The OPHS Online Library Newsletter May 2024 #34
The OPHS Library Online
Newsletter - May 2024 #34
Welcome to our Online Monthly Library Newsletter
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New Library Opening Times times are below:
Monday: Open until 3pm
Tuesday: Open until 5pm
Wednesday: Open until 5pm
Thursday: Open until 5pm
Friday: Open until 4pm
Any queries, please pop in to see
Mrs Taylor
Every month, in our Library Newsletter, we will have reviews on wonderful books that we have in our Library, snippets of new books on the horizon, interesting information about lovely Authors and also books-to-movies information. There will be links to access upcoming books that are in The Library and lots of book information that you will enjoy. We will have competitions, winner announcements, links to short stories and poems and other interesting literacy information all in one Newsletter!
If you would like to add a contribution to our next Newsletter (June issue), such as: What is your favourite book from our Library? What were your favourite and/or worst books that you have ever read? Would you like to send in a book review and/or a literacy picture? Can you think of anything else that would look great in our newsletter? Then please email:
ltaylor@oakspark.redbridge.sch.uk
If your contribution is displayed in the Library Newsletter, you will get a
‘Thank You’ certificate from The Library and fabulous Bromcom achievement points
Library News
Manga Competition
We have a fantastic new Manga book cover competition that is running until the end of June. For more information on the competition, please email: ltaylor@oakspark.redbridge.sch.uk
Or pop into the Library to pick up a template!
Winning entries will be announced in the July issue of The Online Library Newsletter!
We have had lots of fantastic entries for our Manga book cover competition. Below are entries from our previous Manga competition in 2022 (to give you fabulous ideas about your own entry)
How amazing!!
Poetry and creative writing by
KS3 students:
This event only comes once year,
When it comes we always cheer,
As that is the way,
To celebrate World Book Day!
Reading a book is when you travel,
No need for a bag or satchel,
You just stay in your comfy seat,
With many new characters to meet.
Once you start you can not stop,
The exciting ending will make you pop,
The twists and turns the author places,
It all depends on the story bases.
Books are wonderful creations,
Every one full of many aspirations,
Take a look and you’ll see,
Each one has a key.
Each page you turn is a sensation,
To read the next is a temptation,
One by one the books go by,
Till it is time to say goodbye.
Books are precious,
They give you goodness,
Each one you read you learn something new,
All of this is a message to you.
A book is just like a friend,
But it doesn’t end,
You can keep it for as long as you want,
They come in any style or font.
They are things you can own,
Either way you are never alone,
You will always find a friend or two,
Sitting on a shelf nearby you.
Book Review: Harry Potter
Harry Potter is a 7 book series created by J.K Rowling the series revolves around Harry Potter a secondary school student who is enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One thing remarkable about the story is Rowling's use of conflict to show the fickle bonds between friends who seem close which can snap at any moment such as in the fourth book where Harry and his best friend Ron start to hate each other just because of Harry’s involvement in a tournament despite him being underage.
Another thing that the books demonstrate heavily is how karma can affect people. This is demonstrated in the fifth book when Harry’s godfather was being really rude to his elf who was bound by magic. Two villains use this conflict to trick Harry into a trap which resulted in his Godfather’s demise. This shows why I think the series is really good.
What I did in the Holidays:
In the half term I went to morocco to celebrate Eid and I visited the beach and I went tosee my cousins and older brother. In addition I rode a camel and I also held a snake around my shoulders.
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder
by Holly Jackson
Book Review
A good girl’s guide to murder is an amazing young adult murder mystery by Holly Jackson. The novel is one of three fantastic books and is based on True Crime. It explores the story of a murder case that was closed without evidence that was suitable enough for a young girl who went and investigated further. It is extremely interesting and makes you want to carry on reading every time without failure.
There are so many fantastic plot twists which make you gasp out loud every time! You always suspect all the characters and can never know who it really is. For all you know, it could be the person you suspect the least. That’s how compelling the story is. The book is based around a young girl wanting to investigate a case in sixth form not knowing how shocking her discoveries would be!
I would definitely recommend this book and the other two that follow to everyone but especially teens and young adults.
Author of the Month
Anthony Horowitz:
ING
EAGLE sdfdsSTRIKE
THE GREEK WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS
THE DEVIL AND HIS BOY
Anthony Horowitz is one of the most prolific and successful writers working in the UK – and is unique for working across so many media. Anthony is a born polymath; juggling writing books, TV series, films, plays and journalism.
Anthony has written over 40 books including the bestselling teen spy series Alex Rider, which he adapted into a movie that was released worldwide in 2006. The Alex Rider series is estimated to have sold 19 million copies worldwide. His highly anticipated novel, Oblivion, the epic conclusion to the Power of Five series, was published in October 2012. Anthony is also an acclaimed writer for adults and was commissioned by the Conan Doyle Estate and Orion Books to write two new Sherlock Holmes novels. The House of Silk was published in November 2011 and was internationally lauded as the top title of the autumn. The sequel, Moriarty, was published in October 2014 with similar success. Most recently he was commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate to write the James Bond novel Trigger Mortis, which was published on 8th September 2015.
