Books with Cats to Share

book cover

Many children are attracted to soft, fluffy things: their favourite blanket, teddy bears, daddy’s jumper, touch-and-feel books, the list is endless.  They particularly like warm, soft and fluffy and this often means animals.

Whether or not you have pets at home, there are plenty of books around to introduce your youngsters to the animal kingdom.  This month we have chosen some of our favourite books about cats for you to share!

book cover

Black Cat, White Cat – Silvia Borando

This is the story of two cats: Black Cat, who only goes out in the day, White Cat, who only goes out at night, and what happens when they meet.

book cover

A Cat’s Day – Rebecca Rissman & Becka Moor

If you are looking for a picture book with a difference, this could be it. Start the book at one end and read the story of a boy’s day – start at the other end and find out what his cat is doing. The two stories meet up in the middle pages.

book cover

A Dark, Dark Tale – Ruth Brown

Although this book may seem a little bit spooky, the illustrations provide plenty of opportunities for discussion and, sometimes, to try and find the cat. It has a surprise ending that made me laugh out loud.

book cover

Hairy Maclary Scattercat – Lynley Dodd

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy is always good fun – but the cats in this story don’t think so. Will our hairy friend meet his match?

book cover

I love cats – Emma Dodd

All kinds of cats prowl and purr through this delightful rhyming book, but one cat is best of all.

book cover

The King Cat – Marta Altés

A cat’s life isn’t always easy. One day you’re king of the house, then the next day everything changes. A story about getting used to changes at home.

book cover

Matilda’s Cat – Emily Gravett

Matilda likes playing with all sorts of things. She is certain her cat likes the same things. The cat is not convinced, but there is one thing Matilda’s cat really loves.

book cover

Me and my Cat – Michael Dahl

A book that introduces young children to living with and loving your cat. Includes a note from the cat with a list of things they would like their new owners to remember.

book cover

Mog and the Baby – Judith Kerr

Mog’s peaceful day is shattered when a baby comes to visit. “Mog loves babies,” says Mrs Thomas – but Mog isn’t quite so sure!

book cover

Naughty Kitty! – Adam Stower

Lily had always wanted a doggy, but Mum said a kitten would be much less messy. After all, how much trouble can one tiny tabby get into? A great book for children who lived ‘The Tiger Who Came to Tea’.

book cover

Tabby McTat – Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler

Fred the busker and his cat, Tabby McTat, are purr-fectly happy, singing together all day long. But when Fred gives chase to a thief, the two are separated. Will they ever find each other again?

book cover

There are no cats in this book – Viviane Schwarz

Have you come to play with the cats in this book? The thing is Tiny, Moonpie and André have gone out to see the world. Haven’t they…?

Crime fiction booklist

Congratulations to Ann Cleeves on winning the crime writer award Diamond Dagger! To celebrate this news we have put together 10 great crime fiction books to read!

The Nowhere man, Gregg Hurwitz

That rare thing, a sequel which is better than the original, The Nowhere Man is a thrilling, pulse-pounding ride for readers and the hero of Orphan X . . .He was once called Orphan X. As a boy, Evan Smoak was taken from a children’s home, raised and trained as part of a secret government initiative buried so deep that virtually no one knows it exists. But he broke with the programme, choosing instead to vanish off grid and use his formidable skill set to help those unable to protect themselves.

Another man’s poison, Ann Cleeves

Ever since the death of her husband, Ursula Ottway has lived alone in Back Rigg Cottage, high up on the fells. Her landlord, the ambitious politician Marcus Grenville, wants his property back. After months of harassment, Ursula discovers that the illegal use of poisoned bait on Grenville’s land has killed not only a rare bird of prey but her two beloved cats. Outraged, Ursula storms up to the Grenvilles’ house and denounces Marcus Grenville and threatens revenge. But when her niece, Molly Palmer-Jones, arrives at Ursula’s house the next morning, it is to find her body slumped lifeless on a sofa. It soon becomes clear that hers was a very convenient death.

