09/03/2022 Book of the Week Dave Grohl: The Storyteller
An autobiography by famous drummer, singer and guitarist, Dave Grohl, in which he tells stories of growing up and his rise in fame. He is one of the most recognised artists in the music industry. Collection of memories from all stages of his life that offers us a real honest look at his extraordinary life made up of ordinary moments. Relationships, friendships, work colleagues get to know the man behind the music. An essential read for those thinking of getting into the music industry.
20/02/22 Book of the Week If This Gets Out
The pressure of being in the most popular boy band in the current universe is immense. So imagine being gay and not allowed to declare who you really are as your management fears how it will affect your bands popularity. Then add to it the realisation your attracted to a fellow band member. Meet Ruben who is going through exactly that. Attracted to fellow member Zach, out to his friends but not to the world Zach navigates popularity whilst trying to be true to himself.
10/01/22 Book of the Week Alanna: The Song of the Lioness
Tortall is a city of knights and thieves and rouges. Where magicians dwell and intrigue is an every day occurrence. Alanna is an 11 year old girl with the dream of being a knight. She is strong, tough and brave but she is up against a system which only lets boys enter training. Her twin brother has no interest in being a knight, he is a scholar and wants to spend his time locked in the school of magic trying to become a great sorcerer. What’s a girl to do? Disguise herself as a boy and change her name to Alan. Following Alanna’s journey and learn if her plan works out in the magical world from author Tamora Pierce.
29/11/2021 Book of the Week The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Recently adapted for the stage The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a fantastical adventure charting the narrators (a young boy) journey from a horrific event and accident through the magical forces it seemingly unleashes on the narrators world. The heroes are the both the boy but also three women who live at the end of his lane one who believes her duck pond is in fact the ocean. As one of the most visual authors of our time Neil Gaiman paints for the reader a very rural setting mixed with fantastical mythical creatures, every day chores mixed with great battles with a few scares thrown in to shake the reader out of their comfort zone. This book can be found in our School Library in the Senior Fiction section.
Trailer for the stage adaptation of The Ocean at the End of the Lane
22/11/2021 Book of the Week Be Kind
Be Kind has tips on how to improve happiness, health and positive thinking. It features articles and comments and thoughts from tv personalities Fearne Cotton, Holly Willoughby and author Matt Haig to name a few. The School Library will be getting a copy or two to add to our collection of self help and mindfulness books that I’m building in the Library. Read and feel more kind, more positive. The book states “Kindness is your superpower”.
04/11/2021 Book of the Week The Color Purple
Warning: The book uses racist and inflammatory language to depict the times of which the novel is set and how individuals of the characters circumstances would have been treated and spoken to. Language may now cause distress. There are themes of rape, domestic abuse and child abuse. The book is in the Senior Section of the Library
The Color Purple is Alice Walker’s look at rural Georgia from 1909 to 1949 through the eyes of two black sisters raised in the South. Both girls lives differ greatly as they find themselves, bereaved, abused and then separated at a young age to lead very different lives. The growing strength in the main character Celie who in the beginning is very much a cowed woman by the men who have been in her life, first her Step Dad, then her husband and her husbands son by another woman. The sisterly bond stretched by separation but still held dear in Celie’s heart is also a strength for Celie to draw on as her actions are often out of protection for her sister and those around her. Hard reading, the author does not hold back when describing the violence but the high points in Celie’s life do feel like bright points of light in the reading of the novel especially the friendship that develops into love between Celie and Shug Avery. Written as letters to God in the beginning, moving to letters to her sister and from her sister as the novel moves through.
27/09/2021 Book of the Week Lonely Planet Pocket Travel Guides
After not being able to go anywhere for quite a long time some of us will be planning trips away whether it be in our own country or abroad. Lonely Planet Travel Guides are pocket sized books on countries and cities breaking down places into easily manageable portions of information on sights, hotels, history, restaurants, currency, transport and people, There is also a map at the back of the books for ease. We have several different Lonely Planet Guides for example Barcelona, Dublin, Greece vin our Travel section. Handy for travel but also for the Travel and Tourism module and Geography.
