Welcome to the latest edition of our school library blog! This June, we’re proud to be celebrating Pride Month. Throughout the library, you’ll find a wide selection of LGBTQ+ books to explore and enjoy. You can log into Libresoft and click on “Featured Books” to discover even more great reads.
Take a look at our World Cup football book collection and borrow a book from the display today. We’re also delighted to announce the winner and runners-up of our Design a Comic Strip 2026 Competition, keep reading further down the blog to find out more!
Read with Pride
During the month of June our school community is celebrating LGBTQ+ Pride month. LGBTQ+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, plus all other identities within the community. Visit our school library to find lots of engaging books exploring Pride and different gender identities. They can give us an opportunity to read and educate ourselves, also providing us with a chance to learn about LGBTQ+ History and discover highly celebrated LGBTQ+ authors, such as Juno Dawson, John Boyne, Adam Silvera, Oscar Wilde and Jacqueline Wilson.
Pride Month as we know it today started following an event called the Stonewall riots in the USA. On 28th June 1969, police raided a gay club in New York called The Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. This led to street protests, where LGBTQ+ individuals demonstrated their need for safe spaces -places where they could be accepted for who they are without fear of discrimination or arrest.
A year later, a bisexual activist named Brenda Howard, often called the “Mother of Pride,” helped organise Gay Pride Week, and the first Christopher Street Liberation Day Parade. Over time, these early events grew into the Pride marches and celebrations that now take place all around the world; promoting equality, acceptance and inclusion.
If you have any questions about our Queers and Allies Club or would like to speak to someone, you can speak or email our student support officers, Mrs Webb or Mrs Lapsley or another member of the pastoral team. Alternatively, a member of the “Free2B Alliance” will be hosting drop-in sessions with Mrs Webb or Mrs Lapsley on the following dates – 23rd June and 7th July in the school library during morning break time.
Check out more LGBTQ+ books on Sora today.
Click the link below to find out some Pride Facts:
www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/watch/blue-peter-abby-pride-facts
Remember to keep safe online. Always ask your parent/guardian or a member of staff if you are unsure.
World Cup Books
We are going all in celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026™ with our selection of football books and football fan books in our school library. Kick off your reading with our themed display and get your hands on a book today. There is plenty of choice from: You are a Champion by Marcus Rashford to the Foul Play Series by Tom Palmer.
We also have a selection of outstanding historical fiction, including Adolf and Edgar by award-winning author Phil Earle and Michael Wagg . The novel follows Adi, a German teenager who inherits a football badge from his grandfather, Adolf Jäger. Determined to honour his grandfather’s dying wish, Adi embarks on a journey to return the badge to its owner, former England footballer Edgar Kail. Set during the Second World War, the story reveals how a shared passion for football forged a twenty-year friendship between the two men.
Dive into Sora for more football titles. Sutton Library also has a great selection of football books for you to browse, you could have a look at their website to see all the titles they have.
https://libraries.sutton.gov.uk/football
Remember to keep safe online. Always ask your parent/guardian or a member of staff if you are unsure.
Winner of Design a Comic Strip Competition 2026
We are pleased to announce that the winner of our Design a Comic Strip Competition 2026 is Marcus 8G for his fantastic Comic Strip of the book One Piece by Eiichiro Oda. We really liked how Marcus managed to capture a summary of the book using only three frames in such a creative way. The standard of artwork this year was extremely high and we received lots of entries from KS3 students.
Our runners-up are: Shaurya & Aarav 7G – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling; Raphy 7L – Fake by Ele Fountain; Stanley & Vibhav 8G – Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, Volume 1 by Yasuo Ohtagaki; Nicholas 9G – The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemmingway. Achievement points have been awarded to all entrants, with certificates and prizes for all our winners.
Happy Head Book Series
by Blog Buddy Aadarsh 9G
The books Happy Head and the sequel Dead Happy by author Josh Silver, are both thrilling dystopian novels that effectively tackle modern pressures surrounding teenage mental health. The books are very enjoyable with clever writing and intricate plots, including humorous moments. The characters immerse you with their captivating personalities, realistic actions and reactions to the Happy Head camp.
I, myself, greatly enjoyed Happy Head. Following the story of the nervous and anxious teenager called Seb, who ends up in a strange wellness camp where teenagers undergo therapy meant to make them happy, Seb discovers something much more sinister. Both books have been widely commended for their gripping storylines, teenage mental health themes, and engaging LGBTQ+ romance. We recommend both books for KS4 students 14+ and above. Borrow them both today from our library.
Visit The Reading Zone to download an extract from the book Happy Head.
www.readingzone.com/happy-head/
Remember to keep safe online. Always ask your parent/guardian or a member of staff if you are unsure.
Year 7 Sora Reading Challenge Coming Soon
Our school library is setting up a Summer Reading Challenge on Sora for Year 7 students to get involved in. If you are in Year 7 why not go head-to-head with other students in your year group to see who can read the most on Sora over the holidays. It’s a fun way of reading at home and on the go! Every book you read or listen to from Sora’s extensive collection counts.
All you need to do is sign up in the school library from 1st July 2026. Before the summer holidays begin, you will receive an email with a link to get started. Taking part in our school Reading Challenge is simple, you just need access to Sora, where you can download each book or audiobook you would like to read. You can also create a Wishlist on Sora by selecting a book and clicking “Add to list.”
Jhalak Announces
Children’s & YA Prize Winner 2026
We were delighted to hear that the Jhalak Children’s & YA Prize Winner 2026 went to author Fidan Meikle for her book My Name is Samim (Kelpies). The book is told from the perspective of thirteen-year-old Samim, a gifted chess player and refugee who is forced to leave his country of Afghanistan after his family is killed by bombing. He and his best friend Zayn make the dangerous journey from home to the UK to find safety, encountering many perils along the way.
My Name Is Samim and its sequel, My Name Is Zayn (out in August 2026), are inspired by the real-life experiences of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in the UK. We recommend this book for KS3 students, and it is currently available on Sora to borrow. You can download an extract from Sora to read first, by clicking on the title.
Visit Jhalak to read more about Fidan Meikle and the Jhalak prize winners for adult prose, poetry. www.jhalakprize.com
Credit: www.jhalakprize.com
Remember to keep safe online. Always ask your parent/guardian or a member of staff if you are unsure.
Magazines on Sora
Did you know that Sora as lots of magazines that you can access through your school account. Logon today to read them. Click here are some subject specific ideas for you. Not all of these magazines will be available to younger year groups on Sora.
Coming soon on Sora, The Carnegies award winning title available from 24th June 2026
