I am quite bad as I never stay up to date with the books I am reading and now I've read too many to blog about as there are 4 months worth of books to review. Well nevermind I may just list a few....
Scat by Carl Hiaasen, The death defying Pepper Roux by Geraldine McCaughrean and The Magician's Elephant by Kate Dicamillo come highly recommended from me and if you get chance to read them please jump at it as soon as you can.
My excuse for not writing anything could be lack of time and just too busy with the Summer reading challenge, playing at being conference secretary for the YLG conference and all the general everyday children's library stuff but actually I think it's just a lack of organisation and the general chaos that is in my head. I am prone to jump from one interesting thing to another so at the moment I am obsessing about my sons skateboarding, crotcheting little animals (amigurami) and knitting scarves.
Tonight I am on my way to Anthony Horowitz's house (yes his house) for the launch of the new Alex Rider book 'Crocodile Tears' so I may have something to write about tomorrow, I'm also reading Evermore by Alyson Noel published by Macmillan so I may even manage a review too.
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
Monday, 15 June 2009
Projects galore
I feel like I have so many projects on the go my head is spinning but on the upside in the past couple of months I have managd to meet some interesting authors to keep me inspired and enthusiastic. A brief chat with James Patterson at the London Book Fair came after a risky event we held at Idea Store Bow for young people. We commissioned Creative works theatre company to work with a small team of young people to create a film about the Idea Store and held a day full of events to encourage 13-19's in. The Idea Store mobile parked outside for adults and we only let young people enter the store '13-19 taking control, Ideas, camera action' was the name of the day and we've got loads of interesting stuff to work on now to improve the service for young people in Idea Stores. This was the beginning of the process and I am now beginning to realise what a massive project this is going to be.
I had the most fantastic lunch with Patrick Ness thanks to Walker books and got to read 'The Ask and the Answer' before it was published, the only problem now is the long wait for the third book in the trilogy to see if hope returns as I am left with a continuing sense of doom. I think the 'Knife of never letting go' and 'The ask and the answer' are going to be my favourite books for a while which is a turn around for me as I really struggled with The knife of never letting go on the first read.
This fabulous lunch then set me up for more project planning.... 1st with the Royal Armouries for a great programme for the summer hols aimed at Key stage 1 and families 'Hog tales' all about Henry Viii and the built environment, storytelling and tower building activities are all booked in for the summer 7 locations 2 sessions in each. We will be promoting the fact that Tower Hmalets residents can enter the Tower for £1 which is a bargain as it's usually about £17.
The 2nd project is massive and is a partnership with XStream East a series of tasters are already running in Idea Stores from vocal coaching to Music production and 3 more Open Mic nights are planned for Friday nights in the Stores, a leap in the dark for the library service but with great support from Zoya and Shak at XStream East. Both projects are funded by the Find your talent pathfinder which I am working hard to ensure that public libraries are a central part of as this is a pilot and will set an example when / if the programme is rolled out across the UK. Future plans for a creative writing competition are in the ideas stage and look exciting if we can make it happen.
I had the most fantastic lunch with Patrick Ness thanks to Walker books and got to read 'The Ask and the Answer' before it was published, the only problem now is the long wait for the third book in the trilogy to see if hope returns as I am left with a continuing sense of doom. I think the 'Knife of never letting go' and 'The ask and the answer' are going to be my favourite books for a while which is a turn around for me as I really struggled with The knife of never letting go on the first read.
This fabulous lunch then set me up for more project planning.... 1st with the Royal Armouries for a great programme for the summer hols aimed at Key stage 1 and families 'Hog tales' all about Henry Viii and the built environment, storytelling and tower building activities are all booked in for the summer 7 locations 2 sessions in each. We will be promoting the fact that Tower Hmalets residents can enter the Tower for £1 which is a bargain as it's usually about £17.
The 2nd project is massive and is a partnership with XStream East a series of tasters are already running in Idea Stores from vocal coaching to Music production and 3 more Open Mic nights are planned for Friday nights in the Stores, a leap in the dark for the library service but with great support from Zoya and Shak at XStream East. Both projects are funded by the Find your talent pathfinder which I am working hard to ensure that public libraries are a central part of as this is a pilot and will set an example when / if the programme is rolled out across the UK. Future plans for a creative writing competition are in the ideas stage and look exciting if we can make it happen.