20/09/2021 Book of the Week Sailor Moon Vol 1
One of my hardest jobs is finding Manga that is suitable for a school library. Content can be a real minefield. It is thanks to websites that offer advice and Librarians groups like the SLN that I’m able to make informed choices.
I personally think Manga is an awesome book format. You read it back to front from right to left, it is a proper reading challenge. The Sailor Moon series was a pupil request so I researched and then purchased the first 8 books. The story goes that a young girl has the power to transform herself into a superhero Sailor Moon. She defends the Earth with her similarly super powered friends. Initially there was meant to be one story arc of the series produced but there are now 5 in total. It has a fairy tale vibe with princesses, princes, dark princes and little fairy type people and the art work is stunning. Find Sailor Moon in our Manga section. All manga are classified under the first three letters of the authors surname.
13/09/2021 Book of the Week RAT
Misunderstandings, judgements, plots and misplaced anger rule this book as mistakes are made on many sides and the story is told through the eyes and thoughts of Al a youth who has had a difficult childhood and who finds his world is held together by the affections and antics of his two pet rats.
Find out more about the author Patrice Lawrence and the books she has written here
https://www.booktrust.org.uk/authors/l/lawrence-patrice/
06/09/2021 Book of the Week Cane Warriors
Covering a topic such as the slave uprising on the cane plantations in Jamaica in 1760 as a fictional tale would never be an easy 
prospect. With any ethical and moral story to give events over as they happened and show historical social injustices for what they were through a characters eyes is a challenge but one that Alex Wheatle met. The book is endorsed by Amnesty International and based on true events follows Moa a teenager who joins the cane warriors and battles for freedom from slavery and oppression. Moa encounters hard decisions and difficult tasks as he fights to free the slaves from his own and neighbouring plantations from the cruel whip. An important look at British and Jamaican History. Hear Alex Wheatle discuss his book at our Edinburgh International Book Festival On Demand event in the Learning Plaza on Wednesday 22nd September 2021 at 3.30pm.
30/08/2021 Book of the Week Noughts and Crosses
Celebrating this year its 20th Anniversary since it was first published Noughts and Crosses reaches out to all readers to highlight injustices and how racial prejudice is wrong and the negative effects it has on people and whole societies. In the time line of the books slavery had been abolished but segregation and sets of rules governing different colours of skin exist. We see the effects of this on our two main protagonists. The Crosses (dark skinned individuals) have all the privileges of life, wealth, money, power, education, the noughts (lighter skinned individuals) are portrayed as have a menial existence living life on the poverty line with little chance of promotion or achieving. Sephy is a Cross and Callum is a nought who have known each other since they were little. In a world that frowns upon their friendship and forbids their love how do they navigate their world
whilst trying to maintain what they have together? With their lives taking very different paths and a kidnapping plot threatening Sephy and her family follow the trials in a society that does not want them to be together. The BBC adapted the novel into a television series available on BBC Iplayer.
Series: Noughts and Crosses, Knife Edge, Checkmate, Double Cross, and Crossfire
20/08/2021 Book of the Week Warrior Cats
For all cat lovers this book series a dream read. Capturing the natures of cats and combining it with an adventure genre is a
winning combination. Into the Wild is the first novel in the series and introduces Rusty the House Cat as our hero. Clans of wild cats have shared the land however an expansion by the sinister ShadowClan has every cat on edge and training to be a Warrior Cat is no mean feet. Laughter is provided in the form of the friendships that Rusty makes amongst the wild cats and you are quickly drawn into their society and way of living as if you’ve always know that’s how cats live in the wild. The first three books of the series are available in your school library.
