Carnegie Shadowing at TRS 2018 - The Medal Winners 2018!

A group of our Year 8 students, Alfie, Avril, Dominika, Daniel, Oscar,
 Sebastian and Philip, took part in shadowing this year's CILIP Carnegie Children’s Book Awards.  This involved reading, discussing and reviewing the eight shortlisted titles selected by the judges.

Known as the Cosmic Ravensbourne Readers, the Shadowing group met for the last time on Tuesday, 10th July.  As well as discovering books they wouldn't normally choose, learning about real-life historical events and different ways of writing, the group enjoyed being able to express their opinions in a relaxed and friendly environment over a biscuit and a drink. As a thank you for taking part, everyone received a certificate, bookmark,  chocolate and a free book of their choice. 

The winners of were announced on Monday, 18th June: 

Geraldine McCaughrean for Where the World Ends, an atmospheric and gripping historical tale about a group of boys and men stranded on a remote sea stack off the Island of St Kilda. 

Set in 1772 the novel is based on a true events.  This is the second time that Geraldine McCaughrean has won the Carnegie Medal.

The powerful and moving The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas was awarded the Amnesty CILIP Honours, as the book on the shortlist that most distinctively illuminates, communicates, or celebrates our personal rights and freedom.

Check out our Shadowing page, the Cosmic Ravensbourne Readers, to find out which books were our Shadower's favourites!   

World Cup 2018 - Discovery Library Display

The FIFA 2018 World Cup, has now kicked off in Russia! This is the first time since the competition began in 1930 that Russia has hosted, with games being played in 12 stadiums across 11 cities.

Russia is a vast country, with, according to National Geographic Kids, an area of 17, 075, 200 square kilometres, making them the largest country geographically to host the World Cup.

Find out more about some of the countries who are taking part, including the host country Russia, by browsing our World Cup 2018 display in the Discovery Library.

Below are some World Cup 2018 facts:

Teams from 32 countries will be taking part in the World Cup.  They include teams from Europe, Africa, South America and North America.

Germany won the last World Cup in Brazil in 2014, beating Argentina in the final.

England is the only home nation to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

FIFA statistics show that 200 of the 736 players taking part in Russia have played in a World Cup before, and of those 53 players have scored World Cup goals.

The World Cup mascot is Zabivaka - a wolf whose name means 'the one who scores'.

Empathy Day 2018 - Read Stories, Build Empathy, Make a Better World

Today is the second annual Empathy Day, which encourages children and young people to read empathy-boosting stories to gain a better understanding of people and how they think and feel.  Being able to see things from someone else’s point of view helps to challenge prejudice and develop connections between one another, which is not only good for the world overall but can boost your success at school and lead to good, lasting friendships.

A study by Professor Maria Nikolajeva of Cambridge University has shown that the more fiction you read the more likely you are to be empathetic.  A Read for Empathy Guide is available to download here and includes book recommendations such as The Goldfish Boy by Lisa Thompson, Mr Stink by David Walliams and The Unforgettable Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce, all of which are available to borrow from the Discovery Library.

  

On Empathy Day's call to action:

READ – because reading in itself can make us more empathetic

SHARE – because sharing books on Empathy Day can connect us in new ways

DO – put empathy into action and make a difference in your community

Book Awards - Women's Fiction Prize winner and Golden Man Booker shortlist

Women’s Fiction Prize 2018

This year’s winner is Kamila Shamsie for her novel Home Fire, which is a contemporary reworking of Sophocles' Greek tragedy Antigone.   Awarded each year for the best novel written in English by a female author, Kamila Shamsie will receive £30,000 in prize money and a Bessie (a limited edition bronze figurine).

Authors Zadie Smith, Lionel Shriver and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are among the previous winners of the prize. 

Golden Man Booker shortlist

Celebrating 50 years of the Man Booker Prize, the Golden Man Booker Prize shortlist has now been announced!

• V. S. Naipaul - In a Free State
• Penelope Lively - Moon Tiger
• Michael Ondaatje - The English Patient
• Hilary Mantel - Wolf Hall
• George Saunders - Lincoln in the Bardo

Golden Man Booker judges with their chosen book

You now have the opportunity to vote for your favourite of the five, which have been chosen by a panel of acclaimed authors and poets, including Kamila Shamsie winner of this year's Women's Fiction prize. In the opinion of the judges, the shortlist contains the books from the last five decades of Man Booker winners that have best stood the test of time.

The public vote closes on 25^th June 2018 and the best of the Booker title will be announced on 8^th July 2018.

Win £5000 for your school Library and £100 in book tokens for yourself!

The National Book Tokens schools competition is back.  They are giving away £5000 of National Book Tokens to one lucky school, and, on top of that, the winner will also receive £100 of National Book Tokens! To enter, all you have to do is fill in a form - click HERE for details!  

Asterix in Britain - an exhibition at The Jewish Museum

Welcome back!  Hope you had a great half term and were able to find time to enjoy a good book!

The Jewish Museum

For fans of Asterix, there is a brilliant exhibition running at the moment at the Jewish Museum in Camden, about the life and work of Rene Goscinny, the co-creator of this beloved comic and so much more.  As well as original artwork, scripts and translations of Asterix, the exhibition focuses on Goscinny's Jewish heritage.  

Running until 30th September 2018 AD, it is well worth a visit!  The museum has a lovely cafe and gift shop too. For more information click here.

Rene Goscinny

Asterix comic book

We have a great selection of Asterix comic books, as well as Lucky Luke and others, in the Discovery Library.