Thursday 31 March 2022

Lights, Camera, Action - books into film!

With the awards season upon us, we have a great display of books that have been made into films for you to borrow.


Tuesday 29 March 2022

World Autism Acceptance Week 2022

This week is World Autism Acceptance week.  We have lots of books in the Libraries that help you understand what autism is, how it feels to have autism and what you can do to help an autistic person feel seen.  

In her brilliant book A Different Sort of Normal, Abigail Balfe, who was diagnosed as autistic in her early 30s, explains that "Autism is a difference in the brain that affects how a person experiences and interacts with the world around them".  

Below is an infographic created by the National Autistic Society giving the top 5 things that everyone should know about autism and highlighting celebrities with autism, including Chris Packham, the naturalist and wildlife presenter, Greta Thunberg, climate change campaigner and former Love Islander, Niall Aslam. 
 
Authors with autism include Holly Smale, author of the tremendously successful Geek Girl series, Elle McNicoll, author of the award-winning A Kind of Spark and Abigail Balfe, author of A Different Sort of Normal.  Books by all these authors are available to borrow from the Lower Library.

Monday 28 March 2022

Children's and YA Writing Competitions

The Henrietta Branford Writing Competition is open for entries from children under the age of 19, living in the UK. Entrants must finish a story begun by last year's Branford Boase Award winner, Struan Murray, author of Orphans of the Tide. The story can be up to 1,000 words and the six winners will receive copies of all the books shortlisted for this year's Branford Boase Award. 

The competition closing date is Sunday, 22nd May 2022.


The prestigious Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award 2022 is open for entries from young people aged 11 -17.  Your poems can be on any theme, of any length and of any style and should be submitted at foyleyoungpoets.org.  

The closing date for submissions is 31st July 2022 - for inspiration and hits and tips on writing, check out the Young Poets Network.

Wednesday 23 March 2022

National Day of Reflection 2022

Today is a day of national reflection and marks two years since the UK first went into lockdown due to Covid-19 on 23rd March 2020. It is an opportunity to remember everyone that has died during the coronavirus pandemic as well as those who work to help people affected by the virus.

There will be a minute's silence at 12 noon and people are being encouraged to stand on their doorsteps at 8 pm with a candle, phone or torch to represent a beacon of hope.

Reading is a great way of understanding and coping with loss as well as empathising with others who may be going through a difficult time.  Lots of the characters in this year's Carnegie short listed books address the importance of mental well-being and coping with loss and the books promote acceptance, kindness and inclusion.  


Wednesday 16 March 2022

CKG Awards 2022 - shortlists announced!

We are very excited to see the shortlisted titles for this year's CKG Awards - all of the books will be available to borrow from the EPHS Libraries for students and staff.  

We are looking forward to Shadowing the Carnegie Medal Shortlist again this year with our Shadowing Group, the Eden Park Readers.  Consisting mainly of Year 9 and 10 students, together with Mrs Nolan, Miss Peters, Mr Collins and Miss Rodgerson, we meet regularly to read, discuss and review the eight shortlist books selected by the Carnegie judges.  This year we are welcoming three new members - Summer, John and AJ who are joining Millie, Angela, Bryan, Naomi, Amelia and Luca - and saying goodbye to Lucca and Eryk, who have stepped down this year.  

 

Tuesday 15 March 2022

British Science Week 2022

This week is British Science Week, a celebration of all things related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This year the focus is 'growth'.  

There are lots of brilliant activities and competitions available on the British Science Week website, including a fantastic poster competition on the theme of growth.  You can get some inspiration for these from the many super science books in the Library. 

We have put together a display to highlight diversity within the STEM industry inspired by the smashing stereotypes campaign. The display shows some of the amazing people that have made a huge impact in the science world and showcases some of the many books we have in the library relating to science.

Monday 14 March 2022

Match the Teacher to the Book Competition - winners announced!

Congratulations to all those who correctly identified the teacher with the book in our World Book Day ‘Match the Teacher to the Book’ competition. The correct answers were:


Prizes have been awarded to the seven correct entrants.  Our winners are:

Ava B (Year 7), Olivia C (Year 10), Catherine C (Year 10), Tommy-Lee S (Year 10), Mia L (Year 8), Rhiannon J (Year 8), Georgi M (Year 7).

