Monthly Archives: August 2015

Book of the Week – Wild by Cheryl Strayed

wild

At twenty-six, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s rapid death from cancer, her family drifted apart and her marriage crumbled. With nothing left to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life: to walk eleven-hundred miles of the west coast of America and to do it alone. She had no experience of long-distance hiking and the journey was nothing more than a line on a map. But it held a promise: a promise of piecing together a life that lay shattered at her feet…

Wild is a book about two types of journey – the sheer epic physical journey of the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from the bottom of California to the top of Oregon; and Cheryl Strayed’s emotional and moving journey to find herself again. Find it in the ‘Real Lives’ section of the Library.

 

 

Ribblestrop Forever!, by Andy Mulligan

Ribblestrop foreverRibblestrop Forever! is the third (and last) book set in the not-your-average boarding school of Ribblestrop Towers.

The children are back! – but an air-crash and an unsteerable raft quickly land them in deep waters. Rescued by a mad librarian, they’re soon off on a dangerous quest across the wilds of Ribblemoor, exploring haunted flare-paths. Can they uncover the ancient mysteries of a secret tribe? Can they survive the dangers of Lightning Tor? Inspector Cuthbertson is right behind them, determined to destroy the school for good: it’s the final conflict…

This is my favourite Ribblestrop book, because it features a librarian who has “acquired” an unwanted library van to live in. She’s definitely not mad (as the blurb says) just a little subversive!

Return to Ribblestrop, by Andy Mulligan

Return to RibblestropThe indomitable students of Ribblestrop Towers are back in Return to Ribblestrop.

It’s a new term at Ribblestrop, but secrets remain under the ground, the new Chaplain is not all that he seems, and a truck load of circus animals has taken refuge in the school grounds. Amongst the new intake are a footballing protégée and a trainee psychopath… not to mention a pregnant panther and an escaped crocodile. Things are about to go from bad to worse at Ribblestrop…

Book of the Week – Ribblestrop, by Andy Mulligan

RibblestropRoofless dormitories, distracted teachers, and a lethally dangerous underground labyrinth – Ribblestrop’s visionary headmaster is out of his depth even before the pupils arrive. And when they do, what a bunch! From a Colombian gangster’s son to an excluded arsonist, anything could happen – and anything does…

Ribblestrop Towers is the wonderfully, hilariously anarchic boarding school where Sam is sent (his parents think the prospectus looks good and they can’t afford any other private school). With a school motto of “Life is Dangerous”, a secret labyrinth in the basement and a school roll that includes Millie who set fire to her last school and Sanchez who keeps a gun under his bed in case of kidnappers this is obviously not going to be a boring term…

The other books in the Chocolate Box Girls series (by Cathy Cassidy of course)

cherrycrushCherry Crush – Cherry Costello’s life is about to change forever. She and Dad are moving to Somerset where a new mum and a bunch of brand-new sisters await. And on Cherry’s first day there her head is turned by the gorgeous Shay Fletcher. But Shay already has a girlfriend, Cherry’s new stepsister, Honey. Cherry knows her friendship with Shay is dangerous – it could destroy everything. But that doesn’t mean she’s going to stay away from him . . .

MarshmallowskyeMarshmallow Skye – Skye and Summer Tanberry are identical twins, and Skye loves her sister Summer more than anyone else in the world. They do everything together, but lately Skye’s been feeling like second-best – it’s the story of her life. And when her friend Alfie confesses he’s fallen not for her, but for Summer, it hurts. Skye wants to be her own person, but with an effortlessly cool twin, how can she? Will Skye ever step out of Summer’s shadow and find her own chance to shine?

Ssummersdreamummer’s Dream – Summer has always dreamed of dancing, and when a place at ballet school comes up, she wants it so badly it hurts. Middle school ends and the holidays begin, but unlike her sisters, Summer has no time for lazy days and sunny beach parties. The audition becomes her obsession, and things start spiralling out of control . . . The more Summer tries to find perfection, the more lost she becomes. Will she realise – with the help of the boy who wants more than friendship – that dreams come in all shapes and sizes?

Coco CaramelCoco Caramel – Coco is the youngest of the Tanberry sisters but she’s as headstrong as any of them . . . Coco is crazy about animals and loves her riding lessons. When Caramel, her favourite pony at the stables, is sold, Coco scopes out the new owner – and she’s not happy about what she discovers. With big sister Honey going off at the deep end and Summer only just recovering from her eating disorder, there’s no-one at Tanglewood to help Coco out. Can Coco save Caramel alone – or will a new friend help her?

sweethoneySweet Honey – Honey is going to live with her dad in Australia. Determined to make a fresh start, she couldn’t be further away from the tough times at Tanglewood. Her new life is a dream come true – until school begins. The girls are different from Honey’s friends in England and the only person who seems to understand her is the cute boy from the beach she’s chatting to online. But when he, the girls at school and even her dad start breaking promises, who can she trust? All alone on the other side of the world, Honey’s past is about to catch up with her . . .

Book of the Week – Fortune Cookie by Cathy Cassidy

fortunecookieStrictly speaking Fortune Cookie is not one of the Chocolate Box Girls series – it is the only Chocolate Box Boy book! Jake Cooke (Cookie) is stunned to get a letter from Honey who claims that he is her half-brother. She even encloses a train ticket so that he can visit if he wants to, so when things go wrong at home, Jake takes up that offer.

The blurb says:

Jake Cooke has just had the surprise of his life. He already knew he had a no-good dad but now he’s got four half-sisters that he never knew existed. When Jake’s talent for trouble causes chaos at home, he runs away to meet his new family. Life in a rundown flat in Chinatown is a far cry from Tanglewood where the days are filled with picnics, beach parties and chocolate festivals. It’s already starting to feel like home. But Jake’s about to realize he can only escape his problems and his future for so long. However far you go, you can’t outrun destiny…

We have all the Chocolate Box Girls (and Boy) books in the library, and lots of other Cathy Cassidy books as well – ask at the desk if you need help to find them.

 

Welcome!

Welcome to all the new S1 pupils who start at West Calder High School today – we have your Library tickets ready for you, so you can borrow books straight away! Come and have a browse around the Library and discover our huge range of books. Ask at the Library desk if you want to know more, Mrs Vennall and the Library Team will be happy to help you.

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