Calling all construction students

We have some new books in the library especially for you:

Carpentry and Joinery (694)
Painting and Decorating (698)
Plumbing (696)
Brickwork (693)
Plastering (693)

All the books are very practical and well illustrated. They will be on display in the library for the next few days.

Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition 2008

Congratulations to Rukshana Aktar 11P and Farjana Begum Kobir 7P who were both commended in the Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition 2008. The competition was judged by the author Alan Gibbons, who said that Farjana's poem, The Seal Woman's Secret, "evokes a response from mythic subject-matter." Rukshana read out her poem, The Loan, at the award ceremony, and Alan Gibbons described it as a "confidently structured, telling poem."

The Loan

Having blended the mixture for seven minutes
A smile forms across her face with pride.
Knowing this will change her forever
She begins to apply the paste evenly around.

Slowly moving to the next step
She reaches for the long, cool cucumber slices,
Once again a smile forming across her face.

Placing the second and the last slices
She sighs contentedly.

Oh the tremendous outcome the face mask lends.

Melvin Burgess

The author Melvin Burgess was in school today to talk to Year Nine students. He talked about his career as an author and his book Sarah's Face. Copies of Sarah's Face and some of Melvin's other books are on sale in the library.

Refugee Week

This is Refugee Week. Come to the library and see the display of books on refugees. For more information on Refugee Week go to http://www.refugeeweek.org.uk/

What are you reading this week?

I'm reading Fearless by Tim Lott. It's one of the books on the long list for the Tower Hamlets Book Award, and it's a story about a school where the pupils are kept prisoner and forced to work in the city's laundry. One of the girls is trying to escape, but will she succeed?

Click on comments to tell me what you are reading this week.

Art / Design: new library books

Architecture for the Future (720)
Book Art (745.4)
Complete Digital Photography (770)
Design Secrets: Advertising (659.1)
Digital Design: the New Computer Graphics (745.4)
Digital Photography Handbook (770)
Exploring Colour Photography: A Complete Guide (770)
Gaudi (720)
Paper Engineering (736.98)
Special Effects and Photo Art (770)
What is Graphic Design (745.4)

Booktrust teenage prize 2008

Entry forms for the Booktrust Teenage Judges competition are available in the library. All you have to do is write a short story of no more than 500 words on the theme of "The Great Esape". The winners will be invited to join the 2008 judging panel for the Booktrust Teenage Prize, as well as receiving a set of the short listed books.

What are you reading?

Alethea Y10: The Passion by Jeanette Winterson
Zoman Y8: Tom's Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce
Sayidul Y7: Evil Star by Antony Horowitz
Abutahir Y7: The Revenge Files by Jamie Rix
Mr Ironside (General Office): The End of Time by Julian Barbour
Ms Connell (Librarian): Broken Glass by Sally Grindley

New Books

These are some of the new books in the library this week:

A Rising Star (4 Aces Graphic Novel)
Rachel Anderson: Big Ben
Steve Barlow: Funny Business
Annie Dalton: Ferris Fleet the Wheelchair Wizard
Charlie Higson: Hurricane Gold
Nick Hornby: Slam
Courttia Newland: The Scholar
Courttia Newland: Society Within
Dav Pilkey: Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants
Darren Shan: Blood Beast
Darren Shan: Demon Apocalypse
J.P. Stassen: Deogratias (Graphic Novel)
Suzanne Weyn: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
Ryder Windham: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Art

Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month

June is Gypsy Roma Traveller History Month, and there is a display of books, both fiction and non fiction, in the library. For more information go to http://www.grthm.co.uk/

Melvin Burgess

Melvin Burgess will be visiting SPWCS on June 17th and 18th to talk to Year Nine students. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to meet one of the leading authors for young people. You can find information about Melvin Burgess at the display in the library or on his website at http://web.onetel.net.uk/~melvinburgess/. We still have a few copies of his books, including Junk and Doing It, available for loan in the library.

Carnegie Book Award

Some Year Eight students are shadowing the Carnegie Book Award. They are reading the short listed books and deciding which book they think should win the award. Will they agree with the judges? The winner will be announced on June 27th. You can find information on the books and authors at the Carnegie website http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/home/index.php as well as reviews by our students at http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/shadowingsite/default.asp

Tower Hamlets Book Award

The books on the long list for the Tower Hamlets Book Award are available in the library. Please come and have a look at the display. We need as many Year Seven and Eight students as possible to read the books so that we can decide which six books should be on the short list. Vote for your favourite book in the online poll on the right of the screen, or add a comment here.