Series: Into the Wild Dark River Forest of Secrets
01/06/2021 Book of the Week Red Queen
Apologies for the delay in updating the Book of the Week page with the preparation of the Big Book Giveaway in the library and the actual event week I’ve neglected our lovely pages. Well neglect no more. I’m going to to start of the month of June by mentioning a fantastic series that was donated by one of our pupils Caitlyn to the Library. The Red Queen series addresses some serious themes in a Fantasy setting. Racism (between the red bloods and the silver bloods), slavery and persecution, violence, poverty, a class system, attempted genocide of a species of human. Through the eyes of Mare, a young red blood girl we see how the all powerful Silvers who run the land try to maintain power and the corruption that exists in their ranks. Mare’s character develops and changes as she adapts to situations she has had no training or comprehension she would ever experience. “Lightening Girl” is a very apt nickname as her own body becomes a tool to empower a revolution. With her good friend Kilorn, two handsome princes with two different agendas, a loving family and an army at her back Mare is going to tear down the ruling class system with her bare hands. Powerful, emotional you’ll get attached to these characters.
Series: Red Queen Glass Sword Kings Cage War Storm
Prequels: Queens Song Steel Scars Cruel Crown
12/04/2021 Book of the Week Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
So inspired by ITV 2 and their epic Harry Potter movie marathon run these last few weeks I picked up again the Goblet of Fire and read them again from there ( I am very acquainted with the first three books). For me the Half Blood Prince is a change in tone and mood that is the biggest scene setter for the events of the Deathly Hallows. So caught up is Harry in the exploits of Draco Malfoy you are too dragged along in wondering what is happening, why is it happening and what will happen. Of course the ending is traumatic to anyone who has followed the books from the beginning and have a connection to these characters but I won’t give away anything here. The “Won-Won” Lavender and Ron escapades offer light relief in what is a fairly dark book. Its not one that is many peoples favourites but I think the Half Blood Prince is certainly one of the important ones in the series and it especially offers a glimpse into the life and role of Severus Snape in the story.
“It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more.” Albus Dumbledore
22/03/2021 Book of the Week F2 World of Football: How to Play Like A Pro
15/03/2021 Book of the Week Nation
If you are a fan of author Terry Pratchett’s wit and satirical comedy you will love Nation. Mau has found his home…gone. A disaster has struck that he barely survived himself. Now he travels on an adventure with a cast off Daphne, a girl with no toes, learning the art of survival. Facing off against hungry cannibals, Grandfather Birds, a tree climbing octopus and his own inevitable vulnerability to nature.
If your a fan of books like Swiss Family Robinson or films like Castaway you will really enjoy this book.
“Sometimes you laugh because you’ve got no more room for crying. Sometimes you laugh because table manners on a beach are funny. And sometimes you laugh because you’re alive, when you really shouldn’t be.”
08/03/2021 Book of the Week Who Ology
For those of you that are a fan of books that share little snippets of facts, statistics, inside information this is a must if you are also a Doctor Who Fan. Put together by Cavan Scott and Mark Wright Who Ology: Doctor Who The Official Miscellany is a glimpse into the Science Fiction World of BBC’s Time Lord. The book looks at the series from its beginning right up to just before the introduction of Clara Oswald as a companion to Matt Smiths rendition of the Doctor. Hand Drawn graphics and illustrations highlight a wealth of information such as the Doctors Family Tree, now there’s a “timey wimey” flow chart if ever I saw one, info on the actors who have played the title character, enemies, companions, aliens and much more.
Available to borrow from Non-Fiction section, DD 791.457
01/03/2021 Book of the Week Scythe
Death no longer exists except by the hand of the Scythes. In this dystopian future humans have found the technology to allow them to live forever. This has caused issues for the world in that there are not enough resources so to balance this overlap the order of the Scythes were created. The can kill anywhere, at any time, in any way as long as the balance of the world is kept in check.
They aren’t governed by the “Thundercloud” that exists to manage the rest of society they are instead governed by their own rules. Imagine walking down the street and seeing death coming towards you in his cloak and knowing there is nothing you can do about it. What if corruption occurs however, what if young idealists want to take things further and deliver death without a conscience? new Scythes are chosen carefully but what if an element of resistance to the old ways is building?