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Pauline Fisk
As mentioned in a previous post Pauline Fisk came to visit us at Idea Store Whitechapel to promote her new book 'Mad Dog Moonlight' which is the 3rd companion book in a trilogy starting with 'Sabrina Fludde' and 'The Red Judge'. I hadn't read any of these books until I had booked Pauline to visit but I don't know why I missed them as they all remind me of favourite authors such as David Almond and Gabriel Garcia Marquez as well as Mal Peet's 'The Penalty'. For an interesting piece about 'Magical Realism' see http://www.themanbookerprize.com/perspective/articles/98
Sabrina Fludde by Pauline Fisk published by Bloomsbury. When Abren becomes conscious of her surroundings, she is struggling to get out of the flooded river Severn with her only possession, a beautifully embroidered cloth, clutched in her arms. What is she doing in the water, who is she, where can she go? And so begins the unfolding of a story, that snakes and turns like the river itself, surprising the reader on every level.
The Red Judge by Pauline Fisk published by Bloomsbury. When Zed finds himself caught up in an innocent prank with his sister which goes horribly wrong, his whole world falls apart. With Cary lying desperately ill in hospital and Zed apparently to blame, he is cruelly cast aside by his adoptive family and returns to what was his idyllic childhood home, in search of the people who cared for him and the places he loved. Once there, Zed is haunted by the old legend of the Red Judge of Plynlimon Mountain, who, as every child knows, comes to ‘get you’ if you are naughty. Forced to flee the house, Zed embarks on a magical journey in search of somewhere to belong, but it seems that the Red Judge is never far behind.
Mad Dog Moonlight by Pauline Fisk published by Bloomsbury. Mad Dog Moonlight is only a young boy when he is picked up by the police on a lonely Welsh mountain road with a baby in his arms, and nothing from his past except the memory of the name his mother gave him, and a silver-topped walking cane upon which is engraved a secret word. Fostered by a local family, the Lewises, Mad Dog is renamed 'Ryan', but he struggles to accept this most ordinary of names and families. He longs to find the answer to who he is and what happened to his parents - and so sets off on an extraordinary adventure to uncover the lost secrets in his life. From the streets of Aberystwyth to the lonely hillocks of Plynlimon Mountain, Mad Dog encounters hidden adversaries and unexpected allies in a thrilling journey to discover just who he really is.
All three books are wonderful magical fantasy stories that follow the journeys of different children that are connected but so distant. You can read each book as a stand alone novel but the depth of the writing and the story are revealed when reading all three. All of the books have a river at their heart and are rooted in nature as well as providing us with strong role models for families that are not birth families but wonderful foster or adoptive families. Pauline Fisk is a marvellous storyteller whose canvas is huge and whose delving into mythology makes for astounding reading. http://www.paulinefisk.co.uk/ Highly recommended for all and I am going to re read as soon as I can.
Sabrina Fludde by Pauline Fisk published by Bloomsbury. When Abren becomes conscious of her surroundings, she is struggling to get out of the flooded river Severn with her only possession, a beautifully embroidered cloth, clutched in her arms. What is she doing in the water, who is she, where can she go? And so begins the unfolding of a story, that snakes and turns like the river itself, surprising the reader on every level.
The Red Judge by Pauline Fisk published by Bloomsbury. When Zed finds himself caught up in an innocent prank with his sister which goes horribly wrong, his whole world falls apart. With Cary lying desperately ill in hospital and Zed apparently to blame, he is cruelly cast aside by his adoptive family and returns to what was his idyllic childhood home, in search of the people who cared for him and the places he loved. Once there, Zed is haunted by the old legend of the Red Judge of Plynlimon Mountain, who, as every child knows, comes to ‘get you’ if you are naughty. Forced to flee the house, Zed embarks on a magical journey in search of somewhere to belong, but it seems that the Red Judge is never far behind.
Mad Dog Moonlight by Pauline Fisk published by Bloomsbury. Mad Dog Moonlight is only a young boy when he is picked up by the police on a lonely Welsh mountain road with a baby in his arms, and nothing from his past except the memory of the name his mother gave him, and a silver-topped walking cane upon which is engraved a secret word. Fostered by a local family, the Lewises, Mad Dog is renamed 'Ryan', but he struggles to accept this most ordinary of names and families. He longs to find the answer to who he is and what happened to his parents - and so sets off on an extraordinary adventure to uncover the lost secrets in his life. From the streets of Aberystwyth to the lonely hillocks of Plynlimon Mountain, Mad Dog encounters hidden adversaries and unexpected allies in a thrilling journey to discover just who he really is.
