Library News

ONLINE RESOURCES FOR MEDIA ISSUES

Oral presentations are a key feature of the English curriculum in Years 7-12. Students are usually required to choose and present a point of view on an issue that has been debated recently in the Australian media.

The Library subscribes to a range of online databases which are useful for finding and selecting accurate and reliable information. These can be accessed through Compass – School Resources – Library Resources folder.

Echo Education at www.echoeducation.com.au provides background information on a range of issues, direct links to news articles, video links as well as arguments for and against.

Issues in Society’ is an invaluable series of books on an assortment of topics. These contain published information sourced from newspapers, magazines, journals and reports. The Library also has access to digital copies of these books in the Library Resources folder.

The ANZ Newsstream online news database (part of ProQuest) enables students and staff to read a wide range of newspaper articles online. ANZ Newsstream provides full text access to state and national newspapers in Australia and New Zealand such as The Age, The Guardian, Herald Sun, The Australian as well as local and regional papers. 

The database also allows access to the Coronavirus Research Database‎ which is a free health and medical research database for openly available content related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

** The ‘Library Resources’ folder also contains links to the World Book Online Encyclopedia, Echo Education, Wheelers ebooks/audiobooks and other recreational reading resources. **

Ms Cecchini’s new library display featuring books on neurodiversity

NEW BOOKS MARCH 2021

Here is a small selection of the new books that have arrived in the last fortnight. More new books can be seen on our Instagram account at lalorsc_library Students are reminded that they can make suggestions for new books in the Suggestions Book at the circulation desk.

FICTION

Ban this book by Alan Gratz

It all started the day Amy Anne Ollinger tried to check out her favourite book in the whole world, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, from the school library. That’s when Mrs. Jones, the librarian, told her the bad news: her favourite book was banned! All because a classmate’s mum thought the book wasn’t appropriate for kids to read. Amy Anne decides to fight back by starting a secret banned-books library out of her locker. The battle of the books escalates when she engineers a campaign to challenge every book in the school library. Because once you ban one book, you can challenge them all under the most ridiculous of pretexts: The Lorax portrays the timber industry in a negative light! The mouse in the room in Goodnight Moon is a health code violation! And let’s not even start on the safety concerns raised by The Magic Treehouse. Soon, Amy Anne and her friends find themselves on the front line of an unexpected battle over book banning, censorship, and who has the right to decide what they can and can’t read. Ban This Book is a love letter to the written word and its power to give kids a voice, 

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League - but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighbourhood behind, he can’t escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up - way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty police officer beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it’s Justyce who is under attack.

Going viral : the impending Minecraft graphic novel adventure

Based on the 18-million-views video series by Black Plasma Studios, this is the graphic novel story of a Minecraft character who doesn’t want to be controlled by his user. Can the user help his new little computer friend survive in Minecraft, facing zombies and an Ender Dragon… and what will happen when an even greater threat arises? They’re going to need to work together to defeat a malevolent computer virus that wants to destroy not just their Minecraft world, but every Minecraft server on the internet! This epic tale from the master animators at Black Plasma is a terrific mix of epic fantasy, hi-tech adventure, humour and fun.

Level up By Gene Luen Yang

From Gene Luen Yang, the author of American Born Chinese, comes a magical realist coming-of-age tale, by turns whimsical and deadly serious.Nothing is what it seems when life collides with video games.Dennis Ouyang has always struggled in the shadow of his parents' expectations: Stay focused in high school, do well in college, go to medical school, and become a gastroenterologist.But between his father's death, his academic burnout, and his deep (and distracting) love of video games, Dennis can't endure. He's kicked out of college. And that's when things get . . . weird.Four adorable--but bossy--angels, straight out of a sappy greeting card, appear and take charge of Dennis's life. He's back on track to become a gastroenterologist. But is he living the life he wants?Partnered with the deceptively simple, cute art of Thien Pham, Gene Yang has returned to the subject he revolutionized with American Born Chinese. Whimsical and serious by turns, Level Up is a new look at the tale that Yang has made his own: coming of age as an Asian American.

Listen, Layla by Yassmin Abdel-Magied

Layla has ended the school year on a high and can’t wait to spend the holidays hanging out with her friends and designing a prize-winning Grand Designs Tourismo invention. But Layla’s plans are interrupted when her grandmother in Sudan falls ill and the family rush to be with her.

The last time Layla went to Sudan she was only a young child. Now she feels torn between her Sudanese and Australian identities. As political tensions in Sudan erupt, so too do tensions between Layla and her family. Layla is determined not to lose her place in the invention team, but will she go against her parents' wishes?