01/02/2021 Book of the Week Wings 1: Flyboy
Jatinder is a footballer in training but something is still holding him back. In this first novel of Tom Palmer’s Wings series we meet Jatinder and follow him on an amazing adventure from the pitch into he past where he finds himself in a cockpit of a Sopwith Camel during World War 1. How did he get there? Will he learn to fly? Will he ever get back to the present day?
Discover the diversity of the troops who fought in World War 1 through the eyes of a teenage footballer and the skills and heroics it took to survive in a time of war.
“And now Jatinder was running. Running hard with a tall blond defender following like his shadow.
Jatinder was determined to be on the end of the cross. That’s what he was all about. Mastering
midfield, then breaking into the box.
As he ran, Jatinder ignored the sky-bursting noise of the fighter plane that was coming in to land at
the RAF airbase nearby. He angled his run towards the penalty area. He ran as fast as he could, but not quite fast enough to outrun the defender powering along beside him.”
Also available in this series: Wings 2 Spitfire and Wings 3: Typhoon
Find out more at https://tompalmer.co.uk/free-stuff/
25/01/2021 Book of the Week Black Panther: A Nation Under Our Feet
Wakanda is in peril. There is a superhuman terrorist uprising, innocents are being harmed.
How can the technologically advanced society survive this anarchy in one piece and will the monarchy have to re-evaluate to survive. T’Challa, the current Black Panther faces uncertainty especially after the recent death of his sister Shuri.
What do The People want?
” I am the orphan King. Who defied the blood…who defied his country…and was divided from you. I came here to praise the heart of my country.”
14/12/2020 Book of the Week Ready Player Two (Sequel to Ready Player One)
When we last left our hero, Wade Watts, he had just won James Halliday’s competition and was now the co-owner of the virtual world known as the OASIS. This book begins nine days after the events of the first book. With more 80/90’s movie and book references than I can count on two hands this book explores what happened after. What is the last Easter Egg? Who is this dangerous new rival? Is there truly a way to make the OASIS more amazing and addictive? A virtual possible future or a dystopian nightmare awaits. Ernest Cline once again brings the best part of popular culture into his novels as his main character is taken on a rip-roaring adventure. Out now in hardback and soon in your school library
“The simulation had now become indistinguishable from real life.”
― Ready Player Two
14/09/2020 Book of the Week The Magicians
Author Lev Grossman has succeeded in creating a world based on power, those who have it and those who want it. This series can be found in the Senior section and features a fast paced fantasy adventure following main character Quentin Coldwater and his discovery that the magic that filled the fantasy novels of his youth is very much real and he is going to learn it…in the real world. These books were made into a television series that was available on 5 Star but can probably be found on box set somewhere. Question is are you a book before TV/Film person or a Film/TV before book person?
“…a silver statue of a bird that seemed to be twitching. Poor little thing, he said, petting it with his large hands, someone tried to change it into a real bird, but it got stuck in between. It think’s its alive, but its much too heavy to fly. The metal bird cheeped feebly, a dry, clicking noise like an empty pistol.”
07/09/2020 Book of the Week The Bone Sparrow
“The fences are back up. Every one. The Jackets have a book of photos, and they’ve gone around collecting all the people in the photos, even though the photos aren’t good or clear. I know because I saw some when they collected Ilhan from Family Three. Her kids were crying and trying to keep holding on to their Maa.
None of them has come back yet.”
Born in a detention facility in Australia Subhi is a refugee. He hasn’t known any life apart from the one behind the large fences where he lives with his mother and sister and many other families. His imagination however knows no boundaries and each night he brings to life his mothers stories all about unknown seas, birds and whales and singing. A friendship is made when he meets a young girl from the other side of the fence Jimmie, and through the fence they share their stories as Jimmie tries to unravel a notebook she has found from her Mother. Together they share stories from their past but behind the story of their blossoming friendship the hardship, cruelty, prejudice faced by asylum seekers and refugees is clearly highlighted in a number of alarming characters and incidents. An important read as it highlights situations that exist in our world today that should not exist.
