School Holidays: WHODUNNIT? at Wellington City SPYbraries

The School Holidays are getting closer! And we’re excited to announce our theme and programme for the April school holidays this year.

From the 13th to the 28th of April, we invite you to join us for WHODUNNIT? at Wellington City SPYbraries and enter a world of detectives, spies, espionage, and mystery.Whodunnit at Wellington City SPYbraries on a black background

We have a whole range of exciting activities planned for you – race against the clock to solve a mystery, search through your local library – sorry, SPYbrary – to solve the mystery of the Golden Tickets, create your own kit of spy gadgets, or put together a tricksy maze using our LEGO® sets – there’s something for everyone!

Wellington City Libraries will also be welcoming author Avril McDonald into our libraries for several storytimes throughout the first week of the holidays as she celebrates the launch of her latest book The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus and of the Empowering Brave Voices campaign. For more information about these events, check out our blog post.

Visit this page to see the whole calendar, or read on to find out more about what’s coming up at your local library or community centre!


 

Whodunnit? Puzzle Room Challenge

Race the timer to solve a mystery!Three red question marks on a black background

Work your way as a team through a series of hands-on and brain-teasing puzzles to solve the mystery, accuse the correct suspect, and save the day!

Recommended for tamariki aged 7-13 with their caregivers.

Find out how to register for a 30-minute slot with the links below.

Incognito Investigator Kit

Are you a super spy in the making?black and white images of a mask and cardboard magnifying glass and binoculars

Come along to the library to craft your very own spy-kit. Make and decorate your very own binoculars, magnifying glass, mask, or spy-dentification card.

For tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Join us at two of our libraries for a special detective-themed storytime, followed by the chance to create something to add to your investigator kit.

Where in the Library is Carmen Sandiego?

1985 – the year of the release of the original Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? on floppy disk!an early-stly computer with three red question marks above it, over a background of green binary code

Enter a virtual time machine at the library and learn how to enable our modern computers to run video games from the ‘80s and early ‘90s using emulation software, and experience the classic sleuthing game from 1985 in its original form.

For ages 10+ with their caregivers, if under 14. Laptops will be provided.

Registrations are required as spaces are limited. Find out how to register using the links below.

Golden Ticket Quest

Join us at the library for a thrilling detective adventure!A beaver holding a pencil looks at a board explaining the pigpen code, under a pair of glowing golden tickets

Decode cryptic clues, uncover mysterious messages, and work together in teams to find golden tickets hidden within the library. Can your team find all the tickets before your time runs out?

For ages 8+ with their caregivers.

To register for a librarian-led team experience, visit the link below. Otherwise just drop into your local library, ask the librarian at the desk for the first clue, and head off on your own adventure amongst the shelves!

Let’s go LEGO®: Spy edition

Come down to the library and test your hand at LEGO® mazes and blind builds!A scene of LEGO minifigs - a detective holds a magnifying glass as a robber climbs the side of a building behind her

Put your creative skills to the test as you design and build your masterpiece using our LEGO® collections.
Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Mystery Movie

Join us at the SPYbrary for a casual film viewing of a *mysterious* nature.A giraffe wearing sunglasses and a whale with a false moustache stand in front of a beam of light cast by a camera

What movie are we showing? Who knows?! – we’re not allowed to tell! (But if you call and ask we will let you know!)
Will it be good? – Absolutely! Well, we think so anyway.

All movies screened are rated G or PG.

Tech Time: Gadget Fun

Come along for a hands-on experience with our library spy-gadgets!robotic bee-bots next to a magnifying glass

Try out our robots, and other devices and have the freedom to experiment with them in a (reasonably) free-play environment.

Registrations are required as spaces are limited. Find out how to register using the link below.

Empowering Brave Voices with author Avril McDonald

Over the April school holidays, Wellington City Libraries will be welcoming author Avril McDonald into our libraries for several storytimes as she celebrates the launch of her latest book The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus and the Empowering Brave Voices campaign.

Both book and campaign launch on the 9th of April. They are here to teach children an important message: to seek out a trusted adult until they find one who believes them and will act on their behalf to keep them safe.