What would a Kandaka do?

Logan likes Mary Ann  by Gale Galligan (The Baby-sitters club)

It’s the first day of eighth grade and one thing Mary Anne definitely doesn’t expect is to meet Logan Bruno. He just moved to Stoneybrook. He has a dreamy southern accent, he’s awfully cute… and he might be interested in joining the BSC.

The baby-sitters send him on a job with Mary Anne as a test, and they hit it off, but Mary Anne isn’t sure of where their friendship could go. Life in the BSC has never been this complicated - or this fun!

The Sad ghost club by Lize Meddings

Ever felt anxious or alone? Like you don’t belong anywhere? Like you’re almost… invisible? Find your kindred spirits at The Sad Ghost Club. (You are not alone. Shhh. Pass it on.)

This is the story of one of those days - a day so bad you can barely get out of bed, when it’s a struggle to leave the house, and when you do, you wish you hadn’t. But even the worst of days can surprise you. When one sad ghost, alone at a crowded party, spies another sad ghost across the room, they decide to leave together. What happens next changes everything.

Because that night they start the The Sad Ghost Club - a secret society for the anxious and alone, a club for people who think they don’t belong. For fans of Heartstopper and Jennifer Niven, and for anyone who’s ever felt invisible

Teen titans: beast boy by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

Garfield Logan has spent his entire life being overlooked. Even in a small town like Eden, Georgia, the seventeen-year-old with green streaks in his hair can’t find a way to stand out–and the clock is ticking. Senior year is almost over. If Gar doesn’t find a way to impress the social elite at Bull Creek High School, he will never know what it’s like to matter. Gar’s best friends, Stella and Tank, can’t understand why he cares what other people think, and they miss their funny, pizza-loving, video game-obsessed best friend. Then Gar accepts a wild dare out of the blue. It impresses the popular kids, and his social status soars. But other things are changing, too. Gar grows six inches overnight. His voice drops, and suddenly, he’s stronger and faster. He’s finally getting everything he wanted, but his newfound popularity comes at a price. Gar has to work harder to impress his new friends. The dares keep getting bigger, and the stakes keep getting higher. When Gar realizes the extent of his physical changes, he has to dig deep and face the truth about himself–and the people who truly matter–before his life spirals out of control.

The boy from the Mish by Gary Lonesborough

It’s a hot summer, and life’s going all right for Jackson and his family on the Mish. It’s almost Christmas, school’s out, and he’s hanging with his mates, teasing the visiting tourists, avoiding the racist boys in town. Just like every year, Jackson’s Aunty and annoying little cousins visit from the city - but this time a mysterious boy with a troubled past comes with them…

As their friendship evolves, Jackson must confront the changing shapes of his relationships with his friends, family and community. And he must face his darkest secret - a secret he thought he’d locked away for good.

Compelling, honest and beautifully written, The Boy from the Mish is about first love, identity, and the superpower of self-belief.

The carbon-neutral adventures of the indefatigable enviroteens by First Dog on the Moon

Meet our superheroes: - Binky, aka The Monotreme! - Worried Norman, once bitten by a radioactive croissant and now Pastry Person! - Letitia, an occasionally bossy science-wombat and genius inventor!

Together, they are the EnviroTeens and they are about to get very, very angry. Singleuse Plastic Brendan may have an evil plan to destroy all the world’s turtles with his dastardly tur-tele-pooter but, believe it or not, there is something even more sinister than an angry plastic bag on a garbage island in the middle of the ocean …

Climate change! Oh no! The EnviroTeens will do anything to stop this impending disaster: scale slippery volcanoes, scurry through forests full of poisonous armpit monsters, even meet Senator Ian, the Climate Denialist Potato. But can three teenagers and a chicken save the whole world? Why not, nobody else is! Maybe they are in with a chance? I can’t look, it’s too exciting!

A hilarious graphic novel about a group of teens who are determined to clean the planet and clear the air.

The witches by Penelope Bagieu

Roald Dahl’s darkly funny masterpiece, The Witches, now available as a graphic novel from Eisner Award-winning artist Penelope Bagieu! Witches are real, and they are very, very dangerous. They wear ordinary clothes and have ordinary jobs, living in ordinary towns all across the world – and there’s nothing they despise more than children. When an eight-year-old boy and his grandmother come face-to-face with the Grand High Witch herself, they may be the only ones who can stop the witches' latest plot to stamp out every last child in the country!This full-color graphic novel edition of Roald Dahl’s The Witches, adapted and illustrated by Eisner Award winner Penelope Bagieu, is the first-ever Dahl story to appear in this format. Graphic novel readers and Roald Dahl fans alike will relish this dynamic new take on a uniquely funny tale.

