2011 Costa Book of the Year

Pure by Andrew Miller

Deep in the heart of Paris, its oldest cemetery is, by 1785, overflowing, tainting the very breath of those who live nearby. Into their midst comes Jean-Baptiste Baratte, a young, provincial engineer charged by the king with demolishing it.

At first Baratte sees this as a chance to clear the burden of history, a fitting task for a modern man of reason. But before long, he begins to suspect that the destruction of the cemetery might be a prelude to his own.

T S Eliot Prize for Poetry

Yesterday evening, The Poetry Book Society  announced the winner of the prestigious T S Eliot Prize for Poetry. The winning poet was John Burnside for Black Cat Bone.

How To Train Your Dragon Review

The first book in this popular series, not to be confused with the DreamWorks film, by Cressida Cowell. If you think it’s like the film you will be surprised as the main characters and plot share the same names but little else. This book is a popular read in the library and appeals particularly to Years 7 and 8, so I thought I would give it a go.

Without giving anything away, the plot gravitates around a would be Viking Hero, Hiccup, as he struggles to gain initiation into The Hairy Hooligan Tribe. Not being your average Viking Hero, Hiccup has to use all the other resources available to him including his: brains, friends, sword fighting skills and ability to speak Dragonese.

Despite being considerably older than the average reader of this book, I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The book was well written with a striking use of language. It was broken up with amusing facts and naive illustrations, that effectively complement the light-hearted tone and humour of the story. The move away from stereotypical heroes in children’s fiction, most famously seen in Harry Potter, creates more believable characters that we can all relate to as they struggle to beat the odds.

If you wanted to share this book with a younger sibling or pass a long car journey, I would also recommend the excellent audio books narrated by David Tennant (aka the old Doctor Who).

New Faces in the LRC

As many of you will know by now, there are new faces in the LRC and having been passed the virtual blog baton, I will introduce us. Mrs Burrell is acting as LRC Manager and she has been joined by two new assistants, Mrs Bartholomew (me) and Miss Emslie. I’m a qualified Librarian with a PG Dip in Library and Information Studies and Miss Emslie is a qualified teacher. Between us we have a lot of experience and knowledge to help you get the most out of this exceptionally good school library.

At this point, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Bull for all the work he put into the Gryphon LRC. His huge subject knowledge and enthusiasm for reading has resulted in a well stocked resource, which is well used and generally has a purposeful buzz to it. We all wish Mr Bull well in his new post in Adelaide, and hope he’ll keep us updated on all things bookish from Down Under.

And to finish, we are busy processing new books, dvds etc and so keep a look out on the new book stand for anything that grabs your attention. We have also created a new reading list section for all Year 12 and 13 A-Level Literature and Lit/Lang students; most titles are available to loan or reserve. All feedback and requests from staff and students are welcome.

My Last Day at the Gryphon School

It is with some sadness that I write this, my last Gryphon LRC Blog post. I am moving to take up a new exciting Library Manager position at a school in Adelaide, Australia after half-term. I would like to thank everyone; students, staff, parents and governors for the wonderful opportunity to work here for the past six years. I can honestly say I have enjoyed virtually every minute of my time here and I can only hope my  new position is half as interesting and rewarding.

I leave you with what is in my humble opinion one of the best school libraries you will find anywhere and that is a result of the fantastic staff and ever curious students of the Gryphon. Keep asking questions, making suggestions and above all

Mr Bull

Today Is World Egg Day, No Really!

Begun in 1996 World Egg Day is a chance for people from all over the world to celebrate the egg. Check out the website to see what’s going on. What’s your favourite egg dish. Leave a comment on the blog and tell us.

Aesthetica Magazine

Students and staff who are not already aware should know that we subscribe to an ever increasing range of excellent magazines to support the curriculum. Aesthetica is available in both print and digital formats and covers the areas of Art & Design, Film, Music, Performance & Literature. To access the vast online content ask your teacher for the username and password.

Website of the Week: Children’s Book Sequels

Another excellent fiction selection tool, Children’s Book Sequels. This site allows you to discover the correct number and reading order of books in any particular series. Just type in the author or title of one of the books to begin.

Year 7 Students Learn How Fiction Is Arranged

Year 7 Pupils have begun the first part of their four lesson LRC Induction programme today. The first lesson focussed on learning how fiction books are arranged in the library. Pupils became familiar with the range of fiction held by the LRC and how it is arranged on the shelves. By developing valuable browsing skills Year 7 students will build their confidence in choosing fiction for themselves. After several hands-on library activities students tested their alphabet and sorting skills with a series of virtual shelving tasks. Try them for yourselves. Fiction Sorting Game.

New Titles For August 2011

Click on the link below for a complete list of all new titles added to our collection in August.

New Titles August 2011