International Women’s Day – What To Read

Posted on by Zara

This years International Women’s Day the theme is #EmbraceEquity, making the world more equitable by recognising that each person has different circumstances and creating the opportunities needed to reach an equal outcome. Here are some books we have at the library by female authors about womens experiences.

Girl, Women, Other by Bernadine Evaristo
This book is about feminism. It is about Black women’s place in society and the oppression they face. The characters’ relationships, especially the mother-daughter relationship. Each chapter is divided into three parts, each part from the view of a different character, with the three characters appearing in other stories. When you meet a character in one story, you develop an opinion about them. This opinion changes as you read about their story and learn about their circumstances.
Winner of the Man Booker Prize

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books feature strong female characters from the entertainment industry. Evelyn Hugo was an actress at the height of her fame in the 60s and 70s. She looks back on her life in Hollywood and her marriages. Hugo wrestles with the choices she had to make to protect her career and keep her secret. The book looks at what was expected of women in that era. How women were perceived and how they were treated by Hollywood and the press.

We also have many biograpies available including:

  • Judi Dench – and Furthermore 
  • Julie Andrews – Home Work, A Memoir of my Hollywood Years
  • Alison Hammond – You’ve Got To Laugh
  • Maria Sharapova – Unstoppable My Life So Far

We can order additional books for you from other libaries including:

  • Billie Jean King – All In, The Autobiography of Billie Jean King
  • Alex Scott – How (Not) To Be Strong

And to give younger readers an introduction to the women who shape our world you can order:

I know a woman : the inspiring connections between the women who have shaped our world – Hodges, Kate
Covers 84 pioneering women including scientist Marie Curie to political activist Malala Yousafzai, from feminist author Virginia Woolf to the game-changing Billie Jean King.

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Book Recommendations for Football Fanatics

Posted on by Zara

The World Cup is here and we have books for football fanatics.

Learn about your favourite football stars with the Football Superstars series (ages 5+), we have England stars Raheem Sterling and Marcus Rashford, and international players Virgil Van Dijk, Eden Hazard, Lionel Messi and Neymar.

Or learn about football legends Figo and the Brazilian Ronaldo (ages 8-12).

For aspiring footballers we have The Football Handbook

We also have 2 Football School books, which uses football to teach about maths and science (ages 7-11).

Halloween Book Recommendations

Posted on by Zara
Halloween display of books

For Halloween we have a lovely display of some spooky reads for kids. I’ve also added a few recommendations for adults below.

Witchstorm by Tim Tilley

Will must find the witch’s treasure in order to save his Mother. But someone else is searching for it too, and if the treasure falls in the wrong hands Will could lose his home and his Mother.

Available to lend now

Rules for Vampires by Alex Foulkes

Vampires are bound by the Vampiric Laws. And unfortunately, 11-year-old Leo has just forgotten rule number one . . . The Rules for Vampires don’t tell you what to do when you make a ghostly enemy, or accidentally restart an ancient war. But Leo and her very unusual family are more than up to the job.

Available to lend now

Diary of a Wimpy Vampire by Tim Collins

Nigel became a vampire at fifteen so he hangs out with the Goths and emo kids due to his pale skin and social awkwardness, and constantly battling his embarrassingly overwhelming desire to sink his fangs into Chloe’s neck. Will Nigel ever get his girl?

Available to lend now

We also have Titchy Witch books by Rose Impey and The Wickedest Witch by Katie Dale and Harry Potter books.

And for adults:

The Birds and Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier

Most are familiar with the titular story from Alfred Hitchcock’s adaptation. The story is of a small town trying to survive as a large flock of violent birds descended on them.

Available to lend now (in the classics section)

The Children God Forgot by Graham Masterton

This is a sequel to Ghost Virus (2018). After a woman gives birth to a tentacled monster, DC Jerry Pardoe and DS Jamila Patel’s investigation takes them to the sewers where the dead come back to life, witchcraft is the only force strong enough to save you…

Available to lend now

Or you could read something by the king of horror Stephen King. We can order classic novels such as It, The Shining and Misery.

You can check which books are currently in the library at https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/libraries

Black History Month: Book Recommendations

Posted on by narboroughandlcl

October is Black History Month so here are a few recommendations from Black authors, three fiction and three memoirs. Or why not visit the library and browse our other titles.

The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

Published in 2020, this novel is set in Idi Amin’s Uganda and tells of the coming of age story of Kirabo. She is fiercely independent and is surrounded by strong female relatives. She deals with love, loss and complex family dynamics.
Available to lend at Narborough & Littlethorpe Community Library

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

Published in 2020, this novel spans from the 1950s to the 1990s and is set across America. After running away from their small southern town aged sixteen, the Agnes twins find very different new lives apart from each other. One, passing as white, hides her traumatic past from her family. The other, lives with her daughter back in her hometown.
Shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for fiction.
We can order this for you for a £1 charge. 

Swing Time by Zadie Smith

Published in 2016, this novel is set in North West London to West Africa. It follows two friends who dream of becoming dancer. Their friendship ends and Tracey dances in a chorus line whilst Amiee becomes a philanthropist in West Africa.
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize. 
Available to lend at Narborough & Littlethorpe Community Library

Rising To The Surface by Lenny Henry

Published in 2022, this documents Lenny Henry’s life in the 80s and 90s as he navigates his life through the comedy scene. He also writes of the death of his mother, the book is described as ‘moving and honest’.
We can order this for you for a £1 charge.

A Promised Land by Barack Obama

Published 2018, this is the first volume of Barack Obama’s presidential memoirs. He goes through his childhood, his election campaign and his first term in office. He also includes personal stories of his family. 
We can order this for you for a £1 charge

Manifesto On Never Giving Up by Bernadine Evaristo

Published in 2022, Bernardine Evaristo is the 2019 winner of the Booker Prize for Girl, Woman, Other. This memoir documents her life growing up and surviving London whilst setting up Britain’s first theatre company for Black women, and moving on to settle into her career in writing. She also confronts racism and toxic relationships.
Available to lend at Narborough & Littlethorpe Community Library

You can check which books are currently in the library at https://www.leicestershire.gov.uk/leisure-and-community/libraries