A few of the LGBTQ+ Young Adult books in Gardens Library
Newhaven School Library Blog/News, Reviews and Giveaways
Carole Oldfield librarian@newhavenschool.co.uk – remember to use your Newhaven School email account to contact me.
Pride in Books
Newhaven School first got funding from Siobhan Dowd Trust in 2019 to buy some books for a ‘Rainbow Reads’ shelf. Students visited ‘Gays the Word’ bookshop to buy enough books to start off the new collection. Then, during lockdown, three students trawled lists on the internet and chose more.
On 11th September 2021 it will be London Pride Parade, a celebration that usually takes place in July. And we’ve just had Pride Month when publishers in UK posted lots of LBGTQ+ book lists. Here’s one from the Book Trust.
Find out how the six stripe Rainbow flag became the symbol of LGBTQ+ rights here. The video also explains what each colour represents and contains the answer to the questions below.
GIFT BOOK
Email me the answer to these questions and claim a gift book from the Book Trust book list.
- How many stripes did the Pride Rainbow flag have originally?
- What is the name of the man who designed it?
Remember to include the title and author of the book you would like. I will buy one copy for you and one for our school libraries.
Librarian Reads
I am not always a fan of fantasy but these two books kept me turning pages unable to predict what was coming next.
‘They Both Die in the End’ by Adam Silvera
Death-Cast calls people to say they will die today. Not where or how. Not why. Just a random selection. Rufus and Mateo get the call on the same day. They hook up through the ‘Last Friend’ app, just in time for one great adventure together.
‘Cinderella is Dead’ by Kalynn Bayron
This is a story of romance, adventure and a fairy-tale flipped. In the kingdom of Mersailles, Cinderella’s story is used to coerce young women into matched marriages or be ‘disappeared’. Sophie flees rather than submit. She meets resistance fighter Constance and together they vow to bring down the king.
GIFT BOOK
If you’d like your own copy of one of the two books above send me an email with the Subject Heading ‘Pride Month’ and the title of the book you’d like.
New in Newhaven School Libraries – Horror-ible Books
Just arrived, Red-Eye horror books for Gardens and Kings Park libraries
Agree or disagree?
“A touch of the macabre in children’s books is nothing to be scared of.”
Eleanor Margolis 28/8/2018 Guardian newspaper article.
If you are a horror fan add our new books from the Red-Eye series to your reading wish-list. Just don’t ask me to read one. I scare easily.
GIFT BOOK
Read and review one of these books OR tell me why I should read a horror story. Choose one of the books shown in the photo as your giveaway gift.
Carnegie Prize Winner 2021
Author, Carnegie Prize winner, Jason Reynolds
Photo credit: Adedayo ‘Dayo’ Kosoko
I wrote about the books shortlisted for the Carnegie medal in the April edition of Book Beats. The winner is Jason Reynolds with his book ‘Look Both Ways’.. There’s an interview and more information here. We have copies in the libraries for you to borrow.
In less than 50 words: The framing story contains ten short stories which take place on walks home from school. This is a time for children without adults. Stories stand-alone but are interconnected and reveal the uniqueness of each student and the lives they lead.
Authors, Anagrams and Librarians
Many of you are familiar with Jason Reynolds work. We have been reading his verse novel ‘Long Way Down’ in library classes. Remember the anagrams he laces into the story?
“An anagram is a play on words created by rearranging the letters of the original word to make a new word or phrase.”
Here are some examples:
- Conversation = Voices rant on
- Listen = Silent
- Astronomer = Moon starer
- The eyes = They see
- The Morse Code = Here come dots
- Eleven plus two = Twelve plus one
- Slot machines = Cash lost in me
Try this site to look for new anagrams. I put in my name and found this: Carole = oracle.
Back in ancient times, an oracle was someone who offered advice or a prophecy thought to have come directly from a divine source. In modern usage, any good source of information can be called an oracle. The latter is one of the reasons librarians exist!
GIFT BOOK
Email me an anagram which somehow relates to the original word or phrase and choose a gift book from the Carnegie shortlist.
I will be thinking of everyone and their reading habits on and off over the summer. I hope you find a quiet spot to read through August. Stay safe, be curious.
Best wishes from Carole, Newhaven School Librarian
Summary – July 2021 Book Beats Giveaways
Email your answers to me librarian@newhavenschool.co.uk – remember to use your school email account. Apply now or over the holidays for one of these gift book options:
- Your choice from the Book Trust LGBT-YA list
- One of this month’s ‘Librarian Reads’ books
- Your choice from the Red-Eye horror collection
- Your choice from the Carnegie Shortlist
Maximum one gift per person
Deadline 31st August 2021.
There will be no August Book Beats so the deadline stretches all the way to the end of the summer holidays. Students who answer correctly will be notified in September.
Giveaways are available to students from all Newhaven sites, learning at home or at school.
