Ann Cleeves Podcast Extra

Hello and welcome to today’s wonderful podcast extra.  Ann Cleeves, author of the fantastic Shetland series and the Vera novels, came along to give a talk at Falkirk Library.

We recorded her talk on the day and here it is. This is a live event, so apologies for the sound quality, which isn’t quite as good as our usual podcasts.

With huge thanks to Ann and Pan Macmillan, as well as our friends at Waterstones who sold books on the day for Ann to sign

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Science Fiction and Fantasy Books – Podcast 24

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Tanya and Gavin and Anna… Today’s episode is all about Science Fiction and Fantasy books, but don’t worry, for those of you who aren’t that way inclined, we’ll break you in gently (and we’ve got lots of other stuff too). If you’re tempted by any of the books we suggest, then have a look on our library catalogue where you can request it – or simply have a rummage on our shelves for some fabulous books.

What we have been reading and listening to:

Tanya has been reading:

  • Whisky Galore by Compton Mackenzie
  • Doug Johnstone, Fault Lines

Anna has been reading and listening to:

  • Giant Days by John Allison – illustrated by Max Sarin and Lisa Tremain
  • Podcast: Stuff you should know

Gavin has been reading:

  • Descender, Jeff Lemire – Graphic novel

New and forthcoming adult books:

  • Hometown Tales: Highlands & Hebrides, Colin MacIntyre & Ellen Macaskill
  • Believe Me, JP Delany
  • Careless Love, Peter Robinson
  • Wildfire, Anne Cleeves
  • Headhunter, Chris Ryan

New and forthcoming children’s titles:

  • That’s not my giraffe by Fiona Watt (author), Rachel Wells (illustrator) (0 – 3 years)
  • Once Upon a Wild Wood by Chris Riddell (3 – 6 years)
  • Unicorn Academy: Layla and Dancer by Julie Sykes (6 – 9 years)
  • Dork Diaries: Birthday Drama! By Rachel Renee Russell (9 – 12 years)
  • Catwoman: Soulstealer (DC Icons series) by Sarah J. Maas (Teen)

DVD recommendations:

  • Ghost Stories – 15
  • Avengers Infinity War – 12
  • A Wrinkle in Time – PG
  • Coco – PG

Our Reading Agony this week: We’ve been asked by a brave listener who wants to expand her reading, ‘I’ve never read an SF book before, I’m a bit put off by some of covers and I’m not sure where to start’

  • The Hobbit by J R R Tolkein
  • Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett
  • Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb
  • Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
  • Doctor Who or Torchwood books if you like the TV series
  • Timothy Zahn’s Star Wars series if you liked the films
  • Andy Weir, The Martian

Staff quotes of the day: ‘I think our shelves should be Light Turquoise or possibly Traffic Purple’ 

Our discussion: Science Fiction & fantasy books that we love:

  • Military SF – Jack Campbell; Lois McMaster Bujold; David Weber
  • CJ Cherryh
  • Neuromancer, William Gibson
  • The Way of Shadows, Brent Weeks
  • Metro 2033, Dmitrii Glukhovskii
  • Warhammer series
  • Anna McCaffrey, especially The Ship who Sang
  • Sheri S Tepper e.g Gibbons Decline and Fall
  • Graceling by Kristen Cashore
  • Anything by Terry Pratchett
  • Robin Hobb – start with Assassin’s Apprentice

Did you know? That our online library catalogue features a page devoted to graphic novels? On this page customers will find details of the latest releases as well as quick links to your favourite publishers, characters or series. Whether you are new to graphic novels or a veteran, this page makes finding graphic novels easier.

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then join us on rate and review us on Apple so that more people can find out about us. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, or if you’ve got a Reader Agony of your very own then go to www.librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook or @LibFalkirk on Twitter

 

 

Children’s Books – Podcast 23

Hello and welcome to the Falkirk Libraries podcast with Tanya and Gavin
Today’s episode is all about children’s books, but there’s still lots for adults to enjoy, even if you haven’t got a wee person to get books for. Have a look on the library catalogue to request books discussed.

What we have been reading and listening to:
Tanya has been reading:
• Reading Dorothy L Sayers’ Strong Poison
• Listening to: Peace out – relaxation and mindfulness stories for kids Grant has been reading:
Gavin has been reading:
• Raw: My journey into the Wu-Tang by Lamont ‘U-God’ Hawkins.

New and forthcoming adult books:
• I am Heathcliff, Kate Mosse
• 84K, Claire North
• Displaced, Barbara Nadel
• Grime Kids, DJ Target

New and forthcoming children’s titles:
• The Cook and the King by Julia Donaldson (author), David Roberts (illustrator) (0 – 5 years)
• Daisy and the Trouble with School Trips by Kes Gray (6 – 9 years)
• Secrets of a Sun King by Emma Carroll (9 – 12 years)
• The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle (Teen)

DVD recommendations:
• Peter Rabbit – PG
• Rampage – 12
• The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie – 12

Our Reading Agony this week:
I borrow a lot of books, but I also like to buy some. Any tips for picking up reasonably priced books? – Most of the libraries sell withdrawn books, DVDs and audio books. The items are removed from our collections for various reason and are very reasonably priced.

Staff quotes of the day: I never knew that my staff wanted me to be a pretzel

Our discussion:  Fantastic children’s books for ages (very roughly) 10 – 13yrs
• Game Guides are particularly popular for this age group – see Minecraft or Fortnite
• Graphic novels are also an excellent way of getting them reading, especially the ones related to games or TV show. For example, Plants Vs Zombies, Teen Titans Go!, Pokemon, Yo-kai Watch.
• Manga – (for the older kids) My Hero Academia Manga series; the Assassination Classroom series; how to draw Manga books
• Tintin
• Follow your child’s interests, for example books about science
Fiction
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
• Sky Hawk, Gill Lewis
• Mind Blind, Lari Don
• Rat Runners, Oision McGann
• Everything by Rick Riordan (e.g. the Percy Jackson series)
• For the upper part of the age range) Michael Grant’s Gone series
• How to Train Your Dragon series by Cressida Cowell
• Andy Griffiths’ The 13 Storey Treehouse series
• Harry Potter books
• James Patterson, Middle School series

Did you know? If you are looking for a kids’ or teens’ reading group, then get into your local library – most public libraries have them. At Falkirk Libraries we have Chatterbooks sessions (7 – 12yrs) in most of the libraries and a teenage reading group in Falkirk Library (ages 13 – 17yrs) where we have booky fun and chat about books that we love (or hate). – have a look on the website at www.falkirkcommunitytrust.org or ask in your local library.

Thank you for listening to the Library Love podcast, we hope you’ve enjoyed yourself and if you did, then tell a friend or colleague about our podcast; or give us a review on iTunes so more people get to hear about us. We love to hear from you and if you’d like to get in touch with us, then go to then go to librarylovefalkirk.com, Falkirk Libraries on Facebook, or @LibFalkirk on Twitter.