Category Archives: Whitehill Secondary School

October 2024 Roundup – Whitehill Secondary School

Libby Inductions: We’ve been busy delivering Libby inductions to our S1s who have now received their iPads. 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.

 

New Book Highlights

Lightlark by Alex Aster

Still Water by Chris Priestly

Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

 

Books of the day

01.10.24: Cane Warriors by Alex Wheatle

03.10.24: The Silver Eyes by Scott Cawton

08.10.24: Timelines from Black History by DK

10.10.24: Dear Martin by Nic Stone

22.10.24: Mind Your Head by Juno Dawson

24.10.24: Last Gate of the Emperor by Kwame Mbalia

29.10.24: Windrush Child by Benjamin Zephaniah

31.10.24: Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

 

Author of the Week:

01.10.24: Sharna Jackson

07.10.24: Patrice Lawrence

21.10.24: Anthony Horowitz

28.10.24: Tanya Landman

 

Series of the Week

01.10.24: The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries by JT Willaims

07.10.24: Dark Hunter by Benjamin Hulme-Cross

21.10.24: Nicky and Kenny by Anthony McGowan

28.10.24: Loop Trilogy by Ben Oliver

 

Literary and Cultural Celebration Book Lists and Displays for October

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

World Space Week (Oct 4th – 10th)

Black History Month (Throughout October)

Mental Health Day (Oct 10th)

Diwali (Oct 31st)

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

 

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

August 2024 Roundup – Whitehill Secondary School Library

S1 Inductions: We had a great time meeting all of our S1 pupils during Library inductions throughout the month and managed to cover the majority of our S1 English classes which mean we can get back into our regular scheduled book borrowing periods. Throughout August, our S1s have borrowed 70+ books for class and personal reading. Great effort by all!

Reading Challenges: We’re launching three reading challenges this year. Bookopoly encourages pupils to read out with their comfort zone, challenging them to select books on different themes and genres they wouldn’t normally choose. Pupils have a chance for their names to be enter into a quarterly prize draw when the book is read and returned. Our 4 Word Book Review slips are a super easy way to get pupils to review and recommend books using only four words to describe the book. Each completed slip earns and entry into the quarterly prize draw. We’ve brought back Ask Me What I’m Reading challenge to encourage discussion around books and reading for leisure. Each completed form earns an entry into the prize draw.

Bookmark Design Competition: We’re hosting our inaugural bookmark design competition. Participants can submit their designs which will be posted on our School Library Teams to be voted on by pupils. The winning design will become this year’s official School Library bookmark. Winner announced during Book Week Scotland in November.

Monthly Newsletter: We’ve relaunched our monthly newsletters this year, featuring new book and eBook highlights, current book award information, short books lists, genre spotlight, librarian recommendations, monthly booklists, and author and book birthday calendar. The interactive newsletter is in PDF format on the Library Channel in Teams.

 

New Book Highlights:

Pizza Face by Rex Ogle

Stormbreaker: The Graphic Novel by Anthony Horowitz and Anthony Johnston, illustrate by Kanako & Yuzuru Tuzuru

Skylar and the K-Pop Headteacher by Luan Goldie

Football’s Champions of Change by Damian Johnson, illustrated by Damian Greenan

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

 

Book of the Day:

20.08: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

22.08: Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

27.08: Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson

29.08: Barda by Ngozi Ukazu

 

Author of the Week:

WB 19th: Stewart Foster

WB 26th: Leigh Bardugo

 

Series of the Week:

WB 19th: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

WB 26th: School for Good and Evil by Somain Chainai

 

Literary and Cultural Celebration Booklists for August:

South Asian Heritage MonthSouth Asian Heritage Month (July 17th-August 17th) celebrates the heritage of people with roots in South Asian countries. This year’s theme is ‘Free to be me’.

