R U OK?: one question can make a big difference

FIONA SILLS, GUNNEDAH SHIRE LIBRARY

Spotlight: R U OK?

The first thing I want to ask is: R U OK?

Finding connection with the people around us has become more difficult as our interactions move online and life seems to get busier. Fifty per cent of people living in Australia experience some form of social disconnection, affecting our mental health and increasing the risk of depression and social anxiety.

But one conversation, one question can make a big difference for someone struggling – a sincere R U OK? and actively listening to the answer.

Spotlight: FOCUS ON PHONICS

Did you know that the library has a collection of decodable phonics books?

These are a great resource for beginner readers, helping children to identify letters and their sounds. Each book contains instructions for the adult to assist their reader before, during and after the story, reinforcing what has been learnt. Start with Set 1 covering s-a-t-i-n and work your way through.

You can also access the full collection of these books online from anywhere. Just download the Era Books Online app and sign in using your library barcode number. From here you will be able to read the books or listen to a read-along version. The assistance guide is available for each book, as well as videos demonstrating the letter sounds and how they are written. There are also guided reading titles in both fiction and non-fiction, building fluency and engaging young readers, while introducing new concepts and a collection of picture books and traditional tales that can be read or listened to for a relaxing break afterward.

Spotlight: NEW BOOKS

A memoir of injury, faith and hope with Back on my Feet (BIOG 610 ONG) by Olivia Ong. When Dr Olivia Ong was struck by a car, suffering a catastrophic spinal injury, her prognosis was devastating. The future she had envisioned seemed to slip away. But against the odds, and with an incredible amount of resilience and support, she regained the ability to walk and returned to medicine.

There are two sides to every story, but where does the truth lie? Dissection of a Murder (AFT MUR) by Jo Murray takes you inside the trial of a man for murder. The victim: a well-known, well-respected judge. The defendant: keeping silent. The defence barrister: on her first murder case. The prosecutor: her former supervisor – and her husband. Leila Reynolds is fighting to keep both her client out of prison and her marriage intact.

The Rainshadow Orphans (FSF ISH) by Naomi Ishiguro is the first novel in a new fantasy series filled with dragons, Sun Spirits, high-tech hackers and bubble tea. Amongst poverty and corruption, the inhabitants of Rainshadow City are terrorised by the Lucky Crows, an underground criminal organisation. Three siblings, bonded by more than blood, seek revenge for the murder of their ‘aunt’ Reiko and set themselves on a path that will determine the future of the whole city.

“When you learn to read you will be born again… and you will never be quite so alone again.” – Rumer Godde