Library Bytes

Term 3 Highlights 

As another term comes to a close, it is always nice to sit back and reflect on all the amazing things that happen here at school.  The library is busy as always, it is always heart-warming to see the students embracing the library space for quiet reading and study as well as activities on offer for our Makerspace and the different celebratory days that we observe here at school.

“Wear it Purple” day was celebrated on the Thursday 28 August, the library became a sea of purple-covered books.  It is always fun to try and think of the various ways that the library can embrace and support school themes through our displays. 

For R U OK? Week, 7-11 September, the library hosted a Scavenger Hunt, with a series of clues leading students around the school in search of hidden letters.  The secret message  “A conversation can change a life”, was successfully deciphered by two of our Year 7 students Leo R. and Patrick N with Namardeep K and Elise L coming in a very close second.

It was wonderful to see so many students pairing up and racing around the school, working together to be the first to decipher the hidden message.  The enthusiasm and teamwork made the activity a real highlight of the week.

Congratulations to our Winners!!!

100 Word Writing Competition – Book Week 

A huge thank you to all the students who entered our 100 Word Writing Competition as part of Book Week!

It was incredibly difficult to choose just one winner, after much deliberation, our panel decided to award our top four entries.

Congratulations to our winner, Willow K. from 8G!

 A special commendation also goes to Shinae R., Miles R. and Yanicka S. for their amazing entries.

Well done to everyone who took part. Your creativity, imagination and love of writing really shone through!

Makerspace for Term 4

We have plenty of exciting Makerspace activities to look forward to in Term 4.  Each week students are offered opportunities to create, explore and develop new skills.

Because you asked...

With new titles being added to our library collection throughout the year, we’ve seen a growing interest in the reading of series, across both novels and graphic novels.  When students find a story they love, they want to keep reading - and we love that!

So, we’ve been listening to their requests and focusing on completing some of the series that students have been asking for.  

Keep those requests coming, they help us build a library that reflects what our students are excited to read! 

unOrdinary Vol. 4

by Uru-Chan  

The epic finale to Webtoon’s biggest and most popular action-packed supernatural manga YA web comics, new for 2026!

As John’s true powers are revealed, he secretly begins to take revenge on Wellston High’s elite students and take the title of King by force. Under his rule, Wellston descends into fear and chaos, with students too terrified to oppose him. Seraphina, now powerless, grows increasingly concerned about John’s violent behaviour. John, consumed by anger and paranoia, refuses to trust anyone. His brutal reign isolates him further, leaving former royals and students powerless against his unchecked dominance.

John is King. Wellston High bends to his will. Yet, with all his power, why does his victory feel so hollow?

“Built around an enduring friendship, this engaging read adapted from a popular, long-running WEBTOON series offers an accessible exploration of fairness and justice…

Heartstopper Vol. 6

by Alice Oseman

INSTANT BESTSELLER: the final chapter of the phenomenal graphic novel series, also on Netflix!

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. The bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel series about life, love and everything that happens in between.

Everyone in school knows Nick and Charlie. Everyone knows they're going to be together forever.

But Charlie's busy with his bid to become head boy. And while Nick is preparing to leave for uni, he's starting to wonder who he'll be . . . without Charlie.

Of Flame and Fury :  Book 1

by Mikayla Bridge 

NOTABLE TITLE FOR OLDER READERS - 2026 CBCA BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDS.

A fiery alliance. An explosive secret. The race is on. Phoenix racing: it's profitable, it's deadly. No one knows this better than Kel Varra and her crew, the Crimson Howlers. They live on the edge of survival. When a mysterious tech billionaire offers them a place at his training facility, it gives them hope but also forces Kel to team up with Coup, her arrogant, infuriating rival. Embroiled in political scheming, volatile phoenix magic and a smouldering romance, Kel and Coup discover a conspiracy that threatens them all. For in this world of extreme stakes, there are two options only: win or burn.

Of Venom and Vengeance : Book 2

by Mikayla Bridge 

Inna is the perfect heiress to the Pallo mafia: poised, cunning, untouchable.  Behind this façade, she hunts for her sister's killers, convinced her family is shielding her from a painful truth.  Rylan, a talented thief, plans to steal an ancient riddle from the Pallo Vault - one that leads to a sleeping god, the Serpent King. Whoever wakes him will be granted any wish they desire.  Rylan will claim vengeance for his family, murdered by Inna's mother and with it, Inna's ruin.  But when Inna catches Rylan sneaking past her family's security, they enter into a perilous alliance that neither intends to keep - even as bitter attraction ignites into something more . . .

