Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services

Tag: Secondary Schools

  • Library Software User Groups

    Library Software User Groups

    If you need help with your new pupil import, just ask!

    Sessions this term are:

    • Term time : Mondays between 3:45pm and 5pm at the Schools Library Services OR via Teams/ Zoom (please email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk if you want to attend). Free to subscribing schools, covering advice, Q & As, etc.
    • In-school training : times to suit. £80/hr

    Systems covered

    • Libresoft Librarian
    • Junior Librarian/ Junior Librarian.net/ The Reading Cloud
    • Heritage and Cirqa
    • Accessit
    • Simple Little Library System
    • Eclipse
    • Other systems on request

    Pupil data import and update

    A librarian can be booked to visit your school or connect remotely and carry out any maintenance of the database and add/ move on borrowers. Contact the library to find out more.

    eBooks Platform

    Support and advice can also be provided for users of the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services eBooks platform.

    Register

    1. Email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk
    2. Provide your full name and school
    3. Let me know what help or advice you require in regards to your library catalogue/ software
    4. If you need help with your cloud-based system, remember to bring your login details to the session
  • Must Read 2022

    Must Read 2022

    The Must Read Book list is one of our annual selections of the best fiction for primary schools chosen by librarians from the Schools Library Service and primary and secondary schools, and is a suggested list to buy for your school library.

    For fiction for years 3 and 4, take a look at our Takeoff! booklist.

    The book list represents a selection of the best new fiction first published in paperback within the last year, and covers a diverse range of subjects, genres, authors and interests.

    Titles from the 2022 Teen and Primary lists will be chosen for the Tower Hamlets Book Award short list. Don’t forget to register for this event!

    Posters for the 2022 booklists will be delivered soon to subscribing schools

    Please contact the library for any further information about the book list.

    See the full list of books

    Title Author
    Listen Layla Yassmin Abdel-Magied I am Layla Kareem Abdel-Hafiz Hussein, the greatest Sudanese Australian inventor the world has ever seen. And if they don’t know my name yet, they soon will. Inshallah! Family, friends, home, inventions – there’s a lot to navigate. With big protests looming in Sudan, could Layla save the day with her revolutionary ideas?
    Jummy at the river school Adeyinka, Sabine Jummy has won a place at the River School, the finest girls’ boarding school in Nigeria.
    Nothing can dampen her spirits, not even when she learns that her best friend Caro won’t be joining her.By the Shine-Shine River, school is everything Jummy dreamt of, with friendly new girls, midnight feasts and sporting prizes – but when Caro suddenly arrives at the school to work, not to learn, Jummy must bring all her friends together to help.
    The Time Thief Patience Agbabi Elle and her Leapling classmates are visiting the Museum of the Past, the Present and the Future. But on the day of the school trip, disaster strikes, and the most unique and valuable piece in the museum, the Infinity-Glass, is stolen! And worse still, Elle’s friend  is arrested for the crime!
    To prove his innocence Elle must leap back centuries in time, to a London very different from today.
    Princess Sophia Duleep Singh Ahmed, Sufia Princess Sophia Duleep Singh – the thrilling story of the princess and suffragette. Born in Britain to Indian and Egyptian parents, Princess Sophia Duleep Singh was a prominent suffragette and campaigned for the women’s right to vote.
    Ruby Ali’s Mission Break Up Ahmed, Sufia Ruby Ali’s eighteen-year-old sister Alisha has left the care centre where they live, and Ruby is being sent to live with a new foster family. If she can sabotage life at her new home, she’ll get to go and live with her sister again, right? But mission break up doesn’t go exactly according to plan.
    The Life and Time of Lonny Quicke Kirsty Applebaum Lonny is a lifeling. He has the power to heal any living creature and bring it back from the dead. But he pays a price for this gift – by lengthening the creature’s life, he shortens his own. So Lonny has to be careful, has to stay hidden in the forest. Because if people knew what he could do, Lonny would be left with no life at all…
    Aarti & the blue gods Jasbinder Bilan Aarti has lived on the island with Aunt for as long as she can remember. Like the weather, Aunt rules her world with rare warmth. Aarti’s only comforts are a book of Indian myths full of blue gods, a fox’s friendship, and a toy rabbit she finds in a locked room. Then, she learns Aunt has been feeding her lies.

    Fate intervenes when a half-drowned boy washes up on the beach.
    When Secrets Set Sail Brahmachari, Sita Usha is devastated when her grandmother Kali Ma passes away. Then straight-talking Imtiaz arrives – her new adoptive sister – and the two girls clash instantly. They both feel lost. That is until Kali Ma’s ghost appears…with a task for them.
    Count Melvin Burgess Brandon is a boaster – he says he is brilliant at lots of things. Then he is challenged to count up to ten million. So Brandon starts: one, two, three . . . and before long he is up to one thousand. But Brandon can’t stop counting. And the higher he counts, the more everyone takes an interest,  by the time he gets to one million, he has a manager and a stadium full of fans counting with him. And then strange, impossible things start happening.
    My big mouth Camden, Steven When Dad leaves, ten-year-old Jay has questions.
    Where has he gone?
    Why did he go?When no one can give Jay the answers he needs, he makes up his own stories, setting off a chain reaction that sees regular old Jay go from just another face in the crowd, to the centre of attention.
    Danny Chung does not do maths Maisie Chan Eleven-year-old Danny Chung loves drawing more than anything – certainly more than maths, which, according to his dad and everyone else, is what he is ‘supposed’ to be good at. He also loves having his own room where he can draw in peace, so his life is turned upside down when a surprise that he’s been promised turns out to be his little, wrinkly, ex-maths-champion grandmother from China. What’s worse, Nai Nai has to share his room!
    Maddy Yip’s Guide to Life Sue Cheung Maddy Yip is perfectly happy in life, until she realises that everyone she knows has a talent – except for her! Maddy is determined to change that, with the help of her brothers, bewildered grandad and her best friend Dev. There are disastrous attempts at breakdancing and playing the recorder, revolting cakes, and a magic disappearing trick that ends up with an escaped guinea pig. Will Maddy ever find her true calling?
    Aru Shah and the City of Gold Roshani Chokshi Aru and her sisters–including one who also claims to be the Sleeper’s daughter–must find their mentors Hanuman and Urvashi in Lanka, the city of gold, before war breaks out between the devas and asuras.

