Culture Day: Shawlands Academy hosted it’s annual Cultural Day in the Assembly Hall and Library celebrating the school’s rich cultural and diversity and featured several information kiosks, a fashion show, food, and our library’s large range of books. It was a fantastic effort by the teachers and pupils involved in organising.

What’s Your Magic Power Competition Winner: Congratulations to our S1 pupil who won second place in our What’s Your Magic Power art competition in Swatch, the Glasgow School Libraries’ eMagazine for their design ‘Clarivoyance’.

New Book Highlights

An Anthology of Fungi by Ali Ashby, Lynne Boddy, and Daniel Long

Cosmos: Explore the Wonders of the Universe by Dr Becky Smethurst

How Philosophy Works by DK

Legacies: Black British Pioneers by Lania Narjee, Illustrated by Chante Tomothy

Myths of China: Meet the Gods, Creatures and Heroes of Ancient China by Xiaobing Wang, illustrated by Katie Ponder

Rise Up and Sing!: Power, Protest, and Activism in Music  By Andrea Warner, Illustrated by Louise Reimer

Weird and Wonderful Nature: Tale of More Than 100 Unique Animals, Plants, and Phenomenon by Ben Hoare

Underwater World: Aquatic Myths, Mysteries and the Unexplained by Tamara Macfarlane

Book of the day

03.02.25: Elle Campbell Wins Their Weekend by Ben Khan

05.02.25: Women in STEM: Women Scientists in Physics and Engineering by Catherine Brereton

07.02.25: Failosophy for Teens by Elizabeth Day and Kim Hankinson

10.02.25: Rebel Girls Celebrate Pride: 25 Tales of Self-Love and Community by Elena Favilli

12.02.25: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

14.02.25: Saints and Misfits by SK Ali

21.02.25: Fantastically Great Women Scientists and their Stories by Kate Pankhurst

24.02.25: The Exes by Anam Iqbal

26.02.25: Jay’s Guide to Crushing It by Ruby Clyde

28.02.25: This Book Will (Help) Make You Happy: 50 Ways to Find Some Calm, Build Your Confidence and Make Yourself Smile by Suzy Reading and Alex Paterson

Author of the Week

03.02.25: Ross MacKenzie

10.02.25: Robin Talley

17.02.25: Tiffany D Jackson

24.02.25: Malorie Blackman

Series of the Week

03.02.25: Onyeka by Tola Okogwu

10.02.25: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

17.02.25: Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

24.02.25: Leap Cycle by Patience Agbabi

Literary and Cultural Celebrations for February (Book Lists and Displays)

LGBT+ History Month UK: LGBT+ History Month takes place in the UK every February. LGBTQ History Month was initiated in the UK by  Schools OUT UK, and first took place in February 2005.

Children’s Mental Health Week (3rd -9th February): Hosted by national charity ‘Place2Be’, Children’s Mental Health Week takes place every February. and aims to promote positive mental health for children.

Languages Week Scotland (3rd-7th February): Languages Week Scotland is a celebration of language learning and multilingualism in Scotland. The theme for 2025 is “Our multilingual futures”.

International Day of Women and Girls in Science (11th February): 2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (IDWGS) and the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, two significant milestones in the global effort to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

PALentines’s Day (13th February): Palentine’s day is a global celebration of friendship and platonic love to compliment Valentine’s Day.

Valentines Day (14th February):  Valentine’s Day is originated as a Christian feast holiday honoring Saint Valentine but is now also a celebration of romance and love around the world.

Random Acts of Kindness Day (17th February): Random Acts of Kindness Day is an global celebration about spreading kindness without expecting anything in return and offer a chance to reflect on the value of empathy.

Trending Book Lists

Epic Reads New Releases | The Guardian Children’s Book Roundup | LoveReading4Kids Books of the Month | Scholastic Books of the Month | Scottish Book Trust Book Lists |Toppsta Monthly Highlights | Waterstones Books of the Month

 Book Awards

Winners: Inclusive Book Awards | Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize | Waterstones Book Prize

Shortlists: UKLA Book Awards | YOTO Carnegie Medals

Rights Respecting Schools E qualities: This month we worked with the BGE E qualities group to look at ways the School Library can support out Rights Respecting Schools journey. Pupils suggested created themed book lists relating to some of the 54 articles in the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and will also be spearheading a reading suggestions wall of rights themed books.

