Library update: connecting people through books

by Ms Nylinder, the Librarian

The summer term has seen a range of initiatives involving the exploration of themes through fiction.

Building on last year’s success, the Library hosted Putney High’s Yoto Carnegie Junior/Senior Shadowing Group for illustration (pictured above). Over the course of four meetings, students from Year 6 and Year 8 read and judged the eight shortlisted books. After a rigorous process where the list was narrowed down with each meeting, two titles received the same number of high votes. Bowerbird, follows a small bird with a large heart as he desperately tries to woo the bird of his dreams through precious gifts. Purely through beautiful pictures and without a single word, The Tree and the River tells the poignant story of a piece of landscape and how it changes through time. The group loved these books because the powerful illustrations communicate important messages and successfully manage the fine balance between heartbreak and hope. The Tree and the River went on to win both the official Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration and the Shadowers’ Choice Award.  

Year 10 enjoyed the opportunity to browse the suggested titles for the new Symposium project in English (seen browsing above). They put so much thought and effort into the selection process, assessing titles from a list that included a wide range of fiction, drama and poetry. In small groups, they read their chosen text and then conducted a live discussion of the book in front of the rest of the class.

Year 7 students Alisa V, Georgie S and Hannah L joined the Book Club at Oasis Academy to discuss the ecologically themed sci-fi adventure, City of Rust (pictured above). It proved to be the perfect read for our two schools' Eco Partnership Project. The students' engagement with the story and the characters' future triggered a great discussion, where they shared ideas on how we can make small changes in our everyday lives to conserve the planet's resources. This beautifully sums up the purpose of the project, but most importantly, everyone thought City of Rust was a cracking read.

Books connect people, sometimes in the most extraordinary and unexpected way.

Author and alumna Aliya Ali-Afzal's (pictured below) success story is a fine example demonstrating the value of having access to a library and a supportive English teacher. At Putney High School’s big reunion, she recounted how her English teacher had encouraged her to write. Moments later, she found her book proudly displayed. The Library, once her favourite spot in the school, was where her writing dreams first took flight.

The Library hosted Year 7 as they prepared a warm welcome for next year’s new students through our blind-date book buddy scheme. This involves leaving a friendly welcome letter inside a favourite book, wrapping it and adding a short description of what kind of read is hiding within. They put so much effort into the task, and the letters they wrote were kind, supportive and reassuring. Our new cohort are in for a treat in September when they are introduced to their buddy through their book choice.