    Aru has just made a wish on the tree of wshes, but she can’t remember what it was. She’s pretty sure she didn’t wish for a new sister, one who looks strangely familiar and claims to be the Sleeper’s daughter, like her.
    New Kid/ Class Act Craft, Jerry Drew Ellis is no stranger to the saying “You have to work twice as hard to be just as good.” His grandmother has reminded him his entire life. But what if he works ten times as hard and still isn’t afforded the same opportunities that his classmates at  School take for granted? As the pressures mount, will Drew find a way to bridge the divide so he and his friends can truly accept each other? And most important, will he finally be able to accept himself?
    The Bear who sailed the world on an Iceberg Critchley, Emily Patrick finds a polar bear in his parents’ freezer. How did Monty get there? A huge polar bear who talks like he might have swallowed a dictionary as well as a library – he has read more books than Patrick knew existed -and whose stomach is always rumbling.
    Me, my Dad and the end of the rainbow Benjamin Dean Things aren’t going great for Archie Albright. His dad’s acting weird, his mum too, and all he wants is for everything to go back to normal, to three months before when his parents were happy and still lived together. When Archie sees a colourful, crumpled flyer fall out of Dad’s pocket, he thinks he may have found the answer. Only problem? The answer might just lie at the end of the rainbow, an adventure away. A story of love, family and friendship.
    When the Sky Falls Phil Earle 1941. War is raging. And one angry boy has been sent to the city, where bombers rule the skies. There, Joseph will live with Mrs F, a gruff woman with no fondness for children. Her only loves are the rundown zoo she owns and its mighty silverback gorilla, Adonis. As the weeks pass, bonds deepen and secrets are revealed.
    City of rust Fowler, Gemma Railey dreams of winning the drone races with her bio-robotic gecko, but when a bounty hunter crashes their race, the pair are forced to flee to the feared Junker clans who mine the rubbish orbiting the Earth. Rescued by a couple of Junker kids, they discover a danger bigger than anything they’d imagined – but can three kids, a gecko and an ancient computer save the world against the huge trash bomb (and its power-crazed creator) threatening to destroy the world?
    Two sisters : a story of freedom Kereen Getten Ruth has always known her half-sister isn’t like her – her almost-white skin means she is allowed certain things that Ruth can only dream of.
    Anna wishes she could be braver, like her sister, Ruth. But she has had to live with the fact that the smallest mistake would land not only her in danger, but Ruth and their mother, too.
    When Ruth and Anna are shipped off to Master John’s home in London for their safety, it isn’t the haven they imagined. Their differences force them apart. With whispers of freedom on the city’s streets, will Anna find the courage to stand up for Ruth before it’s too late?
    Torn apart: the partition of India, 1947 Swapna Haddow t’s October 1947 and two young boys find themselves thrown together during the dramatic changes of Partition.
    As the new India and Pakistan are born, can the friendship between these two children rise above the tensions between the two countries?When the British announced they would be leaving India, a feeling of hope bubbled up in towns and villages across the country – they would be free to rule themselves at last! But deciding to split the country in two – Partition – would soon mean so much more.
    Rumaysa : a fairytale Radiya Hafiza For as long as she can remember Rumaysa has been locked away in her tower, forced to spin straw into gold for the evil Witch, unable to leave. Until one day, after dropping a hijab out of her small tower-window, Rumaysa realizes how she might be able to escape . . .

    Join Rumaysa as she adventures through enchanted forests and into dragon’s lairs, discovers her own incredible magical powers and teams up with Cinderayla and Sleeping Sara!
    Harley Hitch and the iron forest Vashti Hardy The Iron Forest near Harley’s home is unlike any other – plants and trees grow cogs and hinges and other mechanical parts – and all of Inventia depends on it. So when a strange fungus is discovered, there’s a race to find a solution. Without essential parts for inventions, the town is quickly falling apart…
    How I saved the world in a week Polly Ho-Yen Rule number one: Always be prepared . . .

    Billy’s mum isn’t like other mums. All she wants is to teach him the Rules of Survival – how to make fire, build shelter and find food. She likes to test Billy on the rules until one day she goes too far, and Billy is sent to live with a dad he barely knows.

    Then the world changes forever as people begin to be infected with a mysterious virus that turns their skin grey. As chaos breaks out, Billy has to flee the city. Suddenly he realises that this is what his mum was preparing him for
    Mayhem Mission Burhana Islam Yusuf’s older sister is getting married. He’s ready for the delicious food, the fun with his cousins and the many presents but he s NOT ready to take her place as the responsible one. His only option: cause some chaos and ruin the wedding.
    Pages & Co.: The Book Smugglers: Anna James Milo lives on board the Sesquipedalian, or “Quip” – a magical train that uses the power of imagination to travel through both Story and the real world. The train is owned by Milo’s uncle, Horatio, and Milo has witnessed many of his uncle’s dodgy dealings as a book smuggler trading in rare books.

    When Horatio takes on a dangerous new job, he needs the help of Tilly Pages. And Tilly owes Horatio a favour. But when poisoned copies of The Wizard of Oz are sent to Horatio and Tilly’s grandfather, sending them both into deep sleeps, Milo and Tilly find themselves racing against time to save them – and to figure out what is going on.
    Twins Varian Johnson Maureen and Francine Carter are twins and best friends. They participate in the same clubs, enjoy the same foods and are partners on all their school projects.

    But just before the girls start sixth grade, Francine becomes Fran – a girl who wants to join the chorus, run for class president and dress in fashionable outfits that set her apart from Maureen. The twins are growing apart and there’s nothing Maureen can do to stop it. Are sisters really forever? Or will middle school change things for good?
    The Amazing Edie Eckhart Rosie Jones Hello! My name is Edie Eckhart and I’m eleven years old. I’m a little bit different. I have a disability called cerebral palsy, so I talk slowly and fall over a lot. It’s never really bothered me because I’ve never known anything else.

    Edie Eckhart is Excited with a capital E to start secondary school with her best friend Oscar. But when she and Oscar are put into different tutor groups on their first day, Edie is devastated.
    The monster maker Jones, Gareth P Dr Franklefink’s precious Monster Maker has gone missing and there are lots of suspects! Along with your yeti partner, it’s up to YOU to find the culprit. Should you trail Bramwell Stoker, the terrifying vampire, or Grundle and Grinola, the mischievous goblin twins? Should you follow up a lead about the cunning witches? Or will investigating the doctor’s monstrous son Monty lead you to the thief? Hundreds of paths to choose from and no dead ends.
    Lightning strike Tanya Landman Eliza is angry. Angry that her family never seems to have enough. Angry that conditions at the factory where she and her sister work are so harsh. Angry that no one seems to care. When Eliza speaks out, her words spark fury among the rest of the workers and the flame of rebellion is lit. But what next? Can one girl really inspire an uprising that will change her world?
    Twitch Leonard, M G Twitch has three pet chickens, four pigeons, swallows nesting in his bedroom and a passion for birdwatching. On the first day of the summer holidays, he arrives at his secret hide to find police everywhere: a convicted robber has broken out of prison and is hiding in Aves Wood. Can Twitch use his talents for birdwatching to hunt for the dangerous prisoner and find the missing loot?
    Kiki Kallira breaks a kingdom Mandanna, Sangu Kiki Kallira has always been a worrier. Did she lock the front door? Is there a terrible reason her mum is late? Recently her anxiety has been getting out of control, but one thing that has always soothed her is drawing. Kiki’s sketchbook is full of fantastical doodles of the Hindu myths and legends her mother has told her since she was tiny.

    One day, her sketchbook’s calming effect is broken when her mythological characters begin springing to life and Kiki is pulled into the mystical world she drew.
    Jaz Santos vs the world Priscilla Mante Olá! I’m Jasmina Santos-Campbell (but you can call me Jaz). You’ve probably heard of me and my football team the Bramrock Stars before. No? Well, you will soon because we’re almost famous!

    Forming the Stars was my genius idea – you see I need to prove to Mãe (that’s my mum!) that I’m a football star so she’ll want to come back home.

    The idea was the easy part, though. Now I’ve got a team of seven very different girls and we need to work together, to be taken seriously as footballers.
    No man’s land Joanna Nadin With far-right Albion on the brink of war with Europe, ten-year-old Alan and his little brother Sam are sent away to safety. Dad tells Alan he has to be brave, like the superheroes he loves, but Alan isn’t too sure. He wants to be wherever Dad is – and anyway, can he really be sure who’s a hero and who’s a villain?
    The Lion above the door Onjali Q Rauf Leo and his best friend Sangeeta are the odd ones out in their school. But as Leo’s dad is always telling him, it’s because they’re special. Only thing is, if they’re so special, how come they never see anyone who looks like them in their school history books?

