Book Week Scotland

This year Book Week Scotland runs from the 24th to the 30th November, as well as lots of events run by West Lothian public libraries there is also a lot happening in the School Library.
Add your pledge to the BWS Pledge Wall - you pledge to do something book related for the whole week. Ideas for pledges include:
 My family will sit down and read together for Book Week Scotland 2014

•I will read something Scottish for Book Week Scotland 2014

•I will alphabetise my bookshelves for Book Week Scotland 2014

•I will colour-code my bookcase for Book Week Scotland 2014 (send me your pictures for the Library Blog!)

•I will go to a Book Week Scotland event for Book Week Scotland 2014

•I hate [SCI-FI, ROMANCE, NON-FICTION, etc] but I’m going to read ……………. for Book Week Scotland 2014.

 

Why not vote for your favourite character in a Scottish book? There will be a box to place your votes in on the Library Issue Desk. Characters you could vote for include: Harry Potter or  Hermione Granger(Harry Potter): Norm (World of Norm); Kyle (Invisible fiends); Adam or Salim (Crusade); David Balfour (Kidnapped) - the list could go on.

 

There will aslo be displays and competitions in the Library during the week.

 

For lots more information about Book Week Scotland visit the Scottish Book Trust website

 

Scottish Children's Book Awards 2012

The winners of the Scottish Children's Book Awards were announced yesterday afternoon and the ICHS students who had acted as judges watched some of the ceremony via a live feed from GLOW. The winner of the 8-11 years Category was first-time author Ross McKenzie with his fantasy book 'Zak and the dream pirates'. This was also the favourite book of the ICHS judges in that category.

The winner in the 12-16 Category was Nicola Morgan' s book about love, life and fate  - 'Wasted'. Although we had enjoyed this book, the majority of ICHS judges voted for 'The Blackhope enigma' by Teresa Flavin.

All of the shortlisted books are on display in the Library, along with the sequels to 'The Blackhope enigma' and 'The case of the London dragonfish'.
For more information about the Scottish Children's Book Awards visit the Scottish Book Trust

Second World War - in Scotland

Many of the fiction books written about the Second World War are often about the Nazi threat or are set in Europe. Author Sue Reid Sexton's book "Mavis's shoe" is set in Glasgow and focuses on the Clydebank Blitz of March 1941 when over 4000 bombs were dropped on the city killing over 500 people and leaving 35, 000 people homeless. The novel tells the story of Lennie a young girl who loses everything - family and home- in the bombing and is forced to flee to Carbeth, a hut community. The story is dramatic and moving, especially when Lennie decides to return to Clydebank to search for her missing sister, Mavis.

Other fiction books set during the Blitz include: Goodnight Mister Tom by Michelle Magorian, Ronnie's war by Bernard Ashley and Carrie's war by Nina Bawden

Scottish Childrens Book Awards 2011

Short-listed authors 2011

The Scottish Book Trust has announced their shortlist for the 2011 SC Book Awards (formerly the Royal Mail Book Awards). As usual Mrs Aitken is looking for students who would be interested in judging the books and voting for their favourite. If you are interested in taking part come and give your name to Mrs Aitlen in the Library and get information about the books on the shortlists. Also check out the Scottish Book Trust's website: http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/

St Andrew's Day V

The chaos clock by Gill Arbuthnot is another fantasy adventure, this time set in Edinburgh where time is coming unstuck. A war is raging between the Lords of Chaos and the Guardians of Time and this all centres round a strange Millennium Clock. Will an old golden necklace be enough to help Kate and David overcome the Chaos and retore order and time?

One of my favourite books is Kate Atkinson's Case histories. It is the first of her novels to feature retired policeman Jackson Brodie now operating as a private investigator. The opening chapter is very powerful and is the first of three linked cases which Jackson is drawn into and which only he can solve. The novel is beautifully written and once you start to read you have to keep going to find out what it is that the cases have in common.

St Andrew's Day IV

The chess piece magician by Douglas Bruton

Set on the Isle of Lewis this is an exciting adventure which tells a fictional story about the iconic Lewis chessmen. The hero of the story is Corrie who is not looking forward to the annual family holiday on the wet and windy island. Until he finds a carved chess piece on the beach that is and gets drawn into a battle as legendary creatures from the past appear in the present.

Being Emily by Anne Donovan is a story about life, love and family relationships. The novel explores how happy domesticity can be turned on its head in the course of a single day. When her family is thrown into turmoil Emily must try and find her own place in the world.

St Andrew's Day - Scottish Authors III

The Nostradamus prophecy by Theresa Breslin is set in sixteenth century France in the court of the young king Charles. The king's mother, Catherine de' Medici , believes that Nostradamus can foresee the future and that her son is in danger. Melisande is a minstrel's daughter whose fate is inextricably linked to that of Nostradamus. Before he dies Nostradamus gives Melisande important papers which relate to the French royal line. Will Melisande be brave enough to fulfil the prophecy foretold by Nostradamus?

Iain Banks - Espedair Street Daniel Weir was a famous rock star and at 31 maybe still is. As he contemplates his life Daniel realises how bad the past has been, but has he the energy and indeed the ability to change his future? (S4 -Staff)

St Andrew's Day - Scottish Authors II

J.A. Henderson - Colony: Living on remote Kirkfallen Island Gene Stapleton's curious nature is going to get the better of him. The more he finds out about the destruction of a secret research station which was overrun by ants, the more he realises that his whole lfe has been a lie. Will knowing the truth save him or end in the demise of all on Kirkfallen Island? A gripping thriller for students in S1 -3.

Matthew Fitt - But n ben a-go-go: In the year 2090 most of Scotland is under water as a result of global flooding the survivors live in fear of Senga, a supervirus whose victims are kept in a giant hospital warehouse. Written in Scots this tells the story of Paolo Broon's quest to save his beloved Nadia by uncovering the secret of his family's past and freeing her from Senga's grip.

St Andrew's Day - Scottish Authors I

St Andrew's Day is celebrated on 30th November each year. Over the next week I will recommend 2 books a day (one for S1-3 and one for S4 and above) by Scottish authors as part of the countdown to St Andrew's Day.

Fleshmarket by Nicola Morgan is set in early nineteenth century Edinburgh, a period when operations were carried out without anaesthetic and surgeons relied on body snatchers to supply them with corpses for their anatomy lectures. Robbie's mother dies in agony whilst being operated on by Dr Robert Knox and Robbie is intent on revenge. (S1-S3)

Fleshmarket Close is Ian Rankin's 15th Inspector Rebus novel. Set in Edinburgh there are more murders and sub-plots than you can shake a stick at. An illegal immigrant is murdered in a housing scheme, is it a racist attack? A teenager has disappeared from home; two skeletons are found buried under a cellar floor in Fleshmarket close and Rebus is under pressure to retire! (S4-Staff)