Watch her disappear, Eva Dolan

YOU CAN RUN FROM YOUR PAST. BUT YOU CAN’T RUN FROM MURDER. The body is found by the river, near a spot popular with runners. With a serial rapist at work in the area, DI Zigic and DS Ferreira are initially confused when the Hate Crimes Unit is summoned to the scene. Until they discover that the victim, Corinne Sawyer, was born Colin Sawyer. Police records reveal there have been violent attacks on trans women in the local area. Was Corinne a victim of mistaken identity? Or has the person who has been targeting trans women stepped up their campaign of violence? With tensions running high, and the force coming under national scrutiny, this is a complex case and any mistake made could be fatal…

The jealous kind, James Lee Burke

Written in evocative prose, The Jealous Kind may prove to be James Lee Burke’s most encompassing work yet. As Aaron undergoes his harrowing evolution from boy to man, we can’t help but recall the inspirational and curative power of first love and how far we would go to protect it.

The crow trap, Ann Cleeves

Three very different women come together at isolated Baikie’s Cottage on the North Pennines, to complete an environmental survey. Three women who each know the meaning of betrayal . . . Rachael, the team leader, is still reeling after a double betrayal by her lover and boss, Peter Kemp. Anne, a botanist, sees the survey as a chance to indulge in a little deception of her own. And then there is Grace, a strange, uncommunicative young woman, hiding plenty of her own secrets.

Perfect remains, Helen Fields

On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing. In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness. Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation… It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes.

Black widow, Christopher Brookmyre

Image result for christopher brookmyre black widow

Did she do it? Did he deserve it? Diana Jager is clever, strong and successful, a skilled surgeon and fierce campaigner via her blog about sexism. Yet it takes only hours for her life to crumble when her personal details are released on the internet as revenge for her writing. Then she meets Peter. He’s kind, generous, and knows nothing about her past: the second chance she’s been waiting for. Within six months, they are married. Within six more, Peter is dead in a road accident, a nightmare end to their fairy tale romance. But Peter’s sister Lucy doesn’t believe in fairy tales, and tasks maverick reporter Jack Parlabane with discovering the dark truth behind the woman the media is calling Black Widow…

Raven black, Ann Cleeves

Image result for raven black ann cleeves

It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies buried beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter’s eye is drawn to a vivid splash of colour on the white ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbour Catherine Ross. As Fran opens her mouth to scream, the ravens continue their deadly dance . . . The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man – loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when police insist on opening out the investigation a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community.

The hanging tree, Ben  Aaronovitch

Image result for the hanging tree ben aaronovitch

Suspicious deaths are not usually the concern of PC Peter Grant or the Folly, even when they happen at an exclusive party in one of the most expensive apartment blocks in London. But Lady Ty’s daughter was there, and Peter owes Lady Ty a favour. Plunged into the alien world of the super-rich, where the basements are bigger than the house and dangerous, arcane items are bought and sold on the open market, a sensible young copper would keep his head down and his nose clean. But this is Peter Grant we’re talking about. He’s been given an unparalleled opportunity to alienate old friends and create new enemies at the point where the world of magic and that of privilege intersect. Assuming he survives the week . . .

The girl from Venice, Martin Cruz Smith

Image result for the girl from venice by martin cruz smith

A World War II love story set against the romance and danger of occupied Venice. Cenzo is a world-weary fisherman, determined to sit out the rest of the war. He’s happy to stay out of the way of the SS, quietly going about his business of fishing in the lagoons of northern Italy. Then one night, instead of pulling in his usual haul, Cenzo fishes a young woman out of the canal. Giulia is an Italian Jew who has managed to escape capture and is determined to find her family. This meeting results in them both taking an entirely unexpected journey, and Cenzo suddenly finds himself thrown headlong into the world of international wartime politics, where everyone has their own agenda and nowhere is safe.

10 Books for academic book week

Take a look at this book list for academic book week!