Tiger daughter by Rebecca Lim

Wen Zhou is the daughter and only child of Chinese immigrants whose move to the lucky country has proven to be not so lucky. Wen and her friend, Henry Xiao - whose mum and dad are also poor immigrants - both dream of escape from their unhappy circumstances, and they form a plan to sit an entrance exam to a selective high school far from home. But when tragedy strikes, it will take all of Wen’s resilience and resourcefulness to get herself and Henry through the storm that follows.

Tiger Daughter is a novel that will grab hold of you and not let go.

NON-FICTION

Climate crisis for beginners by Andy Prentice

This book explains, in simple language and with clear illustrations, what the climate is, and how it is changing very rapidly at the moment, and the effects this is having on our planet. It tackles suggestions about what needs to change in the way people live, from power stations to farming, and explains why it’s so difficult to do. Along the way, it also talks about what individuals can do, including tips on how to keep a clear head and not get overwhelmed by bad news.

Football world : the history of football by James Nixon (ed.)

Find out how the game developed from a medieval kick-about on the streets into the most popular sport on the planet. Football has come a long way from its roots in the Middle Ages to the professional sport it is today. This complete story of football shows you the game’s most legendary players and some of the greatest teams in history. The Football World series takes a broad look at football on the world stage, covering players, leagues, competitions and the history of football. Each title includes statistics and fun facts and is perfect for football fans aged 8 and up who want to know it all.

Football superstar skills by Rob Colson

Want to control the ball like Kylian Mbappe, dribble like Lionel Messi and pull off stunning saves like David de Gea? Football Superstar Skills is guaranteed to help you emulate the feats of some of the most iconic players in world football! The book features 20 modern greats, from headline-grabbing young stars to world-beating legends, offering key facts about their signature skills and what it takes to be a great footballer. Then follow the simple step-by-steps to master essential footballing skills, from the basics such as controlling the ball and passing, to more advanced techniques such as finding space and bending a free-kick. What’s more, you will learn about the game’s greatest managers, formations and tactics and even relive the greatest goals in World Cup football history.

Kevin Sheedy’s Heroes of footy by Kevin Sheedy

Dare to dream with this collection of 30 rule-breaking, boundary-pushing and risk-taking men and women who shape our national game.

Selected by footy legend and dreamer Kevin Sheedy, Heroes of Footy celebrates the players with the biggest hearts and most powerful stories whose experiences will ignite the dreams of anyone who loves playing sport. Featuring stats, bios, coaching tips, and brilliant illustrations by Michael Weldon, Heroes of Footy is the perfect gift for young footy tragics everywhere.

The virus By Ben Martynoga

Science expert Ben Martynoga takes readers on a fascinating, sometimes funny, and occasionally scary journey through the world of viruses, breaking down what they are, how they work, and-crucially-how humanity can overcome them, or at least learn to live alongside them. It delivers a comprehensive, inspiring, science-first approach to understanding this phenomenon and will be the guide on the virus which has disrupted the entire world.

Twice : the story of K-Pop’s greatest girl group by Jamie Heal

In the space of just five years, Twice have taken the K-Pop world by storm. With hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, a sell-out world tour and record-breaking album sales under their belts, Twice have well and truly earned their place in the K-Pop hall of fame. And they’re only just getting started. Twice: The Story of K-Pop’s Greatest Girl Group tells the amazing story behind one of the most-loved groups of our time. Covering their triumphs and setbacks, the making of everyone’s favourite tracks - including ‘Like Ooh-Aah’, ‘Cheer Up’ and ‘Likey’ - and their unique sense of style, this in-depth, unofficial guide is the perfect gift for any Twice fan. With dedicated profiles of each band member, Twice looks at how these talented and unique superstars have grown, and what’s to come in their bright future.

Overdue Books

Students are reminded to return any overdue books to the library as soon as possible. Overdue notices will be sent out next week. Whilst the library does not issue overdue fines, we ask that all students bring their books back promptly as others may be wanting to borrow them.

Follow the Library’s Instagram page at lalorsc_library to find out about new books

Library Opening Hours:

Monday 8:20am to 4:00pm

Tuesday 8:20am to 4:00pm (After School Homework Club)

Wednesday 8:20am to 4:00pm

Thursday 8:20am to 4:00pm

Friday 8:20am to 4:00 pm

Note:

The Library is open at Lunchtime every day but is closed at recess.

Ms Georgia Flaskas

Library Resource Centre Manager