Autumn Edition no 11 November 2025 Editor: Eshal 13G
- Book Reviews pg 3-6. - Book Sculptures pg 7. - 250 Years Of Jane Austen pg 8. - My Reading Recommendations pg 9. - Short Story: Life Of A Snowflake pg 10-11. - Poem: Autumn Skies pg 12. - Wordsearch pg 13. - Book Reviews pg 3-6. - Book Sculptures pg 7. - 250 Years Of Jane Austen pg 8. - My Reading Recommendations pg 9. - Short Story: Life Of A Snowflake pg 10-11. - Poem: Autumn Skies pg 12. - Wordsearch pg 13.
Welcome to the 11 edition of Off The Shelf!! This edition has so many fun and interesting things for you to read, ranging from book recommendations to writing by our own students. I hope you’ll enjoy this newsletter and remember to keep reading!! th
Book Reviews: Book Reviews:
Heartstopper
by Alice Oseman
COMING OF AGE, TEEN DRAMA, ROMANCE.
Heartstopper is a graphic novel that tells the story of Charlie Spring, a quiet, gay teenager, and Nick Nelson, a popular rugby player, as they make friends and find their identity, and first love at an all-boys grammar school in England. When Charlie and Nick are placed in the same form group, they quickly become friends. Charlie, who has experienced bullying and heartbreak, is comforted by Nick's kindness. As their bond becomes stronger, Charlie begins to have feelings for Nickthough he assumes they’re straight, but Nick starts to question his own feelings, and they are both unsure. The story unfolds with emotional honesty, and focuses on acceptance, and young love. Alice Osman's illustrations and relatable dialogue make Heartstopper a touching and interesting read for both teenagers and adults.
- Amy 7B
The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
YA, MYSTERY/CRIME, THRILLER.
Seventeen-year-old Cassie can read peopletheir wants, secrets - without a word unspoken. When the FBI recruits her into a secret programme of gifted teens to solve cold cases, she realises the danger is much closer than she thought. The Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.
The Naturals was such an addictive read. I love the mix of mystery, suspense and teen drama. The characters were realistic and the twists kept me guessing right up to the end of the book. Five stars!!
- Kaeya 9E
A Better World by Sarah Langan
APOCALYPTIC, THRILLER, OSTRACISM.
As the outside world literally falls apart, Linda and Russell Farmer-Bowen and their teenage twins are offered the chance to relocate to Plymouth Valley, a walled-off company town with clean air, pantries that will never go empty, and blue-ribbon schools. The family jumps at the opportunity. They’d be crazy not to take it. This might be their last chance at survival. But fitting in takes work. And the strange residents fervently adhere to a group of customs and beliefs called Hollow … but what exactly is Hollow? Finally, thanks to Linda’s medical skills they begin to find acceptance, and everything seems fine. Sure, Russell starts hyperventilating through a paper bag in the middle of the night, and the kids have drifted like bridgeless islands, but at least they’ll survive. But something isn’t right. The more Linda learns, the more frightened she becomes. Should the Farmer-Bowens be fighting to stay, or fighting to get out?
“A suspenseful and captivating story of a futuristic ‘utopian’ world - a must-read thriller”
- Krisha 13C
The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway
ADVENTURE, TRAGEDY, ALLEGORY.
The Old Man and the Sea is a 1952 novella. Written between December 1950 and February 1951, it was the last major fictional work Hemingway published during his lifetime. It tells the story of Santiago, an ageing fisherman, and his long struggle to catch a giant marlin.
A true classic. One that can be read time and time again without getting bored, until the pages have become soft from wear. It is a short novel, simple and not difficult to read, yet so incredibly profound. You are completely immersed as you follow the narrative of Santiago, finding solace in the seas of Cuba, heart pacing as you follow the blue marlin right with him. I would love to read this book again for the first time.
- Kiana, 13H
Silencing The Past
by Michel-Rolf Trouillot
POWER, HISTORY, TREATISE.
Silencing the Past, is not just a history volume but an eye-opener regarding how history is made, narrated, and at times willfully silenced. This brief yet potent book, first published in 1995, continues to hold significance in the present times. Haitian historian and anthropologist Trouillot asks a question that is deceptively simple: Who decides what becomes history? Trouillot shows how power works not only in history per se but also in creating history in dramatic examples, such as the "discovery" of America and the Haitian Revolution. His treatment of the Haitian Revolution is especially perceptive. He contends that because this revolutionary uprising, which saw slaves successfully overcome European empires, was so extreme, most Western historians during this time conceived of it as impossible. It was willfully left out of modern history rather than being merely forgotten. There is no choice but to confront the unsettling reality that silence is not nothingness but one of the strongest side effects of history, thanks to Trouillot's research.