 

Trending Booklists:

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

 

Recent Awards: UK book award winners, shortlists, and longlists

Winners: Arthur C Clarke Award for Science Fiction | CWA Daggers Awards | James Tait Black Memorial Prize | UKLA Book Awards | Waterstones Debut Fiction Prize, YA Book Prize | Young Quills Award for Historical Fiction

Shortlists: Forward Prize for Poetry | Little Rebels Award | Wainwright Prize for Nature Writing

Longlists: Booker Prize | Diverse Book Awards

 

Book Buzz: Latest book news from major media outlets and websites

BBC | Book Riot | Buzzfeed | Epic Reads | The Guardian | Huffpost

April 2024 Roundup – Whitehill Secondary School Library

This month, we’ve uploaded some fun quizzes and activities to our Library Channel in each year group Teams. For Talk Like Shakespeare Day, we shared our ‘Shakespeare Dictionary’ and Shakespeare Phrases’ information sheets for pupils to learn more about the common words the Bard invented that are still in use today.  Our quizzes include National Pet Month, World Art Day, and International Guitar Month. Pupils were encouraged to complete one or all three quizzes for a chance to be entered into our monthly prize draw.

Recent Arrivals: New Book Highlights

Forensic Science by Chris Cooper

Joey Drew Studios: Employee Handbook by Cala Spinner, illust. Paul davies

Johnny Ball: International Football Genius by Matt Oldfield, illust. Tim Wesson

Seven Million Sunflowers by Malcolm Duffy

The Weather Well by Vashti Hardy, illust. Natalie Smillie

Literary and Cultural Celebration Booklists for April: Booklists to tie into various literary and cultural celebrations.

Planet Vs Plastics Book List: The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet vs Plastics to raise awareness of the health and environmental risks of plastics.

Stress Booklist: Stress Awareness Month calls for a greater awareness of the negative impact of stress. Our booklist features some nonfiction titles to help young people manage their stress.

Autism Book List: World Autism Month and Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd) aims to celebrate Autism awareness and acceptance. Our Juniorl, Young Adult, and Senior + Staff book list feature nonfiction and fiction titles.

Trending Booklists: Monthly highlights and new releases

Epic Reads – New Releases

The Guardian – Children’s Book Roundup

Love Reading for Kids – Books of the Month

Scholastic – Books of the Month

Scottish Book Trust – Book Lists

Toppsta – Our Favourite New Children’s Books This Month

Waterstones – Books of the Month

Recent Awards: UK book award winners, shortlists, and longlists

British Science Fiction Awards – Winners

Branford Boase Award – Shortlist

CWA Daggers Awards – Longlists

Granta Best of Young British Novelists – Winners

Jhalak Prize – Shortlists

Women’s Prize for Fiction – Shortlist

Competitions: Writing competitions for young people

Foyles Young Poets of the Year Award

Henrietta Branford Writing Competition

Young Writers Competition

Book Buzz: Latest book news from major media outlets and book websites

BBC

Book Riot

Buzzfeed

Epic Reads

The Guardian

Huffpost

The New York Times

What’s On in May

International Museums Day: Take a virtual tour and explore some artefacts held by some of the world’s famous museums and galleries using our interactive documents available on the Library Channel on Teams.

National Walking Month: National Walking Month is a campaign launched by Living Streets. This year, Living Streets invites people to discover the #MagicOf Walking to celebrate the many health and happiness benefits of walking and wheeling. To celebrate, the School Library has created an interactive guide to local Glasgow Life Community Libraries all within walking distance to Whitehill Secondary School which will be available in the Library Channel on Teams.

Teams Quizzes:

World Goth Day – Poe or Young Adult quiz: World Goth Day is observed annually on May 22nd. We’re hosting a quiz on Teams featuring none other than the father of gothic literature, Edgar Allan Poe. Pupils are invited to guess whether the quotes are from Young Adult Gothic novels or from one of Poe’s works.

Book Lists for May:

Gothic Book List: Featuring Junior, Young Adult, and Senior + Staff gothic fiction to tie in with World Goth Day festivities.

Shelf Help Book List: Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from 13th-19th May on the theme of “Movement: Moving more for our mental health”. Our book list features some helpful titles on mental health for Young People that are available in the School Library.

Mental Health websites:

Children’s Mental Health Scotland

Mental Health Foundation

Mind.org

Rethink.org

Scottish Action for Mental Health

See Me

Young Minds

Young Scot

March 2024 Roundup – Whitehill Secondary School Library

Events: Events and activities that took place in the School Library during March

To celebrate World Book Day, the School Library invited pupils to write a review about any book of their choice using only five words for a chance to be entered into a prize draw. Read the reviews on our 5 Word Book review blog post. We also hosted a quiz featuring three rounds: a general literature knowledge, emoji book titles, and a Shakespeare or Young Adult quote taster round in preparation for our Shakespeare week quiz.

