Hyndland library celebrate World Book Day with a Big Book Quiz at lunchtimes throughout the week. The Friday Finishers also created this wonderful display to celebrate the day.
World Book Day Display
World book Day quiz
March means World Book Day time! The library has handed out lots of tokens and they’re available until the end of the month. WBD token can be used to claim a free book in bookshops an participating shops until 31st March. You can find out about the books and shops here.
To mark the day, this year pupils competed in quizzes and joined in some bookish games of Tumbling Towers. Every block had a question or action and we had some delightful reading dares as forfeits. Big thanks to all the pupil library assistants who helped out as activity leaders.
On 13th March the Yoto Carnegie award shortlist was announced and the pupil assistants have jumped right in. We’re reading Away with words , The door of no return and Steady for this at the moment, you can find out more about these titles below. Stay tuned for next month’s blog to see what we thought.
Away with words by Sophie Cameron
Gala and her dad, Jordi, have just moved from home in Cataluña to a town in Scotland, to live with Jordi’s boyfriend Ryan. Gala doesn’t speak much English, and feels lost, lonely and unable to be her usual funny self. Until she befriends Natalie, a girl with selective mutism. Set in a world where words appear physically when people speak, AWAY WITH WORDS explores the importance of communication and being there for those we love
The door of no return / Kwame Alexander
Eleven-year-old Kofi Offin loves these things above all else: his family, the fireside tales of his father’s father, a girl named Ama, and, of course, swimming. But when the unthinkable occurs during a festival between rival villages, Kofi ends up in a fight for his life. What happens next will send him on a harrowing journey across land and sea, and away from everything he loves.
Steady for this by Nathanael Lessore
Shaun (aka MC Growls) is ready to drop his best bars and smash the competition at Raptology. That way, he’s convinced Tanisha, his crush, will finally give him a chance.
But when a livestream practice goes epically wrong, Growls’s dirty laundry is literally exposed. He’s finally achieved his dreams of going viral – not in the good way.
Now Tanisha won’t look at him, he’s the joke of the school and there’s no way he can show his face at the competition. Will he ever catch a break?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, taking place in March and April this year. It is a holy month which Muslims observe by giving, fasting, worship, studying the Quran, spiritual reflection, prayer and helping others. The end of Ramadan will be celebrated in April with Eid al-Fitr – the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. Remember to be considerate of your Muslim friends during Ramadan, as they may be fasting during the day.
Many St Roch’s pupils are observing Ramadan this month, including some of our library volunteers. They put together a lovely library display to share information about Islamic culture and promote Muslim authors. Well done to Rose & co for their work.
The holidays will soon be upon us, we hope you all enjoy a well earned break. Time to rest and recharge before getting ready for exam season!
Ramadan Mubarak & Happy Easter to everyone celebrating.
Our S3 Duke of Edinburgh Volunteers made a book display for Holocaust Memorial Day.
Readers from S1 & S2 classes chatted about what they’ve been reading, and here are their recommendations :
S1-S3 pupils’ booklist
We discussed the importance of books and films, as there are now very few remaining survivors of the Holocaust, making it more important than ever that their voices be honoured and saved for future generations.
On 1st February we celebrated World Hijab Day. Our book display included authors and book characters who proudly wear the hijab, including Ayaan Mohamud, A.M. Dassu, Tahereh Maafi, Hiba Noor Khan, & S. K. Ali.
Our Rights Respecting Schools pupils did a tannoy announcement, and explained all about the origins of World Hijab Day, founded by Nazma Khan. While making our book display, we chatted about Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad (who has written several books), and ballet dancer Stephanie Kurlow. We all want to see more library books showing better representation of hijab wearing, so we did some research on this, and have ordered some exciting new titles.
The lovely artwork is by Evelina and Brenna in S5.
Lorraine, at her Waterstone’s book launch
I went to the book launch of ‘The Island Swimmers’, and met Lorraine Kelly at Waterstones bookshop. It was lovely to meet a TV personality who is such a passionate supporter of books and reading. Can’t wait to read this, as I’ve been to Orkney , where the book is set, many times, and it’s a place that I love (although I’ve never been wild swimming!).
