Please click into the individual blog post, as the links are currently missing on the library page, (formatting issue being investigated).
Last call for entries to the Summer Holiday Reading Challenge. You only have until 28 September to submit your book reviews. One entry as selected by Mrs Taylor and Mrs Procter will win an Amazon voucher.
Now that Yr 7 have received their logins, let me give you another reminder of how to access our Sora library app. There is a link to the Sora app on the pupil page of the school website or at the top of the sidebar here on the library page. Download the Sora app or explore in browser https://soraapp.com Enter the setup code uksecondary if asked, and sign in with your school Google login and email password. And in the meantime, here is a Getting Started video guide or there is a PDF version on the P drive in the P:\LIBRARY\Sora folder.
Here are the top 10 titles borrowed on Sora by SGS students over the last 30 days, compared to the top 10 across all secondary schools. You may get some inspiration from what your peers have chosen to read.
This week's top tip for Sora is to let you know that your progress syncs across devices, including your place, bookmarks, notes, and highlights, so you can pick up reading right where you left off.
It was Youth Mental Health Day earlier this month, so we thought we would mention Reading Well. This provides helpful reading to support health and wellbeing, encompassing expert endorsed books about mental health, including advice and information for young people about issues like anxiety, stress and OCD, and difficult experiences like bullying and exams. We have saved a copy of their suggested reading list on the P drive in the P:\LIBRARY\ folder. You may find some of these titles on Sora, including Blame My Brain by Nicola Morgan.
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So many book festivals have been cancelled this year that it is great to be able to tell you about a digital event. The Reading is Magic Festival takes place from 27 September - 2 October and features plenty of great events including authors we have highlighted in previous blog posts like Dara McAnulty and Anthony McGowan.
Now for a quick round-up of a few other ideas and resources.
Lambeth libraries are hosting an online event on 30 September to launch author Alex Wheatle's next book Cane Warriors, a deeply compelling story of courage, brotherhood and hope which follows the true-life slave rebellion in 18th century Jamaica through the eyes of one boy. The book will be published on 1 October, which coincides with the start of Black History Month, which we plan to feature next month.
Write your very own bookwandering story for your chance to win £100 of book tokens and a Zoom meet & greet with author Anna James. (See bottom of page for details).
A couple of podcast sites to check out are Fun Kids Science Weekly which will be of appeal to the lower school and Planet Pod. The latter features podcasts from those concerned about Climate Change and includes one by Dara McAnulty on the inspiration behind his award winning book Diary of a Young Naturalist and his call to action for us all.
The BBC is looking for young people who want to report on a story or issue which is important to their life or the world around them.
As I've previously mentioned, there are always plenty of giveaways on the Book Trust website. Today I am going to highlight this one to win a dyslexia-friendly retelling of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.
We mentioned about Zone In last term. This is the National Literary Trust's resource which is targeted at those aged over 13. This month they have a free audiobook of Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming, plus this week's featured topic is how video games can help improve your reading and writing skills.
The My Twist on a Tale competition is back for 2020. This year the theme is to write a story based on Everyday Heroes. We've certainly seen plenty of those emerge during lockdown.
There is a poetry competition here for A level students.
The Blake Society are hosting a zoom quiz on William Blake at 8pm on 30 September, the day before National Poetry Day.
National Book Tokens have a giveaway where 100 people can each win an advance copy of The Ash House, debut novel by Angharad Walker before it is published next year. The book is described as being like Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children meeting Lord of the Flies. Under 16s's will need to ask a parent or guardian to enter on their behalf.
The Children In Read 2020 auction is now open. This is an annual auction of signed books and items donated by celebrated Authors and Illustrators from around the world, in aid of Children In Need.
Don't forget that we will happily accept all book-related contributions from students and staff to our blog. And please email us your suggestions for what you would like to see on our blog.
Finally now for a bit of fun, we have something a bit different to usual. This is a downloadable copy of The Secret Agent's Handbook of Language Challenges, to tie in with tomorrow being the European Day of Languages, shared with permission from the Council of Europe. We have also saved a copy of this on the P drive in the P:\LIBRARY\ folder.