.sparknotes.com/lit/crucible/
Analysis of the text

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/salem/salem.htm
Useful background on the Salem witch trials.

www.localhistories.org/colonial.html
Dull looking web site with decent basic information on Colonial food and housing and fashion etc.

www.shmoop.com/colonial-new-england/
Colonial New England

www.salem.org/
Tourist web site for today’s Salem

www.nationalgeographic.com/salem/
Spooky interactive web site about the trials.

Bookbook

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Well, is that what a Facebook for books should be called?

Lucky for us it’s not and there is a great social networking site called GOOD READS. With over 10 millions users from all across the globe it is the home of the biggest bookgroup in the world.

I have created a tiny little corner in Good Reads for pupils to come and share their favourite books or warn the rest of us to stay away from real stinkers.

It’s called Saint Ninians Bibliophiles and if you or your friends are interested in joining then please just pop in to the library and I can show you how.

A book group where you can read what you want and when you want sounds just about right to me, so, join up, you don’t know what you are missing!

The group is by invitation only so no sneaking!

Edinburgh International Book Festival

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No.1 fans?SIT!There is nothing better than schmoozing about Edinburgh other than schmoozing around the Edinburgh books festival.

Along, with a happy band of bibliophiles fom Woodfarm and Willaimwood our intrepid band of girlies ventures all the way along the motorway to the Valhalla of the written word – Edinburgh. ( with only one teensky little misshap on the way – pass the sick bag , if you please!)

Our first port of call was an invitation with the dead – well sort of – with the authors Alexander Gordon Smith and Susanne Winnaker to talk about zombies. Not always the best topic so soon after breakfast. We particularly liked the body bits left on stage (hopefully not belonging to the last audience members).

After a spot of lunch we made our way to the front row – yes nothing but the best for us, to hear from the lovely Sophie McKenzie and the dangerous Anne Cassidy. After the talk we rushed to the book tent to get our books signed and chat to the authors who were both really helpful and very friendly.

Back on to the bus and a safe trip home.
Comments from the trip?
Can we come back again next year?

Competition time!

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Don't knock them over!

Win yourself a bagful of library goodies including a book bundle worth more than £20!

Just pop in to the library and pick up a form and get searching on the OPAC.

One entry per pupil and all entries must be in BEFORE the September weekend.
In the event of more than one correct entry one winner will be chosen at random.

Good luck!

I have told the truth

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As part of my summer reading I chose to read the books shortlisted for the Royal Mail Awards this year.
I must admit none of them really jumped out at me as being a “read me, Mrs. B” type of boook ( but then again I have been over indulging in a Hunger Games marathon so maybe not that surprising).
The first on the pile was CODE NAME VERITY BY ELIZABETH WEIN and I specifically chose not to read about the book and just jump in and I was so glad that I did.
The book follows the lives of two young women during the second world war; their lives link by their love of aircraft.
The book is wonderfully researched and you really do feel that you have been transported back in time.
It is difficult to talk about this book without giving too much of the plot away and I really think that even the slightest hint would be a detraction from the impact of reading the book on your own.

So, this is really a review without a review.

Welcome

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Welcome to the school library @ St.Ninian’s High School.

We have over 7000 different resources from fiction to non-fiction from Manga to magazines and from PCs to printers.

The library is open from 8.30-4.00 Mon – Thurs and 8.30-3.45 on a Friday.(Note: this includes morning break and lunchtime everyday)

Please note that due to council changes the librarian will only be available every second week.


    Pupils may borrow 2 books for up to 4 weeks. Pupils may also request items from any other library in East Renfrewshire giving our students access to over 100,000 items.

    The library is managed and run by our fully qualified professional librarian; Mrs Baird, who is happy to answer questions regarding the library.

    We also now have installed a self- service machine and it is hoped that all pupils will bring in their Young Scot/Library card to maximise usage.

If you are really stuck for a good read ask Mrs. Baird about a personalised reading list- this service is available to all students from all years.
So, there really is NO excuse not to pick up a good read.

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