Shakespeare in Self-Isolation

William Shakespeare

English poet, playwright and actor, William Shakespeare was born on this date in 1564 in Stratford-upon-Avon.  His work includes thirty eight plays, two narrative poems and one hundred and fifty four sonnets.

Shakespeare lived through the great plague - click here to find out how he spent his time during self isolation.

The BFI have compiled a list of 10 great films to get teenagers into Shakespeare - why not check it out?

How to Fall in Love with Reading Again!

A new term begins today.  Hopefully you’ve found time to read or listen to some great books during the Easter Break.  However, if you’re finding it hard to get into reading whilst in lockdown, here are a few simple strategies from author Candy Gourlay:

Take the time. Put a timer on. Fifteen minutes. Thirty minutes. Go for minutes, not hours. This is just to get into the swing of reading again. If you're serious about reading, don't pick a time when you get sleepy - though sometimes bedtime can be the only time to read. If so, try to stave off sleep by sitting up properly.

Turn everything off. Leave your gadgets in another room. Stay far away from screens and other things that may command your attention. It's only for a short time, nobody is going to miss you, and you aren't going to miss them.

This is not the time to read Anna Karenina. You are looking to re-start reading, not save World Literacy. What do you love? Something funny? Something short? Something satisfying? Romance? Crime? Thriller? Get ahead by picking something you think you might love.

If it doesn't grab you, try again. Don't waste time soldiering through a book if it isn't hooking you in. There will be another. Find it.

Remember your rights. You can skip boring bits. You can stop if you hate it.

You can read it again. You can dip in and out. You can read aloud if you feel like it.

These tips are taken from a piece Candy wrote as Writer in Residence for The Book Trust. 

Suggestion: Try reading Bone Talk by Candy Gourlay, a thrilling historical novel set in the Philippines at the end of the 1900s, shortlisted for the prestigious Carnegie Medal 2019.

World Book Night 2020 goes digital

World Book Night takes place on Thursday 23rd April, and is a national celebration of reading organised by The Reading Agency with a focus on reaching adults within the community who don’t normally read.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the book giveaway has been postponed but World Book Night organisers are offering individuals the chance to register for the opportunity to download one of the four World Book Night titles for free.

Click here to see the full list of this year’s titles, which are available to buy or borrow as an e-book from your local public library. Some of the books are available from the EPHS Library too.

  

Cressida Cowell’s role as Children’s Laureate extended until 2022

Award winning author, Cressida Cowell will continue as  Children’s Laureate  for an extra year to allow her to fulfil her ambitions to make a difference to children’s lives as laid out in her Charter.  This is in response to the current restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last month, Cressida launched the Book Trust’s Home Time Hub for families, providing activities and resources, including free online books, competitions and recipes. Click here to check it out.

Dungeons and Dragons - free downloadable resources

For those of you who enjoy playing Dungeons & Dragons, or are interested in finding

out more and giving it a try whilst school is closed, Wizards of the Coast are offering free to download resources, added to each day, for a limited time only.  These include free adventures, encounters, colouring sheets and much more.

To find out more, click here!  

Thank you to Frances, Librarian at Stromness Academy for flagging this up.

EPHS Ink and Quill

The EPHS Harry Potter Club takes place every Tuesday lunchtime in room S3 and is open to all years.  Currently, the club is meeting via Microsoft Teams to keep discussing and enjoying Harry Potter.

One of the things the club has been working on is this amazing website, created by Summer and Millie.  Click here to view!

If you are an EPHS student and would like to join, just email Ms Rogerson.  

The first Harry Potter novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is currently available to listen to for free via Audible - read by Stephen Fry, click here to access.

Reading Recommendations

Whilst the school Library is closed and you are unable to browse and borrow, here are some suggestions to help you find and access some great books.

There are some great reading websites that provide excellent suggestions for what to read, including for reluctant readers or readers who have enjoyed a particular book or author and want to find their next great read! Check out the LoveReading4Kids and LoveReading4Schools websites - other suggestions appear on the blog.

Book award shortlists, such as those for The Carnegie and Greenaway

Children’s Book Awards and the YA Book Prize, provide another brilliant source of book recommendations.  Lark by Anthony McGowan (Quick Read, Carnegie shortlist), The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta (verse novel, Carnegie and YA Bookseller shortlist) and Girl.Boy.Sea by Chris Vick (Carnegie shortlist) are among my favourites.

Amazon audible for kids,  BBC sounds and your local public library via the Overdrive website or Libby app, are offering a wide selection of free audio books for you to listen to.  Audio books offer you all the benefits of reading without the need to focus on the written page.  

Finally, if you are worried about Covid-19 and would like to know more, 

check out this free book published by Nosy Crow written by Elizabeth Jenner, Kate Wilson and Nina Roberts and illustrated by Alex Scheffler by clicking here.

Theatre and the Arts Online

Time Out magazine has compiled a great list of five ways to watch plays whilst Theatre’s are shut.  Click here to view. 

Free offerings include The National Theatre under the banner The National Theatre at Home, who will be streaming a play via YouTube each Thursday night, and tonight, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and His Technicolour Dream Coat, will be streamed for free on YouTube under The Show Must Go On banner.

Many museums and galleries are also providing free online access to their collections as well as interactive family activities. Highlights include the The Horniman Museum,  The Royal Academy of Arts and the V&A museum - links to these and others are on the Library Blog homepage.

Let’s Talk Safe Tech

The Let’s Talk Safe Tech campaign by IBM is aimed at keeping young

people safe online.

• Take a quiz to find your cyber security style by clicking here.
• Get 5 tips from The Big Bang Theory actress Mayim Bialik by clicking here.
• Learn about cyber security careers here.

There are also some useful resources for parents and teachers.

Classic Novel Audiobooks on the BBC Sounds App

You will find a variety of classic and contemporary novels to listen to including Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Invisible Man by H G Wells and Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams. 

To access the audiobooks on the BBC Sounds App, scroll down the homepage to the ‘categories’ section.  Tap ‘view all’ then head to the ‘audiobooks’ category.

Happy listening!