The Big Kids’ eBook Read

New Zealand has a fine tradition of children’s literature, with many wonderful authors to sample and enjoy. Did you know many are also available to borrow through our eLibrary?

In December (from the 3rd to the 9th), we’ve joined with Penguin Random House New Zealand and celebrated Wellington author Kate De Goldi to provide unlimited eBook loans of her children’s fiction title, From the cutting room of Barney Kettle!

Reading Resources:

Kate has written a heartfelt author’s letter on the novel’s origins and strong sense of place (it’s set in Christchurch):

Author’s Letter – Big Kids’ eBook Read

For teachers and school librarians, Kate has provided a teacher resource to help prompt student ideas:

Teacher Resource – Barney Kettle

To start reading during this period:

On a smart phone or tablet — download the Libby app to your smart phone or mobile device, add Wellington City Libraries as your library, and log in with your library card number and surname to set up your account. Search for ‘From the cutting room of Barney Kettle’ to borrow your copy and start reading.

Users of computers and eReaders, including the Kobo range of  eReaders — you’re not left out! Find out more about borrowing our eBooks on our Getting Started with our eLibrary page.

From the cutting room of Barney Kettle won the Esther Glenn Award for Junior Fiction in 2016.  Here’s what the judges for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, had to say that year:

Surprising, gripping, heart-breaking and ultimately incredibly moving, this novel stood out right from the start. This book is packed with warmth, wonderful language, rich and witty observations, compelling characters and layers of message and meaning.

And here’s an intriguing, mysterious summary, from the Penguin New Zealand website to peak curiosity:

Meet filmmaker Barney Kettle, who liked to invent stories but found a real one under his nose.

Barney Kettle knew he would be a very famous film director one day, he just didn’t know when that day would arrive. He was already an actual director – he’d made four fifteen-minute films – but so far only his schoolmates and the residents of the High Street had viewed them. Global fame was a little way off. It would come, though. Barney was certain about that …

So begins the manuscript written from the hospital bed of an unnamed man.

[…] He has written so he can remember the inimitable Barney Kettle, filmmaker, part-time dictator, questing brain, theatrical friend; a boy who loved to invent stories but found a real one under his nose; a boy who explored his neighbourhood with camera in hand and stumbled on a mystery that changed everything …

— Penguin New Zealand

For a taste of this award-winning title’s brilliant start, click on the eBook sample below:

Join us as we read this brilliant eBook title together across Wellington in December — at school, at home or in the library, we’ll all be reading together!

Huge thanks to Penguin Random House New Zealand and Kate De Goldi, for your support of this exciting opportunity for Wellingtonians!