This is an exceptional book because it strikes a balance between depth and explanation. Trouillot skillfully weaves philosophy and narrative in his book. He never stops admiring real people—the voices that have been lost from records, the unwritten texts, the lives that have been reduced to footnotes. Every chapter compels us to rethink the way we learned of the past as well as what we already know about it.
It's sobering to read Silencing the Past. All those memorial statues, museum plaques, and textbooks you ' ve ever read cause you to question them. But rather than being a book of despair, it is an appeal to consciousness. History is not some passive activity that just happens, but one that is shaped both by its tellers and its silencers, reminds us Trouillot.
Any scholar of history or anyone simply looking to understand the dynamic between power and memory needs to read this book. It reminds us that to learn about history in a proper way, we need to be paying attention to the silences at least as much as to the narratives that fill them. 5 stars: Dazzling, unsettling, and groundbreaking — Silencing the Past changes the way we read history, and indeed the way we conceptualize truth itself. - Jenna 13D
PARANORMAL, FICTION, HORROR.
Imagine living in a town where children vanished without warning, where the disappearances were so frequent, so predictable, that people stopped asking questions. Everyone knew the reason deep down. They whispered about it behind closed doors, passed down warnings disguised as bedtime stories. But no one wanted to believe the truth. It was easier to pretend. This was Bryan’s reality. His older brother, Adam, was taken one summer evening after they played a game inspired by an old urban legend, the tale of the Dark Man. It was supposed to be harmless fun, just a spooky dare among siblings. But when Adam disappeared, Bryan knew it wasn’t just a story. He saw something that night. Something no one else would admit was real. While the town clung to denial, Bryan refused to forget. He became obsessed with uncovering the truth, digging through old records, questioning elders, and retracing the steps of every child who had vanished. Everyone told him to let it go. “It’s just grief,” they said. “You’re imagining things.” But Bryan knew it was real and so he decided to prove it once and for all and maybe this would help him to save Adam. But in the end does it work? This book was interesting and full of cliffhangers. It consistently kept me stimulated and I just didn’t want to put the book down. What makes it even better, is that there are quite a few plot twists, that make the story even more awesome. After reading the book, I feel that the characters have grown a lot and it is amazing to see the journey that they go on.
- Afrin, 10A
Surrounded By Idiots by Thomas Erikson
NON-FICTION, PSYCHOLOGY, SELF-HELP.
An interesting read, helps to give you a deeper insight into those around you. I found myself unconsciously reading people and trying to interpret and compare their behaviour against the four colour archetypes. It's easy to understand and very engaging. Plus, it’s important to take time to understand the psychology behind yours and others’ actions and reactions.
- Eshal, 13G
Book Sculptures: Book Sculptures:
The Art Department has decided to get the school’s sculpture garden up and running again starting with book sculptures. The idea was conceived by one of the art teachers, Miss Rock. The students in her Year 9 class last year, designed and then painted a book cover onto a brick, creating their own 'brick book'. They had to research their favourite book/s and prepare a mood board and then bring in a copy of the book they wanted to create.
The bricks were sourced locally for free; the pupils painted them white and then used carbon paper to transfer the detail. After the design was drawn, they used acrylics to paint the colour and a mixture of pens to add further detail once dry.
Ms Kearns then varnished the books and arranged them on the plinths.
- Mrs Small, Librarian.
250 Years Of Jane Austen: 250 Years Of Jane Austen:
On December 16th 1775 Jane Austen was born in Steventon Hampshire and spent much of her life in the county. Hampshire was not only her birthplace, but its people and the society in which she moved provided inspiration for many of her novels.
Jane’s novels are renowned for their wit, social observation and insights into the lives of early 19th Century women. In 1809, Austen’s brother Edward offered his mother and sisters a cottage on his Chawton estate near Alton. This is where the author lived for the last eight years of her life and wrote her novels.
In May 1817, she fell seriously ill and came to Winchester with her sister Cassandra for medical treatment. Two months later, she died aged 41 and was buried in Winchester Cathedral. 2025 marks 250 years since this remarkable author came into the world.