Glasgow 850 Challenge: 2025 marks Glasgow’s 850th birthday and to celebrate we’ve launched our Glasgow 850 Challenge, packed with Glasgow themed literacy activities including word jumbles, quizzes, match games, and fill-ins. Completion of each ‘mini-challenge’ earns an entry into a prize draw at the end of the school year. Our Glasgow -themed BGE and Senior book list is also available on the School Library Teams.

What’s Your Power Art Competition: Glasgow School Libraries are running an art competition for a chance to win the Hedgewitch trilogy by Skye McKenna. Participants are to draw their magical power and include a brief description of the power and why they’ve chosen it. Each entry will be featured in the Spring issue of Swatch, the Glasgow School Libraries eMagazine. Deadline Friday 14^th February.

 Read Your Way Creative Writing Competition: As part of our upcoming World Book Day festivities, we’ll be hosting our next seasonal creative writing competition on the theme ‘Read Your Way’. Participants have the freedom to write whatever inspires them in any creative format they enjoy. Maximum 1800 words, deadline 6^th March.

New Book Highlights:

Hedgewitch by Skye McKenna

The Fight That Makes Us by Sarah Hagger-Holt

Rivet Boy by Barbara Henderson

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu

Goddess Crown by Shade Lapite

Book of the Day:

06.01: Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia

08.01: Iron Widow by Xiran jay Zhao

10.01: Eagle Warrior by Gill Lewis

13.01: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

15.01: Illustrated Encyclopedia of Animals: An Incredible Journey Through the Animal Kingdom by Claudia Martin, illustrated by Marc Pattenden

17.01: All About Religion by Aled James

20.01: Stride Towards Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr

21.01: Robert Burns And All That by Allan Burnett, illustrated by Scoular Anderson

27.01: The Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank

29.01: All About Lunar New Year: Things to Make and Do by Kevin Tsang, Illustrated by Linh Nguyen

Author of the Week

06.01.25: Hanna Alkaf

13.01.25: Alastair Chrisholm

20.01.25: William Sutcliffe

27.01.25: Vashti Hardy

Series of the Week

06.01.25: School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani

13.01.25: Front Desk by Kelly Yang

20.01.25: Grishaverse by Leigh Bardugo

27.01.25: Supernatural Investigators by BB Alston

Literary and Cultural Celebrations for December

Science Fiction Day (2^nd January): National Science Fiction Day is unofficially celebrated by many science fiction fans  on January 2, which corresponds with the official birthdate of famed science fiction writer Isaac Asimov.

Martin Luther King Jr Day (20^th January): Martin Luther King Jr. Day (officially Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and often referred to shorthand as MLK Day) is observed on the third Monday of January each year. King was the chief spokesperson for nonviolent activism in the Civil Rights Movement, which protested racial discrimination in federal and state law and civil society.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day (27^th January) The International Holocaust Remembrance Day commemorates the victims of the Holocaust, which resulted in the genocide of one third of the Jewish people, along with countless members of other minorities by Nazi Germany between 1933 and 1945. It also commemorates recent genocides recognised by the UK government, and the genocide in Darfur. 27 January was chosen to commemorate the date when the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated by the Red Army in 1945.

World Religions Day (19^th January): World Religion Day is an observance that was initiated in 1950 by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baháʼís of the United States, which is celebrated worldwide on the third Sunday in January each year. Though initiated in the United States, World Religion Day has come to be celebrated internationally by followers of the Baháʼí Faith.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch (24^th-26^th January): Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s biggest citizen science wildlife survey. By taking part, you can help the RSPB understand how garden birds are doing right now.

Burns Night (25^th January): A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns the author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet’s birthday, 25 January, known as Burns Night.

