Diary of a Wimpy kid: The Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney

Unusually, for books I review, I have not yet finished this brilliant book but so far I’ve been captivated. Such is the magic of Jeff Kinney’s books that I read nearly half the book in WHSmith for an hour. This book does not disappoint any readers of the other books in the series documenting the life of Greg Heffley. In this particular book, Greg has had a fight with his best friend Rowley and has resulted in them not talking to each other for the beginning of the New School Year. Slowly, another problem arises. Greg realises the problems with growing up! I highly recommend this book as a book which will be enjoyed by all Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans. 5 Star

By Jack Shannon

Newton Book Launch

Tonight we held the launch of our book Isaac Newton of Woolsthorpe Manor and The King's School, Grantham, written by Year 7 boys from the school with John Haden. 

Copies are available to order from the school by emailing: admin@kings.lincs.sch.uk

Chocs away!

Boris models the latest Library Assistant uniform! (Courtesy of Will G)

Film Review: Invictus (12)

A truly brilliant film, not just a good watch for Rugby fans but for a much wider audience. It follows Nelson Mandela's first days in office and his growing like for Rugby and with the South African rugby team (the Springboks). It also shows the South African rugby captain's ( Brad Pitt) gradual increase in respect for Nelson Mandela, who he at first simply see's as a terrorist turn into a idol. A film I highly recommend.

Jack Shannon, 8A

Searching websites

Did you know that you can search for topic based websites using the school library catalogue? We have a vast number of weblinks added to the catalogue which are suitable for secondary school use. 

To access the catalogue just log on to a school computer and select favourites in Internet Explorer. Select Library Portal and click on Search. Type your search topic in the box, click the binoculars and hey presto! Hopefully, you will see details some relevant books (if we cover you topic in the school library) and websites. The websites are directly accessible for the catalogue listing. 

Remember you can always ask Mrs Dawes, Mrs Snee or one of the Library Assistants to help you.

Film Club: Sherlock (12)

We will be showing the BBC Sherlock series in Film Club during this term, with the first programme being shown on Tuesday 9/Wednesday 10 November at lunchtime in the Library.

"Co-created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the new Sherlock Holmes and Martin Freeman as his loyal friend, Doctor John Watson. Rupert Graves plays Inspector Lestrade.

The iconic details from Conan Doyle's original books remain – they live at the same address of 221b Baker Street, have the same names and, somewhere out there, Moriarty is waiting for them.

Steven Moffat says: "Conan Doyle's stories were never about frock coats and gas light; they're about brilliant detection, dreadful villains and blood-curdling crimes – and frankly, to hell with the crinoline. Other detectives have cases, Sherlock Holmes has adventures, and that's what matters.""

From BBC website http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00t4pgh [accessed 8 November 2010]

Welcome to the Library Blog 7D!

During your PDC lesson in the Library on Tuesday 9 November, we would like you to complete a short questionnaire about your reading preferences and your experiences of the school library. You can access it here: Reader Profile 7D 2010-11.

Please feel free to have a look at the Library Blog while you are here. We also have Library webpages on the school website at: www.kings.lincs.sch.uk. The Library pages can be found under the School Information section. Direct link here.

Mrs Dawes

Celebrate National Non-Fiction Day

National Non-Fiction Day is an annual celebration, initiated by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups in partnership with Scholastic Children’s Books. It aims to celebrate all that is brilliant about non fiction and show that it’s not just fiction that can be read and enjoyed for pleasure.

The first National Non-Fiction Day will be celebrated on the 4th November 2010, and annually thereafter on the first Thursday in November.

For further details go to: http://nnfd.org/

King's Cool Readers

The Year 7 and 8 Book Group will meet this Wednesday, 3rd November, in the Library at lunchtime. 

Bring your sandwiches and your book, or just come along after your lunch, and be prepared to chat about your favourite books and authors.

New fiction books in the Library

Welcome back! Hope you had a relaxing Half Term.

We have lots of brand new fiction books in the Library on loan from Barrowby and Grantham Children's Book Group to review for the Red House Children's Book Award 2011. To take part all you have to do is to nominate any book or novel first published in the UK during 2010 by rating it using the following options:
*Brilliant! A winner.
*Very good indeed. I'd definitely recommend it.
*Pretty good, better than most.
*Nothing special.
*Rubbish! Bury it in the garden.

You can nominate as many different titles as you like and nomination forms are available in the Library. 

Review 3 books and receive a merit; review 5 books and receive a free book from a selection kindly provided by Barrowby and Grantham Children's Book Group.

