We were delighted to welcome poet, playwright and storyteller Tawona Sithole to celebrate World Book Day 2024 with S2 in the library!
Tawona delivered an incredibly fun and energetic workshop to help inspire creative writing. S2 were guided through several group activities to get the creative juices flowing before coming up with their own story ideas.
It was fantastic to see so much energy and enthusiasm from the class.
Thank you Tawona for giving us a World Book Day to remember.
Hekani!
S1 had a wonderful time visiting Waterstones on Sauchiehall Street for their World Book Day reward trip.
Everyone spent the morning exploring the store (Scotland’s biggest!) and picking some new books to take home. The fantastic booksellers were on hand to show us round and make some brilliant book recommendations. We even had time to relax in the Waterstones cafe, enjoy a hot chocolate and make a start on our new reads.
The ideal way to get in the mood for World Book Day 2024.
The library ran two competitions this year for World Book Day: A Micro-story competition on the theme of ‘books’, and a competition to design a new library mascot!
We had joint winners for the micro-story competition from S1 and S3. Check out their stories below:
As he opened the book the magic engulfed him, exploding everywhere. The books pages flipped rapidly, he had taken the wrong book and he would pay for it. Hands came outstretched from inside, grabbing and pulling him inside. He would be another victim of the books curse, suffering for eternity. – S1 pupil
There was an old book with stories to tell, I was a curious reader looking for a story to read and the book said: Books are like a passageway into another world, they let your imagination take you to places you’ve never been. With books, you can live a thousand lives. – S3 pupil
The library is also proud to introduce our new library mascot, designed by an S1 pupil – The Libeery!
Prizes of books and chocolate were bestowed to the winners of these competitions!
This year we hosted our annual World Book Day Mystery Scavenger Hunt! Pupils had to work in teams to solve the riddles, find the clues to eventually locate the stolen Golden Book.
Our winning team each won a bundle of World Book Day books, and a sweet treat!
We finished off the week with a bookish quiz, led by one of our bookworms as quiz master! Pupils had to answer a variety of book-themed questions covering genres, movie adaptations, comic characters and emoji puzzles!
Our winner received not only books and chocolate, but also the grand prize of a Golden Library Pass!
Our returns box shows just how much our pupils were reading in the run-up to World Book Day – the box was overflowing every day! It’s wonderful to see so many pupils trying lots of different books, and especially on the day that celebrates all things books!
Book Reviews: 
Fabia & Hunnah in S3 are keen readers of new and trending fiction and popped in after school to chat about books.
“A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” is such a thrilling book! It’s about a high school girl named Pip who decides to investigate a murder case for a school project. As she delves deeper, she uncovers secrets and twists that keep you on the edge of your seat. The book is full of suspense and unexpected turns. It’s a real page-turner! If you enjoy mysteries, you’ll love this one! Fabia, S3
“The Inheritance Games” I loved this book there are so many puzzles for you to solve all throughout the book, not just in the writing, but all of the people are just as mysterious as their words. I found that the subtle romance subplots involving the four brothers were also intriguing because one of them is a 10 but so is his brother. Hunnah, S3
Chantelle, S6 always finds time for reading, even with a busy study schedule :
For World Book Day, I recommend ‘A Song of Wraith and Ruin’ by Roseanne A. Brown. I rated this book five stars. It is a fast paced, action-packed story about two people who experience love, loss, betrayal and it is very bingeable! It honestly felt almost like watching a movie (I even bought my own copy after reading it).
Something I really liked was that the main characters are black. This is the first fantasy book I have ever seen to have a black main character, which as a black person myself, made me feel seen and recognised. I felt closer to the characters, especially Karina who bears the weight of expectation of everyone around her as she is the crown princess.
I loved that this book doesn’t portray black people as the negative stereotype seen in films, but instead portrays us as exactly what we are. Human. Chantelle, S6
Book Breakfast
Staff and Pupils joined together for a Book Breakfast before start of class, on World Book Day. We enjoyed croissants, fruit and snacks while chatting about what we’re reading. What a great way to start the day!
Throughout the day, a feast of activities was on offer, organised by our brilliant staff and young people all around the school, including a Book Swap table; Dressing up as your favourite book character (Mr. McGrath made an amazing Yarvi); a Drop Everything And Read session for the whole of S1-S3. And there were fun activities in English, including a Read around the World research task, and a Design a Book Token competition in the library.
‘Chosen By Us’ books
Our S2 Writers’ Group were given a budget of £100 to choose anti-racist, diverse books for the library. This was part of a School Library Improvement Fund project, continued from last year. So far the original group members have mentored a Writing Club for S1, written book reviews, poetry, and an article for eMag ‘Swatch’, and are now taking part in stock selection, while also welcoming some fantastic new members to the Group. The new ‘Chosen By Us’ section includes these superb authors : Onjali Rauf, A.M. Dassu, Sharna Jackson, Benjamin Zephaniah, Alice Walker. We also wanted to include some authors new to us such as Danielle Jawando, Faridah Abike Iyimide, and Clare Weze.