All three books are wonderful magical fantasy stories that follow the journeys of different children that are connected but so distant. You can read each book as a stand alone novel but the depth of the writing and the story are revealed when reading all three. All of the books have a river at their heart and are rooted in nature as well as providing us with strong role models for families that are not birth families but wonderful foster or adoptive families. Pauline Fisk is a marvellous storyteller whose canvas is huge and whose delving into mythology makes for astounding reading. http://www.paulinefisk.co.uk/ Highly recommended for all and I am going to re read as soon as I can.
Watchmen
I am trying to read this but struggling as I am having to train myself to read a graphic novel - something I have never done before. Probably will not get to see the film as children are too young and baby sitters are expensive! Will keep trying but now know what it feels like to struggle with reading :(
A busy few weeks doesn't stop me reading...
The Runaway by Angela McAllister published by Orion in June 2009. After the death of her young brother, Megan runs away. She punishes herself - pulling handful after handful of nettles from the hedgerows, so she feels pain, seeing always, at the corner of her vision, a pale winged boy. His wings are broken. Eventually she arrives at what she believes to be a deserted house in the village of Morne. But part of the mansion is occupied by a blind woman, whose companions are two owls. Theirs is a strange relationship - the woman is bitter, she has a secret to hide, but then so does Megan. Gradually they come to depend on each other, until the arrival of Tom. Megan is keen for company her own age and his friendship, but she doesn't know that he knows Marguerite's secret and is determined to reveal it and destroy her in the process.Set in C19th, Angela McAllister's second novel explores the frailties of human emotions, but is ultimately about healing rifts and friendship. For teenage girls I think, didn't quite satisfy me but I still enjoyed it and can picture the girls I will recommend it to, the thoughtful and quite ones.
Blood Hunters by Steve Voake published by Faber and Faber in April 2009. They know where you are . . . In the middle of the Mexican jungle a small scientific team prepare to embark on an exploration of the world’s deepest sinkhole; a naturally-formed underwater shaft that no one has ever reached the bottom of. What they are about to discover could change the world forever. Three thousand miles away, Joe McDonald’s father is arrested for murder. Joe and his friend Giles are desperate to prove his innocence, but when more people are attacked in mysterious circumstances, Joe begins to suspect that a predator is on the loose. Maybe the dark shapes he has seen in the woods and canal aren’t just his imagination. Could the attacks in Joe’s town be linked to his dad’s research at the university? Could Dad’s colleague have brought something back with him from the expedition in Mexico? Suddenly the search for justice becomes a desperate fight for survival… This book is fantastic, Voake's writing is skilful, full of ideas, tense and fast paced. The characters of both Joe and Giles are intelligent and accessible, a real breath of fresh air. I will be promoting this all over Tower Hamleta and beyond.
Bad Blood by Rhiannon Lassiter published by OUP. When Katherine, Catriona, John and Roley are forced to go on holiday to Fell Sear House, they know things will be grim. But none of them has an inkling of just how hellish it will be.
Inside the sinister house is a game, begun and abandoned years ago. The children don’t know the rules, but they soon learn that they are pawns not the players.
In this chilling thriller, winning really is a matter of life or death. Sticks and stones may break your bones . . . but names will surely kill you! I thought this book was terrifying, really scary. I had to put it down and make myself go back to it. Young people will probably not find it as terrifying so I will be suggesting it for the next teenage book list as it is well written and extremely gripping.
Dot Robot by Jason Bradbury published by Puffin. The first book in the Dot.Robot trilogy tells the story of a twelve year-old boy from South London -Jackson Farley. He is brilliant with numbers and mad about computer games. His life changes when he receives a mysterious Instant Message and is pulled into a world of international intrigue and high-tech robots.
The book is set a world of computer games, internet cafes, social networks and pop culture. There is Jackson, an ordinary boy with extraordinary talents and there is Brooke English, a twelve year American whose bright red hair and love of rock music hasn't stopped her from graduating in mechanical engineering at an extrememly young age. The Kojima twins, a brother and sister professional gaming team from Japan have bought identical Ferarri's with their winnings from gaming - and a private road to drive them on. Not forgetting English Internet billionaire Devlin Lear who when all put together create a fanastic book full of up to the minute gadgets and old fashioned goodies and baddies. It is hard to put down and is full of twists and turns, a great book to attract young people who love online gaming and social networking. I for one am looking forward to the next book.