For further information about the Red House Book Awards go to: www.redhousechildrensbookaward.co.uk

Calling all young books fans

The Guardian is planning a new dedicated books site for young readers – and they would like the target audience to help put it together ...

 http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010/oct/14/calling-young-books-fans

Film Club: Cloudy with a chance of meatballs (U)

Showing in the Library at lunchtime Wednesday 20th and Thursday 21st October

"Flint Lockwood is an inventor with some strange ideas. Sometimes, though, those ideas end up doing things Flint never imagined. When he invents a way of turning water into food, that should be a good thing. And when that invention means that all sorts of delicious food falls from the sky on his hometown of Swallow Falls, most people are very happy. But then everything starts to get out of control and a huge pancake has flattened the school. Flint, along with quick-thinking TV weather girl Sam and a monkey, has to stop the delicious downpour. Fast-moving, funny and sometimes really quite touching, this terrific computer animated comedy is only very loosely based on the book of the same name, but it's just as good in its own way." www.filmclub.org

A little Reading Quote

Books to the ceiling


Books to the sky


My pile of books is a mile high


How I love them! How I need them!


I’ll have a long beard by the time I read them.


By Arnold Lobel




Submitted by James K. Yr 9

The Essential Man's Library

 Have a look at this link and let me know how many you've read!

http://artofmanliness.com/2008/05/14/100-must-read-books-the-essential-mans-library/

Skulduggery Pleasant series by Derek Landy

SPECIAL REVIEW/ INTERVIEW

This review is a interview with a reader of the Skullduggery Pleasant series.  Thomas Armson is a loyal reader of the series and the first to take out the book in the library, this was his view on the latest, exciting book in the series.

What was the book like to read?

“The series is deeply moving and extremely enjoyable to read.”

What is the basic plot around the latest book?

“Skullduggery is a detective who has a partner that is a descendant of an all-powerful ancient. They work in a secret magical community encountering every type of villain or monster on the way, but fate turns against them as Valkyrie discovers she has a dooming fate.” At this point I asked Tom not to give away too much of the plot.

Would you recommend it and how many stars would you give it?

“I recommend it to anybody who enjoys mystery and magic. 5 Stars."

Jack Shannon, Year 8

The Edge Chronicles: The Curse of the Gloamglozer

I have just finished reading this book and I honestly didn’t put it down all weekend! The plot is excellent and the world Paul Stewart has created is truly brilliant. It follows Quint, a sky pirate on the fantastical world of the Edge. He travels to the great city of Santaphrax where he becomes the apprentice of the Most High Academe of this city. The characters are fascinating with their personalities and the intrigue of the answer to the question ‘What is the terrible Gloamglozer?’ was with me right to the end of the book. There are seven other books which are sequels to this brilliant which I would advise for anyone, even if they’re don’t think they like fantasy, to read.  A great read.

5 Star 

By Jack Shannon Year 8

King's Cool Readers

Do you enjoy reading? We are starting a new "King's Cool Readers" book group for Year 7 and 8 which will meet in the Library during a lunchtime once a month. 

We are hoping to have the first meeting next week on Wednesday 13 October. The Library will just be open for King's Cool Readers during this lunchtime and you can bring your sandwiches or just come along after you've had your lunch. The first meeting will be about getting to know each other and talking about our favourite books and authors. We will also talk about what activities we'd like to plan for future meetings.

Further information from Mrs Dawes, Mrs Snee or Clifford the Library Assistant, or just come along on Wednesday next week.

Happy National Poetry Day!

Home by Anne Bronte

How brightly glistening in the sun
The woodland ivy plays!
While yonder beeches from their barks
Reflect his silver rays.
That sun surveys a lovely scene
From softly smiling skies;
And wildly through unnumbered trees
The wind of winter sighs:

Now loud, it thunders o'er my head,
And now in distance dies.
But give me back my barren hills
Where colder breezes rise;

Where scarce the scattered, stunted trees
Can yield an answering swell,
But where a wilderness of heath
Returns the sound as well.

For yonder garden, fair and wide,
With groves of evergreen,
Long winding walks, and borders trim,
And velvet lawns between;

Restore to me that little spot,
With grey walls compassed round,
Where knotted grass neglected lies,
And weeds usurp the ground.

Though all around this mansion high
Invites the foot to roam,
And though its halls are fair within --
Oh, give me back my HOME!

National Poetry Day

This Thursday is National Poetry Day which aims to celebrate poetry across the UK. The theme this year is HOME and we are inviting form groups in Years 7, 8 and 9 to take part in a poetry competition. We would like your form to work together as a group to create a poem entitled “Home”. You can create a tag poem in which each member of the form adds a line to the poem or you can work together as a group.

We would like representatives of each form to read their poem in the Library at 1pm on Thursday 7 October. We are hoping to be joined by the Head and members of the English Department who will decide which poem will win the box of chocolates!

What does 'home' mean to you - the building you live in, the place you came from, or a taste of home cooking?

Please encourage your form to take part and let Mrs Dawes know by morning break on Thursday if you have prepared a poem.

Latin and Classics Cultures Club

Many thanks to the Librarians for letting us use the Library in the summer term for our club. Classic Cultures Club runs on Tuesday Lunchtime in Room 203 (Mr. Finke’s Room) and Latin Club runs on Wednesday after school (again in Room 203). On Tuesday we look at the ancient Greeks and Romans and on Wednesday we look at The Cambridge Latin Course. Have a look at the Latin Course on:  http://www.cambridgescp.com/page.php?p=clc^top^home .

From all at Classic Cultures Club and Latin.