Staff Reads

JRR Tolkien The Lord of The Rings

Staff reading for pleasure

Staff can enjoy the Weekend Reads box in the staff room, which includes a selection of adult and Young Adult books to browse and enjoy.

We would like this collection to grow and staff are encouraged to donate books they have enjoyed and think their colleagues would enjoy too.

Drop and Swap

One Shot by Tanya Landman is a historical fiction in a time where the woman’s place was in the home. As Ma and siblings starve, Maggie tries to provide for them the way her pa always had - with his hunting rifle. However the shame of her 'unladylike' behaviour brought her the harsh discipline of ‘imprisonment’. This life of destitution brings cruelty and abuse. I would have stopped reading there. However, I continued.  Her struggle to survive meant she needed to ignore criticism and what was considered acceptable social behaviour, to emerge into a life she could enjoy and find kindness. Overall, I enjoyed the powerful story of this remarkable woman.

The book I read was Say No to the Dress - How one bridesmaid killed the frills by Keren David. The book covered the dilemma of a teenage girl who does not like dresses having to be a bridesmaid to two of her older siblings in the same summer with the added problem that one of the other bridesmaids for her brother’s wedding being a very fashionable popular girl in the same year with whom she did not get on with. Different wedding traditions are also included in the book which cause a few dilemmas for the other wedding. There was a lot of humour though-out, a few twists and turns, ending with a positive outcome for all. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, a book I first read many moons ago.  Reading it this time made me wonder how I had coped with it as a youngster as it is terrifying in places!  The language used highlights how vocabulary and syntax has changed over time, but the sinister nature of the descriptions grips you from the start.  I would recommend to teenagers who like horror movies or who have an interest in Gothic culture.  If you like Bram Stoker’s Dracula, you’ll like this!

This book by Anthony McGowan consists of 3 short stories about the (mis)adventures of two brothers who live in challenging circumstances. The tales are engaging and you will quickly find yourself absorbed in the lives of Nicky and Kenny and hoping things work out for them. It definitely made me want to read the next book to see what else they will get up to.

The foreword describes it as “A story from the past, told in the present, with lessons for us all for the future”. It’s the story of three 15 year old Jewish boys and their time at the Lake District after leaving Nazi concentration camps. It was written so sensitively and effortlessly linked true memories of unimaginable atrocities with the kindness shown by strangers in the Lake District.  An example of this would be when he wrote about the boys all being given a bag of items. “Pyjamas that didn’t look as if someone had died wearing them”. I was touched by this book and read it quickly as I wanted to know their stories and how they got on.  Would highly recommend it.

Will Marianne remember she IS Marianne in time to save her life?

Quick and thought-provoking read in parts, but felt it was a bit too obvious who was who from the start. Also felt it was one-sided towards prolonging life-support indefinitely, just in case…

This is a set of recollections of a teenage girl, Edda, who was in the Netherlands during WW2.  

The recollections are both poignant and uplifting and describe Edda’s choices as she volunteers to join the resistance against the Nazi’s.  These recollections also describe the hardships the Dutch people had to endure.

The author, Tom Palmer, has done an extremely good job in depicting Edda’s character and thoughts.  It does make you think of those people in parts of the Ukraine, who at present are dealing with their homeland being occupied by Russian soldiers.

Would I recommend this book?  YES 10/10.

As soon as I opened the gift, a huge smile spread cross my face!  How I love nostalgia and for me, that is exactly what The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is.

There are so many wonderful quotes from this book and I find the book rather timeless in many ways, for instance Jean could be described as an early influencer!  Peer pressure, social expectations the need to conform , the need to rebel… still as evident now as it was in 1930s Edinburgh.  “I am putting old heads on your young shoulders," Miss Brodie had told them at that time, "and all my pupils are the crème de la crème.”

It also struck me just how much jealousy and ego features in Marcia Blane and how  at times I  interestingly observe that from my teacher’s desk too – it’s just part of the human condition. More importantly it highlighted how honoured I am to work with pupils who really are the crème de la crème, as well as being so lucky to have inspirational, colourful and creative staff to be enthused by.

 From the play I love the following lines, If scandal is to your taste Miss MacKay then I shall give you a feast. Also, Chrysanthemums…such serviceable flowers.” 

