Off the Shelf
Library Newsletter
Issue 10 January 2025
Editor: Avril 13F
Welcome to the winter edition of Watford Girls Library newsletter.
In this edition, find books to read over the winter, from the school library or eLibrary.
There’s a range of genres and recommendations and some winter themed activities.
Feel free to attend:
Year 8 Book club on Monday Lunchtimes
Year 9/10/11 Book Club Thursday lunchtimes
Wider Reading Group Y12/13 Wednesday lunchtimes
Study Club after school until 5pm (except Fridays!)
Contents:
Ms Small’s reads – p2-3
Staff Book Group – p4
Poem by Zainab – p4
50 years of Stephen King – p5
Summer book bingo challenge – p6
Reading Rep recommendations - p7
Winter book reviews – p8
Winter crossword - p9
What I’m Reading by Mrs Small
Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin
Elsewhere is where fifteen-year-old Liz Hall ends up, after she is killed in a hit-and-run accident.
It is a place very like Earth, yet completely different. Here Liz will age backwards from the day of her death until she becomes a baby again and returns to Earth.
Although there is sadness in this book as it covers themes of bereavement, I enjoyed this alternative premise on life after death and the way Liz’s perspective gradually changed on the things in life that are most important Y7+
by Yvette Fielding
When the ghosts of two young children start to haunt a local school, trainee ghost hunters Eve, Clovis and Tom are invited to help investigate the case. But before long they realize there is more to this haunting than they first thought
Could it be that the ghost children are victims of Jack the Ripper? And is the evil Ripper of Whitechapel about to unleash a new campaign of terror from beyond the grave.
A spooky start to a great series, The Ghosthunter Chronicles. Y7+
When Seb is offered a place on a radical retreat designed to solve the national crisis of teenage unhappiness, he is determined to change how people see him and make his parents proud.
The deeper into the programme the boys get, the more disturbing the assessments become, until it’s clear there may be no escape...
This is a truly disturbing dystopian book, which I found compelling and awful in equal measure. At the start I wondered if the programme could work, but as the trials continued, I feared for the lives of these characters. No matter how bleak the outcome appeared, I couldn’t stop reading this book. Y9+
Happy Head by Josh Silver
Josh Silver
The Ripper of the Whitechapel
Bringing Back Kay-Kay
by Dev Kothari
When Lena’s beloved older brother goes missing at the end of summer camp, the bottom drops out of her world. The police dismiss Kay-Kay’s disappearance as that of just another teenage runaway, but Lena knows they are wrong.
Tired of not being listened to, powerless to reach her parents through their grief and unable to imagine a future without her brother in it, Lena sets off to find him. As Lena journeys across India to retrace Kay-Kay's last known steps, she embarks on a parallel journey of discovery. Because it seems there is a side to Kay-Kay she has never known.
I loved this mystery adventure which not only kept me guessing until the end, but drew me into the sights and sounds of India. Y7+
Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
I really enjoyed “Inheritance Games”, so I thought I’d try another book by Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
When auto mechanic Sawyer Taft's estranged grandmother offers her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season, Sawyer's first instinct is to run a mile. But then she realizes her grandmother's offer might mean solving the biggest mystery of her life - her father's identity.
So, she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses and even bigger egos. However, Sawyer doesn't expect to find a group of fellow debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own and soon it's clear that the truth about her father is just one of the shocking secrets buried deep in this high-society world. And no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. Y8+
Staff Book Group.
I have always wanted to be part of a book group, but always found it hard to fit in around the demands of teaching. I was therefore delighted when Miss Tucker set up a staff book group and eagerly read the chosen novel "Tell me how this ends" by Jo Leever.
The book has two main protagonists and narrative voices. Alice, a woman in her 60s who is terminally ill and wishing to share her life story, and Henrietta, a young woman who has started a new job transcribing life stories, but who is haunted by her own past. Through their time together, both women are able to deal with some of the traumas of their past.
The staff book group has over twenty members, but about eight were able to meet for our inaugural discussion. As a group, we found the book incredibly moving, particularly with the way it dealt with sensitive issues such as abuse and death. There are light moments of humour, usually through the character of Henrietta, who is often unable to read social cues due to her upbringing, and her smelly dog Dave! Being set in the run up to Christmas felt very relevant as we read it, and we all agreed we would recommend it to a friend.