    Then, on a class trip to a nearby cathedral, Leo’s attention is drawn to a large marble slab high above the doors of the hall. Right there, bang in the middle of a list of war heroes, Leo finds himself staring at something incredible: his own name.
    Utterly Dark Philip Reeve When Utterly Dark was a baby, she was washed up on the shores of the Autumn Isles and taken in by the Watcher of Wildsea. But everything changes when her guardian suddenly drowns. Now who will keep the Watch, and make sure Wildsea stays safe from the strange forces teeming in the deep ocean around them?
    The Secret Detectives Risbridger, Ella When Isobel Petty is orphaned, she finds herself being taken away from her home in India and sent to live with a distant uncle in England. On board the S.S. Marianna, she witnesses a shocking act – somebody being thrown overboard in the middle in the night. But when the ship’s captain insists that nobody is missing, Isobel and her two new reluctant friends must solve two mysteries
    How to save the world with a chicken and an egg Emma Shevah This story isn’t just about birds. It’s about secrets, the seaside, how seagulls can trick worms into thinking it’s raining.

    It’s about mucus, fudge and dogs needing a wide variety of sniffs.

    But if you want the simple version, it’s about what happened here last summer. How a girl called Ivy and a boy called Nathaniel solved a mystery and saved the world’s animals: one at a time …
    Nisha’s war Smith, Dan Malaya, 1942. Nisha’s home is destroyed by war and she and her mother, Amma, flee to her father’s ancestral house in England, perched on a cliff top on the cold Northern coast.

    When Amma falls gravely ill, Nisha is left to face her formidable grandmother alone. Grandmother’s rules are countless, and her Anglo-Indian granddaughter is even forbidden from climbing the old weeping tree.

    But when a ghost child beckons Nisha to sit under its boughs, and promises her Amma’s life in return for three truths, its pull proves irresistible …
    Children of the quicksands Efua Traoré City girl Simi is sent to stay with her long-lost grandmother in a remote Nigerian village. There’s no TV, internet or phone. Not a single human-made sound can be heard at night, just the noise of birds and animals rustling in the dark forest outside.

    Her witchlike grandmother dispenses advice and herbal medicine to the village, but she’s tight lipped about their family history. Something must have happened, but what?
    Dragon legend Katie Tsang Billy Chan and his friends are not having a very relaxing summer. Their friend, Dylan, has been kidnapped by the evil Dragon of Death and it’s up to them to travel through time, back to the dangerous Dragon Realm, in order to save him. So begins an epic quest that will take them to the depths of the Frozen Wasteland and the imperial palaces of Ancient China. But can good triumph evil…?
    The Time Traveller and the Tiger Tania Unsworth Elsie is not looking forward to the long summer holiday with her creaky, old Uncle John. But then the unimaginable happens as Time unravels and Elsie tumbles back to 1940s India to meet her Uncle John as a young boy on a tiger hunt. Can Elsie stop him from doing what he’s already told her is a wrong he can never right?
    The Ash House Walker, Angharad A new boy arrives at the Ash House. He can’t remember his name – or why he’s been sent there.

    Given the name Sol, and troubled by a mystery pain that no medicine can cure, he joins the gang of children living in the shadows of the secretive house.

    Soon, however, there’s more for him to face: the darkness that descends with the arrival of the Doctor …
    The day the screens went blank Wallace, Danny When ten-year-old Stella wakes up to discover a world full of BLANK screens, her family, town, and in fact the whole world seems to have been thrown into chaos. And what about poor Grandma who is stranded at the other end of the country?- Along the way Stella and her family discover that being away from screens might not be the WORST THING EVER, and even though they might not be able to rely on technology anymore, they can rely on each other instead.
    When we got lost in Dreamland Ross Welford When eleven-year-old Malky and his younger brother Seb become the owners of a “Dreaminator”, they are thrust into worlds beyond their wildest imagination.

    From tree-top flights and Spanish galleons, to thrilling battles and sporting greatness – it seems like nothing is out of reach when you can share a dream with someone else.

    But… impossible dreams come with incredible risks, and when Seb won’t wake up and is taken to hospital in a coma, Malky is forced to leave reality behind and undertake a final, terrifying journey to the stone-age to wake his brother…

     

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  • Teen Booklist 2022

    Teen Booklist 2022

    The Teenage Book list is selected annually by librarians from the Schools Library Service and secondary schools, and is a list of recommended fiction to buy for your school library.

    The teen list represents a selection of the best new fiction first published in paperback within the last 12 months, and covers a diverse range of subjects, genres, authors and interests.

    Titles from the Teen and Primary lists will be chosen for the Tower Hamlets Book Award short list in July. Remember to let us know if you want to participate in this event!

    Posters for the 2022 booklists will be being delivered soon to subscribing schools!

    Please contact the library for more information on the Teen List or to request additional posters (subscribing schools only – subject to availability).

    See the full list of books

    Title Author  
    Ace of Spades Abike-Iyimide, Faridah Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light.

    Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power.

    Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…
    The Dark Lady Akala A pickpocket with an exceptional gift.

    A prisoner of extraordinary value

    An orphan haunted by dreams of the mysterious Dark Lady

    Henry is an orphan, an outsider, a thief. He is also a fifteen-year-old invested with magical powers …

    This brilliant, at times brutal, first novel from the amazing imagination that is Akala, will glue you to your seat as you are hurled into a time when London stank and boys like Henry were forced to find their own route through the tangled streets and out the other side.
    Fire Keeper’s Daughter Angeline Boulley Eighteen-year-old Daunis’ mixed heritage has always made her feel like an outsider, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When she witnesses a shocking murder, she reluctantly agrees to be part of a covert FBI operation into a series of drug-related deaths.

    But the deceptions – and deaths – keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. Now Daunis must decide what it means to be a strong Anishinaabe kwe (Ojibwe woman) and how far she’ll go to protect her community, even if it tears apart the only world she’s ever known.
    Felix Ever After Kacen Callender Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.
    At night all blood is black David Diop Alfa and Mademba are two of the many Senegalese soldiers fighting in the Great War. Together they climb dutifully out of their trenches to attack France’s German enemies whenever the whistle blows, until Mademba is wounded, and dies in a shell hole with his belly torn open.

    Without his more-than-brother, Alfa is alone and lost amidst the savagery of the conflict. He devotes himself to the war, to violence and death, but soon begins to frighten even his own comrades in arms. How far will Alfa go to make amends to his dead friend?
    Guard your heart Sue Divin Derry. Summer 2016. Aidan and Iona, now eighteen, were both born on the day of the Northern Ireland peace deal.

    Aidan is Catholic, Irish, and Republican. With his ex-political prisoner father gone and his mother dead, Aidan’s hope is pinned on exam results earning him a one-way ticket out of Derry. To anywhere.

    Iona, Protestant and British, has a brother and father in the police. She’s got university ambitions, a strong faith and a fervent belief that boys without one track minds are a myth.

    At a post-exam party, Aidan wanders alone across the Peace Bridge and becomes the victim of a brutal sectarian attack. Iona witnessed the attack; picked up Aidan’s phone and filmed what happened, and gets in touch with him to return the phone. When the two meet, alone and on neutral territory, the differences between them seem insurmountable.
    Home is not a country Safia Elhillo Nima wishes she were someone else. She doesn’t feel understood by her mother, who grew up in a different land. She doesn’t feel accepted in her suburban town; yet somehow, she isn’t different enough to belong elsewhere. Her best friend, Haitham, is the only person with whom she can truly be herself. Until she can’t, and suddenly her only refuge is gone.