 Thank you so much for giving me the gift of escapism.

I enjoyed  Needle by Patrice Lawrence. It’s a compelling story about a London teenager, Charlene, who finds herself in care following the death of her mum. What follows is the painful separation from her younger sister, Kandi, which Charlene finds impossible to accept. The author enables the reader to empathise with Charlene, and understand the reasons behind her challenging behaviour. All behaviour is communication, and behind Charlene’s fight or flight responses are the experiences of deep loss and trauma. I found the narrative around Charlene’s experiences of multiple foster placements, social workers, and the resulting lack of trust in adults, and authority, particularly poignant. In addition, an interesting exploration about what saying, and being, sorry means in 21st century society is a revealing and accurate commentary on our lives and times. A good read.

I read Wrath and found the book very easy to read. It did not take me long to read it and I enjoyed it so much that I read it all in one sitting. I found the main characters to be likeable and relatable, probably more so for a teenage reader but still very interesting. I liked that it was set in Scotland and the theme of climate and the Earth in distress really appealed to me. I also feel passionately about music so the fact that there were links made between the sounds of music, the sounds of the Earth’s distress and of the main characters distress were powerful. The story had a few unexpected twists and turns and was quite mysterious, this was conveyed well in the writing.

I absolutely loved receiving my Christmas gift from the school. I received Birdsong which was about a young girl who had been in an accident and lacked the courage to work on recovery and build her life again. The musical descriptions along with the theme of nature made this a joy to read and even though the novel was brief it painted the realistic picture of the strained relationship between the mother and daughter. I found this book incredibly emotive and so pleased it had been chosen for me. I have since used the first ten chapters for an English unit for S1 examining RUAE as well as a tool for revising writing techniques and inspiring creative writing. Hopefully pupils will want to see  how it ends and will check the book out of the school library.

I was gifted Needle by Patrice Lawrence. This book gives the reader a real insight into how things aren’t always as they appear. The main character Charlene appears to be a very angry young woman. She’s actually a very sad young woman who is dealing with several really devastating situations. She’s trying her best and this book helps the reader understand that in a way that would not be apparent if you first met Charlene. The book also makes a really strong point about the need for representation- strong female and ethnically diverse role models.

Short read told through the eyes of a young girl who has experienced a few foster homes and is wondering if she will ever find her ‘forever family’ as she moves into a new placement.  A really interesting read, told very well.  Not sure if I would choose to read it for pleasure but would be a very good choice for exploring lots of the issues covered in the book with a class or with individuals who may find it very relatable.

It was such a joy to read this novel again after so many years. The story revolves around Miss Brodie, an unconventional teacher at the staid Marcia Blaine School for Girls who aims to instil independence in and inspire her charges, in particular a group of 6 girls known as “The Brodie Set”, the “Crème de la Crème”. Miss Brodie is a charming but also frustrating character (she admires Mussolini) who seeks to create intrigue and is both loved and despised. A music teacher Mr Lowther and an art teacher Mr Lloyd both love her – but the path of true love does not run smooth. Miss Mackay, the Headteacher, disapproves of Miss Brodie’s teaching methods and seeks any opportunity to be rid of her. Miss Brodie will ultimately be betrayed by one of her favourite girls.

I love this book. It is a short book that reads like a novel. It is witty, poignant and stays with you long after you have finished it. 

 This is a detective story set in Victorian Edinburgh. Mr Utterson, a lawyer, is investigating the strange stories that he hears about his friend Dr Jekyll and the mysterious Mr Hyde. It was first written in 1886 and the language is different to the way we speak today. It is also a Gothic novel (or novella) which may link to the S3 Gothic Horror Unit in English. 

A representation of Dr Jekyll appears in the 2003 film the League of Extraordinary Gentleman. He is also believed to be the inspiration for the Incredible Hulk and possibly any film character with a split personality.

If you like those films then it is definitely worth reading the book to discover the original story.

My gifted book was Wrath by Marcus Sedgwick. It had been a long time since I had read any YA fiction and it was great to get an idea of the kind of books our young people are reading in terms of content, but also in terms of reading level. Wrath was a quick read but still managed to include a whole host of themes relevant to young people. The book explored friendship, family conflicts, mental health, bullying, the environment, the impact of lockdown…I thoroughly enjoyed it.