A brief history of time, Stephen Hawking

In 1989 Anglia Television joined with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, NBC and the Tokyo Broadcasting System to announce production of a 90-minute feature on the life of Stephen Hawking and his book “A Brief History of Time”. The film that resulted highlights the visual demonstration of Hawking’s theories and this book provides an accompaniment to this film as well as a biography of Hawking’s life, including his battle against motor neurone disease.

Silent spring, Rachel Carson

Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of indiscriminate use of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. This Penguin Modern Classics edition includes an introduction by Lord Shackleton, a preface by World Wildlife Fund founder Julian Huxley, and an afterword by Carson’s biographer Linda Lear. Now recognized as one of the most influential books of the twentieth century, Silent Spring exposed the destruction of wildlife through the widespread use of pesticides.

Orientalism, Edward Said

In this highly-acclaimed work, Edward Said surveys the history and nature of Western attitudes towards the East, considering orientalism as a powerful European ideological creation – a way for writers, philosophers and colonial administrators to deal with the ‘otherness’ of eastern culture, customs and beliefs.

The female eunuch, Germaine Greer

Probably the most famous, most widely read book on feminism ever. First published in 1970, The Female Eunuch is a landmark in the history of the women’s movement. A searing examination of women’s oppression, a worldwide bestseller.

The double helix, James Watson

At the time Watson was only 24, with more interest in girls than in chemistry. His uncompromisingly honest account of those heady days lifts the lid on the real world of great scientists and the extraordinary excitement of their desperate attempts to beat Linus Pauling to the solution to one of the great enigmas of the life sciences.

The naked Ape, Desmond Morris

Here is the Naked Ape at his most primal – in love, at work, at war. Meet man as he really is: relative to the apes, stripped of his veneer as we see him courting, making love, sleeping, socialising, grooming, playing. Zoologist Desmond Morris’s classic takes its place alongside Darwin’s Origin of the Species, presenting man not as a fallen angel, but as a risen ape, remarkable in his resilience, energy and imagination, yet an animal nonetheless, in danger of forgetting his origins.With its penetrating insights on man’s beginnings, sex life, habits and our astonishing bonds to the animal kingdom, The Naked Ape is a landmark, at once provocative, compelling and timeless.

The selfish gene, Richard Dawkins

“Learned, witty, and very well written…exhilaratingly good.” – “Spectator.” “The reader will come away with a clear understanding of kin selection, evolutionary stable strategies, and evolutionary theories of animal behaviour. This is a considerable achievement.” – “THES.” “The exciting theories and their wide implications are explained with clarity, wit and enthusiasm.” – Peter Parker, “Sunday Times.”

Ways of seeing, John Berger

John Berger’s seminal text on how to look at art John Berger’s Ways of Seeing is one of the most stimulating and the most influential books on art in any language. First published in 1972, it was based on the BBC television series.

The Invention of Tradition, Eric Hobsbawm

Many of the traditions which we think of as very ancient in their origins were not in fact sanctioned by long usage over the centuries, but were invented comparatively recently. This book explores examples of this process of invention – the creation of Welsh and Scottish ‘national culture’; the elaboration of British royal rituals in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; the origins of imperial rituals in British India and Africa; and the attempts by radical movements to develop counter-traditions of their own.

The road to serfdom, Friedrich Hayek

The Road to Serfdom remains one of the all-time classics of twentieth-century intellectual thought. For over half a century, it has inspired politicians and thinkers around the world, and has had a crucial impact on our political and cultural history. With trademark brilliance, Hayek argues convincingly that, while socialist ideals may be tempting, they cannot be accomplished except by means that few would approve of. Addressing economics, fascism, history, socialism and the Holocaust, Hayek unwraps the trappings of socialist ideology.

Academic book week

Academic book week is back on January 23rd to January 28th, for its second year! Academic book week provides the opportunity to increase awareness and celebrate the diversity, innovation and influence of academic books throughout history.

