New library books

 As librarian I am always trying to find new ways of telling you about the great books we get into the library. This term we have been using Twitter (@ArmAcadLib)  and so am posting photos of latest additions to the bookshelves.  If you are on Twitter follow us to get first dibs on new books!

As the Book Group know I like to use Book Trailers to promote new fiction. In the past we could show them at lunchtime on the Smartboard, not so easy in our split breaks, but will try to get this going again.  Am going to start with a series which has been one of the most requested this term. Karen McManus "One of us is lying", "One of us is next" ,"Two can keep a secret" and the new book "Cousins" is due in February. It is already on request. The books are gripping, with lots of secrets, suspicion, gossip, subplots and all set in high schools. 

Go to the Book Trailer Menu on Blog to find them all. Enjoy

Kindness

It has been a busy month in the library. Today we took down the Remembrance display and started preparations for Book Week Scotland. The library crowd decorated pennants with their favourite books at morning break- so many Manga and Harry Potter fans! And next week we will be encouraging our learners to write a short story on the theme of "Future."

We set up a quick display on the theme of Kindness as Friday 13th is Kindness Day. And this coming week is Anti-Bullying week. Surely there has never been a more appropriate time to celebrate Kindness. In the news today I heard a doctor urge the public to be Kind to their staff. Absolutely! We should not have to be asked!   And at school there are already plans for supporting our community this Christmas. 

There are many different ways we can show kindness. Am just going to highlight a few title which deal with this theme:

"The secret garden"-  a classic coming to the screens again soon- shows how kindness can heal emotional scars.

"The boy at the back of the classroom" and "No Ballet Shoes in Syria" both on the theme of kindness from children to a refugee family.

"A Library of Lemons"- a child carer and the importance of friendship.

"I am Malala"- an amazing young woman who has shown her support for girls around the world and for their right to education.

"Wonder" would be in my display but all copies are out! This book deals with bullying, I will end with my favourite quote from it

"When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind."

Spooktacular books for Halloween!

Our classroom boxes and Halloween cauldrons in the library are overflowing with a great selection of  themed titles. There are horror stories, tales about ghosts, ghouls, witches and all things spooky. 

These two titles by Celia Rees are fabulous. The story starts in Witch Child and concludes in Sorceress.  Told to us in journal form by the young Mary Newbury it all begins in England in 1659 when her beloved grandmother is hanged in a public square for being a witch. Mary flees from the same fate and sets off for the New World.  There within the Puritan settlements she finds similar intolerances.  There are serious consequences for any hint that you are different in this society. 

Fabulous story telling, loved the historical element, the adventure and the hint of supernatural.

European Day of Languages

 Saturday was European day of languages

No exciting trails in the library for S1 unfortunately this year but we do have a SWAY in the form of a library newsletter for European Day . Hopefully this will give you ideas on what to read and where you might try to find out more about languages. Enjoy.

If you like...Why not try...

So the Book request system is going great. You are doing a fab job of sending me requests. But I only have a limited number of copies of each book. There is not any more Harry Potter, Divergent, Twilight or Hunger Games books to be had. For the moment anyway.

So am going to start making a couple of sways to try and give you other ideas. Starting with: If you like Harry Potter ...Why not try these titles. Let me know what you think and if you have other suggestions please feed back to me.

Dr C's Book of the week: The one memory of Flora Banks.

 A holiday weekend means I can catch up on reading more teen fiction.  And one book I absolutley tore through is the thrilling "The one memory of Flora Banks" by Emily Barr. 

Flora has had amnesia since the age of ten.. At seventeen she can't remember what happened more than a few hours ago and relies on post it notes and writing messages such as "Flora be brave"on her arm to get through the day.  But one memory, that of kissing a boy on a beach, remains with her. Confident that it is real and that there has been a breakthrough in her fractured memory she sets off to meet that boy.

This book is an exciting and original page turner.

"How do you know who to trust when you can't trust yourself?"

Scottish Teenage Book Prize- Update- Calling all keen readers

 The short list was announced last week. We have have all three books in the library. This year you do not need to be part of a book group to vote. Simply read all three on the short list and register your vote online. If you are interested please see Dr Carter.