Library update: learning through the fun of reading

by Ms Nylinder, the Librarian

The Library has partnered up with other departments this Spring Term to broaden its offer of inspiring activities and events.

The Year 8 Global Reading Project, a seven-week skills programme, involved reading, reviewing and summarising books set in different countries. As a year group, they read an impressive 154 books between them. Leonora L and Rajvi W excelled, reading the most books spread across different continents. Students still gather by the map discussing the luggage tags used to review the books (pictured above). We see this as the strongest proof of the project’s success.

We had a wonderful World Book Day celebrating the spirit of reading and writing. Author Tasha Harrison shared useful tips and advice as she detailed her rocky road to becoming a published author. This was followed by a creative writing workshop where students were given some ingredients, such as “conflict” and “a protagonist with goals and flaws” to use as a source of inspiration (pictured below). Year 8 produced some very impressive work and Tasha was struck by how well-mannered and confident our students are.

Charlotte S, Eleanor R and Sophie W, Year 11, led a hugely successful lunch-time discussion for Year 10 on intertextuality in Rebecca (pictured below). Aimed at supporting the younger students with their English Literature studies, the truly inspiring event attracted a large audience who were 100% engaged. A big well done to the organisers.

We explored the power and purpose of book covers during a library lesson with 7MS. The students were asked to match book covers, where the title had been erased, with their book blurbs (pictured below). They completed the task surprisingly fast, assessing imagery and the use of colour to justify their answers, which, overall, were correct. So, can you judge a book by its cover? One student provided the best answer: "You can to a certain extent get an idea what kind of read it is by looking for clues on the cover. However, it is not possible to assess whether it is a good or bad read. You have to read it to find out."

This year’s Shadowing Scheme for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration is off the ground. Over the next three months, a group of keen readers from Year 6 and Year 8 will meet in the Senior Library to read and judge the books that have been shortlisted for the award. The group made a brilliant start during their first session, identifying the aspects that make a picture book appealing and discussing the impact colours have in the story. The Year 8 students did a wonderful job in their supervisory role, guiding the younger students through the process (pictured below). The group will cast their vote for the Shadowers’ Choice Award before the May half-term break. Watch this space!