    As the ground is pulled out from under her, Nima must grapple with the phantom of a life not chosen–the name her parents meant to give her at birth–Yasmeen. But that other name, that other girl, might be more real than Nima knows. And the life Nima wishes were someone else’s. .
    Samira surfs Rukhsanna Guidroz Samira is an eleven-year-old Rohingya refugee living in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, who finds strength and sisterhood in a local surf club for girls. Samira thinks of her life as before and after: before the burning and violence in her village in Burma, when she and her best friend would play in the fields, and after, when her family was forced to flee. Then there’s the uncertain journey to Bangladesh by river, when the river swallowed her nana and nani whole. A novel in verse about a young Rohingya girl’s journey from isolation and persecution to sisterhood, and from fear to power.
    The Sound of Everything Rebecca Henry Life has taught Kadie to be cynical and not to trust anyone. She thinks she is prepared for everything, but then she meets Lips, also an outsider. However she has secrets of which she must let go, if she is to make a stab at friendship and love.
    Everyone dies famous in a small town Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock Come on a journey across the rural American West . . .

    Meet the teenagers who live in the small towns across these states, separated by distance, but whose stories are woven together in the most unexpected of ways.

    Whether they are brought together by the spread of wildfire, by the priest who’s moved from state to state or by the hunt for a missing child, these incredible tales blaze with secrets, rage and love.
    The Outrage William Hussey “You know, when you live in a time of progress, it seems that progress is the only possible way. The idea that everything we’d gained, all of those hard-won rights, could be taken away from us, and that open minds could be closed again? But then the Outrage happened.” Welcome to England, where the Protectorate enforces the Public Good. Here, there are rules for everything – what to eat, what to wear, what to do, what to say, what to read, what to think, who to obey, who to hate, who to love.
    When the World was ours Liz Kessler Vienna, 1936.

    Elsa, Leo and Max have always been best friends, a special team of three. Then the Nazis come.

    As a growing darkness descends around them, Leo and Elsa run for their lives, taking two very different paths across Europe. And Max, once their closest friend, now becomes the enemy as he is drawn into the Hitler Youth. Will the friends ever find their way back to each other? Will they want to?
    Rat Patrice Lawrence When his mum is sent back to prison, Al knows exactly who’s to blame. Mr Brayker, who lives downstairs, has been making trouble for Al’s mum ever since they moved in, and Al’s determined to get his revenge. Ignoring advice from his gran and sister, Plum, Al takes things into his own hands with a plan that involves the only two creatures he can rely on: his pet rats, Venom and Vulture. But things don’t turn out exactly as he’d imagined …
    Splinters of Sunshine Patrice Lawrence Spey recently received two surprises. The first: his ex-prisoner dad turning up unannounced, and the second: a mysterious package containing torn-up paper flowers.Spey instantly recognises it as a collage he made with his old friend Dee, and decides she must be in danger, but there are no clues to her whereabouts.
    The crossing Manjeet Mann Natalie’s world is falling apart. She’s just lost her mum and her brother marches the streets of Dover full of hate and anger. Swimming is her only refuge. Sammy has fled his home and family in Eritrea for the chance of a new life in Europe. Every step he takes on his journey is a step into an unknown and unwelcoming future. A twist of fate brings them together and gives them both hope. a powerful verse novel about two teenagers from opposite worlds dealing with the very real tragedies of the refugee crisis.
    The Supreme Lie Geraldine McCaughrean Fifteen-year-old Gloria is maid to Afalia’s tyrannical Head of State, Madame Suprema. When the country is hit by unprecedented flooding, Madame Suprema runs away, fearing she will be blamed for the crisis. To cover up this cowardly act, Gloria is made to step into Madame Suprema’s shoes and is thrust into a world of corrupt and desperate politicians. As Gloria becomes aware of the forces toying with her every move, she must take decisions that could save, or end, thousands of lives – including her own…

    A brilliant and darkly funny commentary on our present times by one of our greatest writers.
    I am the minotaur McGowan, Anthony Matthew is 14 and is struggling to fit in – something that’s extra hard when you’re taking care of your mum, being bullied at school, and have earned the nickname Stinky Mog because of your poor personal hygiene. On top of all that, he wants to catch the attention of one of the coolest girls in school, Ari. Ari doesn’t walk: she floats, like mist on the water. And she’s as sporty as she is cool. When Ari’s brand new bike is stolen, Matthew spots his chance to make a good impression by getting it back for her…
    Show us who you are Elle McNicoll When Cora’s brother drags her along to his boss’s house, she doesn’t expect to strike up a friendship with Adrien, son of the intimidating CEO of Pomegranate Technologies. As she becomes part of Adrien’s life, she is also drawn into the mysterious projects at Pomegranate.

    At first, she’s intrigued by them – Pomegranate is using AI to recreate real people in hologram form. As she digs deeper, however, she uncovers darker secrets…

    Cora knows she must unravel their plans, but can she fight to make her voice heard, whilst never losing sight of herself?
    The Curious Case of Karl Nova Karl Nova  Karl Nova’s second anthology is a collection of very personal poetry and is based on his own unique story. From the UK to Nigeria, and back again Karl seeks to share his life journey, and explain how it has shaped who he has become today.
    All our hidden gifts Caloline O’ Donoghue Maeve Chambers doesn’t have much going for her. Not only does she feel like the sole idiot in a family of geniuses, she managed to drive away her best friend Lily a year ago. But when she finds a pack of dusty old tarot cards at school, and begins to give scarily accurate readings to the girls in her class, she realizes she’s found her gift at last. Things are looking up – until she discovers a strange card in the deck that definitely shouldn’t be there.
    Heartstopper (book 4) Alice Oseman Charlie didn’t think Nick could ever like him back, but now they’re officially boyfriends. Charlie’s beginning to feel ready to say those three little words: I love you.

    Nick’s been feeling the same, but he’s got a lot on his mind – not least coming out to his dad, and the fact that Charlie might have an eating disorder.

    As summer turns to autumn and a new school year begins, Charlie and Nick are about to learn a lot about what love means.
    Grow Luke Palmer A white supremacist group and its violent leader targets teenage Josh, who is struggling to cope with his father’s recent death at the hands of terrorists. Will he find the strength to resist, or will his unlikely relationship with Dana give them both the escape that they so badly need? An unflinching and muscular exploration of grief, and what we plant in the spaces that loss leaves inside us.
    Black brother, black brother Jewell Parker Rhodes a powerful coming-of-age story about two brothers, one who presensts as white, the other as black, and the complex ways in which they are forced to naviagte the world, all while training for a fencing competition.
    Donte wishes he were invisible. As one of the few black boys at Middlefield Prep, he feels as if he is constantly swimming in a sea of whiteness. Most of the students don’t look like him. They don’t like him either. Dubbed the “Black Brother,” Donte’s teachers and classmates make it clear they wish he were more like his lighter skinned brother, Trey. Quiet, obedient.
    Hey, Girl! Rachel Rooney A teenage girl travels the path to her future in this powerful coming-of-age collection.

    The poems explore the comfort of books, awe at the night sky, playground tricks and friendships, and first love conundrums. There are worries, anxieties and questioning thoughts – but there’s also courage, humour and hope, as one girl strikes out for the future, determined to dance to her own tune, find freedom and be herself.
    Barakah Beats Maleeha Siddiqui Twelve-year-old Nimra Sharif has spent her whole life in Islamic school, but now it’s time to go to real school.

