Spotlight 6. Magic

In these Library Spotlight posts we’re picking a theme and highlighting some of the amazing content available to you online via Sheffield Libraries, as well as out there in the wider world. 

Today we’re taking the theme of Magic.  

What if Gandalf joined the Sweeney?

Ben Aaronivitch is the best-selling author behind the Rivers of London series.  Now onto the eighth book, this hugely popular urban fantasy series follows the adventures of Peter Grant, a young police officer who finds himself working for The Folly, a secret branch of the police that handles the supernatural.

In this podcast the author talks about the vital role of place in his fiction and what it is like adapting the books with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Listen to the podcast

You will also find the Rivers of London included in this list of 21 fantasy books everyone should read.  Take a look at the full list.

Still Using the Force

On the 40th anniversary of the release of The Empire Strikes Back, SFX Magazine celebrates four decades of arguably the best Star Wars film ever made.  

Read SFX and over 100 other bestselling magazines in the eLibrary

Master of the Mystic Arts and other Comics

Enjoyed the Marvel superhero films?  Why not try the comics where it all began.  In our eLibrary you will find Doctor Strange alongside a host of other familiar faces including Spiderman, Thor, and lots more familiar Marvel characters.

Read over 1000 comics in the eLibrary

And for younger readers, you can count on The Beano for pages of magical themed silliness including jokes, quizzes and magic tricks.

Visit the Beano website

Create your own magical place

In the Discovering Children’s Books website you will find images of original drafts, artworks, poems and notebooks by a variety of well-loved children’s authors and illustrators, as well as ideas for sparking your own children’s creativity.  Check out this page to start children off on creating their own imaginary school full of magic and mystery. 

Read the activity notes

Or watch this video from Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell.  Cressida is the author of the wonderful How to Train your dragon series, and The Wizards of Once series.  She is posting videos for junior age children every day and in this one, she challenges children to create a map of their own magical land and then write a story about it.

Watch the video