Suited to the Senior YA reader looking for a fantasy read.

New to the shelves...

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Study skills for students who dislike homework

by Andrew Fuller

Work Smarter, Not Harder is a practical guide aimed at helping you maximise your academic performance while minimising effort. This book covers essential topics such as goal setting, efficient homework completion, memory techniques, essay writing, note-making, exam preparation and the importance of perseverance.

Andrew Fuller emphasises that while he can't eliminate homework or study, he can teach you how to work more efficiently and effectively. This approach is based on extensive research and trials with thousands of students, promising to help all learners achieve better marks and free up more of their time.

Deep Dark

By Zohra Nabi

 Cassia Thorne leads a double life.  By day, she sells ballads at Bartholomew Fair.  By night she spends her evenings locked up in Fleet Prison.  Cassia has plans of escaping both of these lives.  But this year there are rumours of children being snatched off of the streets of London and no one willing to help.  So Cassia decides to take matters into her own hands; with the help of a young pickpocket, Teo and her friend Felix, Cassia starts to investigate the disappearances.  She soon discovers a sinister conspiracy at the heart of the city - mysterious men in blue coats and whispers of a beast that lives in the deep dark tunnels below the city. Can Cassia get to the bottom of the mystery and rescue the missing children before it's too late? 

Suited to the Junior YA reader looking for a fantasy read.

This Stays Between Us

By Margot McGovern

** WINNER of the Victorian Premier's Literary Award John Marsden Prize for Young Adults **

Four girls share a cabin in an abandoned town where the ghost of Smiling Jack haunts isolated campers. Shelley is the new girl with her own haunted past.  Mack made things awkward by kissing her best friend.  Priya thinks she's ready to take the next step with her boyfriend.  Raffi has a flair for drama and convinces them all to hold a séance.  But when you call on the darkness, sometimes the darkness replies . . .

Suited to the Junior YA reader looking for a fantasy horror read.

WHAT'S ON 

 Events

Jane Austen. Octavia Butler. Agatha Christie. Toni Morrison. Virginia Woolf.

World of the Book returns in 2026 with State Library Victoria's largest ever tribute to women writers, alongside hundreds of extraordinary Australian and international works from the State Collection.

Now in its 21st year, Australia’s longest running and most-loved book exhibition brings together more than 400 rare, remarkable and historically significant items from c. 2000 BCE to today, many on public display for the first time.

Travel through the history of the book and marvel at:

• A first edition of Jane Austen's Emma (1816) originally owned by the Austen family
• the Melbourne international blockbuster that outsold Sherlock Holmes, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, published in 1886
• 17th- and 18th-century printed and manuscript amulets and talismans from Europe and Mongolia
• incredible examples of moveable books, ‘blow’ books and miniature books, including the smallest book in the Library's collection
• one of the oldest printed texts in the world, the Hyakumantō Darani of Japan
• Melbourne's Sugar and Snails Press, one of the earliest publishers of non-sexist children’s books, which inspired other authors to make girls the main character in the 1970s
• the identification and naming of dinosaurs in the Victorian era by Charles Darwin’s rival Richard Owen. 

Kingston Libraries

Youth programs & activities

For up to date information of what is happening in the Kingston Libraries, please follow this link;

City of Kingston   

Whether you’re studying, gaming, creating, or just hanging out, Kingston Libraries is the place to be.  Check out our youth spaces, join a writing group or gaming session, or get support with homework and study.  Enjoy free Wi‑Fi, comfy study zones, workshops and loads of books, graphic novels and online resources, all free with your library card.

Come in, try something new, or just be yourself.   

Illustration & Writing Workshop for Teens

Saturday 26 September 2026 at 10:30AM Frankston Library

Cost:  FREE

For Ages: 12-17 years

Join author Danielle Binks and illustrator Judy Watson for a fun, hands-on workshop where you can write, draw, or do both. 

Take inspiration from the world around you. It might be a favourite place, a memorable moment, something you spot on the way to school, or an imagined world inspired by your surroundings. Explore how everyday sights, sounds, people and places can spark creative ideas and become stories and illustrations.

Danielle and Judy will share simple tips for storytelling and drawing, then help you create something that is completely your own. No experience is needed, just bring your imagination and a willingness to create.

Remember the library's golden rule....   

      Life is better with a good book!

Have a safe and happy the holidays, hopefully we can enjoy some warmer weather.  

Until next edition.

Yvonne Payne

Library Manager