Bucks &amp; Oxon


<p>As Head Librarian at St Edward’s School (or Teddies to the initiated), Sarah Eldred knows a thing or two about getting kids enthused about books. She&#8217;s worked in China and in Hants before settling in Oxon and also helps Sixth Formers with essay writing and research skills alongside adding to her own, lengthy, reading pile.&nbsp;Here&#8217;s her pick for secondary age students:</p>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/nicola-morgan-product-book-positively-teenage.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Positively Teenage by Nicola Morgan</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>In support of the Teddies Wellbeing Programme, our first Book of the Week of 2023 was <strong><em>Positively Teenage</em></strong>, a copy of which was delivered to each boarding house. It&#8217;s a great book because it encourages optimism and offers practical strategies for learning to develop a growth-mindset, determination and resilience.  </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/warcry-iron-golem_ece4675d-9688-47d5-a963-221d147d6e8a_1024x1024@2x.jpg-copy.jpg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure by Hirohiko Araki</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Manga is a specific style of artwork which originated in Japan. The animated version of manga is called anime and both are hugely popular with teens. Unfortunately, both manga and anime have a reputation for being somewhat risqué but there are plenty of options which are suitable and we stock as many as we can find in the library. My manga recommendation is the <strong><em>JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure</em></strong> series which was originally recommended to me by our Head of English, Jason Clapham. Grudges, teen angst, sibling rivalry, vampires and battles plus multiple series of books keep this a firm favourite of all manga enthusiasts!</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/Cover.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Whilst JoJo might be more popular with boys, older girls might enjoy <strong><em>The One Hundred Nights of Hero</em></strong>. This is a book about stories within stories, about friendship, families, love and the lives of women. The overarching story touches upon a subtle LGBTQ+ theme and has a feminist thread running all the way through which emphasises tales of daring, clever, kind and strong women. A truly lovely read and a good way into graphic novels. </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/917LEdmXT4L.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Born a Crime by Trevor Noah </h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong><em>Born a Crime</em></strong> has been a recommendation in the library for some time. Trevor Noah is well known for being a stand-up comedian and the host of the American late-night talk show <em>The Daily Show</em>. In this autobiography he writes about his experience of growing up in South Africa during apartheid and specifically his experience of being mixed race. Whilst he does bring humour to the story there are also poignant and harrowing moments. This book has been published in two formats, one aimed at a general audience and one at a younger audience of 10-14 years olds.  </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/81ZYIFnn2gL-1.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Women’s History of the World by Rosalind Miles</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Once a week at Teddies we stop lessons for 45 minutes and all pupils and academic staff pick up a book for ‘Time to Read’ to try to encourage reading for pleasure. The book I’m currently reading in this moment is <strong><em>The Women’s History of the World</em></strong>. The author sheds light on the lives of women from the time we lived in caves right up to the 20<sup>th</sup> century. Whilst reading I’ve both raged and laughed and ultimately had to buy my own copy so I didn’t ruin the library one with all the highlighting and annotating I wanted to do. </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/91lySpKucHL-1.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Big Ideas Simply Explained series by DK</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong><em>The History Book</em>, <em>The Shakespeare Book</em></strong> and <strong><em>The Philosophy Book</em></strong> are just three in the<em> </em><strong><em>Big Ideas Simply Explained</em></strong> series. These books are popular in the library as light, but utterly engaging, reading for anyone with a passion for the subjects on offer. They all include lots of facts, figures and infographics and break all the ‘big ideas’ down into easy-to-manage chunks. My personal favourite is <strong><em>The Bee Book</em></strong>. </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/43916.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E Feist</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Fantasy isn’t for everyone but for older teens who race through books and need something to keep them going I’d recommend the <strong><em>Midkemia</em></strong> series starting with <strong><em>The Riftwar Saga</em></strong>. The series is over 30 books long and every book is utterly absorbing. The first, <strong><em>Magician</em></strong>, follows orphan boy Pug who becomes a magician’s apprentice and who appears in all of the books, sometimes as a main character, sometimes as a supporting character, sometimes as just a passing reference.</p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/71YuHGOUChL-1.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Thirteen by Tom Hoyle</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Sporting the shortest blurb in the library, at only five words, ‘They’re dying one by one’, <strong><em>Thirteen</em></strong> has been THE firm favourite of Shell pupils every single year since I’ve been at Teddies. A fanatical cult believes a child born on the stroke of midnight at the turn of the millennium will bring about the end of the world; thirteen were born, Adam is the only one remaining and all there is left to do is run… Fast-paced and action-packed this book is definitely one to share with your less enthusiastic reader. </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/81JV13CbAAL-1.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">A Poem for Every Spring Day by Allie Esiri </h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong><em>A Poem for Every Spring Day</em></strong> is one in a beautiful series of books which would be equally suited to both a bedside or coffee table. Though Amazon will tell you this book is aimed at pupils younger than those at Teddies, the series has a permanent space on our shelves as the poems within are just as delightful for the older reader too. Featuring poems by William Wordsworth and Maya Angelou to Carol Ann Duffy and Ted Hughes, this is a go-to book for generating a little bit of seasonal sunshine.  </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/418RHYCcfL-1.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Mini Philosophy: A Small Book of Big Ideas by Jonny Thomson</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong><em>Mini Philosophy: A Small Book of Big Ideas</em></strong> was written by Teddies teacher Jonny Thomson (how could I not take the chance to promote the incredible achievement of one of my colleagues!). <strong><em>Mini Philosophy</em></strong> is a fascinating journey into what some of the greatest minds of the last 2,500 years have to say about the big questions in life, and why they are relevant to us today. It’s gone down well at Teddies, giving younger pupils a taste for what they might explore in more depth in the Sixth Form.  </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/81FPzmB5fgL.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>Stepping back in time a little, I’ve chosen the modern classic <strong><em>The Alchemist</em></strong> which, since its publication in 1995, has topped bestseller lists in 74 countries. It’s an easy read yet one with enormous depth, blending together spirituality, magical realism and folklore. The story follows Santiago, a young shepherd living in the hills of Andalucía who follows his dreams to distant lands and learns a great deal of wisdom along the way. </p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/03/91M2Y91WaJL-1.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true"/></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p>As a librarian this book instantly appealed to me but far from being an entirely self-indulgent choice this series has also been enjoyed by a number of our avid readers at Teddies! Irene is a professional spy. Her job is to collect unique fiction from different worlds and bring them back to The Library which exists outside of time and space and holds the very balance of the worlds in order. Mystery, danger, action and, at times, absolute chaos, this is the first in a series which only gets better the further you get into it. </p></div></div></div></div>



<p><em><strong>For more information about Teddies read our full review <a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/kids/school-reviews/st-edwards-oxford/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a> or pay them a visit on their <a href="https://www.stedwardsoxford.org/admissions/open-days/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">next open morning</a>.</strong></em></p>


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