Your Libraries

Readers' Guides and Recommendations

Scroll down this page to find staff favourites for adults and kids.

Readers' Guides

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Adult Fiction
dead republic 

The Dead Republic by Roddy Doyle

ghost light  Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor
one day  One Day by David Nicholls
secret speech  The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith
push  Push by Sapphire

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Biography and History
Blood Dark Track  Blood Dark Track: A Family History by Joseph O'Neill 
insider   The Insider: Trapped in Saddam's Brutal Regime by Ala Bashir
 Gorgeous Gael Jack Doyle: The Gorgeous Gael by Michael Taub
The Same Age as the State   The Same Age As The State by Máire Cruise O'Brien
Dreams from my Father   Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama

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CDs - Classical
Cecilia Bartoli Mozart Portraits   Mozart Portraits by Cecilia Bertoli 
Brahms Choral Works   Brahms Choral Works featuring the Monteverdi Choir
Juan Diego Florez  Bel Canto Spectacular by Juan Diego Florez
La Boheme   Puccini's La Boheme featuring Renata Scotto and Alfredo Kraus
The Ultimate Strauss   The Ultimate Strauss Album

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CDs - Popular
celebration madonna  Celebration by Madonna
marley legend  Legend: Bob Marley and the Wailers
katherine jenkins  The Ultimate Collection by Katherine Jenkins
rodrigo y gabriela   Live in Japan by Rodrigo y Gabriela
Snow Patrol Up To Now   Up To Now by Snow Patrol

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DVDs

 32A 32A directed by Marian Quinn
Nowhere Boy  Nowhere Boy directed by Sam Taylor-Wood
La Balance 

La Balance directed by Bob Swaim
Strumpet City DVD 

Strumpet City directed by Tony Barry
The Triplets of Belleville  The Triplets of Belleville directed by Sylvain Chomet

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Best websites for kids

Here are our 10 favourite websites for kids and young adult readers:

 pilkey website  wimpified
www.pilkey.com  Contains Groovy Games, you can find out your Captain Underpants name (mine is Stinky Gizzzardchunks), or have fun with the online Flip-o-ramas!
www.jackstalwart.com  Games and quizzes about your favourite boy hero! You can even create your own Jack Stalwart artwork! 
www.wimpykid.com   Find out about author Jeff Kinney and the Wimpy Kid books here. You can even wimpify yourself online!
www.peterrabbit.com   Games, and children’s play site. You can even create your own Peter Rabbit puppet show! 
www.roalddahl.com  Visit the Treats section for Roald Dahl character quizzes and games. 
www.rainbowmagic.co.uk  Play with the Rainbow Magic Fairies. Contains fun and free games, activities and things to print. 
www.horridhenry.co.uk  Join the Purple Hand gang or find your Horrid Henry name! 
www.jeremystrong.co.uk  All about author Jeremy Strong and his books. You can play Krazy Kow – the game. 
www.jkrowling.com  Interactive website – contains Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About JK Rowling, Harry Potter, of course, and a Wizard of the Month archive. 
www.darrenshan.com  Die-hard Darren Shan fans – check out the Extras section for extra and deleted chapters! 

We Recommend For Kids and Teens

Picture Books
The Rascally Cake  The Rascally Cake by Jeanne Willis 
Smelly Peter   Smelly Peter The Great Pea Eater by Steve Smallman
pants  Pants by Giles Andrea
library lion  Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
baby brains superstar  Baby Brains Superstar by Simon James

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Books for Younger Readers
Captain Underpants  Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey 
butterfly lion  The Butterfly Lion by Michael Morpurgo
captain crow's teeth The Legend of Captain Crow's Teeth by Eoin Colfer
stone fox  Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner
witch baby Witch Baby and Me by Debi Gliori

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Books for Older Readers
jimmy coates Power  Jimmy Coates, Power! by Joe Craig 
The Willoughbys   The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
firework makers daughter The Firework-maker's Daughter by Philip Pullman
fergus crane   Fergus Crane by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell
broken glass   Broken Glass by Sally Grindley

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Best Teen Reads
chelonia green  Chelonia Green Champion of Turtles by Christobel Mattingley
creature night  Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson
revolver  Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick
boy lost face  The Boy Who Lost His Face by Louis Sachar
demon's lexicon 

The Demon's Lexicon by Sarah Rees Brennan

 keeper Keeper by Mal Peet