If you want to get involved with academic book week but you are unsure how, then have a look of events listed with the academic book week website, that you can join in with, or share your celebration and thoughts through social media!

Why we love Dr Seuss

2nd March marks the 113th birthday of Dr Seuss. In honour of the master of vocabulary himself, here are five reasons why we love Dr Seuss, courtesy of the Children’s book review.

1. Great for mastering phonics!

A child who is learning to read is learning to connect the sounds that go with letters so that he can then put them together to make words. Repeating sounds frequently, help a child master this skill. Dr Seuss is the master of repetitive sounds and engaging stories, while using limited vocabulary—an ideal combination for a beginning reader.

2. Great Read-Aloud Books

Thanks to his clever rhyming, Dr. Seuss’ books sound great when they are read aloud. Did you know that reading to an infant helps with brain development, speech skills, and bonding between parent and child?

3. Great For Reluctant Readers

Sometimes the hardest part of reading is getting your child to read. I think you would be hard pressed to find a child that would not be entertained by the sheer absurdity of Dr Seuss’s wacky plots and zany characters. Sometimes a little fun and excitement is all that is needed to get kids reading.

4. Great For Teaching Life’s Lessons

With enchanting worlds and wonderful creatures, both familiar and unfamiliar, Dr Seuss teaches readers many admirable life lessons.

5. Perfect for all ages

Reading Dr Seuss books is also great because children of all ages enjoy them for different reasons at each stage of their development. New born babies will love listening to the rhythm and tone of your voice as you read while older babies will start to take an interest in the rhymes and colourful pictures. The books will continue to delight toddlers and are great to share with young children who are learning to read.

Cosy up with a good book

Get yourself cosy with a good book this Valentine’s, whether it’s a classic old fashioned romance, or a tale of unrequited love, they are sure to be great company. A cup of tea and a blanket are optional, but we find they enhance the experience!

Here are some of our best books of 2016 to get you started, don’t forget our eBook collection too, browse & download from the comfort of your home.

Harry Potter and the cursed child, JK Rowling



It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

When breath becomes air, Paul Kalanithi



At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity – the brain – and finally into a patient and a new father. What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when life is catastrophically interrupted? What does it mean to have a child as your own life fades away?

The Muse, Jessie Burton



On a hot July day in 1967, Odelle Bastien climbs the stone steps of the Skelton gallery in London, knowing that her life is about to change forever. Having struggled to find her place in the city since she arrived from Trinidad five years ago, she has been offered a job as a typist under the tutelage of the glamorous and enigmatic Marjorie Quick. But though Quick takes Odelle into her confidence, and unlocks a potential she didn’t know she had, she remains a mystery – no more so than when a lost masterpiece with a secret history is delivered to the gallery. The truth about the painting lies in 1936 and a large house in rural Spain, where Olive Schloss, the daughter of a renowned art dealer, is harbouring ambitions of her own.

The trouble with goats and sheep, Joanna Cannon



England, 1976. Mrs Creasy is missing and The Avenue is alive with whispers. As the summer shimmers endlessly on, ten-year-olds Grace and Tilly decide to take matters into their own hands. And as the cul-de-sac starts giving up its secrets, the amateur detectives will find much more than they imagined.

I’m travelling alone, Samuel Bjork



When the body of a young girl is found hanging from a tree, the only clue the police have is an airline tag around her neck. It reads I’m travelling alone’. In response, police investigator Holger Munch is immediately charged with assembling a special homicide unit. But to complete the team, he must track down his former partner, Mia Krger – a brilliant but troubled detective – who has retreated to a solitary island with plans to kill herself. Reviewing the file, Mia finds something new – a thin line carved into the dead girl’s fingernail: the number 1. She knows that this is only the beginning. To save other children from the same fate, she must find a way to cast aside her own demons and stop this murderer from becoming a serial killer.

The noise of time, Julian Barnes

In May 1937 a man in his early thirties waits by the lift of a Leningrad apartment block. He waits all through the night, expecting to be taken away to the Big House. Any celebrity he has known in the previous decade is no use to him now. And few who are taken to the Big House ever return.