Crowboy by David Calcutt published by OUP. The city will fall, and fall soon. And when it happens - well, I've seen it before, and I don't want to see it again. I shouldn't think Joey does either. So I just hope that whatever he's brought us here for, we can be done with it and away again before the soldiers get in. They don't leave anything standing or anybody living. Mal doesn't know why they're heading into the city. But Joey has decided they must. And Joey, she knows, has a very special power... Inside the city, she's not the only one interested in Joey. Two rival gangs both see the arrival of this strange visionary boy - the Crowboy - as a chance to gain supremacy. But is Joey really so special? As the war tightens its grip on the city, the gangs are forced into a final conflict. No time, no place, makes this an ambitious novel to write for young people, it has short chapters written from different view points and is bleak and full of dispair. The story draws you in, gets your attention and then continues where it started and leaves you wondering...... I have been thinking about this story for a few days now- so can this can only be positive. An intelligent and though provoking story, I will be seeking out more stories by David Calcutt.
The Story of Cirrus Flux by Matthew Skelton published by Puffin in June 2009. Orphan boy Cirrus Flux is being watched. Merciless rogues are conniving to steal the world's most divine power, which they believe Cirrus has inherited.
Now he faces a perilous journey through the dirty backstreets of London as a sinister mesmerist, a tiny man with an all-seeing eye, and a skull-collecting scoundrel pursue him. Cirrus must escape them. It really is not safe to give such evil people such incredible power . . . Skelton's writing creates such a sense of place and character that this book sucks you in from the first page. I will be suggesting this book for next years Tower Hamlets book award and will be sending the proof immediatly to Caroline at Watney Market Library as I know she is a fan.
Blood Hunters by Steve Voake published by Faber and Faber in April 2009. They know where you are . . . In the middle of the Mexican jungle a small scientific team prepare to embark on an exploration of the world’s deepest sinkhole; a naturally-formed underwater shaft that no one has ever reached the bottom of. What they are about to discover could change the world forever. Three thousand miles away, Joe McDonald’s father is arrested for murder. Joe and his friend Giles are desperate to prove his innocence, but when more people are attacked in mysterious circumstances, Joe begins to suspect that a predator is on the loose. Maybe the dark shapes he has seen in the woods and canal aren’t just his imagination. Could the attacks in Joe’s town be linked to his dad’s research at the university? Could Dad’s colleague have brought something back with him from the expedition in Mexico? Suddenly the search for justice becomes a desperate fight for survival… This book is fantastic, Voake's writing is skilful, full of ideas, tense and fast paced. The characters of both Joe and Giles are intelligent and accessible, a real breath of fresh air. I will be promoting this all over Tower Hamleta and beyond.
Bad Blood by Rhiannon Lassiter published by OUP. When Katherine, Catriona, John and Roley are forced to go on holiday to Fell Sear House, they know things will be grim. But none of them has an inkling of just how hellish it will be.
Inside the sinister house is a game, begun and abandoned years ago. The children don’t know the rules, but they soon learn that they are pawns not the players.
In this chilling thriller, winning really is a matter of life or death. Sticks and stones may break your bones . . . but names will surely kill you! I thought this book was terrifying, really scary. I had to put it down and make myself go back to it. Young people will probably not find it as terrifying so I will be suggesting it for the next teenage book list as it is well written and extremely gripping.
Dot Robot by Jason Bradbury published by Puffin. The first book in the Dot.Robot trilogy tells the story of a twelve year-old boy from South London -Jackson Farley. He is brilliant with numbers and mad about computer games. His life changes when he receives a mysterious Instant Message and is pulled into a world of international intrigue and high-tech robots.
The book is set a world of computer games, internet cafes, social networks and pop culture. There is Jackson, an ordinary boy with extraordinary talents and there is Brooke English, a twelve year American whose bright red hair and love of rock music hasn't stopped her from graduating in mechanical engineering at an extrememly young age. The Kojima twins, a brother and sister professional gaming team from Japan have bought identical Ferarri's with their winnings from gaming - and a private road to drive them on. Not forgetting English Internet billionaire Devlin Lear who when all put together create a fanastic book full of up to the minute gadgets and old fashioned goodies and baddies. It is hard to put down and is full of twists and turns, a great book to attract young people who love online gaming and social networking. I for one am looking forward to the next book.