Shakespeare Week Quiz and choice board: We uploaded an interactive choice board for pupils to explore more of Shakespear’s works and hosted our first Shakespeare Week quiz. Pupils were to guess whether a quote was from a Shakespeare play or a Young Adult novel. We’ve included a selection of quotes below, can you guess which ones were from a Young Adult novel and which ones were from one of Shakespeare’s plays? Answers are at the end of this blog post.

  1. “Reading would make me brilliant, but writing would make me infinite”

Juliet takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera or William Shakespeare?

2. “All that glitters is not gold”

All That Glitters by Lucy and Lydia Connell or William Shakespeare?

3. “If love is like a possession, maybe my letters are like my exorcism”

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han or William Shakespeare?

4. “My thoughts are stars I cannot fathom into constellations”

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green or William Shakespeare?

5. “If music be the food of love, play on”

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan or William Shakespeare?

Swatch: Our Spring 24 issue of Swatch, the Glasgow School Libraries eMagazine is now available. Here are some links to our previous issues: Winter 23, Autumn 23, Summer 23, Spring 23, Winter 22, Autumn 22, Summer 22, Spring 22, Winter 21, Autumn 21, Summer 21, Spring 21, Winter 20, Autumn 20.

 

Literary and Cultural Celebration Booklists for March: Booklists to tie into various literary and cultural celebrations.

Anti-Racism Book List: Anti-Racism fiction and nonfiction.

International Women’s Day Book List: Fiction and nonfiction books about women’s history, feminism, and equal rights.

Neurodiversity Book List: Nonfiction and fiction books featuring neurodiverse characters.

Ramadan Reads Book List: Fiction and nonfiction books by Muslim authors and featuring Muslim characters.

STEM Nonfiction Book List: STEM nonfiction.

Trans & Gender Nonconforming Book List: Nonfiction and fiction books featuring transgender and gender nonconforming characters.

 

Recent Arrivals: New Book Highlights

Forensic Science by Chris Cooper

The Illustrated History of Ghosts by Adam A Boardman

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland

Kicked Out by AM Dassu

The Minecraft Ideas Book by Thomas McBrien

 

Trending Booklists: Monthly highlights and new releases

Epic Reads – New Releases

The Guardian – Children’s Book Roundup

Love Reading for Kids – Books of the Month

Scholastic – Books of the Month

Scottish Book Trust – Book Lists

Toppsta – Our Favorite New Children’s Books This Month

Waterstone’s – Books of the Month

 

Recent Awards: UK book award winners, shortlists, and longlists

Inclusive Books for Children Award – Winners

British Book Awards – Shortlist

UKLA Book Award – Shortlist

Women’s Prize for Fiction – Longlist

Women’s Prize for Nonfiction – Longlist

YOTO Carnegie Medals – Shortlists

 

Competitions: Writing competitions for young people

Foyles Young Poets of the Year Competition

Henrietta Branford Writing Competition

Poetry By Heart Competition

 

Book Buzz: Latest book news from major media outlets and Young Adult book websites

BBC

Book Riot

Buzzfeed

Epic Reads

The Guardian

Huffpost

The New York Times

 

What’s On in April

Pop-Up Library: Exams will be taking place in the library starting April and throughout May, but pupils can visit our Pop-Up Library stall (location TBA) for book returns and collections as well as weekly activities.

Talk Like Shakespeare Day Activities: We’ll be creating Shakespeare masks and Elizabethan ruffle collar using the templates from Talklikeshakespeare.org and uploading a list of Shakespearean phrases still commonly used today.

Teams Quizzes: Our Quizzes will be uploaded to Teams using MS Forms in lieu of exams.

National Pet Month Quiz: Learn fun facts about our furry, feathered, and leathered friends.

World Art Day Quiz: Test your knowledge of artists, paintings, and styles. Comes with an accompany list of links to famous museums and galleries from around the world.

International Guitar Month Quiz: For serious guitar aficionados, this quiz is packed with facts about one of the world’s most popular instruments. The interactive answer sheet included is jammed with links with further information and videos.

 

Displays and Booklists for April:

Planet vs Plastics Book List: The theme for this year’s Earth Day is Planet vs Plastics to raise awareness on the health and environmental risks of plastics.