Well done to everyone who entered - achievements points have been awarded for taking part!

Wednesday 9 March 2022

International Women's Day - a poem

To celebrate International Women's Day, our Year 7 students were set the task of writing an inspirational poem or speech by our wonderful History Department.  

One of the poems that particularly impressed Ms Rodgerson, was this empowering and inspiring poem by Imogen:


Why am I a girl, 

To dress up or put on makeup,

to fight with boys just to breakup.

Why am I a girl,

To wear high heels instead of trainers,

Or to hide myself in secret chambers,

Why I am a girl,

To glide instead of run,

Or to become someone's bride?

Why am I a girl,

to Run on the track reaching for my dream,

With shoes on that barely have a seam,

I am a girl,

and proud to be one,

I turned that little girl into someone...

a champion!

I turned that little girl into me!

By Imogen M, Year 7

Tuesday 8 March 2022

International Women's Day 2022

International Women’s Day takes place every year on 8th March and celebrates inspirational women and their achievements, as well as calling for gender equality.

This year’s theme is #breakthebias.

The EPHS Libraries have a fantastic collection of fiction and non-fiction featuring inspiring women and girls.  Check out the International Women’s Day reading lists on Oliver by clicking here.



Monday 7 March 2022

First News - Special Ukraine Edition

First News is a weekly newspaper for children that the Library subscribes to. It covers difficult and positive news stories from around the UK and the wider world.

Below is a free digital special Ukraine edition of the current issue of the newspaper - simple click to view:


First News Education TV have also produced a short video for children explaining what is going on in Ukraine - click here to view.

Thursday 3 March 2022

Happy World Book Day 2022!

We celebrated by hosting an in person author visit from the fantastic Patrice Lawrence, who performed for our Year 9 and 10 students and ran an author workshop for a selected group of Year 9s.

Don’t forget to use your £1 World Book Day book tokens by Sunday 27th March and you’ve got until Monday, 7th March to enter our Match the Teacher to the Book competition!




Wednesday 2 March 2022

Ukraine - First News update

Below is that latest information on Ukraine by First News, the newspaper for children:

First News are also offering parents the opportunity to download a FREE copy of this Friday's edition of First News, which is a Ukraine special.  Simply click here to request a copy.

Tuesday 1 March 2022

Ukraine - First News explainer

First News, the weekly newspaper for children that the Library subscribes to, has put together some information to help you understand what's going on in Ukraine. This is available to view below:


We will post updates on the situation as we receive them.

Award-Winning Author Patrice Lawrence to visit EPHS!

We are delighted to announce that award-winning author, Patrice Lawrence will be visiting Eden Park High School this Thursday, 3rd March, as part of our World Book Day celebrations.  Patrice will be performing for students in Years 9 and 10 and signing copies of her books.

Patrice was born in Brighton and brought up in an Italian and Trinidadian household. Her first book for young adults, Orangeboy, was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Book Award and won the Bookseller YA Prize and Waterstone’s Prize for Older Children's Fiction. Indigo Donut, her second book for teenagers, won the Crimefest YA Prize. Both books have been nominated for the Carnegie Medal.  In 2021, she won the Jhalak Prize's inaugural children's and young adult category for her book  Eight Pieces of Silva (2020). Rat, Patrice’s dyslexia friendly novella, has been longlisted for this year’s Carnegie Award. 

For more information visit Patrice’s page on The Book Trust website.

Match the Teacher to the Book competition

Yesterday we launched our latest Library competition, ‘Match the Teacher to the Book’ as part of our World Book Day celebrations.

To enter, simply print off the entry form (or pick one up from the Library) and link the teacher with the book you think they are reading.  Don't forget that you can ask the featured teachers for clues!

Please remember to include your full name and your form on your entry.  You can only enter once.

The closing date is Monday, 7th March and there will be prizes for correct entries.  Good Luck!

Welcome back!

Welcome to 2024 ! Hope you had a good break and enjoyed some brilliant books.  For those of you who need some encouragement, there are some ...