31/08/2020 Book of the Week The Kick Off
Competitive school football never sounded more fun. Jamie Johnston is desperate to be the star of Highwood Schools football team. However his temper keeps getting in the way. School bullies don’t help the situation and after a disastrous try out will he ever reach his goal. The
Kick off is part of a series of books that focus on Jamie’s adventures. There was also a CBBC television series produced based upon the books by author Dan Freedman. Dan has always been interested in football and used to love reading any books about football he could find as a child…and Roald Dahl. He has worked at Arsenal, Sky Sports and for national newspapers sports sections and was an editor for the FA.
“Jamie had been so excited to start and to be at the same school as Jack, but life as a new boy at Kingfield hadn’t been as easy as he’d thought. Most people already had their group of friends. It was difficult for Jamie to get on with them.”
18/08/2020 Book of the Week Jacky Daydream
An autobiographical story of the author Jacqueline Wilson written by herself. Spot the similarities from her own life to characters she has produced in some of her most well known novels. Featuring original photographs from her childhood, a copy of her school report. Born on the 17th December 1945 Jacqueline cover not only the events of her life but also what every day life was like for her and her family. As with most of Jacqueline’s novels you will find illustrations by Nick Sharratt to accompany her words. The book takes you up to when Jacqueline was 11 years old. There is a little difficult language but other than that a very enjoyable read, entertaining much like her other fictional works.
“I had two books when I was at Fassett Road. I had my birthday-present history book and now I also had a Margaret Tarrant nursery rhyme book with rather dark colour plates. The children wore bonnets and knickerbockers and boots and fell down hills and got chased by spiders and were whipped soundly and sent to bed. My Mum or my Dad or my Grandma must have read them to me several times because I knew each nursery rhyme by heart.“
10/08/2020 Book of the Week: Egg and Spoon
Written by Gregory Maguire (of Wicked fame, the novel that became a world wide smash musical about the green Wicked Witch of the West) Egg and Spoon is quirky take on Russian Folklore, creatures of myth and legend combining to create a fantastical adventure. Set in the Russian countryside heroine Elena Rudina lives with her dying mother in poverty in the back of beyond. Starving, owning very little her life is to change when a train arrives with a noble family destined to visit the Tsar. The train is full of wealth and food. When the daughter of the family meets Elena a whole adventure explodes featuring the best from the fairy tales of Russia including a cameo from the witch Baba Yaga and her house on chicken legs.
Gregory Macguire is an American author who has written many books for children, founding a non profit Children’s Literature New England organisation to help promote the importance of reading in children’s lives.
We can’t leave just like that.” Cat was appalled. “Where can we find you if we need you again?” [Baba Yaga] “You can’t. Listen, Little Drear, I hate saying good-byes. I have a good strategy for avoiding them.” “What’s that?” asked Anton. “I eat my guests.
29/06/2020 Book of the Week H.I.V.E: Higher Institute of Villainous Education
You know about Wizarding School but have you heard of the School of Villainy. Probably not as it is TOP SECRET. Thirteen year old Otto Mapense has been chosen to attend but believing he is quite capable of committing acts of villainy already, due to his obvious natural talent and immense cunning, there is no way he is going to spend six years studying, but how to escape. Wonderful characters make up his friends group including his best friend Wing, a self confessed martial arts pro.
Mark Walden used to design video games for a living before writing his first novel. H.I.V.E was his first book and he went on after to write seven more in the series and create a dystopian world in his Earthfall series. Recommend if you enjoyed the Anthony Horowitz Stormbreaker series or the Robert Muchamore Cherub series as it is the same fast paced action with a good dose of humour added into the mix.
“Life at H.I.V.E. may have its attractions after all, Otto thought.
Friends, as they say, come and go but high powered laser weapons are forever.”
22/06/2020 Book of the Week This Book is Gay
Juno Dawson is a Stonewall ambassador, best selling trans author of fiction and non-fiction for YA. This Book is Gay offers a frank honest look at all things LGBTQ+. Its funny, straight talking and features testimonials from people across all aspects of the community making it entirely relatable to readers who may be looking for their own answers. Responsibly written, readers will find common worries and anxieties addressed here alongside a touch of humour. You will find it in our Non-Fiction section of the Library under Dewey Decimal number 158.10.
