A very warm welcome (to match the weather!) from our three libraries in the North.
Gingerbread men, crime and creepy houses at Kensal Library

We celebrated National Bookstart Week with a special baby rhyme time at Kensal Library. After reading ‘The Ugly Duckling’ we read ‘The Gingerbread Man’, sang a few songs and then had a craft session where the children coloured in little gingerbread men cut them out and stuck them onto lolly sticks. Then the children made the gingerbread men run as fast as they could. Also we handed out the gingerbread man recipe from Bookstart and we’re hoping to try any that baked! If you’d like the recipe it’s on the Bookstart website.

As Malorie Blackman has been named as the Children’s Laureate for 2013-2015 we decided to display our lovely new copies of some of her titles. Leanne Bellot our Customer Services Assistant at Kensal Library helped put together the display.
We love the Creepy House theme for the Summer Reading Challenge and Ruth and I have set up the dump bin in readiness. We are putting aside lots of great titles and are gearing up for the expected rush of children!
Natasha Chaoui, Senior Customer Services Assistant
Kensal Library
Crime and creepy houses at North Kensington Library

This month we celebrated the National Crime Writing Month with displays of crime fiction in all our libraries. Pictured here is the crime book display at North Kensington Library complied by Customer Services Assistant, Irani Singh. We have excellent crime fiction collections which include:
- Classic crime e.g. Agatha Christie mysteries
- Modern European crime and nordic Noir e.g. Henning Mankell’s Wallender and Stieg Larsson’s Millennium series
- Spooky crime e.g. Ben Aaronovitch’s Peter Grant Series
- Celtic crime and tartan noir e.g. Ian Rankin’s inspector Rebus
- Medieval crime e.g. Ellis Peters’ Cadfael mysteries
- Light humorous crime e.g. M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin and Elizabeth Peters Amelia Peabody Series
In fact we have something to suit all tastes. Even if you are not a hard core crime aficionado you will find something that will interest you. For more information visit the Crime Writing Month website
This year’s Summer Reading Challenge got off to a sprint start in our libraries and already we have lots of names on our progression boards. Enroll your children now and pick up a leaflet about our programme of Creepy Craft activities and events at your local library.
Children get prizes for reading library books and can engage in lots of fun activities and games on the Creepy House website. There is even an amazing, interactive book sorter to help your child choose books to read. If you don’t have a computer at home they can book time on one of the library computers.

Gaynor Lynch, Lending Librarian
North Kensington Library
Bookstart Bear Club at Notting Hill Gate Library



Ihssan Dhimi, Senior Customer Services Assistant
Notting Hill Gate Library