Chinese Lunar New Year (29^th January): Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival is a festival that celebrates the beginning of a new year on the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. Marking the end of winter and the beginning of spring, this festival takes place from Chinese New Year’s Eve (the evening preceding the first day of the year) to the Lantern Festival, held on the 15th day of the year. The first day of Chinese New Year begins on the new moon that appears between 21 January and 20 February.

Trending Book Lists

Epic Reads New Releases | The Guardian Children’s Book Roundup | LoveReading4Kids Books of the Month | Scholastic Books of the Month | Scottish Book Trust Book Lists |Toppsta Monthly Highlights | Waterstones Books of the Month

 Book Awards

Winners:  Nero Book Awards

Longlists: Branford Boase Award

Pop-Up Library: Prelims took place in the School Library throughout December, so we took the library to the classrooms! We delivered our ever-popular Pop-Up Library in the English classrooms during lunchtime, given our regulars a safe and warm place to chill as well as a chance to return books and get help with their Libby app before the festive period.

Festive Quiz: We visited ten S1 and S2 classes to deliver a fun festive quiz for a chance to win a prize. We had thirty questions across rounds: Literature, Film, Music, Traditions, Nature, and Food. Pupils found it both fun and challenging, with some of the questions prompting a lot of discussion and debate.

Swatch Magazine: Our Winter 2024 issue of Swatch, the Glasgow School Libraries eMagazine is out now including an exclusive interview with Skye McKenna, talking about her new book Seawitch.

 New Book Highlights

Goosebumps: The Haunted Mask by RL Stine, illustrated by Maddi Gonzalez

Artificial Intelligence: The Road to Conscious Machines by Michael Woolridge

Ditching Saskia by John Moore and Neetols

Author of the Week

02.12.24: Maz Evans

09.12.24: Danielle Jawando

16.12.24: Savita Kalhan

Series of the Week

02.12.24: Big Nate by Lincoln Peirce

09.12.24: Football Academy by Tom Palmer

16.12.24: BZRK by Michael Grant

Literary and Cultural Celebrations for December

UK Disability History Month (14^th Nov – 20^th Dec): UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) is an annual event creating a platform to focus on the history of disables people’s struggle for equality and human rights. It is a chance to discuss the history of disabled people, the positive contributions disabled people have made, and a chance to find out how we as a society can be more inclusive.

Bhodi Day (8^th December): Bodhi Day is the Buddhist holiday that commemorates the day that Gautama Buddha (Shakyamuni) is said to have attained enlightenment.

World Soil Day (5^th December): World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.

Human Rights Day (10^th December): Human Rights Day commemorates the anniversary of one of the world’s most groundbreaking global pledges: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). This landmark document enshrines the inalienable rights that everyone is entitled to as a human being – regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

International Animal Rights Day (10^th December): International Animal Rights Day is an annual event honouring animals as sentient beings who deserve the same protections as people. This global observance is marked by demonstrations that expose animal exploitation, mourn the animal victims of human tyranny and rally support for universal animal welfare.

International Migrants Day (18^th December): International Migrants Day gives us a special opportunity to shine a spotlight on the invaluable contributions of millions of migrants around the world. It’s also a day for us to highlight the increasingly complex environment in which migration occurs.

Yule (December 21^st): Yule is a winter festival historically observed by the Germanic peoples. In present times adherents of some new religious movements (such as Modern Germanic paganism) celebrate Yule independently of the Christian festival.

Christmas (25^th December): Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.

Hanukkah (25^th December – 2^nd January): Hanukkah is a Jewish festival commemorating the recovery of Jerusalem and subsequent rededication of the Second Temple at the beginning of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.

Kwanzaa (December 26^th – January 1^st): Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of African-American culture from December 26 to January 1, culminating in a communal feast called Karamu, usually on the sixth day.

New Years Eve/Hogmanay (31^st December): In the Gregorian calendar, New Year’s Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year also known as Old Year’s Day. Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner.