This is still a work in progress, and will take a bit of experimenting to get the labels in the right place to not hide the book covers! As American author Kwame Alexander says “All that is good and accomplished in this World takes work and a little chaos”.
We look forward to reading and chatting together about our new books. 
Happy reading, and be kind to yourself this busy month!
The past couple of weeks have seen a planning for World Book Day and meetings with English Department to improve the service we provide to our dear readers. For World Book Day, the well-established worldwide celebration of reading for pleasure, Mr Hassett set up a spectacular book display in the centre of the library, and Ms Bortolato organised a little party in the library with bookish activities and snacks, which were enjoyed by Smithycroft’s library regulars. Over the past week, the pupils have also received their £1 book token which will allow them to get a free World Book Day Book or £1 off other books!
At the time of writing, today is also International Women’s Day, so a new display honouring this has been set up in the library. We try every month to have a non-fiction display that is informative and promotes equality and diversity – so with March being Women’s History Month, this will hopefully catch our readers’ eyes and enable young people to learn about women’s contributions and history!
March is another exciting month for Bannerman! We have quite a few events organised for all, starting this week as Thursday 7th March was 🌟📚World Book Day📚🌟, the annual worldwide celebration of reading for pleasure: the library was open at lunch with snacks and book-related activities available – which the pupils enjoyed as the before & after photo demonstrates! Last week, all pupils also received their £1 World Book Day token with a short presentation on how & where to use it.
For a family learning evening later in March, Ms Bortolato and the English Department are working on activities to involve parents into the junior fiction their kids read. Pupils from our Manga Club contributed by writing up a short history of Manga to place on the genre table at the event! 💻💭🗯
That’s all for the moment! We’ll be back at the end of the Month for another update! 📖
Calling all history buffs, fiction fanatics, and everyone in between! This Women’s History Month, dive into the stories of amazing women who dared to dream big, defied expectations, and left their mark on the world.
We’ve got a fantastic selection of books waiting for you — from gripping true stories of real-life history-makers, to classic novels with unforgettable heroines, and even some thrilling adventures in fictional worlds. So, whether you’re looking for inspiration, a good laugh, or a heart-pounding read, there’s a book on this list that’s perfect for you!
Hidden Figures: The Story of the African American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly
This captivating book tells the true story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – brilliant African American mathematicians who played a crucial role in NASA’s early space missions.
I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai
An inspiring memoir by Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani activist who advocated for female education and was shot by the Taliban for her bravery.
Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
This beautifully illustrated book profiles 50 incredible women scientists throughout history, showcasing their groundbreaking discoveries and achievements in various scientific fields.
Goodreads: 4.45/5 stars
Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Tales of Extraordinary Women by Elena Favilli, Francesca Cavallo
This gorgeous, illustrated book features 100 bedtime stories about remarkable women from history, covering a wide range of fields and backgrounds.
Goodreads: 4.32/5 stars
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
A timeless coming-of-age story that follows the March sisters during the American Civil War. The novel explores themes of family, independence, and finding your own path in life. The library also has super readable and graphic novel versions!
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
This gothic classic follows the journey of Jane Eyre, an independent and strong-willed young woman who overcomes a harsh childhood in an orphanage to become a governess at a mysterious manor. As she navigates the complexities of love, class, and societal expectations, Jane’s intelligence and unwavering spirit shine through. This timeless novel explores themes of self-discovery, social justice, and the power of love.
Goodreads: 4.15/5 stars (Librarian: 11/10 🔥)
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
This dystopian young adult novel series follows Katniss Everdeen, a young woman who volunteers to take her younger sister’s place in a deadly televised competition. The series explores themes of courage, survival, and fighting for what you believe in.
Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi
A graphic novel memoir by Marjane Satrapi that chronicles her childhood growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. It’s a powerful and moving story about family, resilience, and the importance of finding your voice.
Goodreads: 4.26/5 stars
Dread Nation by Justina Ireland
Set in an alternate post-Civil War America overrun by zombies, this gripping novel follows Jane McKeen, a young woman attending a prestigious military academy who must fight for survival using her knowledge and skills. And if you love this one, we have the sequel as well!
Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo
This powerful novel tells the story of two young women from different backgrounds whose lives become intertwined after a plane crash. It’s a story about resilience, sisterhood, and finding strength in unexpected places.
Goodread: 4.24/5 stars
Happy reading!
Unsurprisingly, today is kind of a big deal in libraries — including ours. We spent the day decorating the library, giving out book tokens, munching on biscuits, and getting way, way too competitive at book quizzes.
Thanks to everyone who turned up for a fantastic time, even if only a couple of you correctly guessed which shelfie belonged to Ms Petrova.
And if you didn’t do as well as you thought in the quiz, don’t worry; there’s always next year!
In February we celebrated LGBT History Month in Bellahouston with our display.
