Mortal Engines

This book by Philip Reeve has been flying off the shelves. Thankfully we have multiple copies and the rest of the series to keep you reading! We have been watching the book trailers at breaktime on the Library Smartboard. Can't wait to see the film!

Latest news

Congratulations to Lucie who won our S1 Poetry Slam.
And mega congratulations to all those who participated.
It was incredibly impressive both the effort put into your research and your performances.

Just a reminder that we still have some Gift tags for sale- 20p for the last few remaining.

Book Week Scotland

Thanks you to all those who have taken part in the Book Week Scotland Quiz. We will continue to run it until Wednesday 28th November.

And keep the suggestions going for  your favourite "rebel" characters in fiction. We have had quite a few superheroes suggested (eg Spiderman), also suggestions from dystopian books (Tris Prior from Divergent) but my favourite so far is Feo from Katherine Rundell's Wolf Rider.

This Wednesday sees our Scottish Poetry Slam and this will conclude our Book Week Scotland events.   

Anti-Bullying Week

"If you have a choice between being right and being kind, choose kind"
Dr Wayne W. Dyer.

On Auggie's first day of school Mr Browne the teacher introduces this precept to his class.  Ten year old Auggie just wants to be normal, to be like everyone else. Inside he feels, normal, he is normal but he was born with a facial anomaly which marks him out as different. As Auggie starts school for the first time in his life he has to learn to overcome challenges, deal with bullying and what it is to have true friends. And above all we learn about kindness. So for this upcoming anti-bullying week there couldn't be a better novel to read than "Wonder" by R. J. Palacio.

Christmas Fayre

The Book Group are running a stall at the Christmas Fayre on Thursday 8th November. Pupils have worked on making lovely little Christmas gift cards. They will also be selling a small selection of books. 

Please support us by visiting our stall. All funds will go into the Library Book Fund.

Reading is fun.

I can only agree with author Jeff Kinney when he says “If there is one lesson I’d like kids to take away from my stories, it is that reading is fun.” 

In an interview in The Guardian newspaper today the author says it is vital for parents and teachers to strongly encourage children to read whatever they are interested in and will enjoy.   

Our school library has a fantastic selection of books. 

Come and find something to enjoy.

Halloween

We have a selection of books on display in the library to spook you out this Halloween.  And there are some new copies of these Goosebumps favourites available.
Can you believe these have been going strong for over 20 years!

New books: The follow ups.

Just arrived and not quite ready for the bookshelves. The library helpers have spied them in my office and want them out.  All are the second titles in different dystopian series:

• "The Extinction Trials: Exile." We are currently reading the first in the series at Book Group,
•  Lauren Oliver's "Replica" was a great hit with the Book Group last term. "Ringer" sounds equally good.
•  And just over a year ago we read "Railhead" by Philip Reeve.

No fights please! They will be ready as soon as I have a spare moment.

Roald Dahl Day

Dr Carter has been reading and very much enjoying the S1 Revolting Rhymes from our big Roald Dahl day celebration. And what a horrible lot you truly are! Murder and mayhem abound in your fairytales. See the display outside the library to find out what you truly think of Cinderella, Snow White and others.

Book group: new members welcome

If you love reading and talking about books then come along this Wednesday lunch to the library. Last week we saw some new faces and we discussed our summer reading. Some read horror, some read Wonder, and everyone is very excited for the film The Hate You Give. Click on the title to see the trailer   T.H.U.G.

Scottish Teenage Book Prize

Last week Scottish Book Trust announced the short-list for the Scottish Teenage Book Prize. We will once again be reading the three books selected. Keen readers please come to the library on a Wednesday lunchtime to find out more. Copies of the books have been ordered and are on their way!

Summer read no 1

The first discussion session of our summer reads will take place this Friday break in the library. 

Any member of staff or pupil who has read "Eleanor Oliphant is absolutely fine" is welcome to come and join us for refreshments and chat. 

End of term is near

OK the library helpers have been having fun once again in my office. Seriously, a huge thanks to everyone who has helped out on the desk, with the shelving, the photocopying, preparing the new books and everything else this year. Your help as always is much appreciated. 

Wednesday lunch we will be having a "training" session in the library! See you then.

And the winners are...

The discussion from Book Group favoured "The Hate U Give" and "After the Fire" for the CILIP Carnegie Medal.


I loved "Where the World End" a beautifully told historical novel with a strong sense of time and place. Let us know what you think Book Group!