    Nimra’s nervous, but as long as she has Jenna, her best friend who already goes to the public school, she figures she can take on just about anything.

    Unfortunately, middle school is hard and Jenna starts giving hijab-wearing Nimra the cold shoulder around the other kids.

    Desperate to fit in and get back in Jenna’s good graces, Nimra accepts an unlikely invitation to join the school’s popular 8th grade boy band, Barakah Beats. The only problem is, Nimra was taught that music isn’t allowed in Islam, and she knows her parents would be disappointed
    Burning sunlight Anthea Simmons Zaynab is from Somaliland, a country that doesn’t exist because of politics and may soon be no more than a desert. Lucas is from rural Devon, which might as well be a world away. When they meet, they discover a common cause: the climate crisis.
    Together they overcome their differences to build a Fridays For Future group at their school and fight for their right to protest and make a real impact on the local community. But when Zaynab uncovers a plot which could destroy the environment and people’s lives back home in Somaliland, she will stop at nothing to expose it.
    Not My Problem Ciara Smyth When Aideen agrees to help ambitious class swot Maebh Kowalska deal with her crazy workload, she doesn’t expect to end up reluctantly pushing Maebh down the stairs. With this, Aideen becomes the school ‘fixer’: any problem a student has, Aideen will sort it out. But her  own life is a mess – Aideen’s mam is drinking again, her BFF Holly is avoiding her and she is skipping school.
    The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne Jonathan England has been radically changed by a series of catastrophes – large cities have disappeared and London has been replaced by a lagoon. The surviving population exists in fortified towns where they cling to traditional ways. Conformity is rigidly enforced and those who fall foul of the rules are persecuted.. Only a few fight back – and two of these outlaws, Scarlett McCain and Albert Browne, display an audacity and talent that makes them legends.
    The Summer we turned Green William Sutcliffe It’s the summer holidays, and thirteen-year-old Luke’s life has been turned upside down. First his older sister Rose moved ‘across the road’, where a community of climate rebels is protesting the planned airport expansion. Then his dad followed her.

    Dad only went to get Rose back, but now he’s out there building totem poles, wearing sandals and drinking mead (whatever that is) with the best of them.

    Can Luke save his family when all they want to do is save the planet?
    House of Hollow Krystal Sutherland Iris Hollow and her two older sisters are unquestionably strange. Ever since they disappeared on a suburban street in Scotland as children only to return a month a later with no memory of what happened to them, odd, eerie occurrences seem to follow in their wake. And they’re changing. First, their dark hair turned white. Then, their blue eyes slowly turned black. They have insatiable appetites yet never gain weight. People find them disturbingly intoxicating, unbearably beautiful, and inexplicably dangerous.
    cane warriors Alex Wheatle Moa is fourteen. The only life he has ever known is toiling on the Frontier sugar cane plantation for endless hot days, fearing the vicious whips of the overseers. Then one night he learns of an uprising, led by the charismatic Tacky. Moa is to be a cane warrior, and fight for the freedom of all the enslaved people in the nearby plantations. But before they can escape, Moa and his friend Keverton must face their first great task: to kill their overseer
    Girl (in real life) Tamsin Winter What’s it like to grow up online and have every tantrum, every spot – even your first period – broadcast to hundreds of thousands of followers? Most parents try to limit their kids’ online exposure. But not Eva’s. Her parents run a hugely successful YouTube channel, and Eva is the star of the show. But Eva is getting sick of being made to pose in stupid mum-and-daughter matching outfits for sponsored posts. The freebies aren’t worth the teasing at school. And when an intensely humiliating “period party” post goes viral, Eva is outraged. She’s going to find a way to stop the channel, even if she has to sabotage it herself.
    In the wild Light Jeff Zentner Cash’s life in his small Tennessee town is hard. He lost his mom to an opioid addiction and his grandfather’s illness is getting worse. His smart but troubled best friend, Delaney, is his only salvation. But Delaney is meant for greater things, and she finds a way for Cash to leave with her. Will abandoning his old life be the thing that finally breaks Cash, or will it be the making of him?

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  • Holocaust Memorial Day

    Holocaust Memorial Day

    27 January is Holocaust Memorial Day, in remembrance of the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi Persecution and in genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.

    Visit the Schools Library Service and choose books and posters from our stock or send a request for resources if your school subscribes to this package.

    Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

    The HMDT website has information and resources for teachers. http://hmd.org.uk/

    With hundreds of new titles appearing every month, our book lists evolve and develop with our library collection.

     Links to our catalogue

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  • World Book Day 2022

    World Book Day 2022

    We are delighted to announce that Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of one of the World Book Day books amongst many others, will be our headline act for World Book Day 2022 – Thursday 3rd March 2022

    We are aiming to put on two live events this year. Rashmi will be at the Genesis Cinema for two events – 10.30am to 11.30am and 1.30pm to 2.30pm and will sign copies of her books after each event.

    Rashmi is a British Indian who started out as a lawyer before realising her much better potential as a writer of exciting stories and intriguing non-fiction books for children!  Her non-fiction books include “GOOD NEWS: Why the World Is Not As Bad As You Think”, shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2022, “Never Teach a Stegosaurus To Do Sums”, shortlisted for the Sainsbury’s Book Awards 2021, How to Change the World and How to be Extraordinary which detail amazing things women, men and children from many different backgrounds have achieved.  Her new book all about growth mindset and semi-autobiographical, “Yes, You Can, Cow!”, will be hot of the press at the time of her talks.

    Her talk is suitable for KS2 and KS3.

    Booking

    For schools who subscribe to the Schools Library Service, this event is £2.50 per pupil and £4 per pupil for all other schools.

    Please book by 18th February (end of half term) by sending an email, stating morning or afternoon (or “don’t mind”), and the number and year group/s of the children you wish to bring to Gillian.harris@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

  • Disability History Month

    Disability History Month

    December is Disability History Month.

    http://ukdhm.org/

    The Schools Library Service can provide non-fiction and a range of fiction resources featuring children with disabilities.

    Booklists

    Live search results from our catalogue:

    Fiction on the subject of disability

    Non-Fiction about disabilities (primary)

    Picture Books on the subject of disability

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  • Tower Hamlets Book Award 2021

    Tower Hamlets Book Award 2021

    About the Book Award

    The annual Tower Hamlets Book Award is just one of the exciting events made possible through subscriptions to the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services.

    The Book Award is for pupils aged 10 to 13 (Year 5 and up). The aim is to encourage children to read, to bring children together to enable debate and discussion about books and to encourage children to share the pleasure of reading.

    You can shadow the Book Award in small or not-so-small groups. Have a look at the award timeline below for some ideas of activities.

    Congratulations to Joseph Coelho!

    Joseph became the 15th author to win the coveted Tower Hamlets Book Award for Zombierella

    Brilliantly illustrated by Freya Hartas, this alternative fairytale which proved a hit with both primary and secondary school pupils shadowing and voting in the award.

     

     

     

    The finale!

    Canary Wharf group – as well as buying sets of the shortlisted books for our subscribing schools –  kindly hosted the Book Award grand finale at the fantastic East Wintergarden venue on 2nd December.

    Pupils from over 20 schools were present to meet authors Jasbinder, Ben and Jennifer and enjoy the performances put on by Blue Gate Fields Juniors, Cyril Jackson Primary, Thomas Buxton Primary, Marner Primary, Morpeth School, Stepney All Saints School and Hermitage School.