Anthony is responsible for creating and writing some of the UK’s most beloved and successful television series, producing the first seven episodes (and the title) of Midsomer Murders. He is the writer and creator of award-winning drama series Foyle’s War, which was the Winner of the Lew Grade Audience award for BAFTA. DCS Foyle was voted the nation’s favourite detective in 2011.
Anthony has also written other original complex dramas for ITV, particularly thrillers. Collision, a major five part “state of the nation” piece was transmitted on ITV1 in November 2009 to seven million viewers a night. He followed this with the equally successful legal thriller Injustice, also for ITV 1 - transmitted in June 2011. Foyle’s War returned in March 2013 as a Cold War thriller and was greeted with such critical acclaim and demands for more that he wrote one final series, bringing the show to an end in January 2015. Anthony's latest show New Blood will premiere on BBC iPlayer later this year.
Anthony is on the board of the Old Vic Theatre. He regularly contributes to a wide variety of national newspapers and magazines on subjects ranging from politics to education and currently has a travel column in The Telegraph.
Anthony was awarded an OBE for his services to literature in January 2014.
Library Stories
Our Wonderful Library
Our Wonderful Library
Entering the Library, there is a rollercoaster of wonders!
Flying cars taking you through a maze of horrors with monsters taking over.
You can cast spells with Harry Potter to save the day.
There are tales of a girl and a beast.
Ask the Librarians, they will tell you all about the journeys of knowledge and facts. They will tell you about space and kings. Not your style? Well, there are books pf princesses and princes, or perhaps poems and rhymes. How about sad and emotional books? Still not the right books for you? Well just go. Search the Library.
There will always be a book for you. Anything is possible in the Library.
The Midnight Library Guardian
There was a legend that if you dared enter the Library at midnight, you would face a terrifying beast. So far, only one person has made it out alive and they gave this description:
“The beast was strong and huge, I feel so lucky to be still alive! The beast seemed to have no face, but then again, it was dark. It had long, muscular arms and was nearly seven feet tall. It was like a guardian for the books, but a vicious one”.
No one believes this, but everyone is too scared to try, just in case!
The Story between the Zomb-Pires and Mrs Taylor
Mrs Taylor was in the Library with some wonderful children (including me). She was reading a book about zomb-pires (zombies and vampires mixed together).
While Mrs Taylor was reading…. BANGGGGGGGGGGGG the zomb-pires burst into the room. Mrs Taylor exclaimed “AHHHHHHHHHHHHH Everyone RUN and HIDE!” Obviously, I helped Mrs Taylor……………..
Ok, maybe I didn’t, but I wanted to. So that is basically the same, honestly……
THE END
Where to start with Rick Riordan's
books?
New to Rick Riordan? Well, it’s very simple really – his characters are all normal teenagers living in the modern world. They just happen to be demigods too…
From Norse and Greek mythology to the legends of Ancient Egypt, we’ve outlined some of Rick Riordan’s most impressive, imaginative worlds. All you need to do is decide which adventure to go on first.
Explore Greek and Roman myths and legends in The Camp Half-Blood Chronicles
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (Book 1) (2005)
Percy Jackson is your everyday teenage New Yorker – or at least he was. In the very first novel in Rick Riordan’s epic five-part series, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, Percy suddenly goes from being a normal kid to accidentally vaporizing his maths teacher! In that single moment, Percy’s life changes forever. Our unlikely hero discovers that he is, in fact, a half-blood – a demigod, half-human half-god – and that his dad is in fact, Poseidon, the ancient Greek God of the Seas. Percy is then immediately thrown into training, trials, and dangerous adventures worthy of a modern-day Greek hero; from learning to be a warrior at Camp Half-Blood to battling monsters in the modern-day world. Yesterday, homework was a worry, today, staying alive is.
Join Percy and his friends on an epic adventure that will take you from the darkest depths of the Underworld (watch out for Hades!), to the heights and wonders of Mount Olympus.
Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters (Book 2)
Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse (Book 3)
Percy Jackson and the Battle of the Labyrinth (Book 4)
Percy Jackson and the Last Olympian (Book 5)
Set within the same world as the Percy Jackson series, comes Riordan’s earth-conquering spin-off series, The Heroes of Olympus. New, old (and ancient) heroes and villains explore and battle their way across the pages of the incredible books in this epic series. In The Heroes of Olympus, Riordan draws on elements of Roman mythology, adding them to his ready-made world of Greek myths and legends – introducing us to Camp Jupiter, filled with Roman demigods. Can these new heroes work together with the demigods of Camp Half-blood (yep, Percy and his friends are back!) to help protect the world from earth goddess, Gaea?