Stress Book List: Stress Awareness Month calls for a greater awareness of the negative impact of stress. Our booklist features some Nonfiction titles to help young People manage their stress.

Autism Book List: World Autism Month and Autism Awareness Day (April 2nd) aims to celebrate Autism awareness and acceptance. Our Junior, Young Adult, and Senior + Staff booklists feature nonfiction and fiction titles featuring Autistic characters.

Shakespeare Quiz answers:

  1. Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera
  2. The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
  3. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han
  4. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
  5. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

 

Five Word Book Reviews – Whitehill Secondary School Library

As part of our World Book Day festivities, pupils were invited to write a five word book review for a chance to be entered into a prize draw. Below is a list of the books they’ve reviewed.

  1. Afterlove by Tanya by Tanya Byrne: Heartfelt, Emotional, Agonising, Romantic, Tragic by A
  2. Billionaire Boy by David Walliams: Funny, wealth, youth, friendship, humour
  3. Dracula by Bram Stoker: Seduction, bloodlust, pursuit, doom
  4. The Final Problem by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Confrontation, sacrifice, death, dedication,
  5. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: Senior, abandonment, tragedy, selfishness, consequence
  6. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling: Mystery, exciting, enjoyable, magical, extraordinary
  7. Heartstopper V1 by Alice Oseman: Heartfelt, sweet, romantic, freedom, trauma
  8. Heartstopper V2 by Alice Oseman: Surprise, sweet, love, realisation, heartfelt
  9. Heartstopper V3 by Alice Oseman: Supportive, encouraging, love, family, hope
  10. Heartstopper V4 by Alice Oseman: Adventure, helplessness, love, care, charming
  11. Heartstopper V5 by Alice Oseman: Growth, sensitive, relationships, love, heartfelt
  12. The Malign Mischief of Megabyte by Steve Barlow: Cool, weird, boring, crazy, fun
  13. Morgan Charmley, Teen Witch by Katy Birchill: Magical, growth, belief, hope, self-love
  14. Over the Line by Tom Palmer and Ollie Cuthbertson: Dull, profound, cunning, silly, glorious
  15. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan: Exciting, funny, comedic, thrilling, eye-opening
  16. Powerless by Lauren Roberts: Unpredictable, Labyrinthine, convoluted, ambiguous, riveting
  17. Solitaire by Alice Oseman: well being, helplessness, love, happiness, optimism
  18. Some Girls Do by Jennifer Dugan: Realisation, Sweet, Heartfelt, Growing, Love

 

 

 

February 2024 Reoundup – Whitehill Secondary School Library

This month, we’ve been busy working on reorganizing the library by expanding and adding new sections to our Fiction and Nonfiction collections. So far, we’ve expanded the Comedy, Horror, Fantasy and Science Fiction sections. Our new sections include:

Equality & Empowerment: Fiction and non-fiction books about equal rights for all and include our Shelf Help section with books about mental health and wellness.

Historical Fiction: Stories set in the past.

Slice of Life: Realistic stories, families, friendships, and romance.

Thrillers: Action, crime, and mystery stories.

 

What’s Trending: Popular and recently borrowed books this month.

Heartstopper by Alice Oseman

Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater

The Extremely Embarrassing Life of Lottie Brooks by Katie Kirby

Charlotte Says by Alex Bell

Cheerleaders by Kara Thomas

 

Recent Arrivals: New book highlights.

The Football Encyclopedia by Emily Stead

Youngblood by Sasha Laurens

Plants & Fungi by DK

Amazing Ancient World Atlas by Nancy Dickman

Northern Soul by Phil Earle

 

Trending Booklists

Epic Reads – New Releases

The Guardian – Children’s Book Roundup

Love Reading for Kids – Books of the Month

Scholastic – Books of the Month

Scottish Book Trust – Book Lists

Toppsta – Our Favorite New Children’s Books This Month

Waterstone’s – Books of the Month

 

Recent Awards

Excelsior Award – Shortlist

Klaus Flugge Prize – Shortlist

Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize – Shortlist

YOTO Carnegie Medals for Writing and Illustration – Longlist

 

Book Buzz

BBC

Book Riot

Buzzfeed

Epic Reads

The Guardian

Huffpost

The New York Times

What’s On – March

World Book Day week:

5 Word Book Review Prize Draw – This year, we’re encouraging pupils to submit book reviews of some of their favourite or most recently read books using only 5 words. Each entry goes into our World Book Day prize draw. The reviews will be displayed outside the library on our bulletin board.

