🎅 Crisis at Christmas 2018

Thousands of people will be homeless this Christmas.

Each year, some of the staff at The Ravensbourne School choose to make a donation to Crisis instead of sending Christmas cards. This year the total raised is £300, which will reserve 10 places for homeless people this Christmas.

The BBC reported that this year almost 600 homeless people have died on the streets, a rise of 24% over 5 years.  Crisis is a charity which offers shelter, companionship and life-changing services to people who are homeless.  To find out more visit the Crisis website.

🎅Books into Films at Christmas 2018

Why not enjoy a good book this Christmas?  Come and browse and borrow from our display of Christmas books and books with a film tie-in on TV over the Christmas holidays!  

School Librarian, Helen Smith, has compiled her fantastic annual list of Christmas book and film tie-ins that are on TV over the Christmas period.  This year, she has also included book recommendations by fellow librarians and books to watch out for next year, including the new title by Angie Thomas, award winning author of The Hate U Give!  Please click on the link to view: Christmas TV List 2018.

We have lots of great titles in the both the Discovery and War Memorial libraries, including those in our ‘new books’ section so please feel free to browse and borrow.  We just ask that you remember to return any you borrow to the Library in January!

The Wicked Young Writers Awards 2019 - Writing Competition

This fantastic creative writing competition, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust, is now in its ninth year!  

Writing subject: The organisers want your writing to be personal to you, so you can write on whatever topic you like in whatever creative form you like!  That might be a story, play or poem.

Length: 750 words

Open to: 5 to 25 year olds

Prizes: All winners will win four tickets to see the London production of WICKED at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and an opportunity to meet cast members after the show along with an exclusive backstage tour. They will also win £50 worth of books/e-book tokens to spend plus loads more prizes.

Deadline: Monday, 18th March 2019

Click here for more information and how to enter.

The Great TRS Bake Off competition 2018

Twenty two of our KS3 students took part in the TRS Bake Off competition and were asked to create a cake around the theme of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the much loved Roald Dahl novel.

The winners were:
⭐First prize - Joshua B 7 Hume
⭐Second prize - Elodie L 8 Bordeaux
⭐Joint third prize - Michael H 9 Tao and Jessica T 7 Hume

According to  Ms Beckford, the TRS cooking guru, all the entries were amazing and executed the brief brilliantly. 

Congratulations to the winners and thank you to everyone involved!

Are You Ready to Take A Risk at Christmas?

The Library’s ‘Take a Risk’ competition is back by popular demand for Christmas!

To enter, simply borrow a mystery ‘Take a Risk’ book, fill in the short questionnaire, if you get the questions right you will automatically win a prize AND have your name entered into a free prize draw with the chance to win more prizes. PLUS, there are spot prizes to be won!

See a Librarian in the Discovery Library for details - everyone's a winner!!

National Non-Fiction November 2018

We are celebrating National Non-Fiction November in the Discovery Library with a display of fantastic non-fiction for you to browse and borrow!

SLA Information Awards 2018

The SLA Information Book Awards 2018 were announced on 7^th November.  They are designed to highlight the high standard of non-fiction resources and support school libraries.  This year’s winners include:

7-12 age category: 100 Things to Know About Food by Various Authors and illustrated by Parko Polo and Mariani Federico ISBN 9781409598619 (Usborne)

12–16 age category: From Prejudice to Pride: A History of the LGBTQ+ Movement by Amy Lamé ISBN 9781526301901 (Wayland)

12-16 age category: Escape From Syria by Samya Kullab, Jackie Roche and Mike Freiheit ISBN 9781770859821 (Firefly Books)

All these books are on our wish list!

In addition, the winner of the Hachette Children's Group Award for Outstanding Contribution to Information Books to mark an exceptional contribution to excellence in their field was Nicola Morgan.  You will find some of her books, including Blame My Brain and The Teenager Guide to Stress, in the Libraries.

Remembrance Day 2018

Armistice Day, also known as Remembrance Day, takes place on 11 November every year, marking the official ending of the WWI on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.  A two minute silence is held to remember the people who have died in wars. This year marks the First World War Centenary, which is 100 years since the end of the Great War.

