Bradford Libraries' Blog

Blog

  • Meet our digital musicians and poets…

    We have been working with some incredible young poets and musicians over the past six months who, with the help of partner organisations The Space and filmmakers Neon8, have transformed their art into a series virtual reality films. The group, known as ‘The Pulse of Bradford’ are now ready to debut their creations. Here is a little more information about the project…

    The Pulse of Bradford have captured the past, present and future in a collection of poems and music.

    Three young poets and two musicians aged 16-24, produced original work around the theme of ‘the sounds of the city.’

    The group, known as The Pulse of Bradford, worked alongside Halifax poet Gaia Holmes to share their thoughts and feelings about the city with the aim of inviting audiences to see the city through their eyes and give voice to the future of the district.

    Their work has now been captured on camera by Virtual Reality filmmakers Neon8 and will feature in a Virtual Reality Tour due to be held at Bradford Libraries from January 30-February 8.

    Bradford is one of the nine library services in England selected to participate in the groundbreaking Digital Spaces program.  This innovative initiative in collaboration with Arts Council England, BFI, with National Lottery Funding, and The Space, is delivering an array of digital experiences in libraries throughout 2025, ranging from awe-inspiring VR showcases and hands-on workshops to funding opportunities for creating new digital content.  

    The poems, which were written over a number of weeks, speak to the ‘thousand voices of Bradford’ as well as the delights of Lister Park and the isolation of modern-day life. They feature alongside a live piano performance and a specially composed electronic music piece, which also respond to the theme.

    Each artist was asked to choose their favourite spot to be filmed in, creating a virtual map of the district.

    Among the venues chosen were Lister Park, Cliffe Castle, Sunbridge Road Mission Church, Sunbridge Road and Pied Piper Pianos in Haworth.

    Poet Alfie Wilson said: “It has been amazing to work with like-minded people. Gaia has been incredible in mentoring us and helping us develop our own style. Everyone’s work is so unique and explores all the different things that make Bradford the place that it is. I’ve really enjoyed the whole experience and can’t wait to see the films.”

    The films will be shown at the following libraries.

    Friday, Jan 30 – Tues Feb 3 – Manningham Library

    Wednesday Feb 4 – Keighley Library

    Thursday Feb 5 – Ilkley Library

    Friday Feb 6 – Shipley Library

    Saturday Feb 7 – City Library

    They will also feature in a celebration and Open Mic due to be held at City Library on Saturday Feb 7 at 6pm. Poets and musicians, eager to perform are asked to email Andrea.Hardaker@bradford.gov.uk to book a slot.

  • Young Poet Laureates Sought…

    We’re thrilled to announce that submissions for the Young Poet Laureate Programme are now open! 

    This is an incredible opportunity for young poets to showcase their talent and creativity.

    Are you (or do you know of) a young poet with a passion for words? Enter now for the chance to become a Young Poet Laureate and inspire others with your voice.

    The Young Poet Laureate Programme opportunity is open for entries, giving KS2 and KS3 students the incredible chance to become their region’s Young Poet Laureate.

    The 12 appointed laureates will receive 1-to-1 mentoring with professional poets, publication and performance opportunities, commissioned writing work and the chance to join a national network championing poetry in schools and communities.

    Up to 120 shortlisted poets will also be published in a celebratory anthology and invited (with a member of staff) to a regional masterclass in April–May, featuring workshops with poets, goody bags and a final performance for the judging panel.

    How to apply:

    Entries must be submitted by a member of school staff using the form on the Young Poet Laureate webpage. Each student should submit one Word document including:

    ·       A short personal statement explaining why they would like to be a Young Poet Laureate for their region (max 200 words)

    ·       One original poem on any topic (max 40 lines)

    Deadline: Monday 19 January

    For full details and to submit entries, visit: Young Poet Laureate | National Literacy Trust

  • Book Review – Hidden Fires by Sakinah

    Today’s reviewer is Sakinah, who loves reading, walking in the woods and gardening. She also loves catching up with friends or family over a cup of tea and cake. Her favourite cake is lemon drizzle.

    Title: Hidden Fires

    Author: Saarish Hussain

    Genre: Adult Fiction

    Summary: Ruby is a teenage girl struggling with anxiety, body image and self harm. Her father, an over- worked social worker and carer of his wife, who suffers from a long term illness, does not have much time to spare for his only child, Ruby.

    When Ruby’s grandmother passes away in Spain her father decides to leave her in the care of her paternal grandfather Yusuf, in another city. Ruby is perturbed by the idea of living away from home with her elderly grandfather who she barely knows. His religious rituals and old fashioned ideas are enough to drive her to the edge.

    However, over time, she comes to realise that she is not the only one facing internal struggles. Her grandfather, she discovers is battling with deep seated trauma and horrific memories of his own.