I'm very much looking forward to our next book club meeting and group discussion! Ms Dorsett-Bailey
I love you Mom
Mom, my first friend, my ultimate confidant. The one who truly lives in a special place within my heart.
There is no one quite like you, Mom. The hardships you endure, the care you harness, the love you shower. And why? Just to put a smile upon me.
Oh, mom you are beyond comparison! I fear these words aren't enough to emphasise the depth of my gratitude.
All this kindness has profound impacts. Your presence illuminating my path.
I struggle to articulate your value in my eyes. You are like a divine embodiment.
I pray for your health and wellbeing Mommy first friend, my ultimate confidant. You will always remain in a special place in my heart.
Poem by Zainab, 12H
50 Years of Stephen King by Mrs Small
This year marks 50 years since the publication of Carrie, the book which kickstarted Stephen King’s career. The ‘king of horror’ has published more than 60 novels and sold over 350 million books.
The first of Stephen King’s books I recall reading was “The Shining”. I read it in my teens, and I can still recall the feeling of terror as I squashed my back into the corner of my room so that nothing could get me from behind. It was a truly scary read, but I could not put the book down. I went on to read many of his books, and “The Shawshank Redemption” is one of my favourite films.
Kings story began with the tale of a young girl with telekinetic powers published 50 years ago, on 5 April 1974. Carrie was his debut novel, a simple but twisted tale of a high-school girl who doesn’t fit in. King’s inspiration for the character of Carrie were two girls he’d known at school, both misfits, both of whom died young.
From The Shining to Misery, It to The green mile, Carrie to Christine, many of his books have been the subject of multiple adaptations. In fact it almost didn’t happen as King initially put the manuscript for Carrie in the bin, but luckily for us his wife Tabitha fished it back out and urged him to continue.
The manuscript sold when King was 26 and a young parent. He was working as a high-school teacher, a career he expected to continue while writing on the side. When his publishers rang to tell him that the paperback rights had sold for $400,000 (£317,000) life changed. “The strength ran out of my legs. I didn’t fall, exactly, but I kind of whooshed down to a sitting position there in the doorway,” he recalled in On Writing. Of course, they did make a movie of Carrie and the film was a huge box-office success.
We have some of Kings best books in the library, they are mainly for older readers who like to read very scary books.
Summer Book Bingo Challenge 2024
Last summer students were challenged to read a minimum of 4 books and up to 16. The books had to meet different criteria such as a horror/ghost story, your friend’s favourite book or a book with a red cover.
Here are some books which were popular with those completing the challenge:
·Frozen Charlotte by Alex Bell – a scary horror story
·The summer I turned pretty by Jenny Han – this book won the Y7 Book Award in 2023
·Murder most unladylike by Robin Stevens – celebrating its 10-year anniversary and still popular
Yasmine’s Reviews
Four Children and It by Jacqueline Wilson - This is an amazing book about four children, Rosalind, Robbie, Smash and Maudie. They encounter a creature called the Psammead. At one point the children decide to go to the past. Rosalind accidentally wishes she could live in the Edwardian era forever. She gets arrested and is sent to the workhouse.
Amazing Muslims who Changed the World - This book is about muslims. Someone who heal people during the war, a famous boxer called Muhammad Ali, but my favourite story was about Noor Inayat Khan who was a lost Indian princess and British spy.
Pax by Sarah Pennypacker - I think Pax is a heartbreaking but amazing book. It is about a boy called Peter who finds a fox on the road and secretly takes it home. Once his Dad finds out he commands Peter to set it free in the wild as a war starts.
Acme’s Review
A wolf called Wander by Rosanne Parry - Swift lives with his pack in the mountains until one terrible day, rival wolves invade his home and kill his father. All alone and hungry, Swift has to find a new home, but will he survive? I would give this book 7.5/10 (This book is based on a true story)
Reading Reps Recommendations
Looking for something to read next? Here are some suggestions from WGGS Reading Reps. You can find most of these books in the library or on the eLibrary.