This is the perfect follow-up series for those who have completed the Percy Jackson books and are looking for their next big reading thrill. Or it’s a great way to begin your demigod journey!
The Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus Book 2)
The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus Book 3)
The House of Hades (Heroes of Olympus Book 4)
The Blood of Olympus (Heroes of Olympus Book 5)
The Hidden Oracle (The Trials of Apollo Book 1) (2016)
This time around, the hero of the series is, in fact, a legendary Greek God: Apollo. There’s just one little thing – Apollo angered his father Zeus, the King of the Gods, and he’s been banished to Earth. Not only that, he’s now a human teenage boy called Lester! Apollo’s without his godly powers, and stuck in New York of all places. Confused (and very annoyed), Lester sets off to Camp Half-Blood to seek help.
Let the Trials of Apollo begin…
The Dark Prophecy (The Trials of Apollo Book 2)
The Burning Maze (The Trials of Apollo Book 3)
The Tyrant's Tomb (The Trials of Apollo Book 4)
The Tower of Nero (The Trials of Apollo Book 5)
Discover the beauty and magnitude of Norse mythology
Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer (Book 1) (2015)
Perhaps you want a few more mystical hammers, fire giants, zombies, and mischievous Gods from your adventures? If so, you MUST explore Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase series, because it’s got the lot. Magnus Chase is an orphan living on the streets of Boston. That is until one day he’s kicked awake by a stranger, who has a terrifying message: “They’re after you.” Magnus is soon reunited with his obnoxious uncle and learns that his long-lost dad is actually a Norse god called Frey. Just like that, this unlikely hero’s life is changed forever.
The world of Magnus Chase comes with new, unimaginable worlds to explore, full of never-ending adventure.
Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor (Book 2)
Magnus Chase and the Ship of the Dead (Book 3)
9 From the Nine Worlds
Hotel Valhalla Guide to the Norse Worlds
Unlock the legends of Ancient Egypt
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles Book 1) (2010)
The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately, are their gods.
Egyptian myths and ancient curses are on the cards in Rick Riordan’s The Kane Chronicles. Our heroes are brother and sister, Carter Kane and Sadie Kane. Their epic adventure is ignited when their dad accidentally unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos, from the British Museum. Carter and Sadie escape, but not before Set imprisons their dad within a golden tomb. The pair embarks on a mission to rescue their father that leads to an incredible discovery: the truth about their family’s history. This terrifying and turbulent quest is an adventure of adventures. Are you in?
The Throne of Fire (The Kane Chronicles Book 2)
The Serpent's Shadow (The Kane Chronicles Book 3)
Survival Guide (The Kane Chronicles)
And for some sci-fi fantasy...
Daughter of the Deep (2021)
This addition to Rick Riordan's catalogue steers away from Gods and mythology and instead draws inspiration from Jules Verne's classic Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Ana Dakkar is a freshman at Harding-Pencroft Academy, a school that is renowned for producing the best marine scientists, naval warriors, and underwater explorers. But when she and her class embark on their end-of-school-year trial at sea, a terrible tragedy occurs that changes everything.
Accelerated Reader
All Year 7 and Year 8 Students MUST have at least ONE library book on them at all times. You must read your AR library book for AT LEAST twenty minutes every night. Please do not forget to write your completed book in your planner on page 18. You must then complete your online book quiz within 24 hours of completing the book, then write your quiz result on page 17 of your planner!!!
Word Count for All Classes
Word Count Class totals for Accelerated Reader Book Quizzes for all Year 7 & 8 Classes
A huge congratulations to all of the Classes!
Word Count for All Classes. Data from April 2024 reports.
Word Count Class totals for Accelerated Reader Book Quizzes for all Year 7 & 8 Classes
A huge congratulations to all of the Classes!
Books to Movies
What film adaptation did you love?
What is your favourite movie that has been adapted from a book
Let us know the name of the book and movie adaptation that you loved the best, saying if you prefer the book or the movie, and why. Your contribution will then be added to our next Newsletter in April!
The Best Kids Books That Were Turned Into Films
Pinocchio - 1940
The BFG - 1989 and 2016
Matilda – 1996
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – 2005
Coraline – 2009
Harry Potter – from 2001 – 2011
One Hundred and One/101 Dalmatians – 1961 and 1996
The Wizard of Oz – 1939
Mrs. Doubtfire – 1993
Alice in Wonderland – 1951 and 2010
Mary Poppins – 1964
Where the Wild Things Are – 2009
How to Write an Epic Short Story
Write a short epic
Truth is stranger than fiction. Often it is funnier too. Short Epics are nuggets from the daily news that might raise a smile or prompt a remark that starts: “You wouldn’t believe it, but…” They must be no longer than 140 characters long including spaces. Do have a go at writing one and send it to ltaylor@oakspark.redbridge.sch.uk and your epic story will be in the next issue of our online Library Newsletter!
