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Haddenham Library Book Treasure Hunt!
2023-09-08 19:46
Summer Update!
2023-08-20 20:19
Summer Reading Challenge 2023
2023-07-10 10:25

Book Club

Our friendly Book Club meets on the third Tuesday of the month in the Library at 3.30pm. We welcome anyone who enjoys reading and likes
talking about books. We don't do 'lit crit' but we discuss why we like/didn't like the book choice. We exchange tips on recent reads that we think others might enjoy, and then wander on to a wide range of subjects. You don't have to buy the books – we take turns to choose a book from a Cambridgeshire Libraries multi-copy list. If you are interested in joining us, send a request to Sally via info@haddenhamlibrarycambs.co.uk or give your contact details to a Library Volunteer.

 

Upcoming read:

Our next book is Nicola Upson's 1930s Cambridge-set 'Nine Lessons' which is the 7th in her series of mysteries featuring real-life crime writer Josephine Tey (1896–1952). All are welcome, and we will provide a copy of the book.  We will be meeting in the library to discuss it on Tuesday 17th March at 3.30pm. 

 

To join us, speak to a Library volunteer, or drop a line to info@haddenhamlibrarycambs.co.uk.

JANUARY BOOK GROUP REView - BALLET SHOES

 

Our first meeting of 2026 discussed 'Ballet Shoes' by Noel Streatfeild, which is the only children's book on the County reading group book list from which we choose our reads.

After some quite challenging books last year, and because not everyone has time to sit and read over the festive period, we wanted something easy!

For many of us it was indeed a real comfort read: one member said "I inhaled it", and for others it was a (re-)visit to simpler times.

However, the thoroughly middle class, ordered lives of the Fossil children weren't to everyone's tastes. It's a book very much 'of' its time - as one of the characters said "there's needing money and there's needing money"... For the Fossil household, needing money meant taking in lodgers but not getting rid of the cook.

As adults we can appreciate the well-drawn characters and see that Noel Streatfeild actually wrote a fairly radical book full of independent women, women with Doctorates and girls brought up to contribute to the family unit.

Several of our readers had not read the book before and a couple really didn't enjoy it but on the whole it was a hit with 8 thumbs up to 2 thumbs down. We recommend it, particularly to youngsters interested in dance and the performing arts.

As ever, our conversation meandered: through wider children's literature, the modern reading habits of Gen Z, and even a side quest into the history and rights of child labour.