The Discovery and War Memorial Libraries have special Remembrance displays of war time books for you to borrow.  The display in the War Memorial Library also includes the names of those from the Ravensbourne School who lost their lives in the Great War.

The War Memorial Library at TRS is particularly dedicated to Clifford George Grail, Captain 7th North Staffordshire Regiment, who was killed in action at Gallipoli on 23rd July 1915 aged 24.  He was House Master at the school, originally Bromley County Grammar, from 1911 and was founder of the school corps or cadet group and would have inspired lots of boys to sign up and join the war.

At TRS, we have held assemblies for all form groups and sold poppies and other products in support of the Royal British Legion Annual Poppy Appeal. 

Dissent, subversion and satire at the British Museum

To compliment our rebellion themed display in the Discovery Library marking bonfire night and Guy Fawkes, you may be interested in visiting the British Museum exhibition I Object.

Running from 6 September 2018 to 2 January 2019, the exhibition brings together a collection of around 100 objects, hand-picked by Ian Hislop from Private Eye, that 'explore the idea of dissent, subversion and satire'.  Like Guy Fawkes and his fellow conspirators, the exhibits seek to show how through history people have always challenged and sought to subvert the established order to bring about change.

Gunpower, Treason and Plot!

Remember, Remember the 5th of November, Gunpower, Treason and Plot!  We'd love you to remember to make time to read this half term.

Come and browse and borrow from our display of books with rebellion as the theme.  Alternatively why not choose a horror, survival, adventure or romance - there's something for everyone!  Just ask your Librarians and have a great half term break.

Man Booker Prize Winner 2018

This year's Man Booker Prize winner was announced on Tuesday 16th October as Irish novelist, Anna Burns for her novel The Milkman.  

Set during in Northern Ireland in 1970s, a time of conflict and violence known as 'The Troubles', the story is told from the perspective of an 18 year old girl.

We have a selection of past Man Booker prize winning and shortlisted novels available for you to browse and borrow from the War Memorial Library.

Exercise Your Right to Freadom!

In response to the first Banned Books Week UK held at the end of September, we have put together a display of banned books in the WML. 

Banned books in the War Memorial Library

Some of the books have been wrapped in brown paper with yellow and black tape - the paper has been ripped to tantalizingly reveal the books beneath!  Our selection of books includes YA fiction and classic novels such as Twilight, The Wizard of Oz, The Color Purple and Animal Farm.

Feel free to ask us about why the books were banned and to borrow them!

Someone doesn’t want you to read these books ….. but maybe you should.  Borrow one of these books today and exercise your right to freadom!

Libraries Week and World Mental Health Day

This week is Libraries week and the theme this year is wellbeing. The Libraries at TRS, staffed by professionally qualified Librarians, offer a welcoming, calm and supportive environment with access to a diverse range of resources - a place to study without interruption or escape into the pages of a good book!

Today is World Mental Health Day.  Research has shown that reading for pleasure can help improve your mental wellbeing by relieving stress, improving your sleep, enhancing your social skills and boosting your intelligence.  Books can transport you to another place, help you understand you and those around you, make you laugh, cry or scare you. Whether you like funny, crime, horror, romance or adventure we have the book for you - just ask  your Librarians!

Tip: If you are not an avid reader, just start by choosing a book over your phone at bedtime to help you develop the reading habit.  Ask the Librarians or your friends to recommend a good read.

National Poetry Day 2018

Poetry Display in the DL

This Thursday, 4th October, is National Poetry Day! Celebrated every year, National Poetry Day is an opportunity to enjoy, share and discover poems.  The theme this year is ‘change’.  Why not check out some of the change poems on the National Poetry Day website by clicking here!

We have a great selection of poetry in the Discovery and War Memorial Libraries for you to browse and borrow.

Award winning TRS student donates £250 to TRS Libraries

One of last year's TRS Jack Petchey achievement award winners, avid reader and regular Library user Oscar (now 9 Gauss), has chosen to use his award money to buy books for the Libraries.  The award recognises outstanding young people between the ages of 11-25 throughout London and Essex. 

