The Library is excited to share our final library blog of 2024! We would like to thank all of the teachers and students who have contributed to the December blog and throughout the year. Our borrowing in our library and on SORA is up on last year, showing that SGS students are really engaging with Reading for Pleasure in and out of the classroom.
We hope you have been enjoying our library advent calendar and Library Christmas Quiz. Our Library Christmas tree is beautifully decorated with book suggestions from Year 7. We look forward to seeing you in January for more literary fun!
Take home one of these great titles this Christmas: King of Nothing by Nathanael Lessore (KS3); Code Name Kingfisher by Liz Kessler (KS3); Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Deep End by Jeff Kinney.
Glasgow Boys by Margaret McDonald (KS4); The Ravens by Kass Morgan and Danielle Paige (KS4); Wise Creatures by Deirdre Sullivan (KS4).
Your Christmas Reading Wrapped Up
That’s right, we have all your Christmas books for the holidays here in our School Library and on SORA. Take time to come into the Library and see what we have, there are lots of great reads to keep you entertained through the darker evenings with maybe a hot chocolate and biscuits?
Check out these titles available in our school library today: This Name of This Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch (KS3); The Toxic Toad Burger Conspiracy by Ian Hills (KS3); Leila and the Blue Fox by Kiran Millwood Hargrave; Kill Joy by Holly Jackson (KS4); How Many Socks Make a Pair by Robert Eastaway (KS4); What if by Randall Munroe (KS3/4); Gladiator Fight For Freedom by Alex Scarrow (KS3); A Street Cat Named Bob (KS4/5); Hercule Poirot’s Silent Night by Sophie Hannah (KS4).
Visit SORA and explore their Christmas ebook and audiobook collections. With so many titles to choose from you’ll be reading well into the New Year. Below are our most popular titles as downloaded by SGS Students this term.
You might like to check out these two links: The 50 Best YA Books of 2024 and The 22 Best YA Fantasy books to Escape in. Check the Reading Cloud and SORA for the books we have available from the lists.
Charles Dickens and the Spirit of Christmas
by Blog Buddy Naithan 9L
Charles Dickens is one of the most famous writers in the English language. He wrote 20 novels and novellas and many of his books are still read today. He was born on the 7th of November in 1812 in Portsmouth. He was the second child of 8 children! In 1822, he and his family moved to London. His first novel, The Pickwick Papers, was published in 1836 which is the same year he met Catherine Hogarth who later became his wife. One of his most famous works is A Christmas Carol.
A Christmas Carol follows Ebenezer Scrooge, a stingy and unpleasant miser, who is working in his office on Christmas Eve alongside his Clerk Bob Cratchit. Scrooge is visited by his nephew Fred who invites him to Christmas dinner with his family but Scrooge rejects his offer. Afterwards, Bob Cratchit asks for Christmas day off; Scrooge declines this as well. During the night, Scrooge is visited by his deceased business partner Jacob Marley’s ghost. The ghost is forced to roam the world in chain and warns Scrooge the same will happen to him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Christmas past, Christmas present and Christmas future. After seeing his old memories and how people spoke about him after his death, Scrooge decides to mend his ways. Scrooge donates to the poor and attends his nephew’s dinner and gives his clerk a raise. A Christmas Carol shows us how people can rectify their wrong doings and shows us the power of Christmas.
Mr Roy Reviews
The Appeal by Janice Hallett
I love a good murder mystery – a book which challenges me to outwit the characters and catch the mysterious killer first. It’s for that reason I prefer Agatha Christie’s Poirot stories over Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock mysteries: Christie gives us all we need to piece the clues together, whereas Sherlock is always too smart and has noticed something Watson (and therefore the reader) didn’t see.
Both of those maintain the mystery by presenting the events through the lens of the detective’s companion as a first person limited narrator. “The Appeal” however is among the subset of stories which draw on the epistolary style and offer the reader a series of documents, letters, text messages and emails from which to draw out the narrative. (This might ring a bell with you as “The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde” which you read in year 8 English does some of this too.) This is a very engaging style which I enjoy and which Janice Hallet employs to great effect. We’re also offered a variety of narrative viewpoints through this, as we read different characters’ correspondence and accounts of the action, which even touches on an element of an unreliable narrator.
This structure makes the book a very easy one to read either in short sittings, or to become hooked into wanting to read “just one more” document well into the night, but I wouldn’t recommend reading the ending at bedtime. While I enjoyed the story as a whole very much and felt motivated to keep reading, after the conclusion of the mystery comes a bizarre addition, steering the story unexpectedly into an entirely different genre, which I personally think the book could do without. But, you can judge for yourself, then come and debate its merits with me at break sometime!
