Monthly Archives: June 2017

Empathy Day

Today, the 13th June, is Empathy Day and one of the themes is Reading for Empathy which is all about reading stories and  thinking about how you would feel in someone else’s shoes.

My personal favourite book for reading for empathy is Wonder by R. J. Palacio – what’s yours?

New Children’s Laureate

The new Children’s Laureate (succeeding the wonderful Chris Riddell – a hard act to follow) was announced on Wednesday this week, and it is….

Lauren Child!

Lauren Child is the author of the Charlie and Lola books and is also known for her wonderful illustrations. How nice to have someone who is both writer and illustrator twice in a row!

New Books in the Library – Worms to Catch by Guy Martin

‘There was no way I was going back…’  So Guy Martin believed.

Having retired from road racing, he was never going to sleep in and take it easy.  Breaking records on the world’s biggest Wall of Death; cycling 2,745 miles down the spine of the United States (while sleeping rough); attempting to be the fastest person ever on two wheels; and racing turbocharged Transit vans through the Nevada desert kept him busy for a bit.  But then he got the call… And this time it was serious.

 

S3 Crime & Safety Day

The Crime & Safety Day for the new S3 will be held during the morning today .  This will involve tutor classes moving round a series of stations where they will have the opportunity to hear from the following partners:

Police Scotland

Fire Service

Prison Service

Youth Action

West Lothian Drug & Alcohol Service

Medics Against Violence

There will also be two scenario stations outside with the Fire service rescue dogs and the Police Drugs detection dogs.

 

Cogheart by Peter Bunzl, reviewed by misssallylockhart

“Cogheart” by Peter Bunzl is definitely a good read and especially stands out to me for one reason; the Victorian time setting, one of my favourite settings in books. The story is about Lily and the mysterious disappearance of her father, John. A misfit at her boarding school with a love for penny dreadfuls, Lily never liked her school life, with the headmistress and the Kracken always on her back. However everything changes when she is informed that her father’s airship has crashed and is presumed dead, and is pulled out of school to go back home. At this time, we learn that Malkin, Lily’s mechanimal fox is still alive after John, Lily’s father, sent him to find Lily but is shot. Thankfully, he is found by Robert, the clockmaker’s son, and is fixed. Now with silver-eyed men stalking her every move, Lily is plunged into a menacing world with Robert and Malkin but Lily soon realises that those she holds close may end up being the ones to break her heart in more ways than one.

Anya’s Ghost by Vera Brosgol – Book of the Week

Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of an old well, a new friend wasn’t one of them, especially not a new friend who’s been dead for a century.

Falling down a well is bad enough, but Anya’s normal life might actually be worse. She’s embarrassed by her family, self-conscious about her body, and she’s pretty much given up on fitting in at school. A new friend – even a dead one – is just what she needs.

But Anya’s new BFF isn’t kidding about the “forever” part…