Oscar with the his chosen books.

The books, which Oscar chose in consultation with the Librarians, are largely fiction, with a small selection of graphic novels, and are available for you to borrow from the Discovery and War Memorial Libraries. 

A selection of Oscar's books in the Discovery Library

Thank you Oscar!  Come and browse and borrow the collection!

Man Booker Shortlist 2018

The Man Booker Prize is awarded each year for fiction and is open to authors writing in English, regardless of their nationality, and published in the UK and Ireland.

The six books on this year's shortlist are:

The Man Booker Shortlist 2018

• Milkman by Anna Burns 
• Washington Black by Esi Edugyan
• Everything Under by Daisy Johnson
• The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner
• The Overstory by Richard Powers
• The Long Take by Robin Robertson

The winner of the year's Man Booker Prize will be announced on Tuesday, 16th October.

Previous Man Booker Prize winners and shortlisted titles are available to borrow from the War Memorial Library.

Post-a-Read 2018

Thank you to the students and staff who told us what they were reading over the summer holidays as part of our Post-A-Read Competition. We've had postcards from Dubrovnik to Norkfolk and Florida to Pompeii, with lots of excellent book recommendations!  All the students who sent us a postcard have been awarded achievement points.

Come and have a look at our display, which is on the noticeboard outside the Discovery Library.  Remember, we are a reading school, so feel free to ask you teachers what they are reading!

Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on Why We Need Libraries

Champions of reading for pleasure and libraries, Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell have created an inspiring, beautiful and heartfelt essay using words and illustrations on the why our future depends on libraries, reading and daydreaming.

Both are amazing award winning authors and illustrators, who understand the fundamental importance of cultivating, enabling and allowing our children to read for pleasure and the crucial role that librarians and libraries play in this.  To read their essay for yourself on The Guardian website click here.

Words by Neil Gaiman and illustrations by Chris Riddell
https://www.theguardian.com/books/gallery/2018/sep/06/neil-gaiman-and-chris-riddell-on-why-we-need-libraries-an-essay-in-pictures

Roald Dahl Day 2018

13th September is Roald Dahl Day, and this year marks 101 years since his birth!  As well as a being a marvellous author, Roald Dahl was also a spy, ace fighter pilot, chocolate historian and a medical inventor. We have a great collection of his books, including The Twits and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, as well as his autobiographies, poetry and fascinating facts about the author in the Discovery Library.

If you like Roald Dahl, why not try one of the David Walliams novels, such as Mr Stink and Gangsta Granny.

Welcome Back!

Welcome back!  We hope you've had a great summer.  We have received some postcards telling us what you were reading and look forward to displaying these soon. 

With two beautiful libraries, we have a wonderful collection of fiction and non-fiction for you to browse and borrow, as well as a reference collection and computing facilities.  There are Librarians on hand to help with homework and recommend a great read - just ask!

For the KS3 students, the Discovery Library is open before and after school as well as at lunch time for quiet study. For KS4 students, the War Memorial Library is open at lunch time and for Post 16 students, it is available to use throughout the day including morning break.

Look out for our library competitions, including our weekly Word of the Week competition, with loads of great prizes to be won. We have changing book displays and displays of new books to encourage reading for pleasure. We are happy to consider buying any books that we do not currently have. There are suggestion boxes too for any comments or suggestions you may have.

Banned Books - Censored Summer Reads

Banned Books Week is an initiative that was originally devised by the American Library Association in the early 80s in response to the growing number of books that were being challenged in libraries, schools and bookshops in the US.  This September, BannedBooks Week UK takes place for the first time and celebrates the freedom to read, write and publish, without censorship, coordinated by organisations including Index for Censorship, The British Library and the Publishers Association. 

Part of the Banned Books Week will include the results of the Censored Summer Reads public vote, which has been running in July and August and closes on 22^nd August – you still have time to vote! 

You should also check out the young adult banned books list, which contains books that have been challenged for a range of reasons.  They include classic novels, The Catcher in the Rye, The Color Purple and To Kill a Mockingbird, all of which are available to borrow from the War Memorial Library.

