Year 8 Geography Passport

Year 8s are taking part in a joint Geography/Library reading project. Their aim is to read at least nine magazine articles and books on the subjects of Geography and Travel and write brief reviews to add to the display in the Library (designed by Kate Knight). At each of three levels of achievement they can earn themselves a certificate confirming their status as Day Trippers, Seasoned Travellers or Intrepid Explorers, and we hope along the way they will also learn what a fascinating and exciting subject it is.

New Books in the Library

These are some of the new titles recently added to the Library stock

"That Honourable and Gentleman and Gentlemanlike House", by Tony Tuckwell

Tony Tuckwell was Headmaster of KEGS from 1984 to 1999. This is the second edition of his history of the school from its foundation in 1551 by King Edward VI to 2008.

Copies of this scholarly and readable book can be bought from Mrs Gray in the Library for £14.95. Cheques should be made to KEGS School Fund.

Contact library@kegs.org.uk for more information.

Campaign For The Book

The Campaign for the Book
The Campaign for the Book is a combination of individuals and organisations united around the following Charter.

We, the signatories of this Charter commit ourselves to campaigning for the following:
1. The central place of reading for pleasure in society.
2. A proper balance of book provision and Information Technology in public and school libraries. We welcome the integration of new technologies but believe that they must not erode the key place of books and the need for a healthy and expanding book stock.
3. The defence of public libraries and librarians from attempts to cut spending in a ‘soft’ area.
4. An extension of the role of the school librarian and a recognition of the school library as a key engine of learning. All staff employed in school libraries to have access to appropriate and adequate support and training.
5. The recruitment of more school librarians. It is a national scandal that less than a third of secondary schools has a trained librarian.
6. The defence of the professional status of the public and school librarian. We oppose downgrading. In some places this has reduced librarians’ salaries by up to half.
7. A higher profile for reading for pleasure in schools, including shadowing book awards, inviting authors and illustrators to visit, developing school creative writing magazines.
8. To support the sustainability and future development of Schools Library Service provision nationally.
9. To promote a more positive reading culture in school, in which the reading of whole books is preferred to studying extracts alone

Reading Group News

For summer holiday reading the more ambitious of us are undertaking the recent new translation, by Anthony Briggs, of Tolstoy's War and Peace. Meanwhile for next half term's meeting, which will take place early in July - exact date to be agreed - we have chosen Sarah's Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay, translated into French as Elle s'appelait Sarah.

We will also be discussing Amitav Ghosh's Sea of Poppies.

For more information about Tatiana de Rosnay and her books look at her website:



And there are some questions to help you think about the book in the Library area of Kegsnet.

Carnegie Medal Shortlist Announced

Carnegie medal judges draw up 'boysy' shortlist

Judges of Britain's oldest children's book award focus on stories about 'what it feels like to be a boy'

guardian.co.uk, Friday 24 April 2009

The seven books on the list are

Frank Cottrell Boyce: Cosmic
Kevin Brooks: Black Rabbit Summer
Eoin Colfer: Airman
Siobhan Dowd: Bog Child
Keith Gray: Ostrich Boys
Patrick Ness: The Knife of Never Letting Go

There are copies of all titles in the Library. Why not read them all and let us know which one you think is the "outstanding" children's book of the year. A warning though; the Kevin Brooks is unsuitable for younger readers.

Times Books For Schools

The first phase is over; the second phase started on April 19th. We've ordered seven books for the English Department and one for the Library.


The second stage started on April 19th and we would be very grateful to receive as many vouchers as possible. So if you ever buy The Times, please remember to cut out the vouchers and send them in to the Library. There is a box in the Library to put them in.

World Book Day Competition

On UNESCO World Book Day, April 23rd, members of staff will be wearing badges depicting famous scientists or inventors and authors of famous science books.

The entry form lists book titles, inventions or discoveries; all you need to do is write the name of the staff member and the name of the scientist on their badge against the title, invention or discovery e.g. Mr Bloggs has a badge depicting Anon from Egypt who invented the wig. (In fact Anon was such a prolific inventor that he is not included in the competition, so don't go looking for him on the form.)

There are 33 badges to find. If at the end of the competition there is a tie, there will be a tie-breaker in the Library, and/or a Senior and Junior prize.

Badge wearers will answer "Yes" or "No" if you think you know the identity of the person on their badge, but please don't pester them with lots of questions; they have work to do.

There will be books to help you in the Library.

World Book Day - Books That Changed the World

In this Year of Darwin a lot has been written and talked about The Books That Changed the World.

We would like to know if there is a book which has changed your world; for example, something that turned you onto reading, or introduced you to a subject for which you now have a passion, or simply a book which really stands out as the best book you ever read.

You can fill in one of the postcards which will be around the school, or e-mail to

library@kegs.org.uk

UNESCO World Book Day - 23 April 2009

The Rest of the World is out of step with Britain and celebrates World Book Day on 23rd April - Shakespeare's birthday (maybe) and the day Shakespeare died (definitely).

KEGS is joining the rest of the world on this day and there will be several activities to help us to celebrate books and reading. Watch this space ..........