Trending Book Lists

Epic Reads New Releases | The Guardian Children’s Book Roundup | LoveReading4Kids Books of the Month | Scholastic Books of the Month | Scottish Book Trust Book Lists |Toppsta Monthly Highlights | Waterstones Books of the Month

 Book Awards

Winners:  Lollies | The Saltires: Scotland’s National Book Awards | SLA Information Book Awards | Waterstones Book of the Year

Shortlists: Excelsior Awards

Book Week Scotland: The School Library held some fun activities to celebrate Book Week Scotland. On Monday 18^th, we announced our winner of the Shawlands Academy Quills Creative Writing Cometition on the theme of ‘Hope’ or ‘Scotland’, judged by our pupil-led panel. Congratulations to our S2 winner for their excellent poem ‘Hope’.  On Wednesday we held our annual quiz. On Friday, we held another successful ‘Biblio Bistro’ in collaboration with our talented baristas from Wider Achievement who served us up some very yummy, extra special hot chocolate. Pupils and staff were invited to come along to our ‘café’ and partake in our ‘Interview A Reader’ activity to chat about books and for a chance to entry our prize draw. And throughout the week, the School Library teamed up with the English Department to deliver a scavenger hunt that encouraged pupils to solve clues and locate picture of famous book covers displayed in classroom windows.

Rights Respecting School: Shawlands Academy are going for the Rights Respecting School bronze award and the School Library is thrilled to be involved. The Rights Respecting Schools Award UK is run by UNICEF UK, which ‘encourages schools to place the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child at the heart of its ethos and curriculum’.

eResource Workshop for Seniors: We delivered a workshop specifically designed for seniors who are university bound, where we introduce them to online databases and how to navigate scholarly journals as well as tips for conducting research using these resources.

New Book Highlights

The Reappearance of Rachel Price by Holly Jackson

Braids Take A Day by Zainab Boladale

Astronomy for Curious Kids by Giles Sparrow and Nik Neves

Books of the Day

1:11.24: Amazing Muslims Who Changed the World by Burhana Islam, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali, Reya Ahmed, Saffa Khan, Aaliya Jaleel, Deema Alawa, Aghnia Mardiyah

4.11.24: Horrible Histories: Woeful Second World War by Terry Deary, illustrated by Martin Brown

6.11.24: What’s the T? The No-nonsense Guide to all Things Trans and/or Non-binary for Teens  by Juno Dawson, illustrated by Soofiya

8.11.24: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

11.11.24: Armistice Runner by Tom Palmer

13.11.24: Black Poppies: The Story of Britain’s Black Community in the First World War by Stephen Bourne

15.11.24: A Different Sort of Normal by Abigail Balfe

18.11.24: Talking about Islamophobia: What is it and How Do We Challenge It? A Beginners Guide for Children by Sabeena Akhtar and Na’ima B. Robert

20.11.24: Lily and the Rockets by Rebecca Stevens

22.11.24: Keedie by Elle McNicoll

25.11.24: Muslim Girls Rise: Inspirational Champions of Our Time by Saira Mir

27.11.24: Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

29.11.24: Eyewitness World War I by Simon Adams

Author of the Week

4.11.24: Cath Howe

11.11.24: Sarwat Chadda

18.11.24: Yasmin Rahman

25.11.24: Renee Watson

Series of the Week

4.11.24: Crossover by Kwame Alexander

11.11.24: First Aid for Fairies by Lari Don

18.11.24: Pages & Co by Anna James

25.11.24: Tales of Terror by Chris Priestley

Literary and Cultural Celebrations for November

Anti-Bullying Week (11^th – 15^th): Anti-Bullying Week is an annual campaigned aimed at raising awareness, impact and prevention of bullying. This year’s theme is ‘Choose Respect’.

Book Week Scotland (18^th – 22^nd): Book Week Scotland is an annual celebration of books and reading run by the Scottish Book Trust. This year’s theme is ‘Hope’.

Islamophobia Awareness Month: Islamophobia Awareness Month is aimed at raising awareness of islamophobia and challenge stereotypes as well as celebrate the contributions and culture of Muslims. This year’s theme is ‘Seeds of Change’.

Nonfiction November: Nonfiction November is an annual celebration of information and factual books run by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. This year’s theme is Why Don’t You? (Hobbies and Leisure)

Remembrance Day: Shawlands Academy honored Remembrance Day on November 11^th with a minute of silence at 11am.