Bookmark Competition Winners
We had an incredible response from our recent Design a Bookmark Competition. Well done to everyone who entered, we really found it hard to select a winner as the creative standard was so high this year. Congratulations to Carson 7L for winning first prize for his inventive bookmark design, we loved the cut out of the owl which peeps above any book. Second and third prizes went to Hitesh 8G and Albie 7T.
Everyone who entered received an achievement point. Carson’s bookmark design is available in our library now – so grab one today to put in your book!
Japanese Authors Captivate a Nation
There has been a massive trend with Japanese books being translated into English for a wider global audience in recent years, and audiences can’t get enough of them! Butter by Asako Yuzuki has won the Waterstone’s Book of the Year which has been an overnight success, along with many other Japanese authors, who have had their books translated into other languages.
Ms Roberts Reviews: Butter by Asako Yuzuki
Recently there has been a bit of a trend of translated works hitting the bestseller shelves. A number of South Korean writers in particular have really gripped me recently and provided a whole new perspective on how we live. However, part of the talent must always be accredited to the translator who is able to convey the nuances of the language and the meaning through a totally different tool kit of words, without offending or detracting from the original.
‘Butter’ by Japanese writer Yuzuki and translator Barton manages to be quirky but also compelling (one reviewer literally describes it as: “delightfully weird”). As all good literature does, it made me think of a number of things: how we continue to perceive women; the perception of the criminal; how so much meaning is too created by the reader (not necessarily just the writer alone); the life of a journalist. However, in quite a unique way to this particular text, it also made me think about food a bit differently.
The best bit? There is a fantastic description of the protagonist putting soy sauce and a big old chunk of butter on a bit of plain rice and achieving that ever looked for: umami. Readers, I literally went out and did this. This is the power of literature.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki appeared recently on BBC2 Between the Covers programme, click here to watch it.
Note: Always ask the bill payer’s permission before signing in.
Mr Barlett Reviews Six Four by Hideo Yokoyama
Due, primarily, to its serialisation on ITV (where the story was relocated to Scotland!), Hideo Yokoyama’s writing is best known for his novel, “Six Four”, translated into English in 2016. It is a compelling story of revenge, based around a cold case investigation into the kidnapping and murder of a young girl. In my opinion, Yokoyama was justly recognised for this debut novel, becoming the first Japanese writer to be shortlisted for the Crime Writer’s Association’s international dagger.
I have also appreciated Yokoyama’s more recent writing, particularly “The North Light” which was first available in English translation in 2023. Whilst the book does involve a crime, it is essentially a story of mystery. When the clients of an architect’s career-defining project go missing, the architect decides to investigate. His main lead is a piece of designer furniture. The mystery deepens with a series of anonymous phone calls and a political lobbying scandal. Some readers consider there to be too much architectural detail in the novel but, for me, this added both useful context and historical interest. In summary, any reader wanting to read a taut crime novel is recommended “Six Four”, whilst “The North Light” offers a more psychological but no less compelling mystery read.
Mrs. Payne recently enjoyed reading What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, translated by Alison Watts. This book tells the story of a librarian in Tokyo who has a unique talent for pairing each visitor with the ideal book. It explores the lives of five individuals and the different paths that lead them to the library. This uplifting and concise read is perfect for students in Year 9 upwards. In addition, we also have in our school library Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, which Mr Barlett tells us is another excellent read.
Check out this link for more: 10-must-read-japanese-books
Our KS3 and KS4 readers might like to try these popular books written by Japanese authors on SORA. 
Hogfather, a Highlight Reel!
By Blog Buddy Aarav 9L
The novel Hogfather by Terry Pratchett is full of comic and peculiar events that showcase the author’s trademark wit. Probably one of the most memorable scenes in the book involves when Death must stand in for the Hogfather, Discworld’s version of Santa Claus. As he tries to deliver presents to children, he does so with the seriousness and authority of a powerful being but completely misunderstands the joy and magic of the holiday. His clumsy attempts at fitting into the role trying to “deliver” belief itself to a child, to deal with the complex traditions of the season create a series of absurd and hilarious situations. This, of course, adds to the comic layer in the story because he is quite perplexed as to what makes the Hogfather special, and struggles over such things as eating cookies and giving gifts while remaining utterly focused on the practicalities of the task.
One scene-stealer is Susan, Death’s no-nonsense and practical granddaughter. She becomes engulfed in a world of mad individuals and is surrounded by those who blur lines in beliefs and reality. Despite her logical approach to life, she finds herself in strange and often comical situations, such as trying to deal with an assassin who’s been hired to kill a belief, or confronting a world where stories take on a life of their own. Her dry humour and stoic nature make her the perfect foil to the absurd events around her.