    Blue Gate Fields took the prize for best presentation with their performance of scenes from ‘The Soup Movement’.

    Jennifer, Ben and Jasbinder award the prize for best performance

    Book Award Timeline and Guidelines

     

    Download as a .pdf

    Book Award Guidelines 2021
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    The shortlist

    THBAShortlist2021 – Download the Shortlist PowerPoint slideshow

    All subscribing schools will receive a free set of the 6 books. Non-subscribers – check out our website for all the great benefits of being a member of a schools library service!

    Schools may order additional sets (with library book jackets) for £45 per set. Please email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk

    The Soup Movement by Ben Davis

    Jordan promises his very good friend Rio he would do an act of kindness whenever he could and help change the world. Was that really why he gave up his mum’s wholesome soup to a homeless man? In any case, that  one small gesture became life-changing, and helped Jordan adjust to a world without Rio.

    Undercover Robot by Dave Edmonds and Bertie Foster

    Year 7 is tough enough without having to pretend you’re a human (and what does it mean to be human, anyway?), but that’s exactly what Dotty has to do. Only she now also has to worry about a boy in her class outing her in order to win a reward…

    The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

    A graphic novel. Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride, or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia – the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion!

    Zombierella by Joseph Coelho

    A yellow moon hangs in a satin sky the night Cinderella, barefoot and in hand-me-downs, slips at the top of the stairs … and dies. But not for long. Cinderella goes forth as ZOMBIERELLA!. With her skin as cold as ice, can she seek revenge on her three cruel, fake sisters, once and for all?

    Tamarind and the Star of Ishta by Jasbinder Bilan

    Tamarind never knew her Indian mum, Chinty, who died soon after she was born. So when she arrives at her ancestral home, a huge mansion in the Himalayas surrounded by luxuriant gardens, she’s full of questions for her extended family. But instead of answers, she finds only an ominous silence.

    Wonderscape by Jennifer Bell

    After a mysterious explosion on their way to school, three children find themselves trapped aboard The Principia, a science research ship sailing through hazardous waters and captained by Isaac Newton. Lost in the Wonderscape, an epic in-reality adventure game, they must call on the help of some very unlikely historical heroes to play their way home before time runs out.

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    Art Competition

    Every year we run an art competition based on the shortlist books.

    Pupils are challenged to create an artistic response of their choice to any of the 6 Book Award books.

    Previous competition entries have included…

    • Drawings/ paintings of scenes from the books
    • Poems inspired by the stories
    • Alternative endings/ scenes
    • Comic strips based on the books
    • Character portraits
    • Book cover designs
    • Bookmark designs
    • Models of scenes from the books

    Winners will be awarded a prize at the finale where shortlisted work will be on display (guest authors have been known to request competition entries to put on their websites!).

    Competition deadline

    ALL entries must arrive at the Schools Library Services (PDC, 229 Bethnal Green Road) by the morning of Friday 26th November for judging. Any entries submitted after this date will not be judged!

    Register!

    Registration for the finale will open in September. If you’re shadowing the award in your school, email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk to be added to the THBA mailing list (and to let us know who to send the books and posters to!).

     

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  • KS3 Poetry Slam 2021

    KS3 Poetry Slam 2021

    4th November saw students from Morpeth School and Central Foundation Girls’ School battle it out at the KS3 Slam.

    Students performed in individual and group categories and prizes were awarded for best group performance, best individual performance, and best line.

    Winners were:

    • Best Group : Central Foundation Girls’ School. Zaima Anas, Nasiha Ahmed, Rayah Rahman, Amera Otaifa, Lamisa Oishi and Malieha Choudhury
    • Best Line was written by Amani Islam from Central Foundation Girls’ School. “Her house is a prison and she is losing the key”
    • Best Individual act was Isa Haque (with beatboxing by Michael Sarumi) from Morpeth School

    Our next Slam in 2022 is the Junior Slam for KS2. This will be run alongside the 2022 Creative Writing competition!


    [associated_posts]

  • Creative Writing Competition 2021

    Creative Writing Competition 2021

    I Am Not Alone

    Click here to go to the theme and writing tips

     

    Prize winners!

    Prizes were awarded on 1st November. Well done to everyone who took part.


    • Winners below are listed in category and prize order
    • Prizes are a voucher/ book token, a certificate and a copy of the book I am not alone featuring their work
    Category Name School Prize
    01. Year 1 and 2  Short Story Kofi Akanbi Globe School 1st and Best in School Vex
    01. Year 1 and 2  Short Story James Orpin Globe School 2nd Dino’s Dino friends
    01. Year 1 and 2  Short Story Ayman Uddin St Johns Primary 3rd The Lonely Bird
    01. Year 1 and 2  Short Story Rumaisah Minal Wellington Primary Commended The happy monkey
    01. Year 1 and 2  Short Story Gaia Gessaroli Olga School Commended and Best in School The parrot and the ice cream
    02. Year 1 and 2 Poetry Chaylan Hassan-King St Johns Primary 1st and Best in School Never Ever
    02. Year 1 and 2 Poetry Ruby Goundar Globe School 2nd I’m not alone!
    02. Year 1 and 2 Poetry Laaibah Chowdhury St Johns Primary 3rd I am not alone
    02. Year 1 and 2 Poetry Arnav Nalawade Seven Mills School Commended I’m not alone!
    03. Year 3 and 4 Short Story Yasir Hussain Osmani Primary 1st and Best in School The Zombie apocalypse
    03. Year 3 and 4 Short Story Sameeha Ahmed Wellington Primary 2nd and Best in School Alone in the forest
    03. Year 3 and 4 Short Story Salma Khatun Seven Mills School 3rd and Best in School The Person who was remembered
    03. Year 3 and 4 Short Story Gracie Turner St Johns Primary Commended The fox and the rabbit
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Asiya Hussain Blue Gate Fields Junior 1st (joint) Never think that you’re alone
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Aria Ixchel Khorsand-Martell St Lukes Primary 1st (joint) and Best in School The army of the cells
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Aisha Nabi Arnhem Wharf Primary 2nd and Best in School Never alone
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Zubair Yahya Mayflower School 3rd and Best in School My Life’s world
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Anaya Alom Halley Primary Commended Odd one out
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Daisy Rubin Globe School Commended I am not alone
    04. Year 3 and 4 Poetry Zidan Ahmed Arnhem Wharf Primary Commended Bob, my imaginary friend
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Leila Khelfaoui Bangabhandu Primary 1st and Best in School I am not alone
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Philomena Melchin Blue Gate Fields Junior 2nd and Best in School 2107 days
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Samyath Satish St Lukes Primary 3rd Joint The Christmas Spirit
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Daniel Anangodoi St Mary and St Michael  Primary 3rd Joint and Best in School Pen to paper
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Arafah Rahman Lansbury Lawrence Primary Best in School I am not alone
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Adifah Matubbar Wellington Primary Commended I am not alone : In war
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Maya Hussain Halley Primary Commended DETREVENI
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Omar Raja Arnhem Wharf Primary Commended Alone
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Ehsanul Huq Bonner Bethnal Green Primary Commended and Best in School The Friend Machine
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Katya Flynn Virginia Primary Commended and Best in School When it first began
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Myesha Amin Halley Primary Commended and Best in School The lost island
    05. Year 5 and 6  Short Story Olivier Badzioch Home Educated Commended and Best in School A sense of belonging
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Oma Umo-Chinda Harbinger Primary 1st and Best in School Rising and Alone together
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Abdi Hakim Osman Bigland Green Primary 2nd and Best in School I am not alone
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Lucy Richards St Johns Primary 3rd Light in the dark
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Jiyaad Ahmed Thomas Buxton Primary Best in School Burning
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Zain Rahman Osmani Primary Commended Nai
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Humayra Rahman Hermitage Primary Commended and Best in School Making way for the ones you love
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Sumaya Islam Clara Grant Primary Commended and Best in School My Voice!
    06. Year 5 and 6 Poetry Aoyan Arian and Mohammed Nihal Uddin Bonner Mile End Primary Commended and Best in School Waiting for the end
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Nadia Jamil Central Foundation Girls School 1st and Best in School Her escape
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Samirah Ahmed Central Foundation Girls School 2nd Different ability
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Zaynab Ali Central Foundation Girls School 3rd Save the pangolins
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Anisa Rahman Stepney All Saints Secondary Commended The lonely mansion
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Ayesha Janath Choudhury Central Foundation Girls School Commended You’re never alone with a book…
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Malieha Lemoni Choudhury Central Foundation Girls School Commended Calypso’s island
    07. Year 7 – 9  Short Story Aadi Islam Stepney All Saints Secondary Commended and Best in School Dee
    08. Year 7 – 9 Poetry Yasu Dos Santos Evora Gomes Bishop Challoner Secondary 1st and Best in School Stained with red
    09. Year 10 and 11  Short Story Tamzid Mohamed Morpeth Secondary 1st and Best in School Lone wolf
    09. Year 10 and 11  Short Story Muntaha Zaman Mamiza Stepney All Saints Secondary 2nd The old willow tree
    10. Year 10 and 11 Poetry Shirley Razzak Central Foundation Girls School 1st Honey

