Flip Side

The February issue of Flip Side is now available in the Library. As usual it is packed full of fascinating articles and very strange pictures. If you want to know more about deadly reptiles, real-life robot patrols or extreme rock climbing then pick up FlipSide from the Library desk.

Chinese New Year

The year of the horse begins on 31st January. To celebrate the Chinese New Year there is a display in the Library with information about the Chinese zodiac and books about China and horses!

New exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland

If you are looking for something to do at the weekend or during the Februaty break you could visit the National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street in Edinburgh to see the new exhibition called 'Mammoths of the Ice Age'. Learn lots of interesting facts about mammoths - for example did you know that not all mammoths were large in size? Pygmy mammoths were just the size of a large horse! The exhibition runs from 24th January to 20th April. For more information visit the NMS website
Can't wait to learn about mammoths? Then come and borrow a book or two from the Library including 'The mammoth's tomb' by Dougal Dixon.

Write 500 words

 Chris Evans has launched the '500 words' competition for young people aged 13 or under. If you enjoy writing short stories why not enter the competition. Entires must be submitted by 26th February and your short story should be no more than 500 words. Click information to visit the website for all the details.

Holocaust Memorial Day 2014

Holocaust Memeorial Day (HMD) takes place each year on the 27th January- marking the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp on that date in 1945 at the end of WWII.

This day is a time to remember the many millions of innocent people who died during the Holocaust and in later genocides across the world in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

Learn more about HMD

There is a display in the Library about the Holocaust and the subsequent genocides.

Burns Night

Robert Burns was born on 25th January 1759 and every year on this date people celebrate Scotland's Bard by holding Burns Suppers -  where they eat haggis and recite his poetry. If you are not familiar with the poetry of Robert Burns or if you want to know more about what happens at a Burns Supper come along to the Library where there is a display to celebrate one of Scotland's great poets.

Book of the Week 20th January

'The last wild' by Piers Torday is book of the week this week.
From the blurb "This is the story of a boy named Kester. He is  extraordinary, but he doesn't know that yet. All he knows, at this very moment, is this:
1. There is a flock of excited pigeons in his bedroom
2. They are talking to him
3. His life will never be quite the same again..."

On display

There are lots of books on display throughout the Library as usual. On the display board there are some books with covers which feature a human face. These have been display under the title 'Face it! It's good to read!'

 

Some of the books on this display are:

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Here lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

Radiance by Alyson Noel

The Bailey game by Celia Rees

Award winner

The Costa Children's Book Award 2013 was won by Chris Riddell for his book 'Goth girl and the ghost of a mouse'. This is a fantastically silly spoof of the gothic novel (think  'Frankenstein',' Northanger Abbey' or  'Gormennghast') full of hilarious puns which reference the genre. The book is also beautifully illustrated by the author. A must read!

You may also enjoy these books:

Book of the week

Happy New Year to everyone!
The book of the week is 'Breathe' by Sarah Crossan.
From the blurb:
"When oxygen levels plunge in a treeless world, a state lottery decides who will live inside the Pod. Everyone else will slowly suffocate.
Years later, society has divided into Premiums and Auxiliaries. Only Premiums can afford enough oxygen to live a nomal life. Dissenters to the regime are ejected from the Pod.
Alina belongs to a rebel group. On the verge of capture, she is rescued by a Premium boy. They escape the Pod but with only two days worth of air. Outside they unearth conspiracy on a breathtaking sclae.
Everything depends on their survival."

If you enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins or the Noughts and crosses trilogy by Malorie Blackman you will love this book!

Breathe Book Trailer