Finally the summer holidays are here – what will you be reading on the beach? Remember to come and tell me all about what you have been reading when we come back next term, and I will share my best recommendations with you too. I have heaps of books to read (literally heaps) and I hope to have time to read all of them!
Have a lovely summer holiday, see you all in August.
New in the staff library – Daniel Pennac’s School Blues is perhaps slightly lighter reading than some of the other material there!
Daniel Pennac has never forgotten what it was like to be a dunce. Neither has he forgotten the day one an inspirational teacher saved his life by assigning him the task of writing a novel, the moment when Pennac realized that no-one has to be a failed student for ever.
In this humane and humorous reflection on education, Pennac engages with his past self – as both pupil and teacher – to understand how fear can make children reject education and hoe inventive thinking and inspired teaching can lure them back.
Applying all the wit and ventriloquism of a renowned comic novelist, he enacts the dialogue shared between pupils, parents and teachers the world over, and unpicks the cycles of blame and neglect that leave struggling students adrift in a faltering system.
By the time you have read the prologue of Saving Daisy (which is narrated in the video below) you’ll be hooked – this is a powerful teenage novel: emotional but down-to-earth as well.
‘For as long as I could remember it was always about the three of us. Me. Dad. And Mum’s shadow.’
Daisy’s mum is gone. Her dad refuses to talk about it. As far as Daisy’s concerned, it’s all her fault. As her life starts to spiral out of control, panic leads to tragedy and Daisy’s left alone.
But sometimes the kindness of a stranger can turn things around. A stranger who desperately wants to save Daisy – if she’ll only let herself be saved…
We also have Being Billy, Heroic and The Bubble Wrap Boy by Phil Earle in the library.
It’s Friday – lets draw an alien! Click here to go to the Guardian newspaper website and find out how.
Or, you could watch this video and find out how to draw an alien in a spaceship.
Jennifer Donnelly’s newest book, “These Shallow Graves” is a fantastic read and I know most would love this. The story follows Josephine Montfront, one of New York’s most eligible heiresses, who’s world is drastically changed forever when she is informed of her father’s death. She knows something isn’t right and she even knows that her father wouldn’t kill himself, or is his death more deadly? Now with the help of young journalist Eddie Gallagher, Jo wants to find out what really happened the night her father died but will she be able to handle the truth?
The 2016 CILIP Carnegie Medal has been won by Sarah Crossan for the wonderful One, which was absolutely my favourite book on the shortlist. One was the library’s Book of the Week earlier this year. 
And, just to make things perfect, the CILIP Kate Greenaway award winner is Chris Riddell for The Sleeper and the Spindle (written by Neil Gaiman), also a Book of the Week way back in February last year. Both are really well-deserved wins!
I had to buy a new copy of Me Before You, as the old one had been (literally) read to pieces, so I thought I would buy the copy with the gorgeous film cover…
Lou Clark knows lots of things. She knows how many footsteps there are between the bus stop and home. She knows she likes working in The Buttered Bun tea shop and she knows she might not love her boyfriend Patrick.
What Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to lose her job or that knowing what’s coming is what keeps her sane.
Will Traynor knows his motorcycle accident took away his desire to live. He knows everything feels very small and rather joyless now and he knows exactly how he’s going to put a stop to that.
What Will doesn’t know is that Lou is about to burst into his world in a riot of colour. And neither of them knows they’re going to change the other for all time.
Visit Jojo Moyes website to find out more about Me Before You, and the sequel (which we don’t have in the library yet, but will soon) After You.
If life is not fair, it’s raining outside, and you feel like nothing is ever going to go your way again… don’t despair, it’s always worse for Norm!
Norm knew it was going to be one of those days when he woke up and found himself in the middle of the French Revolution…
If only he hadn’t fallen asleep in History. And if only he’d done his punishment exercise. And if only he could go biking instead of playing stupid football. Except Norm can’t go biking. Why not? BECAUSE HIS BIKE’S BEEN STOLEN, THAT’S WHY! Nightmare?
It’s worse than that…
Norm knew it was going to be one of those days when he was woken by the sound of an elephant breaking wind in the next room…
Not the best start to a day, but it’s about to get a whole lot worse. As if a trip to see his perfect cousins isn’t bad enough, they’ve only gone and got the brand new Call Of Mortal Combat! Not that Norm could play anyway what with being banned off Xbox due to a curious incident of a stinky dog at bath time.
Business as usual?
If you’re a fan of Tom Gates, the Wimpy Kid books or David Walliam’s books, you’ll love Norm – the books are laugh-out-loud funny. Look for them on the displays or the paperback spinner, or ask the Library Team if you need help.
Images and blurb taken from publisher website (https://www.hachettechildrens.co.uk) and back of books.
The Library will be closed today because the Duke of Edinburgh Silver group is on their expedition.
Everyone says that the film misses out some of the best bits of the book – read the book! It’s in the Library!