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    The Book

    Free copies of the paperback were sent to all winners and their schools. Copies are also available to buy on Amazon
    The Tower Hamlets Creative Writing Competition is an annual event for schools in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets for students aged six years to sixteen. Conceived in 2004 by Tower Hamlets Gifted and Talented strand of the Excellence in Cities programme, it has been run by Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service since 2011 with the aims of promoting wider reading and literacy, and to encourage young people to express themselves through the written word. Research carried out during the 2020 competition showed that pupils participating in the competition and in the author workshops benefited by gaining confidence in their writing ability and developing greater insight into the issues raised by the competition themes

    We are thrilled to announce that Arts Council England has again awarded Tower Hamlets Schools Library Service with a grant to enhance our annual Creative Writing Competition with author-led creative writing workshops for schools, Idea Stores and home-educated children.

    Register for the competition

    This section is for schools only. Parents/ students do not need to register separately

    In order to enter the competition, receive posters, entry forms and flyers, and take advantage of these free author workshops, schools need to:

    • enter the competition by “buying” it via SLAonline (Creative Writing Competition 2021)
    • email jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk letting us know who is to lead on running this event in your school.
    • use the form below to book your workshops

    The grant also enables us to produce a book of the winning entries.

    The competition judges

    The two judges for this year’s competition

     

    Ken Wilson-Max is a writer and illustrator. born and raised in Zimbabwe he has been nominated for the Astrid Lingren Memorial Award (ALMA) 2021 and the Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Awards 2019. In 2020 he was winner of the STEAM AWARD for Early Years picturebooks.
    Currently working on the book ‘Grandma’s Hair’, Ken is well known for ‘Astro Girl’ and the ‘Lenny and Wilbur’ series.
    Ken will be judging the poems and stories from children in years 1 to 4.

    Polly Ho-Yen writes stories rooted in reality but with science fiction and other fantastical elements. Most well known for ‘The Boy in the Tower’, Polly’s other books are ‘Where Monsters Lie’ and ‘Fly me Home’ (both nominated for the Carnegie medal), ‘My Other Life’, and ‘Two Sides’ for younger children.

    Polly will be judging the poems and stories from children in years 5 and up.

     

    Author Workshops

    Arts Council England provided a grant to fund writing workshops for pupils taking part in the competition. They were offered to all age groups to support their writing.


    Approaching the theme

    The Theme, ideas and writing advice

    ‘I am not alone’

    Writers may interpret this theme in any way they wish. A selection of prompts and ideas are listed below, but you don’t need to use one of these.

    Story choices

    • What genre and style do you want to write in? Genres include; Adventure, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Horror?
    • Who are the main characters and what are they doing in the story?
    • Because we don’t have long to get involved in your story – how do you make the reader interested in the characters or their situations?
    • If it’s a poem, what sort of poem is it? Is it in rhyme, a narrative poem? Is it meant to be read aloud?

    Here are some narrative ideas that fit around the theme. Many of them can be adapted for different age-groups, though some will be more suitable for older writers.

    Linking to current events

    Covid and lockdown

    • isolation and being/ feeling as though you’re alone
    • Supporting and helping others – being there for someone who needs help
    • Letting people know that they don’t have to cope alone

    Brexit

    • Globalisation and being part of an interconnected world
    • Taking sides, argument and polarisation

    Protest, including Black Lives Matter

    • Being part of a movement and a force for change
    • Identity and self
    • Affecting change – can lots of people together start a movement to make things better?
    • Fighting back, challenging others and standing up for your ideals
    • Being protected – having others on your side

    Friendship and friends

    • There are lots of stories based around friendship!
    • Finding friends and making new friends
    • Needing to seek help from our friends
    • Loneliness and losing friends
    • Having an imaginary friend – what do they get up to?
    • Pets and faithful animals

    Sometimes we can achieve more when we’re not alone…

    • Affecting change – can lots of people together start a movement to make things better?
    • Politics – democracy and voting
    • Protest and activism
    • Fighting back, challenging others and standing up for your ideals
    • Being protected – having others on your side

    Global issues

    • Can we ever be alone in a connected world?
    • Having responsibility for others, whoever they are
    • Interdependence – understanding how people, wherever and whoever they are in the world, are connected.

    Aliens, the unknown and the supernatural

    • Are we alone in the universe?
    • Ghosts, the afterlife and being haunted

    Other groups

    • Many animals live in packs, and would not survive alone.
    • Sports team require people to work together – can you write a sports story?

    Families and communities

    • Lots of stories are about families and communities (the good things and the bad things!)
    • We don’t often get to choose our family or the community we live in
    • Expectations – how are we shaped by our family and community? How many choices do we have?
    • Change due to new arrivals in the family

    Sometimes ‘more’ isn’t better…

    • ‘Ganging up’ on someone and being part of a gang
    • Herd mentality and not thinking for yourself – if you’re not alone, do you sometimes just go along with the crowd?
    • Sometimes lots of people can be persuaded to do the wrong thing…
    • Threatening others, or being threatened

    Not being alone and wishing to be alone

    • Sometimes the problem is other people!
    • “Hell is other people” : Jean-Paul Sartre. Are we trapped by other people’s judgements of ourselves?
    • Being trapped with others
    • Unwanted attention – being chased, followed or stalked
    • Being watched and under observation

    Religion, belonging and faith

    • Are you ever really alone if you have belief in a god or gods?
    • Does being part of a religion mean you have less personal choice?
    • Having a guardian angel

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    Writing resource links

    Links to BBC Bitesize resources on story writing

     

     

     

     

     

    Other creative writing links:

    Once upon a picture Images to prompt discussion, creative writing and more
    Pobble 365 Visually inspired daily updated writing challenges

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    Examples of books and stories that could be related to the theme