“You wouldn’t believe it but I was walking down the street and on one side of the street it was raining, but on the other side of the street it was sunny!”
Great New Books coming to The Library!!
New Books in the Library!
The Secret Sunshine Project by Benjamin Dean
When a family tragedy turns Bea’s life upside down, her big sister Riley is determined to bring joy and pride back to their lives. So with the help of friends, Secret Sunshine Club is formed. But can their rays of sunshine overcome a small-minded village? With a stunningly vibrant cover, exuberant diversity, and a rainbow printed fore-edge this book will leap out of any library display and demand to be explored.
Return to Factopia by Kate Hale
With each of the 400 facts verified by the Encyclopaedia Britannica, children will be transfixed by unexpected and amazing nuggets from planets to diamonds and dreams to fungi. Perfect for classroom libraries and non-fiction lovers, the full-colour pages are so bright and the facts so illuminating that you might need to invest in a classroom set of sunglasses. Children will particularly like the diverse and unexpected details, such as the lion’s surprising night vision, the Korean poo themed house and the pangolin’s unusual tongue.
The Balloon Thief by Aneesa Marufu
When Khadija spots a hot air balloon about to break its moorings, she seizes a dangerous opportunity to flee from a life of arranged marriage. With warring factions, visceral violence, subjugation, shape-shifting magic and a compelling heroine, this is a heady tale of tested loyalties, moral dilemmas and redemption. It’s a compelling insight into a vividly drawn fantasy world, with characters who experience forms of discrimination that older teenagers will identify and empathise with.
Picture book of the month
The Book Family Robinson by Jonathan Emmett
When a book-loving family run their floating library aground on a remote island, they soon realise they are not alone. There are pirates! With diverse characters with wonderful expressions and engaging and vivid illustrations, this is bound to be a hit with younger children. The quirky details in every picture are a joy for children to seek out and spot. There are clever book author names, a pirate who sucks his thumb and a shark with a sparkling overbite. This is great fun and highly recommended.
Nisha’s War by Dan Smith
This story follows Nisha and her mother in 1942 as they flee Malaya to live with family in England. Life is very different in the north on a cold windswept clifftop house. At first, Nisha finds the clash between her culture and English life difficult to grasp until she meets a mysterious boy who is not what he seems. This atmospheric story is ideal to teach as a class reader in years five or six. Full of evocative descriptions and well-drawn characters, Nisha’s war is also a good novel to spark creative writing ideas, and a great story to compare and contrast with Carrie’s War by Nina Bawden.
Jummy at the River School by Sabine Adeyinka
Jummy is looking forward to starting at a prestigious boarding school in Southern Nigeria, but her hope is tinged with sadness, as her best friend Caro was not given a place. But as Jummy is settling in and making new friends, Caro arrives unexpectedly – not as a student – but as a servant. This lively first-person portrayal of boarding school life, friendships and fast-moving fun will appeal to all KS3 readers.
Talking History: 150 years of world-changing speeches by Joan Lennon and Joan Dritsas Haig
16 engaging speakers and their speeches, chosen from a diverse range of backgrounds and periods in history, are profiled in this accessible and immersive graphic novel style text. Including Emmeline Pankhust, Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Greta Thunberg and Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, each double-page spread includes speeches, background history and biographical detail in this text that’s perfect for upper KS2 and KS3 libraries.
The Girl Who Talked To Trees by Natasha Farrant
When Olive’s friend and soul-mate – a 400-year-old Oak tree – is in danger, she challenges the person who wants to cut it down to keep a promise. And so she begins a determined race against time, through magical lands, meeting heroic characters, and spanning seven unforgettable stories to save the Oak. With captivating illustrations throughout by Lydia Corry, and Natasha Farrant’s evocative and timeless text, The Girl Who Talked To Trees is a truly beautiful hardback. It’s the perfect gift for a book-loving child who cares about the world we live in, and one that will be kept, revisited and remembered.
Fall of the Argosi by Sebastien de Castell
In the second of the Spellslinger origins series, can our compelling heroine Ferius stop the ‘Red Scream’, a dangerous and infectious curse that threatens to turn everyone it encounters into killer zombies? Determined to stop the curse at its source, Ferius is joined by a new companion – Rosie – a complex character with a dark past. Compelling and fast-paced, this is a YA novel that will linger and force the reader to consider the nuances of right and wrong.
Well, that is the end of this month’s Library Newsletter!
Is there anything else that you would like to see in The Online Library Newsletter? If you have any contributions, queries or great ideas please email: ltaylor@oakspark.redbridge.sch.uk
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