KS3
Holes - Louis Sachar
Alex Rider - Anthony Horowitz
The inheritance games - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Percy Jackson series - Rick Riordan
Lottie Brooks series - Katie Kirby
My name is Victoria - Lucy Worsley
Midnight gang - David Walliams
Divergent - Veronica Roth
The last bear - Hannah Gold
One of us is lying - Karen McManus
Good girls guide to murder - Holly Black
Scythe trilogy - Neal Shusterman
Six of crows - Leigh Bardugo
White rabbit, red wolf - Tom Pollock
My secret diary - Jacqueline Wilson
Lord of the flies - William Golding
Geek girl - Holly Smale
KS4
A court of thorns and roses - Sarah J Maas
The hate U give - Angie Thomas
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
The naturals - Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Babel - R F Kuang
No longer human - Osamu Dazai
Lockwood and Co - Jonathan Stroud
Ariadne - Jennifer Saint
Mortal instruments - Cassandra Clare
KS5
Kite runner - Khalid Hosseini
And the mountains echoed - Khalid Hosseini
The ivory key - Akshaya Raman
Thursday murder club - Richard Osman
How to solve your own murder - Kristen Perrin
The heart’s code - Paul Pearsall
Winter Book Reviews
The
Silent Stars Go By - Sally Nichols
On top of being a beautiful, heartwarming book, The Silent Stars Go By explores many themes of post-WW1 society - feminism, grief, etiquette, etc - and is a great place to start finding out more about what specifically inspires you. It might inspire you to find out more about one aspect or you might find yourself falling in love with all of it.
Genre- Historical and Domestic Fiction
Review by Aarini, 13F
How to solve your own murder - Kristen Perrin
This book has many twists and turns as the main character, Annie Adams, has to find the murderer of her Great Aunt Frances, despite being the only one who has not met her ever in her life, and having to do it in just seven days and just meeting her when she was dead. The novel has many hidden clues, and many layers to the different characters, such as Elva, Saxon, Rose and even Frances herself. Since Annie does not know anything, she takes the help of Detective Crane who appears to do this as she is new to everything and everyone in this little town. As she discovers more about Frances’ life, she realizes that this case may harder to solve than she thought. This thriller captivated my mind as a reader with its uncovering of information at certain times in the storyline and doesn’t reveal anything that may make the killer obvious from the start. It revealed just enough information about the truth to keep me hooked and left me wanting to read more, to find out what happened and who killed her. There are other stories that also take place alongside the main story which keep you from getting bored by the same storyline for the whole book. Overall, it was a great book and I would definitely read it again.
Genre - Mystery Fiction
Review by Jiya, 13B
This is going to hurt – Adam Kay
I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The book follows the life of a junior doctor working in the NHS. He shared his humorous diary entries and the realities/struggles of his medical career. The book shows Adam working as a Junior doctor, encountering physical stress, and countless, sleepless nights which take an emotional toil on him. He also discusses the impact of governments policies on the NHS and budget cuts and he addresses the strain his job takes on his mental health and personal relationships
Genre - Comedy and Medical drama
Review by Maryam, 13A
Across
3. Single piece of snow
5. Tis the season to be jolly and to drink this
7. Flightless bird that lives in Antarctica
8. Ice crystals on a frozen surface
10. Snow that partially melts as it falls
14. Vehicle that may be driven across snow
17. Machine used to remove snow from roads
18. Period of very cold winter weather that damages plants
20. Large bank of snow
21. Thick water vapor that makes it hard to see
23. Rain that freezes as it falls
24. Hand cover for the four fingers together and the thumb separately
25. A storm with heavy snow, strong winds, and severe cold
26. Scarf worn around one's neck for warmth
27. Knitted garment worn when it is cold
29. Flat object used to travel in surf-like position down hills of snow
30. Fabric with a soft, silky pile, used for warmth
Down
1. Underwear, especially for winter use
2. Type of cake flavored with molasses
4. Small sweetmeat made of sugar
6. Rounded handful of snow that may be thrown
9. Temperature felt when wind makes it feel colder
11. Soft, slightly napped fabric of wool
12. Shut in or immobilized by snow
13. To spend the winter dormant
15. Drink made of eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and rum or wine
16. Small vehicle consisting of a platform mounted on runners
19. Mass of ice formed by dripping water
22. Injury after excessive exposure to extreme cold
28. Game played on ice