    During the short time they spend together, Ruby and Yusuf establish a wonderful bond that leads to emotional healing for the pair of them.

    Verdict: I enjoyed this book because the author covered a variety of different themes that are current issues of contention in today’s society, such as over-worked parents, stretched social services, self- harm, anxiety and bullying amongst teenagers and loneliness and isolation amongst the elderly.

    I particularly enjoyed the author’s coverage of Yusuf’s traumatic memories of living through the partition of India and Pakistan in a sensitive yet informative manner.

    I felt that the author also broke many of the age-old stereotypes of British Muslim families, which was refreshing and encouraging to read.

    You can find Hidden Fires here Search Results for Hidden Fires

  • Running Wild and Wildland – two reviews by 10-year-old Noor

    Reviewer Bio – My name is Noor, I am a ten -year -old girl. I love playing sports, especially Football. I also love cats and I have a pet cat named Mia. Here are my two reviews.

    Title:  Running Wild

    Author:  Micheal Morpurgo

    Genre:  Adventure

    Summary: This story is about a young boy called Will who goes on holiday with his mum to try and forget the memories of a tragic incident, that has changed their lives forever.

    Whilst on holiday, Will is riding an elephant named Oona when a Tsunami hits. Oona instinctively runs away from the sea and towards the jungle, but she doesn’t stop running.  Will is desperate and scared and has no idea what has become of his mother who he left behind on the beach before Oona ran.

    Will has to learn how to communicate and work with Oona to survive his new life in the jungle. Will he live the rest of his life there with Oona? Or will he eventually return home? And what is left of home for Will? 

    Verdict: I enjoyed this book because the plot has lots of twists and turns. I enjoyed the descriptions of the jungle and the animals. I am a big fan of Micheal Morpurgo’s writing style.

    The chapters where quite long and I would have liked it if they were shorter.

    I would score this book 10/10.

    If YOU would like to read Running Wild, you can find it on our catalogue here – Search Results for Running Wild

    Title: Wildlands

    Author: Brogan Murphy

    Genre: Children’s Fiction

    Summary: This book is about the survival of two sisters who fall off a passenger train that runs through the middle of a wild land. All they have with them is a rucksack, a bar of chocolate, a bottle of water, a mobile phone without signal and one another.

    This story is about survival in the wild. Will the sisters ever make it home again?

    Verdict: I found this book really difficult to put down. The story was really interesting from the moment I picked it up. I especially liked the part of the story where the sisters fall off the train and realise, they are all alone in the wild, with barely any belongings. I liked the fast pace of the book and the length of the chapters.

    I would score it 10/10.

    If YOU would like to read Wildlands you can find it on our catalogue here Search Results for Wildlands

  • Book Review – Bog Queen

    Reviewer Cathy Liddle loves to browse the shelves of Keighley Library.

    Cathy reads both fiction and non-fiction. Over Christmas she has read “Bog Queen” the latest novel by Anna North, published this year.

    Here are her thoughts.

    Bog Queen by Anna North

    It begins with the finding of a body, as thrillers generally do.

    But, as a young American researcher attempts to establish the body’s identity and cause of death, the trail unexpectedly takes her deep into the distant past of Celtic Britain – and deep into the wondrous complexities of a northern peat bog today under threat.

    “Bog Queen” so evidently incorporates the twin passions of its author Anna North, its themes alternating between an admirable reconstruction of Iron Age life and an impassioned reflection on the ecological damage now being wrought across our modern world.

    This is an accessible and intriguing story, thought-provoking and worthy while remaining thoroughly readable. Yet it suffers a little by (ahem, sorry!) getting bogged down in too many side issues and peripheral characters, which reduces its impact.  Anna North’s wide-ranging ambition for her book was perhaps too great.

    You can find Bog Queen here Search Results for Bog Queen

  • Mother and Son review…Squid Squad

    Mother and son, Hera Azeem and Muhammad Affan Abbas put their heads together to write the following review of Squid Squad by Aoife Dooley.

    Genre of book:

    This book is humorous, adventurous and action packed colorful graphic novel

    Summary :

    Squid squad is based on four short sections. Start with introduction of deep sea town Nowhere and sea creatures. Ollie(vampire squid), Zing(sea bunny) and other distinctive  sea creatures and their adventures life. 

    The second section leads us to Ollie and Zing’s surprises birthday party, planning for friend Barney and where was he? 

    The third part is based on Zing and Ollie’s exciting and  hilarious way to search out strange noise which disturb the sleep of a whole town. 

    And the last section is about Ollie’s entrance to secret squid paradise through toilet and his friend’s struggle to find him and bring him back to town. 

    We like its vibrant colorful pictures along with funny, exciting and adventurous stories

    Things which we don’t like are it’s dim and thin font size with some harder and strong language. 

    I hope you like our thoughts about book. Thank you! 