World Book Day Quiz – We’ll also be hosting our annual World Book Day quiz, hosted by members of our Pupil Library Committee during lunchtime.

Shakespeare Week:

Choice Board – Pupils can learn more about Shakespeare and his work using our interactive choice board which will be posted on our Teams Library Channel.

Shakespeare or YA Quiz – Participants must guess if a given quote was featured in either one of Shakespeare’s plays or from a popular Young Adult novel.

Displays and Booklists for March: Booklists of monthly cultural and literacy events.

Anti-Racism Book List: Anti-Racism fiction and nonfiction.

STEM Nonfiction Book List: STEM nonfiction.

Neurodiversity Book List: Nonfiction and fiction books featuring neurodiverse characters.

Ramadan Reads Book List: Fiction and nonfiction books by Muslim authors.

International Women’s Day Book List: Fiction and nonfiction books about women’s history, feminism, and equal rights.

Trans & Gender Nonconforming Book List: Nonfiction and fiction books featuring transgender and gender nonconforming characters.

Plans for 2024 – Whitehill Secondary School Library

Hello! I’m Miss DeLeavey, the new School Librarian for Whitehill Secondary School. In this blog, I will post monthly roundups of the events and activities that took place in the School Library.

Some plans for this year include:

February: We will recruit a Pupil Library Committee with the help of the library volunteers to ensure the service is led by and for young people. We will also circulate a BGE survey to inform our stock selection and plan the activities that our pupils will engage in. We will also share booklists for LGBT History Month and Children’s Mental Health Week (5th-11th).

March: We will organize some fun activities as part of World Book Day week (4th-8th), including a quiz and a 5-word Book Review competition. As part of Shakespeare Week (18th-24th) we’ll post an interactive choice board linked to information about Shakespeare and his works. We’ll also host a lunchtime Shakespeare or YA quiz where participants will guess whether the quote is from one of Shakespeare’s works or a popular YA novel. We will also share booklists for International Women’s Day (8th), Ramadan (starting 10th), British Science Week (8th-17th), Neurodiversity Celebration Week (18th-24th), Anti-Racism Day (21st) and International Transgender Visibility Day (31st).

April: For World Book Night (23rd), we will host a special ‘Biblio Bistro’ during lunchtime where pupils can ‘sample’ a variety of books from our book menu. We will host a 50-word short story competition to tie in with National Tell a Story Day (27th) and a fun activity to celebrate Talk Like Shakespeare Day (23rd). We will also share booklists for Stress Awareness Month, World Autism Day (2nd), and Earth Day (22nd).

May: We will host a quiet reading hour during lunch as part of Mental Health Awareness Week (13th-19th) and Keep the Heid and Read, a celebration of reading across libraries in Scotland to take the pledge to read for just 6 minutes. We will also host a Star Wars-themed quiz as part of Star Wars Day (4th) and an Edgar Allan Poe or YA quiz for World Goth Day (22nd). We will also share booklists for International YA Literature Month, and World Goth Day.

June: We will show some livestream author events as part of the annual Empathy Day (6th) celebrations. The library will host a Reading Picnic as part of National Picnic Week (17th-25th). We will also share booklists for Audiobook Month, National Crime Reading Month, Pride Month, Refugee Week (17th-25th),

We’ve curated several themed booklists that have been uploaded to our Library Channel in Teams for pupils looking for reading recommendations. We will add new ones throughout the year to tie in with various literacy and cultural events, with input from our young people. The lists have a wide range of titles for Junior, Young Adult, and Senior and Adult fiction and nonfiction. Access the booklists on the Glasgow School Libraries Book Lists article on our blog.

December in Whitehill School Library

 

Happy holidays from Whitehill School Library!

The school is feeling very festive this month and we’ve even set up a wee tree in the library. Pupils enthusiastically decorated it with origami, baubles- and reading recommendations! Here are some of the book titles that pupils added to our tree. All are available to borrow from the school library.

Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell

Dunvegan School for Girls has been closed for many years. Converted into a family home, the teachers and students are long gone. But they left something behind…

Northern lights by Philip Pullman

Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world…

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerising voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. But Katniss has been close to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. The Hunger Games is a searing novel set in a future with unsettling parallels to our present. Welcome to the deadliest reality TV show ever…

The goldfinch by Donna Tartt

Theo Decker, aged thirteen, is left alone in the world after surviving a catastrophe that kills his only close relative – his mother – and tears him away from everything he knows. Tormented by grief, drifting from home to home, he grows increasingly obsessed with a small, enchanting work of art which dominates his imagination and ultimately draws him, as an adult, into a much darker life than he could ever have foreseen.

Lord of the rings by  J. R. R. Tolkien

Sauron, the Dark Lord, has gathered to him all the Rings of Power – the means by which he intends to rule Middle-earth. All he lacks in his plans for dominion is the One Ring – the ring that rules them all – which has fallen into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins.

In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.

Non-fiction November @ Whitehill

National Non-Fiction November is the Federation of Children’s Book Groups’ annual celebration of all things factual. This month in Whitehill school library we’re spotlighting some of favourite new non-fiction books to celebrate all those readers that have a passion for information and facts.  

Engineers making a difference / Illustrated by Adam Allsuch Boardman  

Engineers are the superheroes of the real world. They use their problem-solving skills to face down the biggest challenges we have, from creating clean energy to designing prosthetic limbs, from eliminating food shortages to programming AI to exploring the surface of Mars. In this book you’ll meet 46 engineers, from apprentices and lab technicians to university professors and start-up CEOs and hear what problems they are solving and why they love their jobs. Engineers are changing the world. Will you be one of them? 

Beauty, hair, style / Sophie Hannah Stanford 

It’s time to let go of outdated beauty rules and expectations, and to discover empowering and exciting ways to express yourself. Welcome to the new beauty bible. This book has absolutely everything you need to know, from how to put together your beauty kit, take care of your skin and master basic techniques, to ideas for experimenting with hair colour and styles, and finding sustainable ways to develop your look. Including step-by-step illustrated tutorials and aspirational ideas, it is packed full of information to teach, inspire and give you the confidence to develop your own unique style.  Life is short – so let yourself feel good being you! 

Pinch of nom budget : affordable, delicious food / Kate & Kay Allinson 

Pinch of Nom Budget is bursting with meals and desserts that bring all the flavour for a fraction of the cost. From cheeky fakeaways and hearty one-pan meals to mouthwatering sweet treats, this food feels so indulgent that you’d never guess it’s also wallet friendly.  Thanks to bold flavours, delicious recipes and affordable ingredients, Pinch of Nom Budget has your mealtimes sorted.
 

Automotive : a visual history of automobiles / Illustrated by Ryo Takemasa 

A stunningly illustrated tribute to all things car, Automotive celebrates the ingenuity and usability of cars, trucks and motorbikes past, present and future. From Karl Benz’s Motorwagon, through to the flashiest, super-fast cars of today, Automotive is a spectacular look at the history of road vehicles throughout the world, and the fantasy and jaw-dropping awe they evoke. Packed full of iconic models including the rip-roaring Hot Rods and luxurious limousines with beautiful artwork by the award-winning artist Ryo Takemasa. 

What’s where on Earth? History atlas : history as you’ve never seen it before 

What’s Where on Earth? History Atlas is totally unique and the ideal book for anyone and everyone who wants to know more about the world. This round-the-world trip begins with the first humans and cities before visiting the Egyptian pharaohs and experiencing the rise of the Roman Empire. This History Atlas is the perfect gift for children curious about the past and the world around them, as well as parents and educators looking for a visual way to tell stories. 

And last but not least, we’ve got some fresh footie books! Our football section is always popular, these won’t be on the shelf for long.  

Football rules the world / Illustrated by Dan Green 

Robertson : from the playground to the pitch/ Matt and Tom Oldfield 

Vinicius Junior : from the playground to the pitch / Matt and Tom Oldfield 

Klopp, Tales from the touchline / Harry Coninx 

Dyslexia Awareness Week

From the 2nd to 8th October 2023, Dyslexia Awareness Week  will be celebrating individuals with dyslexia from all backgrounds and walks of life. This year’s theme is Uniquely You, which celebrates the diversity of the dyslexic community and the rich variety of lived experiences of dyslexia. 