Man Booker Prize Longlist announced - first graphic novel makes the list

The Man Booker Prize is open to writers of any nationality writing in English and published in the UK and Ireland.  This year's longlist of thirteen novels includes, for the first time, a graphic novel, Sabrina by Nick Drnaso.  

Man Booker Longlist - themanbookerprize.com

At TRS, we have a growing collection of graphic novels, both the Discovery and War Memorial Libraries, which are really popular with our students.  

With research showing that students who read for up to 30 minutes a day are more likely to achieve beyond expected levels for their age group than those that don't, graphic novels are a great way of encouraging reading for pleasure, especially among reluctant readers. 

Look out for more graphic novels in the Autumn term!

The Man Booker shortlist of six books will be announced on 20th September and the winner will be announced on 16th October. 

Award Winning Books in July

If you are looking for something to read in the sizzling summer heat, you might like to try the two amazing novels that have won this year's Branford Boase Award and the UKLA Book Award in the 12-16 category.

Winner of the Branford Boase Award for the best debut novel, Kick by Mitch Johson, edited by Rebecca Hill and Becky Walker, tells the story of a football crazy boy call Budi, who dreams of playing for a top team.  However, Budi's hopes are hampered by the fact that he works 10 hours a day in a factory in Jakata in Indonesia, making the boots that his footballing heroes wear.

Winner of the UKLA Book Awards in the 12 - 16 category, We Come Apart by Sarah Crossan and Brian Conaghan is a bitter sweet story of two young people, with difficult backgrounds, who come together without the knowledge of their families.  Written in verse, it is a poignant and compelling read.

Both novels are available to borrow from the Discovery and War Memorial Libraries.

Win £5000 for your school Library

 annual schools competition to win £5,000 of National Book Tokens for your school Library ends on 31st July 2018 - so get voting here.

Win £5,000 f

Summer Reading and Post-A-Read 2018

The long summer holiday provides the perfect opportunity to relax with a good book or two! Whether you are going away or having a 'staycation', we would love you to let us know what you were reading by sending us a postcard!  All entrants will have their postcards displayed and will receive an achievement point.

If you are looking for ideas of what to read ask your Librarians or check out the Lovereading4kids.com summer reading suggestions.  For the ultimate summer reading guide for all the family, try The Reading Agency's ultimate summer reading book list.   

We have brilliant displays of new books as well as old favourites to browse and borrow.

Golden Man Booker - winner announced

Michael Ondaatje's novel, The English Patient, has won the Golden Man Booker prize. This one off prize celebrates the best of the Man Booker prize winners over the last 50 years, as selected by a panel of star judges and then voted for by the public.  

The English Patient and other shortlisted and winning Man Booker novels are available to borrow from the War Memorial Library.

Reading for Pleasure: Diverse Voices

Yesterday I attended the Guardian and British Library Reading for Pleasure: Diverse Voices conference.  The day was crammed full of interesting and inspirational speakers, both authors and performers, English practitioners, literacy consultants and an award-winning school Librarian!

The conference opened with the wonderful author, Patrice Lawrence, whose YA books, Orange Boy and Indigo Donut, we have in the War Memorial Library and are a must read!  Her talk was full of warmth and wit, with insights about growing up with a Caribbean Mother and Italian step-father, using poetry to articulate her feelings as a teenager and how she went from a being a compulsive reader to a writer.

Performance Poet John Agard was another highlight.  Engaging and animated, he performed a selection of his poems and stressed the importance of the oral tradition of storytelling and how the use of rhythm and music in recitation helps with memory.

In the afternoon, the conference moved to the British Library and included a visit to their Windrush: Songs in a Strange Land exhibition with a brief introductory talk by one of the excellent British Library education team responsible for school sessions.  The exhibition contains some fascinating videos, newsreels, photographs and artefacts, including Andrea Levy’s notes and research material for her novel Small Island, a copy of which is available to borrow from the War Memorial Library. It is well worth a visit!

I am looking forward to sharing all the brilliant ideas I picked up from the conference with the Librarians, Ms Roberts and Mrs Bhandari, and our English Colleagues.

Mrs Nolan
Assistant Librarian