- Mrs Small, Librarian.
The Jane Austen Books In Order Of Release, Which Is Your Favourite?
- Sense and Sensibility(1811)
- Pride and Prejudice(1813)
- Mansfield Park(1814)
- Emma(1815)
- Northanger Abbey(1817)
- Persuasion(1817)
My Reading Recommendations: My Reading Recommendations:
- Eshal, 13G - Eshal, 13G
Modern Classics:
- To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee [1960]
- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald [1925]
- Breakfast At Tiffany’s, Truman Capote [1958]
Gothic:
- The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde [1890]
- Carmilla, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu [1872]
- Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë [1847]
Fantasy:
- Six Of Crows, Leigh Bardugo [2015]
- The Last Unicorn, Peter S. Beagle [1968]
Japanese Novels [Depressing]:
- Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami [1987]
- No Longer Human, Osamu Dazai [1948]
Crime:
- The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle [1892]
- And Then There Were None, Agatha Christie [1939]
- The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown [2003]
Manga:
- Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun, AidaIro [2014]
- Chainsaw Man, Tatsuki Fujimoto [2018]
- Assasination Classroom, Yusei Matsui [2012]
The Life Of A Snowflake: The Life Of A Snowflake:
The feeling of descent is quite unnerving. I do not have eyes, but I still own the privilege to see. Yet, everything looks the same, so there really is no way of knowing for how much longer I shall fall. But I can sense. Sense this dreaded feeling of whatever will occur when I reach the ground, almost like an ominous warning from the skies above. I do not understand.
I have just started my life as a snowflake. Pure, untainted, free. Simply existing as I fly down from my home above to explore the earth. And mainly to find these two-legged humans, of whom I’ve heard many tales about. Some wondrous, some dangerous. Yet, always, there was the warning of staying far, far away from them. Why? ‘tis a question without an answer. But never mind that, I shall simply enjoy the soft wind. Still descending, still exploring. Something interesting I wish to tell you, but nothing interesting has happened to tell you. I must say, it is quite a mundane journey. After a while, there really is nothing to see. Just a sky that is blue and my brethren’s home; fluffy clouds that seem to only get further and further away. I suppose I feel quite homesick, but not to worry. I have started a new journey in my life, and sometimes, to progress further and discover new opportunities, we must leave behind old comfort.
I'm afraid I still have nothing to share –
Oh my! I see...white. But it’s all oddly shaped. It is white, but underneath the white, there is green. These unique, green objects seem to be quite spiky, I doubt I can land softly on them. It truly does seem painful. I must avoid it at all costs, but alas, I have no way of steering my direction. I must simply hope lady luck is on my side today.
There is more white. In fact, everything looks white. But the true nature is buried underneath this sheet of white, different colours, some vibrant, some muted, yet they all are pretty in their own, special way. I see movement near the ground – on the ground –and I am delighted! These...these moving creatures are indeed those from the many tales I’ve heard. Two-legged creatures, they perfectly match the description of a “human”. I cannot talk, but I am sure I can listen to their strange, garbled noises and find some symphony in it.
Just a few more seconds, ah yes, I have landed. Thankfully, on a ground, and not on a spiky, green thing. Wait. Wait, wait, wait. What is happening? I-I do not understand. My...my body is melting, I assume. But how is this possible? I am losing my form; I am losing my thoughts. Help!
My prayers have been answered! A human approaches my formless form, I have been saved! No...are they going to step on me? Oh no, the darkness shrouds my senses. I feel my life leaving me. What have I done, to deserve such a pitiful end?
Perhaps...I should have stayed at home.
- Swethica, 13H
Autumn Skies: Autumn Skies:
The leaves know first when seasons shift, they blush before the cold winds lift.
A quiet signal, soft and slow, they let the world around them know They loosen grip without a fight, and twirl in air, a golden flight. No panic in their downward fall— just trust that change will cradle all.
They gather in the corners wide, in gutters, steps, and countryside. A rustling quilt of red and brown, a crunch beneath where boots come down.
Some cling a little longer still, curled tight against the coming chill. But even they, in time, will glide— no leaf escapes the turning tide.
And yet, they never seem to mourn. They catch the light, they ride the storm. In every fall, a kind of grace— the leaves let go, and find their place.
