Post-a-Read 2015!

Why not send us a postcard of what you are reading over the summer?  It doesn’t matter where the post card is from, Bromley or Borneo, Luton or Las Vegas, as long as you tell us what you are reading.  All entrants will have their postcard displayed and will win a prize!  

Carnegie and Greenaway Medal Winners 2015 Announced!

This year’s Carnegie Medal, awarded for an outstanding book for children, has been won by author

Tanya Landy for Buffalo Soldier, which is based on the true story of former slave Cathy Williams, who is the only known African-American to have enlisted in the American Army disguised as a man.  Her true identity was not discovered until three years later.

You can find this book and other titles on the Carnegie shortlist in the Discovery and War Memorial Libraries.

The Kate Greenaway Medal, awarded for an outstanding illustrated book for children, has been won by author and illustrator William Grill for Shackleton's Journey.  Like Buffalo Soldier, the book draws upon true historical events, namely Ernest Shackleton's epic crossing of Antarctica in 1914.

Student Fundraising for the Discovery Library

We would like to thank Jolene (7AM), Alize (7SW) Lou (7BL) and Millie (7AM) for their amazing fundraising efforts.  These students organised a bake sale to raise funds for the Library.  We used the money to completely revamp our Horrible History, Horrible Geography, Horrible Science and Murderous Maths collection.  

Thanks again and well done to these star pupils, seen here in front of the collection they helped to improve.

New! Illustration Club

Jack Kirby - Silver Surfer

Mr Shuttleworth is launching an Illustration Club for all those with a love of illustration!  From cartooning, comics, doodles to golden age and Victorian illustration.  It’s open to all students AND staff and the first meeting will take place on Thursday, 18^th June at lunchtime in Room 21.

Tove Jansson - The Groke

Ivan Bilibin - Vasilisa the Beautiful

Arthur Rackman - Alice in Wonderland

Convince The Critics - Competition Winners

We are delighted to announce the winners of our Convince the Critics Library competition. There were three winners, who all received a book, a WHSmith voucher and a bar of chocolate. Their winning entries appear below:

First Prize
The Maze Runner by James Dashner

Written by Max M 7GK

A gripping adventure that tests the mind to its greatest limits.  The Maze Runner will keep you guessing right through the breath-taking chapters.  With imaginative locations, blood-curdling plot twists and award-worthy moments, this book will keep you mesmerised until the last page!

Second Prize
The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner
Written by Sophie G 8NE

I've recently read The Red Necklace by Sally Gardner and would like to recommend it to you.  The book is a young adult historical novel set during the French Revolution and tells the story of its victims.  It's an amazing book, especially if you love history.  The plot is very intriguing and keeps you interested right until the end.  It highlights the loves of the gypsy people and how they lived.  It shows how easily a country and its people can fall, how quickly people change.  Mos t importantly, it will question your judgement of others.  Why should we judge people we don't know?  That question is a key theme of the novel as well as 'looks can be deceiving'.  The story is one of a revolution but will you join?  

Third Prize
Urban Assassin by Jim Eldridge

Written by Matthew U 8ST

Urban Assassin is an exciting adventure following a mission that Delta Unit has been tasked with. The team consists of five elite black ops soldiers: Mitch, Two Moons, Gaz, Tug, Benny and Nelson. Their mission is to save the Prime Minister from an awaiting assassination.  Though it won't be easy as they are up against an ex-squad member.

It's a thrilling page turner with ups and downs for the team - if you read and enjoyed the Amouron series you will love this too.  This story also has an amazing twist.  It is a story for people who like action heroes and who don't see failure as an option.

I would recommend this book to action loving people as it is not too long, so it makes a good quick read but is long enough to make a brilliant story.

Thank you to all those who took part in the competition.  We had some excellent entries, a selection of which will appear on the book review section of the blog.  Those reviews we feature will receive a challenge post card - watch this space!

Chris Riddell announced as new Children’s Laureate

Award-winning writer and illustrator Chris Riddell has been named as the ninth Children’s Laureate, taking over from Malorie Blackman.

The role is awarded every two years to celebrate an exceptional author or illustrator of children’s books and to recognise their importance in creating new readers.

