Welcome back after the half term break. Over the coming weeks ahead there are plenty of things happening for you to get involved in, starting with Activities week on 24th June. The Euro’s football begins next week and we are launching our library football quiz with great prizes to be won. Throughout the month of June we celebrate Pride Month with a display of LGBTQ+ books available for borrowing. If you want to read about politics ahead of our school mock general election visit section: 320.
Pride Month 2024
Pride Month is a time of celebration that lasts for the whole month of June. Pride is celebrated globally, with over 60 countries participating. Each Pride event is unique, from the big Pride celebration in Madrid to the smallest one in a tiny village in Ireland. It’s a time to celebrate progress in equal rights whilst acknowledging the work that still needs to be done to combat prejudice. Unfortunately, Pride marches are still prohibited in some parts of the world.
The rainbow flag has become a significant symbol of LGBTQ+ pride and can be seen everywhere during Pride month. The rainbow flag made its debut at the San Francisco Gay Freedom Day Parade in 1978. Before that, the gay rights movement didn’t have a unifying symbol. Gilbert Baker, American artist and designer was tasked with creating one. He decided on the rainbow because he believed it represented the diversity of the community.
Why not try these LGBTQ+ books above we have in our school library and don’t forget to check SORA for more titles.
Coming soon to our school library shelves are: Lie or Die by A.J.Lack (KS4); Dead Happy by Josh Silver (KS4); D-Day: The Battle for Normandy by Antony Beevor (KS3/4).
Fantastic Fantasy Fiction
Fantasy fiction has always been an immensely popular genre at Sutton Grammar School with our students eagerly devouring every literary masterpiece crafted by the likes of JK Tolkien, Sarah J Maas, Philip Pullman, Leigh Bardugo, and Christopher Paolini.
Today, Fantasy fiction is massive with every book shop keenly displaying a vast array of novels to quench the thirst for their readers. The fan base continues to grow, as more and more individuals are drawn to the allure of magical realms, epic adventures, and characters that embody our deepest desires and fears.
Whether you like ancient folk tales, mythical realms, sword and sorcery or magic realism the world of fantasy fiction awaits you. Come into the library and ask about the fantasy novels we have and discover more books?
Here are a few of our suggestions: Serpent and Dove (Book 1) by Shelby Mahurn; Beasts of Prey (Book 1) by Ayana Gray; Battlemage: Age of Darkness (Book 1) by Stephen Aryan; The Darkest Minds (Book 1) by Alexandra Bracken.
Fantasy: Realms of Imagination Exhibition
In Surrey Libraries
Following its successful run last year, this fantastical exhibition returns to Surrey Libraries. Fantasy: Realms of Imagination explores the origins of fantasy and how it is still flourishing today.
Fantasy: Realms of Imagination will be touring the following libraries:
Reigate, from 9 May to 5 June
Banstead, from 12 June to 10 July
Farnham, from 16 July to 12 August
Molesey, from 16 August to 11 September
Camberley, from 17 September to 15 October
Oxted, from 19 October to 13 November
Godalming, from 19 November to 17 December
Dorking, from 21 December to 24 January
Walton, from 29 January to 25 February
Credit: www.surreycc.gov.uk/libraries/news-and-events/
The Other Side of Henry VIII
By Blog Buddy, Ezra Ting 9T
Henry the Eighth is perhaps the most famous historical monarch in British history. He has imprinted himself in so many aspects of British culture, from making his own church (the church of England) which subsequently lead to him changing the conventions of marriage, with him having six wives. He also created many mansions and palaces in his time, perhaps the most famous being Hampton Court Palace, as well as debasing the British currency (use base metals instead of precious ones for coins).
However, the first thing to note about Henry was that despite what we initially learn about him and his tyrannical behaviour, he was actually a smart and articulate individual. He spoke four languages – English, French, Spanish and Latin- and was pretty good at jousting, archery and hunting among other sports. He was also a devotee of the church and a romantic – he genuinely wanted a long and happy marriage.
Henry, as mentioned before, created many mansions in his time, several of which are still standing today. The closest one to us would have been Nonsuch palace and what makes this one rather interesting is that it was the only palace that Henry designed from scratch, as opposed to basing it from a previous mansion. It began construction in 1538 in Cuddington (between Ewell and Cheam), and after Henry the Eighth died, changed owners until it reached the hands of Countess of Castlemaine, who tore it down and sold the materials to pay off her debts. Because of naturally that was better than just selling the building outright… Of course!
There were many positive things about Henry the Eighth that surprised me when researching this topic, and if you want to learn more, there are quite a few books in the library about him. He’s a fascinating historical figure!
Here are our library recommendations on Henry VIII’s reign: The Six Wives of Henry VIII (Adventures in Time Series) by Dominic Sandbrook; Henry VIII and His Chopping Block by Alan MacDonald, Illustrated by Philip Reeve.
Neal Shusterman
Neal Shusterman was passionate about writing from young age. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York and attended his junior and senior years of school at the American School in Mexico City. He double-majored in psychology and theatre at the University of California, Irvine. Whilst studying university he was on UCI swim team and notably wrote a humour column. Within a year of graduating from university, he landed his first book deal, and was also hired to write a movie script.
Neal is a New York Times best-selling author, he has written over thirty novels for readers of all ages. His book Challenger Deep earned him the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature in 2015, and his novel Scythe was recognized as a Michael L. Printz Honor book in 2017 among his many other prestigious awards. Scythe is currently being adapted into a film by Universal Studios, while his upcoming novel, Game Changer, is being developed as a TV series by Netflix.
On top of writing, Shusterman has also known for his film directing, music composition, stage playwriting, and game creation. With his background in psychology and drama, Shusterman brings a unique perspective to his storytelling that connects with teenagers and adults. Though he resides in Jacksonville, Florida, he can often be found travelling the globe, engaging audiences with his dynamic storytelling and signing books for fans.
In our school library we have had lots of students borrowing the Arc of a Scythe series and it comes highly recommended by its readers, so if you like dystopian novels and are looking for something new, start your Scythe journey today! Also, check out Neal’s novel Dry which he co-wrote with his son Jarrod.
Reading Books in School
Remember you must have a reading book in school at all times.
At Sutton Grammar School we are committed to every student reading for pleasure.
Reading often is important because it helps with your creative writing ideas, it increases your general knowledge, it is a great conversation topic and it will even help you in exams!
Your School Librarians are always on hand to direct you to great books that you’ll find hard to put down.
What should I Read Next?
If you are wondering what your next book should be, look out for posters around the school busting with ideas on what to read.
Remember to do a review on the Reading cloud and record the books you have read in your planner to earn achievement points.
Follow these links below for even more booklist suggestions located on the P drive in the Library folder:
Y10 Fiction Reading
Non-Fiction Reading Suggestions 2024
Booklist Age 13+
Check out this link for book inspiration and synopsises:
www.goodreads.com/genres/young-adult
SORA is full to the brim with ebooks and audio books available to download. Every student has access to their extensive online library, so start browsing today!
soraapp.com/library/uksecondary
Countdown to Kick Off
Enter our Euro Football Quiz Competition and see if you can guess the answers to our football inspired quiz. Great prizes and achievement points awarded to our winners, including a Tom Palmer Football shirt, chocolate and more footie goodies.
Have you read the Foul Play series of books by Tom Palmer? Immerse yourself these books and enter the world of Danny Harte, football fan and crime detective as he searches for clues surrounding a footballer’s disappearance, a suspicious accident and a corrupt football agent in books 1-3.