Hello, is this planet earth? Tim Peake

Based on over 150 of Tim’s stunning photographs that he took on board the international space station, many of which have not been seen before, this lavish collection showcases the beauty of earth from above, and is the perfect visual time capsule of Tim’s remarkable trip, which captured the imaginations of millions of children and adults across the world. The book can be enjoyed by readers of all ages, and comes with a personal commentary from Tim, full of his characteristic warmth and charm. The book includes breath-taking aerial photos of cities illuminated at night, the northern lights and unforgettable vistas of oceans, mountains and deserts.

Mad girl, Bryony Gordon



Bryony Gordon has OCD. It’s the snake in her brain that has told her ever since she was a teenager that her world is about to come crashing down: that her family might die if she doesn’t repeat a phrase 5 times, or that she might have murdered someone and forgotten about it. It’s caused alopecia, bulimia, and drug dependency. And Bryony is sick of it. Keeping silent about her illness has given it a cachet it simply does not deserve, so here she shares her story with trademark wit and dazzling honesty.

Ashes of London, Andrew Taylor

London,1666. The Great Fire rages through the city, consuming everything in its path. Even the impregnable cathedral of St. Paul’s is engulfed in flames and reduced to ruins. Among the crowds watching its destruction is James Marwood, son of a traitor, and reluctant government informer. In the aftermath of the fire, the body of a man is discovered in the ashes of St.Paul’s. But he is not a victim of the blaze- there is a stab wound to his neck and his thumbs have been tied behind his back. Acting on orders, Marwood hunts the killer though London’s devastated streets- where before too long a second murder is uncovered. At a time of dangerous internal dissent, Marwood’s investigation will lead him into treacherous waters- and across the path of a determined and vengeful young woman.

The sellout, Paul Beatty

Born in Dickens on the southern outskirts of Los Angeles, the narrator of The Sellout spent his childhood as the subject in his father’s racially charged psychological studies. He is told that his father’s work will lead to a memoir that will solve their financial woes. But when his father is killed in a drive-by shooting, he discovers there never was a memoir. All that’s left is a bill for a drive-through funeral. What’s more, Dickens has literally been wiped off the map to save California from further embarrassment. Fuelled by despair, the narrator sets out to right this wrong with the most outrageous action conceivable: reinstating slavery and segregating the local high school, which lands him in the Supreme Court.

Radio Reads – January 2017

We’re looking for book groups to review our chosen title live on air on Friday 3 February!

Fancy joining a book club without having to dash around to meetings? Want to take part in a book club from the comfort of your home? There is a way!

With Radio Reads, Radio Solent’s book club, you can listen to reviews from all around the south, submit your own via our blog, and what’s more, we’re recommending titles which can be borrowed for free from Hampshire Libraries!

On the first Friday of every month, tune in to Sasha Twining on BBC Radio Solent to hear reviews of the book selected and recommended by Hampshire Libraries, and listen out for the next one. You have a month to read it, and submit your review, or your book club review using the comments section under the blog.

This month’s chosen title is award winning The sense of an ending by Julian Barnes We have lots of copies available as well as the eBook. If your book group has read or is reading this, let us know, we’re looking for some book group reviewers to talk about the book live on Radio Solent!

Half Term with Hampshire Libraries

Looking for ideas to keep the children entertained this half term? The weather is looking dismal and the frost is starting to creep in, but don’t panic! Hampshire Libraries are here for you, and the best thing about bringing them down to the library? There is so much for the adults to do too!

Pop down to your local library for more information on all the amazing events we have going on around Hampshire. Don’t forget, even if there isn’t a planned event, libraries are full of wonderful books, audio books, free Wi-Fi and more, a one stop half term saviour!

Check out our programme of events and have a look at the ones below to get you started, these are just a taste of what’s in store.

