Book of the Week

Not a new book this week but this one was recommended to me by a pupil and it's a lovely, sweet romance. Better have the hankies ready though!

Things I Know About Love by Kate le Vann

Livia is starting a new chapter in her life. She has been ill with leukaemia for most of her teen years and, as she heads out to America to visit her brother Jeff, she plans on making up for lost time. She's had a lot of time to think about love - but her observations, theories, previous crushes and boyfriends all pale in comparison to what she finds in New York...

New Moon Released This Week

The hotly anticipated sequel to Twilight is finally released this Friday. There are currently copies available to borrow from the Library but you'd better be quick!

You can also read lots more about the Twilight saga at Stephenie Meyer's website at http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/

Hakia

I've been looking at this new search engine www.hakia.com - which aims to focus search results on quality not quantity! So far I've had good results from some sample searches and I like how the results are laid out - each site is clearly labelled as a web, image, news or user-generated result which makes it easier to see at a glance which ones will be most useful. Definitely worth a try as an alternative to Google!

Book of the Week

Crocodile Tears by Anthony Horowitz

The new Alex Rider is here at last!

Targeted by a hitman and under threat of his past being exposed by the media, Alex reluctantly turns to MI6. But their help doesn't come cheap: they need Alex to spy on the activities at a GM crop plant. There he spots Desmond McCain, a high profile charity organiser, who realises that Alex is on to him and the real plans for the money he's raising. Kidnapped and whisked off to Africa, Alex learns the full horror of McCain's plot: to create an epic disaster that will kill millions. Forced to ask MI6 for protection, Alex finds himself being manipulated in a deadly game that could lead to the destruction of an entire East African country.

Watch Anthony introduce the latest Alex Rider adventure here http://tinyurl.com/yjah2xr

Blue Peter Book Awards

It's definitely the season for book awards - the latest shortlist to be revealed is for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2010. Shortlisted titles are:

Best Book With Facts:
Usborne Lift-the-flap Picture Atlas – Alex Frith & Kate Leake (Usborne)
Tail-End Charlie – Mick Manning & Brita Granstrom (Francis Lincoln Children’s Books)
Why Eating Bogeys is Good for You – Mitchell Symons (Red Fox)

Book I Couldn’t Put Down:
Cosmic – Frank Cottrell Boyce (Macmillan)
The Boy Who Fell Down Exit 43 – Harriet Goodwin (Stripes)
Frozen in Time – Ali Sparkes (Oxford)

Most Fun Story with Pictures:
Peter the Penguin Pioneer – Daren King (Quercus)
Spells – Emily Gravett (Macmillan)
Dinkin Dings and the Frightening Things – Guy Bass (Stripes)

These final nine books will now be judged by a selection of young Blue Peter viewers. They will decide both the winners in each category, and the overall winner of Blue Peter Book of the Year 2010.

The Book Awards show will be broadcast on Blue Peter in March 2010 to coincide with World Book Day.

Carnegie Medal Longlist

The books nominated for the Carnegie medal have been announced http://www.carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/pressdesk/press.php?release=pres_nom_car_2010.html

The judges read and assess each title, and a shortlist will be announced on 23 April 2010 with the winner being announced on 24 June 2010.

So far the Library has 30 titles on the list - look out for more arriving soon!

Book of the Week

Dark Fire by Chris D'Lacey

Fifth book in the bestselling series.

With the Earth on the brink of recolonisation by dragons, David Rain is sent on an important mission: to seek out and destroy a trace of dark fire, the deadliest force in the universe. But with success could come a terrible price, the sacrifice of a beloved clay dragon. How much does the life of one small dragon count, when the alternative is the birth of a darkling...?

Book of the Week

Nation by Terry Pratchett

When a giant wave destroys his entire Nation - his family and everyone he has ever known - Mau finds himself totally alone. Until he meets Daphne, daughter of a colonial Governor and the sole survivor from a shipwreck. They have no common language, no common culture - but together they discover some remarkable things - like how to milk a pig and why spitting in beer is a good idea - and must try and forge a new kind of Nation. Then other survivors arrive to take refuge on the island, and not all of them are friendly...

Find out more about Nation at http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/4722/Nation-by-Terry-Pratchett.html and http://www.terrypratchett.co.uk/