Man Booker Prize Winner 2016 Announced

American author Paul Beatty has won this year’s ManBooker Prize for his novel The Sellout.  It is a satirical novel about a young black man who tries to reinstate slavery and segregation in a local high school on the outskirts of Los Angeles.  This is the first time an American author has won the prize. Beatty receives £50,000 in prize money.

We have a selection of past Man Booker prizewinning and shortlisted novels available to borrow from the War Memorial Library.

New Comics Laureate Announced

Charlie Adlard, artist of The Walking Dead zombie comics and many more, has been appointed as the new comics laureate. The appointment was announced at The Lakes International Comic Art Festival.  Charlie Adlard will take over the role from Dave Gibbons in February next year. 

The scheme was set up two years ago by The Comics Literacy Awareness Trust (CLAW) and the purpose of the role is to champion children’s literacy and encourage creativity.

The new laureate believes that “the power of comics to encourage learning and develop literacy shouldn’t be underestimated. Comics can connect with people who may never pick up a normal book and really help encourage a love of reading”.

Graphic Novels in the WML

We have a growing collection of graphic novels in the War Memorial and Discovery Libraries, including graphic novel versions of Charlie Higson and Eoin Colfer books, Manga versions of Darren Shan and James Patterson novels and Marvel Comic graphic novels.  An example of Charlie Adlard’s work, Days Gone Bye, is available to borrow from the War Memorial Library.

Carve Out Time for A Good Read this Halloween!

Why not choose a 'scary' book to read over half term? Come and browse our display of horror books for Halloween in the Discovery Library. We have something for everyone - from vampires to werewolves and books that are horrifying and funny!

In the War Memorial Library, we have put together a display of must-read, spine-tingling, Halloween horror classics.  From gothic novels such as Frankenstein by Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker's Dracula, to the terrifyingly creepy The Woman in Black by Susan Hill - borrow them if you dare!

Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize for literature

Bob Dylan, one of the most influential American singer/songwriters of the 20th century, has been awarded the 2016 Nobel prize for literature “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition”.

There have been mixed reactions to the award, however, former poet laureate Andrew Motion has called it "a wonderful acknowledgement of Dylan’s genius. For 50 and some years he has bent, coaxed, teased and persuaded words into lyric and narrative shapes that are at once extraordinary and inevitable.”

National Poetry Day

Today is National Poetry Day and we are celebrating in many different ways at TRS!

Founded in 1994 by William Sieghart, National Poetry day is a nationwide celebration of poetry, which is held each year on the first Thursday of October.


Check out our display in the Discovery Library and browse and borrow our fantastic collection of poetry from Michael Rosen to Adisa and Jacqueline Wilson.  What's your favourite poem?