Comedy Club for Kids

16 February, Winchester Discovery Centre

This unique show features top comedians from around the world – but without rude words! A comedy club with jokes for kids and their parents! Previous acts have included Rich Hall, George Egg and Phil Jupitus, and the laughs are guaranteed…else the comics will all be grounded!

This show features “natural-born MC” Jim Smallman, Paul Duncan McGarrity “Like a very tall, funny, excited child…and history nerd” and much more! For all the family but recommended for kids age 6+.

Owl storytime with real owls

20 February, Ringwood Library

Join us for a storytime with a difference! Liberty’s Owl, Raptor and Reptile Centre will be talking about owls and bringing some along for you to meet, followed by an owl story. Advanced booking is essential to avoid disappointment.

The Vikings hands on history workshop

21 February, Petersfield Library

Join The Time Travelling Teacher as he steps back in time to the dark ages of the ferocious Vikings! Discover how they earned their reputation as fearsome warriors, listen to the thrilling tale of Thor and Loki and learn how to read and write like a Viking using runes.

Be confident around dogs

21 February, Basingstoke Discovery Centre

The Education and Community Officer for Dogs Trust in the South will be leading a workshop on Dog Safety for children aged 5-11. There will be lots of fun interactive activities, arts & crafts, story telling and an opportunity to meet a special visitor too!

Charlie’s story telling party

22 February, Overton Library

Charlie’s Storytelling Parties Join children’s entertainer and actress Charlie Sanderson for a super 45 minutes of storytelling, singing and other surprises!

Children’s art workshop

23 February, Basingstoke Discovery Centre

Celebrate your favourite children’s books using printing, collage and craft techniques and create a fold up book to take home. This event is sponsored by Basingstoke NADFAS Young Arts which promotes lasting enthusiasm and awareness of our art heritage by providing young people with opportunities to get involved in creative arts activities.

Dragons & Unicorns


24 February, Basingstoke Discovery Centre

A whole day of FREE activities for all ages: 3D-colouring, craft, LEt’sGO Construction and more for ages 3+.

10 Books to read for LGBT month

To celebrate LGBT month, we’ve put together 10 books that are a must read!

The art of being normal, Lisa Williamson

David is funny and quirky and has always felt different from other people – but he also has a huge secret that only his two best friends know. Ever since he can remember, he has felt like a girl trapped in the body of a boy.

Read me like a book, Liz Kessler

Ashleigh Walker is in love. You know the feeling – that intense, heart-racing, all-consuming emotion that can only come with first love. It’s enough to stop her worrying about bad grades at college. Enough to distract her from her parents’ marriage troubles. There’s just one thing bothering her… Shouldn’t it be her boyfriend, Dylan, who makes her feel this way – not Miss Murray, her English teacher? A thought-provoking coming out story from a highly skilled author.

What we left behind, Robin Talley

Toni and Gretchen are the couple everyone envied in high school. They’ve been together forever. They never fight. They’re hopelessly in love. When they separate for their first year at college they’re sure their relationship will stay rock solid. The reality of being apart, however, is very different. Toni’s discovering a new world – and a new gender identity – but Gretchen struggles to remember who she is outside of their relationship. While Toni worries that Gretchen won’t understand Toni’s shifting identity, Gretchen begins to wonder where she fits in this puzzle. Now they must decide if their love is strong enough to last.

The secret life of Oscar Wilde, Neil Mckenna

Neil McKenna’s The Secret Life of Oscar Wilde charts fully for the first time Oscar’s astonishing erotic odyssey through Victorian London’s sexual underworld. Oscar Wilde emerges as a man driven personally and creatively by his powerful desires for sex with men, and Neil McKenna argues compellingly and convincingly that Oscar’s Wilde’s life and work can only be fully understood and appreciated in terms of his sexuality. The book draws of a vast range of sources, many of them previously unpublished, and includes startling new material like the statements made to the police by the male prostitutes and blackmailers ranged against Oscar Wilde at his trial which have been lost for over a century.