    About us

    HERA Azeem, House wife 

    Muhammad Affan Abbas, 6 years old, Year 1 

    If you would like to read this over the holidays, here is the link – The squid squad

  • Creative Writers sought…

    Calling all writers!

    Why not start a new creative writing course with us in the New Year?

    We run weekly sessions across three libraries, Keighley Library City Library and Ilkley Library.

    These sessions are open to both newcomers and established writers in any style – prose (including short stories and novels), poetry, scripts, memoir and creative non-fiction.

    Keighley Library. Wednesday 7th January to 11th March. 5:30pm to 7:30pm.

    Ilkley Library. Friday 9th January to 13th March. 4pm to 6pm.

    City Library. Saturday 10th January to 14th March. 10:15am to 12:15pm.

    Courses cost £65 for all sessions, payable in the first session. We have two places on each course available at a reduced rate – please contact Christina.Wilson@bradford.gov.uk to confirm that you are eligible and check availability.

    To book contact Christina.Wilson@bradford.gov.uk

  • Write a letter to your son…

    Calling all dads! Want to give your son a boost?

    Why not write him a letter to be shared in

    LETTERS TO OUR SONS…

    Following the response he received from the TV show Adolescence, Actor Stephen Graham would love your help in continuing the conversation between fathers and their sons. Together with psychology lecturer Orly Klein, they are calling on dads to write a letter to their sons about what matters most to them about fatherhood, being a man and the lessons you want to pass down to them. There’s no right or wrong way. Just your way.

    You can post your letters here – letterstooursons.co.uk

  • Author Mandy Sutter’s Festive favourites

    Author Mandy Sutter (Ted the Shed) has appeared regularly at Bradford Libraries. Today she shares her favourite 19th Century festive reads.

    In my day job, I record stories for the sleep and meditation app, Insight Timer. I write some of these myself. But there are also plenty of classic stories that can’t be beaten, especially at Christmas.

    One of the most beloved Christmas stories is ‘A Christmas Carol,’ by Charles Dickens. This comes in five instalments, or ‘staves’ as Dickens calls them, and if you’ve never read it, or only seen the film, it’s a must. You may be surprised to find that it’s extremely funny and that Scrooge, even at the beginning before his nocturnal transformation, is witty and even a little bit likeable. Dickens is sometimes credited with inventing Christmas as a time of generosity and joy and this story was a powerful force for social justice in its day.

    Next comes ‘The Gift of the Magi,’ by O Henry, which tells of a young American couple, much in love but very hard up, who try to buy each other a special Christmas gift. I won’t give away the ending, but it is touching and heart breaking all at once and makes you shout ‘nooooo!’ at the dog, or the cat, or at O Henry himself.

    There is a great Sherlock Holmes story set at Christmas, ‘The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle.’ It’s quite a romp, involving a missing diamond, a thief and a Christmas goose. As you may know, Sherlock’s opinion of the police is never very high and here, Arthur Conan Doyle has his hero decide for himself whether to turn the culprit over to the police or not.

    Another place you might look for a good Christmas story is in the Just William books, by Richmal Crompton. All her stories (and there are an amazing number of them) deal with the rascally young William and his adventures. The great appeal of William is that he is thoroughly authentic and always sees through, and challenges, the hypocrisy of adults. In ‘William’s Christmas Eve,’ with a deliberate nod to Dickens, his good-heartedness shines through.

    But my favourite Christmas story of all time is Truman Capote’s ‘A Christmas Memory.’ Written in 1965, it’s an autobiographical story about a special friendship.

    ‘I am seven; she is sixty-something, We are cousins, very distant ones, and we have lived together—well, as long as I can remember. Other people inhabit the house, relatives; and though they have power over us, and frequently make us cry, we are not, on the whole, too much aware of them. We are each other’s best friend. She calls me Buddy, in memory of a boy who was formerly her best friend. The other Buddy died in the 1880’s, when she was still a child. She is still a child.’

    Capote beautifully reconjures their Christmas preparations, such as gathering pecan nuts, baking fruit cakes and even stealing a Christmas tree.

    However you choose to do it, reading even just one of these stories will enrich your Christmas.  Happy reading and Happy Christmas!

    Search Results for A Christmas Carol

    Ted the shed – Mandy’s book. Do check it out…it’s both funny and poignant!

    Search Results for Sherlock Holmes

    Search Results for Truman Capote

    You can find out more about Mandy Sutter here www.mandysutter.com

  • Staff Recommendation of the week

    Customer Support Assistant at Eccleshill Library, Elliss Ullah, recommends Spellbound by Georgia Leighton.

    A fantastic feminist retelling of the classic story Sleeping Beauty. With complicated, intriguing characters I could not put this book down!

    Search Results for Spellbound

Is this your new site? Log in to activate admin features and dismiss this message
Log In