Summer reading

Last chance to sign up for our summer reading.    Staff and senior pupils will be reading "Eleanor Oliphant is completely fine" and our new S4 -S6 group "The man in the high castle" by Philip K Dick

Poet workshop

 S3 Students were treated to a visit by Scottish novelist and poet Sophie Cooke to help inspire them with their creative writing for the Scottish Studies Award.

Pupil comments 
" I learned a different strategy to write a poem. I enjoyed getting inspired to write things about Scotland"
" I enjoyed when we had to write just whatever comes into your mind"
"I enjoyed our group discussion about what Scotland means to different people"
"I liked hearing the poems and the use of the Scot's language"
 "I really liked how it made me think deeper about Scotland and what I like about it"
"I learned how to start my own poems"
"I enjoyed the poems and the video"

And there were so many more positive comments. Thank you so much Sophie Cooke.

A pupil recommends

"Oranges in no man's land" By Elizabeth Laird.

 "I ran as fast as my flip flops would let me..." 

Iseabail thinks this book would make a great movie because it shows great courage, love and respect.

The book is based on a little girl called Ayesha who lives in Beirut in a war struck zone. When both her mother and father die she has to look after her two brother and her granny. As the story moves on granny becomes sick and so Ayesha takes on the dangerous and daring journey across No Man's land to the town at the other side.

Orbiting Jupiter- Dr Carter's choice from the "new bookshelf."

This is one book which I just have to tell you about. It is by American author Gary D Schmidt and it is a beautiful, quiet read which deals with huge issues. 

The story is narrated by Jack, and starts when fourteen year old Joseph his new foster brother, comes to live on their farm. Jack knows three things about Joseph before they meet:

1. He almost killed a teacher
2. He was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain
3. He has a daughter and her name is Jupiter.

Anyone touch Joseph and he is up against the wall with his hands in the air, breathing fast and hard. His smiles are few and far between. Yet Jack soon learns he can trust Joseph and at school "he has his back."  It is a book about relationships, about love and about trust. And I defy any of you not to be a little misty eyed before you finish it.

Your library needs you!

Yes it is that time of year again.

We are open for applications to the Pupil Librarian Team.
If interested collect a form from the library. Take your time completing it. All applications should be in by end of school day Monday 14th May.

A short list will be selected for interview.
Interviews will be held during break on the week of 22nd May.

Successful applicants trained and in place for June!

PUPIL BOOK REVIEW

The sight by David Clement-Davies

When I finished the book I was in tears, the ending was sad and touching.

Larka is the main character, a strong bold wolf,with fur as white as snow. There is a battle between good and evil. The book is full of courage, love and hatred. But in the end a sacrifice has to be made out of love. I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers and animal lovers.

I have to say,  this is my new favourite book
Isla

Why pupils need to keep on reading.

The Guardian reports on a survey which found that teachers are encountering increasing numbers of children with limited vocabularies. There is a fear that this "vocabulary deficiency" will hold students back both educationally and socially. It is claimed that increased incidents of underdeveloped vocabulary are leading to "lower self-esteem, negative behaviour and in some cases greater difficulty in making friends" 

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2018/apr/19/teachers-in-uk-report-growing-vocabulary-deficiency

Winner of the 2018 Waterstones Children's Book Prize 
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

THUG is the story of Starr Carter whose world is split between the violence, drugs and poverty of the mainly black suburbs where she lives, and the affluent, mainly white world of the school she attends. The story gives a real insight into race relations in the USA. A fantastic read which is also short-listed for the Carnegie Children's Book Awards - come to our Wednesday Book Club to hear some more about it.

Reading for the Easter Holidays

                                Lauren Oliver: Replica

Yes we have chosen another dystopian novel to read. This time a tale told from two different perspectives. All our library copies are out but if you can get your own copy please come and join us at lunch on the first Wed back in the summer term.

Carnegie Short List announced.

We will be reading from the Carnegie shortlist for the rest of this term. Keen readers may want to try and read all 8 Carnegie titles by the summer but most of the Book Group will read a couple of titles each and report back to the group.

World Book Day

A week late but we celebrated World book Day in style.

  Well done to all the teachers who dressed up, to all those who decorated their doors, to the staff and pupils who competed against each other in the quiz and to all the first years who showed off their excellent book knowledge in the S1 quiz. Here are just a few pictures from our events.

Scottish Teenage Book Prize Winner

Our book group were delighted to learn that the winner is Children of Icarus by Caighlan Smith. 

It topped our voting chart and we are now excitedly waiting for the follow up.

Our pupils liked the mysterious main character- with no name. An original dystopian novel. And we have chosen to read another dystopian book for next term. More to follow...