**Coming in August 2020 What’s the T? by Juno Dawson The no-nonsense guide to being Trans/ or Non-Binary for Teens. Look out for it on your School Library shelves**
15/06/2020 Book of the Week Artremis Fowl #1
Published in 2001 Artemis Fowl is not a brand new book series just out, however with a new movie released this year its about to get a whole new audience. Described by the author Eoin Colfer as “Die Hard with fairies” the books are an ongoing supernatural, action adventure with a touch of thriller thrown into the mix. Artremis Fowl is 12 years old and already a bit of a criminal mastermind. Descended from crooks and gangsters Artremis is set to take on his very first heist against fairies. Yup fairies are real and Artremis is going for the top, their leader Captain Holly Short. What he finds however is no flutter-by flower fairies instead he comes up against a full militia armed to the teeth. Ever the anti hero Artremis comes up against dwarves, goblins, pixies in his various adventures across this 12 book series.
Book 1: Artemis Fowl (2001)
Book 2: Artemis Fowl and The Arctic Incident (2002)
Book 3: Artemis Fowl and The Eternity Code (2003)
Book 4: Artemis Fowl and The Opal Deception (2005)
Book 5: Artemis Fowl and The Lost Colony (2006)
Book 6: Artemis Fowl and The Time Paradox (2008)
Book 7: Artemis Fowl and The Atlantis Complex (2010)
Book 8: Artemis Fowl and The Last Guardian (2012)
08/06/2020 Book of the Week Poet X
“The Summer is made for stoop-sitting
and since it’s the last week before school starts
Harlem is opening its eyes to September”
A novel written using Slam Poetry. Released 2018 and then scooped up for a National Book Award for Young Peoples Literature, to then be a Carnegie Award Medallist in 2019 and a Golden Kite Award Winner for Young Adult Fiction. This book introduces you to the character of Xiomara, a girl of Dominican descent who has strict Catholic parents who do not wish for her to have contact with boys until marriage. Joining a Slam Poetry Club at her school allows her inner voice to sound loud and proud…in her own notebook, but does she get the chance to shout or sing her feelings to the world. Xionmaras own developing feelings for a boy in her class, Aman, and her negotiation with her parents strict religious expectations, give her plenty of material for her writing. Her twin brother also struggles with his own attraction for a boy in his year at school and the upbringing he has shared with his sister. The book charts both siblings emergence from child to adulthood.
01/06/2020 Book of the Week Rooftoppers
“Mothers are a thing you need, like air, she thought, and water. Even paper mothers were better than nothing; even imaginary ones. Mothers were a place to put down your heart. They were a resting stop to recover your breath.”
Rooftoppers follows Sophie who is an orphan…sort of. True she was discovered floating in a cello case in the English Channel but Sophie can’t get over the feeling her Mother is still alive. I mean she remembers seeing her Mother wave for help. When the Welfare Agency decide to put her in an orphanage Sophie takes matters into her own hands and leaves, travelling to Paris to try to find her lost Mother. Arriving in Paris she meets Matteo, one of the roof top urchins and the search and the danger begins in earnest.
We have two copies of the Rooftoppers available from your School Library once it reopens.
25/05/2020 Book Of The Week The Worlds Worst Teachers
“BOOM. They tumbled down the corridor. BOING BOING BOING. It was a tidal wave of balls. Mr Pent was swept of his feet. The kids closed the classroom doors and watched from behind the glass, as their teacher was carried along the corridor“
Following on from his very successful The Worlds Worst Children series this book takes a comedy look at schools staff, in this case some truly awful Teachers and Librarians. Wit and humour and situations that would be every staff members nightmares are in these pages…approach if you dare. Brightly illustrated by Tony Ross, Walliams words once again make you squirm and wince. Copies will be available from your School Library once we return.