Coming soon….
‘Reading Schools’ gifts from Scottish Book Trust
We have lots to look forward to in March including World Book Day, lots of reading, a good bit of book partying from our young people & staff, and more great work from our Reading Schools leadership group. Happy reading!
2023 was a busy year in the library at Springburn Academy with the library being reorganised into genre sections. The library assistants have been reflecting on the library and what improvements they could make during 2024:
‘l love Springburn Academy’s library! It gives us a safe but fun space for reading, eating and chatting. I feel the library would be better if it was less busy so I could shelf books easier without climbing over S1s but other than this the library is a wonderful place and I’m so glad to have it in my school.’ KA (S2)
‘I love the library because Colin is really nice and supports me even when I get into trouble in class. I would say there should be a limit on how many people come in at a time because it can get so busy people can’t move around the books’ JK (S3)
‘The library can be peaceful and is full of nice and friendly people. I want to make more displays because the huge variety of books makes it hard to pick sometimes’ MK (S1)
‘I like the library because it’s easy to socialise with people and it’s always fun and occasionally calm, sometimes I think the library would be better if there was a day when only people wanting to read and use it as a library were allowed in!’ YX (S2)
‘The library is a very safe place where you can enjoy seeing your friends, I would like to make the library better by opening it all week!’ LMC (S1)
‘I like the library because it is calm and not scary like the rest of the school so obviously I would like it to be calmer and less busy during breaks like it is during class time’ CR (S3)
‘Here is what I think is good about the library: It’s very friendly. It’s social. Not many rules. Colin is nice and supportive. Places to sit at the back. People to talk to. All ages allowed and we all mix together. Here is what I would change: More seats available. No running. Make it bigger. A quiet area to study separate from where I eat my lunch’ AR (S1)
St Roch’s Library assistants have put together some great displays this month. October is Black History Month, an important occasion to recognise and celebrate the invaluable contributions of black people to British society. Pupils chose books by Black authors to highlight for the month, including fiction by Angie Thomas , Malorie Blackman and Sharna Jackson. There’s also a great junior edition of ‘Black and British‘ by David Olusoga available.
If you are a fan of star signs, we’ve got a new monthly Bookoscope display. Pupils have researched the different star signs to help them find books to match each one. Every month library assistants will choose new books for the current star sign. This month features Libra and Virgo. Don’t worry Scorpios- you’re up next!
And of course, we’ve got our Spooky Reads to celebrate spooky season. Pupils have filled our display with horror, spooks, ghouls and (most frightening of all) glitter galore. Happy Halloween!
White scary ghost isolated illustration
What I’m Reading ….
Before the Coffee Gets Cold
our students are reading ….
Bright by Jessica Jung
Both titles are part of our September theme : East and South East Asian Heritage Month, #ESEAHM celebrating the writing and culture of China, Japan, Korea and other countries in this geographical area. 
The book display was created by our S3 Duke of Edinburgh volunteers.
Our Writing for Fun lunchtime club is new this month. Inspired by our White Water Writers project last session, our original group of young writers are now mentoring S1 pupils to enjoy creative writing. They chose fun writing prompts including “Pretend you’re a toothbrush”.
We had a brilliant time. The mentors are busy making plans for next month, including a new theme, and a Competition.
Well done everyone. Some of our S1 and S2 pupils’ creative writing, and illustrations :
Try something new
Thanks to Adam for bringing in a favourite book for me to try. As I’m not usually a fan of Sci-fi/ Fantasy, I’m really enjoying reading a new genre. Happy reading everyone.
Children of Time
We hope you enjoy our reading highlights from December/ January. Huge thank you to our visitors, and also to the wonderful Library Helpers and young people for taking part!
Miss Brown’s S2 enjoyed a drawing workshop with Neil Slorance. We were inspired to hear about Neil’s early comics, love of drawing, travelogues and astronomy, and the brilliant graphic novels ‘Dungeon Fun’, and Doctor Who. We learned how to draw faces, adding features to create expressions, and even had a shot at drawing our own comic strips, collaboratively with classmates.
This event was funded by the School Library Improvement Fund.