Transgender Awareness Week 913^th-19^th): Transgender Awareness Week is a weeklong celebration leading up to Transgender Day of Remembrance. This year’s theme is ‘Our Trans Heroes’.

Trending Book Lists

Epic Reads New Releases | The Guardian Children’s Book Roundup | LoveReading4Kids Books of the Month | Scholastic Books of the Month | Scottish Book Trust Book Lists |Toppsta Monthly Highlights | Waterstones Books of the Month

Book Awards

Winners – Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction | Booker Prize | Diverse Book Award | Wainwright Prize

Libby Inductions: Now that the s1s have received their iPads, we visited s1 English classes to deliver Libby inductions. Pupils were given their library card numbers and given step by step instructions on how to access and navigate the eBook app suing their School Library cards.  Pupils loved the ease of access and range of topics and genres available on the app. For more information, visits the Glasgow Life Libraries Libby page.

Black History Month: We compiled scores of books by Black British authors as part of an S3s English reading project for Black History Month. Pupils were presented with a range of fiction and nonfiction books for junior, Young Adult, and Senior audiences to select from.

Pupil Library Committee: Our new Pupil Library Committee recruits successfully completed their first task of helping to process a huge six-box delivery. They helped stamped the date labels with the school library logo, sorted and arranged each book according to genre or subject, and helped shelved the books into the appropriate places.

Creative Writing Contest: Our Creative Writing Contest submission date was the 31^st October, and we received six excellent entries from pupils across all year groups. They have been handed over to our pupil judges who will select and announce the winner come Monday, 18^th November during Book Week Scotland.

New Book Highlights

The History of the Computer: People, Inventions, and Technology That Changed Our World by Rachel Ignotofsky

The Secret World of Plants: Tales of More Than 100 Remarkable Flowers, Trees, and Seeds by Ben Hoare

Lonely Planet Kids The Ocean Book: Explore The Hidden Depth of Our Blue Planet by Derek Harvey

Books of the day

02.10.24: Black Artists Shaping the World by Sharna Jackson

04.10.24: Dragonracers by Peter Bunzl, illustrated by Lia Visrin

07.10.24: Horrible Histories: Ghosts by Terry Deary, Illustrated by Martin Brown

09.10.24: Hidden Figures: the True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Margot Shetterly

11.10.24: Kemosha of the Caribbean by Alex Wheatle

21.10.24: Wrath by Marcus Sedgewick

23.10.24: An Illustrated History of Ghosts by Adam Allsuch Boardman

25.10.24: Science Museum: The Book of Discoveries: Incredible Breakthroughs That Changed the World by Time Cooke and Drew Bardana

28.10.24: Black and British: An Illustrated History by David Olusoga, Illustrated by Melleny Taylor

30.10.24: Haunted Dolls by Martha London

Author of the Week:

01.10.24: Tom Mitchell

07.10.24: Ross Welford

21.10.24: Gill Lewis

28.10.24: Efua Traore

Series of the Week

01.10.24: Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

07.10.24: My laugh Out Loud Life by Burhana islam

21.10.24: Strangeworlds Detective Agency by LD Lapinski

28.10.24: Thousand Worlds by Yoon Ha Lee

Literary and Cultural Celebration Book Lists and Displays for October

Dyslexia Awareness Week Scotland (Sept 20^th – Oct 6^th)

World Space Week (Oct 4^th – 10^th)

Black History Month (Throughout October)

Mental Health Day (Oct 10^th)

Diwali (Oct 31^st)

Halloween/Samhain (Oct 31^st – Nov 1^st)

Trending Book Lists:

Epic Reads New Releases | The Guardian Children’s Book Roundup | LoveReading4Kids Books of the Month | Scholastic Books of the Month | Scottish Book Trust Book Lists |Toppsta Monthly Highlights | Waterstones Books of the Month

Book Awards

Winners: Diverse Book Awards | Forward Prizes for Poetry | Polari Prizes

Shortlist: Baillie Gifford Prize for Nonfiction