student news from the library

We're really proud of our reading culture here at UGS, and two of our Year 7 Reading Champions, Asfer 7R and Alaina 7T, are delighted to launch a new Library news feature, where they're going to tell us all about what they and others are reading right now, and profile some of the many titles available to our students.

Asfer 7R

Prolific reader Asfer is really keen to work his way through our Urmston 100 recommended Reading List, and has just enjoyed reading the inspirational title I am Malala, a popular choice:

I enjoy reading literature very much. It opens up a whole new world for you to explore. The book I want to talk about is I am Malala. This autobiography is simply fantastic and starts off with a girl who simply likes to go to school, but has to fight for this. Her book has won numerous awards, and it really is amazing to read the story of such an inspirational person, allowing it to sit on the Urmston 100 List.

The details astounded me - you'll be surprised at how much she has changed since she was little. The pictures are also amazing and I rate this book 5/5.

Alaina 7T

My take on The Life I’m In by Sharon Flake

This book is about a young girl who faces physical and mental hardships during a challenging situation. It helps people understand that many people go through such problems, and that they are not alone if they experience something similar. It is a very touching story and the main character in this story is an African-American teenager called Charles Jones, who gets caught up in the world of trafficking as she is filled with negative thoughts about herself.

In another book by the same author, Charles is mentioned as the bully who pushes people down, and it shows that she hurts other people because of her own problems and what she is going through. She is strong, and she feels like she HAS to be tough. She was told she had to leave her home, and felt like vulnerable prey in the real world of human trafficking. Charles is resilient and strong, but when she has so many problems, and anxiety swirling around her head on repeat, she is unsure of what to do. And she feels that she has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and wants to bring herself and other victims out of the dark. In the book, she just doesn't know if she is making the right choices, and whether she is going to be saved or left behind.

It is an amazing, powerful, gripping, story that will help anyone who reads it in a time of sadness, and it really opens your eyes to a whole new way of thinking.