Also in January, we welcomed author Manjeet Mann, Clare from Refuweegee, and Fraser, Thomas and Clara from the Scottish Book Trust. This event was part of a Scottish Friendly Book Tour. This workshop was amazing! We heard about Manjeet’s journey as a writer, enjoyed readings from her verse novels ‘Run Rebel’, and ‘The Crossing’, tried some free-writing exercises, shared our work to the audience, had a Q. & A. So much great feedback :
“I loved the part when we had activities to do with a famous author. It inspired me to be more imaginative and to write more” Haya (S2)
“S2 are currently looking at equality and empowerment, and this event helped to bring what we had been talking about in class to life. The pupil interaction (writing task) was brilliant. All round super event!” Mrs Ford, PT Pupil Voice
Also impressive was the care and effort put in by all young people and staff to provide a warm welcome. An outstanding day, happy memories were made, and pupils left inspired!
In December, we had visits from Ailbhe and Martha, from Glasgow Zine Library. We loved making our own zines at these fun workshops. GZL is an amazing local resource, and we are very grateful to Ailbhe for setting up links with us and working with our wonderful Equalities Alliance and Anti-Racist groups.
Also in December, over 200 S1 pupils completed the Glasgow Libraries Christmas Reading Challenge and received these lovely certificates. Well done everyone.
Our pupil helpers have been busy creating displays. Here is a selection:
World Hijab Day
Holocaust Memorial Day
Burns Day Poetry
The Reading Schools Committee is back in action. We enjoyed a Christmas party, put together a list of favourite books to read for Christmas and we’re now getting to grips with the YAldi shortlist. YAldi – Glasgow School Libraries’ Book Award – is a new event in the reading calendar, organised by Ms DeLeavey and Ms Sferrazzo 😊. We are looking forward to interviewing Ann Sei Lin via e-mail (what an amazing opportunity)! and voting for our favourite book in April.
Ann Sei Lin
Book Reviews Ending on a high note, our keen readers are always happy to share their book reviews. We hope that these will help you find a book that you will love. Happy Reading !
The Night Circus by Erin Morgensten “I really loved this book. It’s the definition of a fantasy book. It’s so magical and really transports you to another world. Definitely my favourite book.” Isha, S4
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell “Beautifully written and full of historical detail. Deeply moving; I would recommend this book” Ms Blackburn
From the 28th of February till the 4th of March, the St Mungo’s library had a full program of book festivities to give the chance to every pupils in the school to celebrate.
The daily S1 library visits enjoyed a very special scavenger hunt made for the occasion. Every participants received a book token to get a free book from their favourite bookshop in town.
At lunch, the library helpers worked hard to display all the free books we received for the occasion and made sure to spread the love of reading among the school.
We had two exciting competitions running that week:
The book cover competition designed by some of our Higher and S3 Elective young people in partnership with the Art department.
Here are the three winners:
The bookface competition with very creative S3 pupils.
Here are some fantastic entries:
And finally at lunch, the library “display committee” had the responsibility to count the votes for the Scottish Teen Book prize.
They really embraced the task!
World book day(s!) was a huge success at St Mungo’s with more than 500 tokens given away to actual and potential readers!
Hello!
March means World Book Day. This means holding great celebration in our school, here are some of things we did.
Our library assistants Jude and Abdul organised a super fun Book Quiz, that had a wonderful participation!
Only for the library assistants, Ms Spaltro organised a treasure hunt inspired and with the book character Wally. And here’s one for you, can you find Wally in this post?
At the event, we also announced the three library assistants of the month. They have been chosen because of their great commitment to the library, but also the support they have given to other library users. The three young people awarded have also been behind the scenes of many very successful events, such as Harry Potter Night etc.
Here’s the comment from Jack, one of the library assistants of the month about the whole celebration:
“We had a great time at the library. We played a fun game on blooket, we had a “Were’s Wally” hunt around the library and we all got to take a book or two home.”
As we believe that also teachers should be involved in World Book Day celebration, we organised a free book station for them, to get a copy of two wonderful CPD books.
These are only some of the different activities and displays we arranged around the school, please check out Twitter feed if you want to know more.
Happy Reading!
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