Participatory Spend Books: Throughout October, the Library worked with six S3+4 classes to collect pupil book suggestions that would be used to inform purchasing new stock. This year the Library is prioritising books for reluctant, struggling, and learning readers. This means resourcing titles that will appeal to a broad readership and tastes. The Librarian narrowed the choice of books between two publishers: Barrington Stoke and Badger Learning. Classes were instructed to select the books that they found interesting from both websites. The suggestions were then collated and checked against the Library’s catalogue to ensure books already stocked in the Library were not purchased and therefore making the best use of the allocated budget. The Librarian then bought the most popular books from our supplier.

The books are now available in the Library and a display will be set up for World Book Day in March.

Click Barrington Stoke and Badger Learning Participatory Spend Titles Book List for more information about the books. 

1. Ward 13 by Tommy Donbavand (13)
2. Knife Edge by Robert Swindells (13)
3. Runaway by Ann Evans (11)
4. The Front Room by Michelle Magorian (11)
5. Jon for Short by Malorie Blackman (10)
6. Good Boy by Mal Peet (8)
7. Ghosting by Keith Gray (7)
8. White Eagles by Elizabeth Wein (7)
9. Nightmare by Ann Evans (7)
10. United by Emma Norry (6)
11. The Lane by Iain McLaughlin (6)
12. 2 Die 4 by Nigel Hinton (6)
13. Letting Go by Cat Clarke (6)
14. The Number 7 Shirt by Alan Gibbons (5)
15. Have a Go by Jon Mayhew (5)
16. Copy Cat by Tommy Donbavand (5)
17. Ghost Stadium by Tom Palmer (5)
18. Shadow Girl by Sally Nicholls (4)
19. The Last Days of Archie Maxwell by Annabel Pitcher (4)
20. Final Girl by Tim Collins (4)
21. Wasted by Karen Moncrieffe (3)
22. Tilly’s Promise by Linda Newbery (3)
23. The Tiger on his Back by Bernard Ashley (3)
24. Plague by Echo Freer (3)
25. Kidnap by Tommy Donbavand (3)
26. ME2 by Catherine Bruton (3)
27. Keeper by Ann Evans (2)
28. Home by Tommy Donbavand (2)
29. The Wishing Doll by Beverly Sandford (2)
30. Sitting Target by John Townsend (2)
31. Change by Chitra Soundar (2)
32. Stop by Jenny Spangler (2)
33. Stalker by Tony Lee (2)
34. The Corridor by Mark Wright (2)
35. Johnny Delgado by Kevin Brooks (2)
36. The Night Raid by Caroline Lawrence (2)
37. Second Best Friend by Non Pratt (2)
38. The Family Tree by Non Pratt (2)

Book Group: The Library launched a book group for S2+ pupils who are developing their English skills. We meet weekly in the English Base and read one or two chapters of the book. The title we are reading is Eagle Warrior by Gill Lewis. Set in the Scottish Highlands, this story follows a young girl and her grandmother who are determined to solve the mystery of an illegal poaching trade taking place in the area. Eagle Warrior was chosen because it introduces the pupils to Scottish landscape, language, and wildlife as well as prompting discussion of topics ranging from Scottish law, cuisine, and history.

More about Eagle Warrior: “Bobbie is thrilled that a golden eagle has settled near her family farm. She loves climbing the hills to watch it soar across the sky and stalk its prey. But not everybody shares her feelings for the magnificent bird. When it becomes clear that the eagle is in grave danger, Bobbie is determined to do everything she can to protect it. But she is also facing the threat of being sent away to boarding school, far from everything she knows. Will Bobbie be brave enough to fight for the bird and home that she loves?”