Barrington Stoke Logo which reads 'Dyslexia Friendly'To celebrate the week we’re spotlighting some of our new Barrington Stoke books in Whitehill School Library.  Each book has a dyslexia-friendly layout, typeface and paper stock so that even more readers can enjoy it.  Barrington Stoke publish a fantastic range of fiction and non-fiction books for all ages and interests, and there are lots more available in the school library.

Click the images to get a sneak peek of first chapters. 

The day the hiccups took overimage of book cover for 'the day the hiccups took over'

Frank has a big day ahead of him, with a trip to the dentist, a trumpet exam, a swimming contest and, most important of all, he has tickets to see his knitting hero on stage right here in his hometown! But all that is put at risk when Frank wakes up with the hiccups. And they just won’t STOP!  

Helped by his new friend Daisy, Frank tries ever more madcap ideas to get the hiccups to go away. But will the whole day end in disappointment and humiliation, or will Frank manage to turn calamity into a dramatic triumph? 

Book cover for 'Bertie and the alien chicken'Bertie and the alien chicken

Bertie is NOT looking forward to spending the summer holidays on stinky Long Bottom Farm. But things take an interesting turn when he encounters Nugget, the alien chicken. Nugget’s mission is to find the Earth’s most valuable resource and transport it back to Nurgle 7, and he needs Bertie’s help.

But what could the Earth’s most valuable resource be, and can they find it in time to stop the Nurgles exterminating the Earth?! 

 

 

Calling the walesImage of book cover for 'Calling the wales' by Jasbinder Bilan.

When Tulsi and her best friend Satchen spot something unusual in the sea near their home in Scotland, they decide to investigate. But little do they know how much danger they are putting themselves in. After rowing out to a nearby island, they become involved in a risky rescue mission and their boat capsizes in a storm. 

But just as they think all is lost, help arrives from an unexpected source … 

Image of book cover for Ravencave by Marcus Sedgwick

Ravencave

While mucking about in the ruins of an old farm while on holiday in Yorkshire, James hears strange laughter echoing around the walls. The ghost of a young girl appears to him and urges James to follow her but at first he’s too afraid. 

When she appears again, this time James follows. But will he be able to face the terrible truth she reveals …? 

 

Little womenImage of book cover for Little Women a retelling by Laura Wood

 

When you’re one of four sisters, it can be difficult to find your own identity. But that’s never the case for the March girls – sweet Meg, tomboyish Jo, shy Beth and precocious Amy. 

With their father away at war and their mother working long hours, the sisters have to look out for each other and make their own entertainment. Although disagreements arise, their strong bond, vivid imaginations and infectious sense of fun see them through the darkest of days in this timeless coming-of-age story. 

 

Image of book cover for Frankenstein: a retelling by Tanya LandmanFrankenstein

A thrilling gothic tale of hubris gone badly wrong. A young man’s search for the secret of the spark of life leads him to a horrific experiment in which he creates a gigantic creature from dismembered body parts. Rejected by his creator, the initially gentle creature turns monstrous when his desire to find companionship and love are thwarted. 

Tanya Landman revisits Mary Shelley’s classic Gothic horror story, bringing to life Dr Frankenstein and his monstrous creation in an accessible format that more readers can enjoy. 

The curio collectors

Image of book cover for The curio collectors by Eloise Williams

Lily, Tom and Ma Hawker are the Curio Collectors, travelling the country and enthralling crowds with their amazing collection of treasures. When an unusual piece of scrimshaw, a shell with delicate carvings, comes into their possession, it attracts the attention of a young maid, who is searching for a special shell that belonged to her mother. But another shadowy figure is also very interested in the scrimshaw, and it appears he will stop at nothing to get his hands on it.

Can the Curio Collectors uncover the mystery behind the carvings before time runs out?

Image of book cover for Dragonracers by Peter BunzlDragonracers

Kitty Hawk dreams of taking to the skies and competing in the world’s first long-distance air race. But little does she imagine that her first flight will take place on the back of a dragon! When Kitty and her brother find an unusual egg, the little dragon that hatches from it grows rapidly into a magnificently powerful creature that learns to fly with Kitty riding on her back.

Together, can they win the huge prize that’s at stake, and will their daring adventure bring Kitty closer to achieving her dreams?