Sugar rush, Julie Burchill

Sixteen-year-old Kim is horrified when her dad tells her she’s got to leave her posh private school and go to infamous Ravendene Comprehensive, ‘the source and inspiration of five thousand urban myths and horror stories’. How will she survive in this wild and hormonal adolescent jungle? But then Kim meets gorgeous Maria (better known as Sugar) Sweet, queen of the ‘Ravers’, and falls instantly under her spell. Leaving her restrained, good-girl past far behind, Kim finds herself not only drawn into Sugar’s exciting and daring life – but also asking herself a disturbing question: has she fallen deeply in love with her best friend?

Boy meets boy, David Levithan

Love meets love. Confusion meets clarity. Boy meets boy. To be together with someone for twenty years seems like an eternity. I can’t seem to manage twenty days. How do you stay together? Paul has been gay his whole life and he’s confident about almost everything. He doesn’t have to hide his feelings like best friend Tony or even cope with loving the wrong guy like his other best friend Joni. But heartbreak can happen to anyone. Falling in love changes everything.

Postcards from No Man’s Land, Aiden Chambers

Jacob Todd is abroad on his own for the first time, visiting his grandfather’s grave at the annual commemoration of the Battle of Arnhem in Amsterdam. There, he meets Geertrui, a terminally ill old lady, who tells an extraordinary story of love and betrayal, which completely overturns Jacob’s view of himself and his country, and leads him to question his place in the world. Jacob’s story is paralled in time by the events of the dramatic day in World War II when retreating troops were sheltered by Geertrui’s family.

Kiss, Jacqueline Wilson

Sylvie and Carl have been friends since they were tiny children. They’ve always played together, eaten with each other’s families, called each other boyfriend and girlfriend and deep down, Sylvie has always believed that they’d end up married to each other. They even have a magical fantasy world that belongs to them alone – and the glass hut where it’s all created, at the bottom of Carl’s garden. But as they become teenagers, things are starting to change. They each have different friends. Sylvie would still rather spend all her time with Carl. But Carl has a new friend, Paul, who is taking all his attention. And he seems much less happy to be called Sylvie’s boyfriend. And in a game of spin the bottle, he avoids having to kiss her. Sylvie can tell his feelings have changed and that her plans for the future may be affected. But can she guess at the true reasons behind it all? A moving, compelling and delicately handled treatment of sexuality from the Children’s Laureate.

Pretty things, Sarra Manning

Brie is in love with Lancome Juicy Tubes, Louis Vuitton accessories and Charlie, her gay best friend. But Charlie is in love with 1960’s pop art, 1980s teen movies …and serial heartbreaker, Walker. Walker has only ever been in love with his VW Bug, until he meets Daisy. And Daisy is far too busy hating everyone to know what love is… This is a story about kissing people you shouldn’t, falling in love and off your heels, and breaking hearts because there’s nothing to watch on telly.

Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda, Becky Albertalli

Simon Spier is sixteen and trying to work out who he is – and what he’s looking for. But when one of his emails to the very distracting Blue falls into the wrong hands, things get all kinds of complicated. Because, for Simon, falling for Blue is a big deal . . . It’s a holy freaking huge awesome deal. Praise for Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda: ‘I love you, Simon. I love you! And I love this fresh, funny, live-out-loud book.’ Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places ‘A remarkable gift of a novel.

LGBT History Month

What is LGBT? It stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and in February, the United Kingdom are celebrating LGBT History Month! This year LGBT History Month is focusing on citizenship, PSHE and Law.

Get involved and celebrate LGBT history month by;

  • Participating in an event, whether that be taking a trip to a National Festival or finding out what your local community may be doing for LGBT month and getting involved in that!
  • Sharing the celebration through social media

Here are some great top tips on preparing for LGBT History Month.

Grab your tickets for the showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at Winchester Discover Centre on the 16th of February!

Want to join the Pride Party? Come along to Winchester on February 25th and join the march through Winchester and then let loose with street and pride parties. Please find all the details for this here.

#LGBTHM17

Print