Famous for his Ottoline series and for his work with Paul Stewart on The Edge Chronicles, Muddle Earth and Barnaby Grimes books, Chris Riddell has also collaborated with Neil Gaiman, Michael Rosen and Quentin Blake.  Last year he won the Costa children’s book award for Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse, which has also been shortlisted for this year’s Kate Greenaway medal.
 
During his time as Laureate, Chris Riddell will focus on creativity and visual literacy, in particular advocating the simple pleasure of drawing as another way of telling a story. In an interview with the Guardian he says:

"I want to bring drawing back to the basics, making it about the pleasure that it can afford and remove the notion that it's some kind of precious or difficult activity.  It's another way of telling a story".

Chris will also focus on the importance of school libraries and librarians, spreading awareness of their role saying:

Librarians “are the custodians of literacy – they lay the stepping stones that start the journey from one book to another, widening horizons and the reading experience.” (Guardian.com interview)

To find out more about Chris Riddell visit the Children's Laureate web site.

You can find many of Chris Riddell’s books in the Discovery Library.

Fans of Ally Carter and Sophie McKenzie will be pleased to hear that they will be in London on the 6th of June for a book signing event.

WHEN: Saturday 6th June, 3pm
WHERE: Waterstones Piccadilly, London
WHAT: A panel event and signing with authors Ally Carter, Sophie McKenzie and C.J. Daugherty. You can buy books on the day and bring your own to get them signed, and ask questions from the audience.

Click here for ticket information

Ally Carter's website

Sophie McKenzie's website

Cathy Cassidy is coming to Bromley!!

The bestselling children's author Cathy Cassidy will be at Waterstones in The Glades, Bromley on Sunday the 14th of June at 1pm.  She will be signing copies of Fortune Cookie, the latest book in her Chocolate Box Girls series and Looking Glass Girl, a compelling modern day re-imagining of the classic Alice in Wonderland story. 

See Cathy talking about the Chocolate Box Girls series here

Go to the Waterstones page here

Convince the Critics Competition

The Library's latest competition, Convince the Critics, has now closed. 

Students were asked to simply write at least one compelling paragraph, no maximum length, convincing the critics to read the book that they had chosen to recommend.  We were looking for a piece of (really) persuasive writing, not a book review!

We have had lots of entries and the winners will be announced soon!

Graphic Novels

We have a great collection of graphic novels in the Libraries.

In the Discovery Library we have graphic novel versions of popular novels by Charlie Higson, Eoin Colfer, Anthony Horowitz, Rick Riordan and Robert Muchamore as well as The Simpsons.  We also have James Patterson’s very popular Maximum Ride Manga series.  Darren Shan’s Saga of Darren Shan manga series is also a firm favourite.

In the War Memorial Library the collection includes the iconic The Watchmen “Who Watches the Watchmen?” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons; Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi  - based on the life of the author, growing up as a young girl in 1980s Iran after the Iranian Revolution and V for Vendetta by Alan Moore and David Lloyd – the story is set in a dystopia future England, and is a story that celebrates the individual.

We have favourites such as X-Men, Spider-Man and The Hulk as well as Manga versions of the popular Beautiful Creatures novel, Cassandra Clare’s Infernal Devices series and the prequel graphic novel to G R R Martin’s Game of Thrones novels, The Hedge Knight.

Why not come and borrow and browse!

Reading for Pleasure

A recent survey by The National Literacy Trust into reading for pleasure among 8-18 year olds has shown that an increasing number of children and young people are choosing to read in their spare time.

Research shows that those who read each day outside of lessons are more likely to achieve beyond the expected levels for their age group than those who never read.  There is still a gap between boys and girls, with more girls than boys enjoying reading for pleasure.  Parents’ role in encouraging children and young people to read is key too.

Former Children’s Laureate and award winning author Michael Morpurgo stressed the importance of libraries and Librarians within schools and the community saying:

“…government too should remember that literacy must first and foremost be enjoyed, if we are to engage our most reluctant readers, and remember too that libraries and librarians, both in schools and in our communities, must be a priority."

Among the most popular novels mentioned by participants in the survey were:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Harry Potter by J K Rowling

Gangsta Granny by David Walliams

Alex Rider by Anthony Horowitz

How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

Divergent by Veronica Roth

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

All of which are available to borrow in the Discovery and War Memorial Libraries.