Crowboy by David Calcutt published by OUP. The city will fall, and fall soon. And when it happens - well, I've seen it before, and I don't want to see it again. I shouldn't think Joey does either. So I just hope that whatever he's brought us here for, we can be done with it and away again before the soldiers get in. They don't leave anything standing or anybody living. Mal doesn't know why they're heading into the city. But Joey has decided they must. And Joey, she knows, has a very special power... Inside the city, she's not the only one interested in Joey. Two rival gangs both see the arrival of this strange visionary boy - the Crowboy - as a chance to gain supremacy. But is Joey really so special? As the war tightens its grip on the city, the gangs are forced into a final conflict. No time, no place, makes this an ambitious novel to write for young people, it has short chapters written from different view points and is bleak and full of dispair. The story draws you in, gets your attention and then continues where it started and leaves you wondering...... I have been thinking about this story for a few days now- so can this can only be positive. An intelligent and though provoking story, I will be seeking out more stories by David Calcutt.
The Story of Cirrus Flux by Matthew Skelton published by Puffin in June 2009. Orphan boy Cirrus Flux is being watched. Merciless rogues are conniving to steal the world's most divine power, which they believe Cirrus has inherited.
Now he faces a perilous journey through the dirty backstreets of London as a sinister mesmerist, a tiny man with an all-seeing eye, and a skull-collecting scoundrel pursue him. Cirrus must escape them. It really is not safe to give such evil people such incredible power . . . Skelton's writing creates such a sense of place and character that this book sucks you in from the first page. I will be suggesting this book for next years Tower Hamlets book award and will be sending the proof immediatly to Caroline at Watney Market Library as I know she is a fan.
A busy few weeks at work....
Been extremely busy at work over the past few weeks, here's a snap shot:
- talked about books at Booktrust - a great afternoon with book lovers
- held an event ay Idea Store Whitechapel with the lovely author Pauline Fisk thanks to Bloomsbury books, girls from Bishop Challenor school came along and asked some intersting and well though out questions. Thanks to Jo from http://www.victoriaparkbooks.co.uk/ for providing books for sale.
- Attended the launch of 'Crunch books with bite' the latest recommended book list for teenagers in Tower Hamlets http://www.towerhamlets-sls.org.uk/ along with school librarians, young people from Oaklands school and Anne Cassidy award winning author
- Attended an E safety meeting to start the process of creating a strategy for Tower Hamlets
- Started planning for the 2009 Summer Reading Challenge 'Quest Seekers'
- Met up with colleagues at the Family Learning Advisory Group (FLAG) to discuss plans and strategies for working with families in TH
- Went to the Women's Library to meet with Sam from MLA and colleagues from museums and archives to discuss what experiences every child / and young person should have in Museums, libraries and archives for the Find Your talent pilot project http://www.findyourtalent.org/ - will update this blog with the outcome when it is complete
- planned an anti bullying poster exhibition for Idea Store Whitechapel
- planned a YLG one day school and chaired a meeting www.ylg.org.uk
- Started a project at Idea Store Bow to tackle some anti social behaviour, fantastic start with a staff meeting to gain consensus for action - pressure on me now to start the ball rolling - young people in Bow here we come!
- Commisioned a progamme of creative reading activities for Idea Store Bow from Complete Works http://www.tcw.org.uk/
- Attended a School librarian meeting and discussed e books and this years Tower Hamlets Book Award
- Ran a 'Hungry Caterpillar' session in partnership with Chrisp Street Children's Centre - great fun and thankful to actually be with children for a few hours
- Finally on Friday 13th I attended an 'Information Governance' course to brush up on my knowledge on Data Protection FOI requests, records management, information secruity and info sharing.
- Restarted my Chartership attempt
I think I may have demonstrated the varied life of a children and young people's librarian in 2009
Monday, 23 February 2009
Mondays are Murder by Tanya Landman
Most of you will know Tanya Landman from Apache and The Goldsmiths Daughter but this easy to read book will be great for younger readers (I read it on the tube this morning between Queens Park and Canary Wharf).
"My name is Poppy Fields. I never believed in ghosts - until I stayed on a remote Scottish Island, and people started droping dead all over the place. Was a spirit taking revenge? When Graham and I investigate, we begin to see right through it....."
This is the first in the series, Dead Funny will be published in June too and then Dying to be Famous and The Head is Dead will be published in November. Years 5 and 6 will love it and the story is interesting enough for readers in year 7 and 8 too.
"My name is Poppy Fields. I never believed in ghosts - until I stayed on a remote Scottish Island, and people started droping dead all over the place. Was a spirit taking revenge? When Graham and I investigate, we begin to see right through it....."
This is the first in the series, Dead Funny will be published in June too and then Dying to be Famous and The Head is Dead will be published in November. Years 5 and 6 will love it and the story is interesting enough for readers in year 7 and 8 too.
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