The School Library

All children access the library in a weekly class library session. Junior children can also visit the library during the junior lunchtime session every Thursday.  

Children are encouraged to select new books, with the emphasis on reading for pleasure as we believe that reading is something that we can all enjoy.

Library Days

• Reception – Friday
• Year 1 – Wednesday
• Year 2 – Tuesday
• Year 3 – Thursday
• Year 4 – Thursday
• Year 5 – Monday
• Year 6 – Monday

The library is also open every Thursday lunchtime for junior children to come and use the library between 12:00pm and 1pm.

School Library Association Information Book Award 2023

We were delighted to take part in this award for the first time this year. Eliani, Jacob, Joe and Millie (all Year 6) read all four books on the SLA Information Book Award shortlist (ages 8-12), before they chose their winning book which was The Big Book of Mysteries. For more information about this award, please see here. We look forward to giving you the views of the judging panel soon! Many thanks to the SLA for donating free copies of the shortlisted books which are:

• The Big Book Of Mysteries by Tom Adams, illustrated by Yas Imamura
• Lands of Belonging: A History of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Britain by Donna and Vikesh Amey Bhatt, illustrated by Salini Perrera
• Talking History by Joan Haig and Joan Lennon, illustrated by Andre Ducci
• A World Full of Journeys and Migrations by Martin Howard, illustrated by Christopher Corr

Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize 2023

We are thrilled to be part of the Royal Society Young People’s Book Prize again this year. Florence, Ixia and Thomas from Year 5 and Dan, Emily and Lata from Year 6 have all done a fabulous job reading and voting on all the books, as well as running a brilliant assembly describing all the books and revealing our winner as Deadly and Dangerous Animals! The national winner was also revealed this week as Am I Made of Stardust (our third favourite book).

You can find more information about the prize here. Many thanks to the Royal Society for donating free copies of the shortlisted books which are: 

• A Bug’s Life by Dr Erica McAlister, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman
• Am I Made of Stardust by Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE, illustrated by Chelen Ecija
• Bodies, Brains and Bogies by Paul Ian Cross, illustrated by Steve Brown
• Live Like a Hunter Gatherer by Naomi Walmsley, illustrated by Mia Underwood
• Ben Rothery’s Deadly and Dangerous Animals by Ben Rothery 
• Step Inside Germs by Sarah Hull, illustrated by Teresa Bellon

Author visits in 2024

On Wednesday 17th April, we are excited to be welcoming award winning author and illustrator Chris Naylor-Ballesteros who will be drawing and talking about his lovely Frank and Bert picture book series to Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. All his books are available to purchase on ParentPay and Chris will be signing and dedicating books on the day.

We will also be hosting a visit from Pia DasGupta in June so do keep any eye out for more details of this exciting event.

On Friday 22nd March, we were delighted to host a visit by the fabulous award winning author Catherine Doyle, author of the Storm Keepers series. Years 5 and 6 enjoyed a fascinating talk about her new book Pirates of Darksea and how to create your own characters, plots and deadly pirate ships!

On Tuesday 5th March, Years 3 and 4 had the amazing opportunity to see Laura Ellen Anderson at KES Junior School. She spoke about writing and illustrating her new book Marnie Midnight and the children had the chance to create some amazing drawings!

Author visits in 2023 and earlier

In October 2023, all classes from Year 1 to Year 6 enjoyed wonderful visits to the Bath Children’s Literature Festival, seeing the fabulous authors Nadia Shireen, Katie and Kevin Tsang, Frank Cottrell Boyce, Phil Earle, Hiba Noor Khan and Katherine Rundell. Many thanks to Bath Festivals for such inspiring opportunities!

E L Norry visited Years 5 and 6 to give a brilliant talk about her new book Fablehouse on Friday 23rd June 2023. Fablehouse is available to borrow in the school library and is a fascinating and exciting read!

We enjoyed a visit on a suitably windy and rainy day on Monday 13th March 2023 from local author Tamsin Mori to speak to Years 4, 5 and 6 about the final book in her brilliant Weather Weaver series. All Weather Weaver books are available in the school library. 

Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 enjoyed an exciting visit from Sarah Coyle for an interactive Pick a Story session on Wednesday 8th February 2023. The children really enjoyed voting on and acting out the different stories.

We enjoyed a brilliant (and scary) visit from Eve Wersocki Morris who visited Years 5 and 6 on Wednesday 18th January 2023 to talk about her new book The Wildstorm Curse. 

We were delighted to be invited to visit KES Junior School on Thursday 19th January 2023 to see Abi Elphinstone speaking about her new book Saving Neverland. Years 3 and 4 had a wonderful time. 

Please see below for the fabulous visits which have taken place in the last five years (in addition to the annual visits to the Bath Children’s Literature Festival).

• Cerrie Burnell in May 2022 to talk to Years  4, 5 and 6 about her new book Wilder than Midnight
• A live Zoom event with Cressida Cowell in June 2021 to talk about her new book in the Wizards of Once series – Never and Forever.
• Hannah Shaw in February 2020 to talk to Years 1, 2 and 3 about her new book Unipiggle: Unicorn Muddle.
• Anna James in October 2019 to talk to Years 4 and 6 about her Pages & Co series of books. 
• Stewart Foster in July 2019 to talk to Years 4 and 6 about his new book Check Mates
• Abi Elphinstone in June 2019 to talk to Years 3, 4 and 5 about her new book Rumblestar
• Catherine Bruton in May 2019 to talk to Year 6 about her critically acclaimed new book No Ballet Shoes In Syria 
• Fleur Hitchcock in March 2019 to talk to the whole school about her new books Clifftoppers and the Boy Who Flew
• Costa Children’s Book Award winner Jasbinder Bilan in February 2019 to talk to Years 4 and 5 about her debut novel Asha and the Spirit Bird
• Carina Axelsson in January  2019 to talk to Years 4 and 6 about her new book Royal Rebel 
• Years 5 and 6 also enjoyed an inspiring trip to Frome in February 2019 to see the brilliant authors Kiran Millwood Hargrave, Nicki Thornton and Maz Evans. Many thanks to Bath Festivals and The Little Things Magazine for organising this free event.