    Picture books

    • The lion inside by Rachel bright (being ignored and wanting to stand out)
    • Perfectly Norman by Tom Percival (standing out and being different)
    • Odd Dog Out by Rob Biddulph (standing out and being the odd one out)
    • Five little Fiends by Sarah Dyer (Sharing, and how things can go wrong through keeping things to yourselves)
    • The Pumpkin Soup series by Helen Cooper (Friends who are quite different but who support each other and work together)
    • The Katie Morag Stories by Mairi Hedderwick (Stories set in a close-knit community)
    • Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak (a child, shut in their bedroom, conjures imaginary friends)
    • Little Beauty by Anthony Brown (A Gorilla in a zoo is lonely and finds a loyal friend)
    • Three Monsters by David McKee (welcoming strangers / sharing / acceptance)
    • Willy and Hugh by Anthony Brown (having a friend to help stand up to bullies)
    • Changes by Anthony Brown (a new arrival in the family, meaning that the main character is no longer an only child)
    • Voices in the park by Anthony Brown (Making friends with someone from a different background)
    • Matilda’s Cat by Emily Gravett (a beloved pet)

    Picture books for older readers

    • The Island by Armin Greder (Imaginary and expressionist – exploring isolationism and prejudice against immigrants and refugees)
    • The Arrival by Shaun Tan (A refugee who meets and makes friends in his new home)
    • The Red Tree by Shaun Tan (Being alone but still finding comfort)
    • The Rabbits by John Marsden and Shaun Tan (Australia and colonialism/ invasion of the home by a hostile culture)
    • The Little Island by Smriti Prasadam-Halls (UK – a satirical look at Brexit and the perils of what happens when you think you can go it alone)

    Fiction

    • An Island of Our Own by Sally Nicholls (A family of orphaned children help each other to find a hidden treasure)
    • The Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho Yen (A community trapped in a tower block helping each other during a crisis)
    • Varjak Paw by S F Said (A homeless cat finds and helps his new friends with the assistance of the spirit of an ancestral guardian who visits him in dreams…)
    • Wundersmith : the Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend (finding acceptance and a new family amongst friends)
    • The house with Chicken Legs by (loneliness and coming to terms with it)
    • The Imaginary by A F Harold (an imaginary friend)
    • The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson (ghosts and imaginary friends)
    • The Wildings by Nilanjana Roy (a pack of wild cats fighting for survival)
    • The Malamander by Thomas Taylor (friendship, working together and being stalked and followed)

    Traditional Tales

    • Hansel and Gretel (siblings keeping each other safe)
    • Cinderella (suddenly having to deal with unpleasant new arrivals in the family!)

    Non Fiction

    • We’re all equal by Georgia Amson-Bradshaw (global citizenship)
    • Malala’s Magic Pencil by Malala Yousafzai (and other books about Malala)
    • I am not a label : 34 disabled artists, thinkers, athletes and activists from past and present by Cerrie Burnell
    • Children who changed the world by Marcia Williams
    • Stand up, stand out! : 25 rebel heroes who stood up for their beliefs – and how they could inspire you by Kay Woodward
    • Amazing Muslims who changed the world by Burhana Islam
    • Young Gifted and Black by Jamia Wilson
    • Climate Rebels by Ben Lerwell
    • Kid scientists : true tales of childhood from science superstars by David Stabler
    • Peace and Me by Ali Winter (Nobel Peace Prize)
    • She persisted around the world : 13 women who changed history by Chelsea Clinton
    • Little leaders : bold women in black history by Vashti Harrison
    • 101 awesome women who transformed science by Claire Philip

    Show more
    Show less

    The Prizes

    Prizes up to £50 for the winners in each category plus a copy of the book

    The Competition

    In 2021 there will be 5 age groups in the competition:

    • Group 1 : Years 1 & 2
    • Group 2 : Years 3 & 4
    • Group 3 : Years 5 & 6
    • Group 4 : Years 7 to 9
    • Group 5 : Years 10 & 11

    Entries

    Emailing your work

    Important note to all entrants.

    Please do not send links to your work on Google Docs or other cloud networks as we can’t always access these.
    Entries by email MUST be an attached file.

    • Write a short story up to 500 words (Primary) and 750 words (Secondary)
      • may also be an illustrated story or comic book
    • Write a poem or verse story up to 25 lines (Primary) and 35 lines (Secondary)
    • Poems and stories must follow the competition theme

    Pupils may enter both the short story and poetry categories. The competition deadline is Friday 28th May 2021. Entrants should  complete their work in time in order for it to reach the Schools Library Service by this date.

    Entries should be :

    • emailed to : jacob.turner@towerhamlets.gov.uk as an attachment. Please do not send links to Google Docs or similar cloud storage OR
    • posted to : Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services, PDC, 229 Bethnal Green Road, E2 6AB
    • and must include the information below.
    1. Writer’s name (including surname! Entries that can’t be traced to the correct pupil will be disqualified)
    2. Year group (age if home schooled)
    3. School (parents’/ carers’ contact email if home schooled)
    4. Class teacher/ English teacher (parent’s/ carer’s name if home schooled)
    5. The category being entered (select from below)
    • Years 1 & 2 Short Story / Poetry
    • Years 3 & 4 Short Story / Poetry
    • Years 5 & 6 Short Story / Poetry
    • Years 7 to 9 Short Story / Poetry
    • Years 10 and 11 Short Story / Poetry
    1. Title of work (untitled winning entries will be given a title by the competition judges)

     

    Rules

    All entries must be received by the Schools Library Services by Friday 28th May 2021.

    Prize Giving: Monday 19th July at Clifford Chance, Canary Wharf (relaxation of social distancing rules permitting)

    Content

    • Entries must be appropriate to the theme!
    • Entries should not be adaptations/ sequels to other writers’ or poets’ published work (including stories, comic books or films), however alternative versions of fairy tales/ myths and legends will be accepted.
    • Entries must not use existing characters from published work (e.g. Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, Dennis the Menace, Harry Potter), including illustrations. This constitutes a breach of copyright and these entries cannot be published.
    • All entries must be the entrant’s own work, including all illustrations. All work shortlisted for a prize will be thoroughly checked and plagiarised writing and artwork will be disqualified. Please remind your pupils that copying work isn’t allowed! This happens ludicrously often. Seriously – even if someone pirates a film they don’t then try to claim that they directed it. Stop it. It’s not big and it’s not clever.

    Boring but important

    • Entries can be cooperative efforts. Any prizes will be split equally between the named entrants.
    • Entries without entrant’s full name, school name and competition category will not be eligible for judging.
    • Each page should have the entrant’s full name written clearly on it
    • Entries must be written or typed on one side of the page only
    • Work should be in black or blue ink or text on white paper
    • No decorative fonts unless they directly contribute to the writing/ storytelling
    • If you are illustrating your work, all artwork must be in black and white for consideration for the printed book
    • We will contact all winners via their school (or parents/ carers if home schooled) in May.
    • Work will not be automatically returned to entrants but can be collected on request after the competition closes. The Schools Library Services can take no responsibility for lost or damaged work.

    Privacy notice

    Commended and winning entries to be published in eBook and print formats. By entering the competition, entrants are giving permission for their work (including their name) to be published and distributed in these formats, and all supplied information including name and contact details to be held by the Tower Hamlets Schools Library Services. Copyright on poems and stories will remain with the author(s). Supplied information, including names and contact details, of competition entrants who do not win prizes will not be stored beyond the duration of the event.

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