These moments, full of wordplay, satire, and philosophical musings, show how Pratchett can blend humour with deeper questions about belief, tradition, and imagination. Hogfather is a wonderfully weird and funny exploration of the magic of the holidays, with a touch of dark humour and absurdity that make it stand out in the Discworld series.
The Land of Oz
The much talked about new film, ‘Wicked,’ is adapted from the bestselling novel, of the same name, by Gregory Maguire. It dives into an incredibly detailed reimagining of the land of Oz, focusing on Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, who turns out to be not as evil as everyone thinks. Whilst the Wicked Years Series are adult books, Maquire has written many Children’s and YA books including: The Missing Sisters; Cress Watercress and What the Dickens: The Story of the Rogue Tooth Fairy.
Why not try The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, the forerunner that inspired Wicked. It is a classic children’s book which is great read with some timeless characters that have stood the test of time! The Wizard of Oz is available in our library and on SORA – We also found some wicked ebooks!
If you like books about different realms, you might like to try these books: Medusa by Jessie Burton, The Lion, The Witch and Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. Don’t forget to check out our SORA more recommendations.
Wicked Writers:
Be the Change Writing Competition
The National Literacy Trust (NLT) are delighted to be running their Wicked Writers: Be the Change writing competition again in January 2025, in partnership with Wicked Active Learning, the acclaimed cultural and social education programme for the UK production of the stage musical Wicked.
The competition is open to all UK schools, for students aged 9 to14. It opens on 13 January 2025 until 28 February 2025.
This year, NLT is asking students to write persuasively about a positive change they would like to see in their local community. Making a positive change is a key theme in Wicked and is the subject of the song For Good.
There are some great prizes to be won. If you are interested in entering please speak to your English teacher in school.
What I learnt in Comic Club
A Review By Wenlong 8W
My love of Comic Club stems from a mixture of my love of the Beano and the awesomeness of the club. A friend of mine introduced me to it, and it is great – you learn whilst having fun!
One of the first things we did was the “Graphic Novel Challenge;” we learnt the features of a comic, including: open panels (panels without borders), emanata (lines to show emotion), and gutters (the space in-between panels). We then played a game where we had to spot those features in various comics.
When we had completed those tasks then came the main event! We had to draw a three-or-more panel comic. It was really good fun and we all enjoyed it. As commented by a friend, “It really improves your imagination and creativity.”
All in all, Year 8 Comic Club is great and if you aren’t already joined, I’d really recommend doing so.
Don’t forget to visit section 741 in our school library where you will find these new two new comics by DC Thomson (above)… and plenty more in our library and on SORA.
The Graphic Novel Challenge is run by the National Literacy Trust.
COP29
by Blog Buddy Toby 9M
The COP29 climate summit, in Baku, Azerbaijan, has recently ended. So, here are some of the key points and some recommendations for libarary books you can read on the ever-important topic of climate change.
The main takeaway of COP29 was establishing a crucial new finance goal to help countries protect people and their economies against climate disasters and share in the benefits of clean energy (which is more profitable than ever!) The UN Climate Change Executive Secretary called this new finance goal an insurance policy for humanity, but also acknowledged that it will only work if all premiums are paid in full, and on time.
Climate change is more relevant today than ever, and, with COP29 only recently ending, there’s no better time to read about it and its relevance. Green Rising by Lauren James (Green Rising on SORA) is an incredible work of fiction on climate change, but if you want a more factual book, Climate Change by John Woodward (Climate Change on SORA) is an eye-opening explanation of our modern climate crisis.
Green Rising by Lauren James is available to borrow in our school library today, you may also like some of our non-fiction titles: The Climate Casino by William Nord Haus (330); The Future We Choose by William Nord Haus (363); How Bad are Bananas by Mike Berners-Lee (363).
Tom Palmer Christmas fiction
Tom Palmer fans should check out this great link to read a chapter of Angel of Grasmere and discover other Christmas activities available.
https://tompalmer/angel-of-grasmere
We have a growing collection of Tom Palmer books in our library. Take one home today and review it on the Reading Cloud to get an achievement point.
Year 10 Masked Reader Video
We have launched an exciting challenge for Year 10 students to run our Masked Reader Competition for World Book Day 2025.
Record a video of yourself wearing a mask while reading a popular book, and send it via email to Ms Lo by 31st January 2025.
The best videos will be put together and shown on World Book Day. Be a part of the mystery and get people guessing “who’s behind the mask!”
The SGS Library Staff would like to wish you a Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year 2025!
Pictured above: Our 2024 Library Christmas tree as decorated by Year 7.