Avril’s Feel Brave series tell stories that help children manage their tough emotions and deal with BIG feelings. Avril is an Ambassador for the Life Education Trust, who use her books in many of their programmes. To learn more about the Feel Brave series, you can check out Avril’s website.

The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus: Storytelling and Songs with Author Avril McDonald

book cover - the wolf and the hocus pocusAvril’s 45-minute storytelling sessions will be full of stories, songs, and well-being exercises for children. Joined by the Feel Brave puppets, Avril will read The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus – and other stories! – and give the tamariki attending some simple strategies to deal with BIG feelings.

After the storytime, tamariki will have the chance to purchase their own copy of The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus and have it signed.

Recommended for ages 4-7 with their caregivers.

If you’d like to check out Avril’s books before attending one of her storytelling sessions, here are a few we recommend.

The purrfect pawse : a little book to help children pause, stretch and be grateful / McDonald, Avril
“In The Purrfect Pawse: A little book to help children pause, stretch and be grateful, Avril McDonald returns with some of the colourful, lovable characters from her Feel Brave series to help nurture young children’s physical and mental well-being through a combination of activity and poetry. The Purrfect Pawse uses rhythm, rhyme and ……” (Catalogue)

The wolf’s colourful coat / McDonald, Avril
“Wolfgang loves his new colourful winter coat but when some nasty creatures make fun of it, he is upset by what they say and stops wearing it. Spider helps Wolfgang be brave enough to tell someone big that he trusts and he learns that things aren’t always as they seem. Ages 0+” (Catalogue)

The wolf and the baby dragon / McDonald, Avril
“When Wolfgang and his friends learn about a cave where a baby dragon has hatched in a nest they quickly run off to find it. But sadly Wolfgang gets left behind. His bag is full of heavy worries that are making him slow and he just can’t let go of them. When Wolfgang trips and falls, Spider shows him how to take a rest from his worries for a while and that if he can share them, they will be easier to manage.” (Catalogue)

The wolf was not sleeping / McDonald, Avril
“This heartwarming bedtime story was specially written to soothe the anxiety of children whose parents work as first responders and to encourage conversations which help them manage trauma. Wolfgang’s dad works as a helper: when the wolves sound the alarm, he has to leave to help the other creatures in the forest. Each night Wolfgang worries about what might happen if his dad gets the call. His worries are so bad that they keep him awake, and he is falling asleep in the daytime instead! An ideal bedtime read for young children whose parents are first responders, whether they be firefighters, police officers, ambulance crew, coastguards, or work in any other roles within stressful environments. Part of Avril McDonald’s Feel Brave series – little stories about big feelings.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Kaupapa Moana – Seaweek 2024

Seaweek 2024 has just started! Seaweek is New Zealand’s national week for celebrating the sea, and this year it runs from the 2nd to the 10th of March.

Or come and check out the fantastic Seaweek displays in our libraries!

Here in Aotearoa we are surrounded by the sea, so it’s no surprise that our moana is something many of us feel a strong connection to. Every year, Seaweek hopes to inspire us all to engage with nature, explore the ocean, and develop this sense of connection with our environment and the sea. Seaweek is an opportunity to get involved in a community beach clean-up, visit a marine education centre, or just learn more about the oceans around us and what live in them.

If you’re looking for Seaweek activities in Wellington, there are a few events you might be interested in this Saturday the 9th of March. You can celebrate Seaweek at Te Papa and drop in to design your own deep sea fish and go all the way underwater in a Virtual Reality Submarine, or you could visit the Victoria University Coastal Ecology Lab Open Day and explore their interactive touch tanks and learn all about marine biology.

A selection of sea-themed booksIf you’d like a sea-themed literary experience, our own Te Awe Library is running a sea-themed Preschool Storytime on Wednesday the 6th of March. Come along and join our most piratical librarian for sea-themed stories, songs, and rhymes!

 

This year, Seaweek’s Ocean Champion Challenge has been refreshed to recognise the variety of actions being taken to protect the ocean and raise awareness. If you know someone who advocates for the ocean through their art, or who collects of contributes data related towards our marine environment, or who uses storytelling to contribute to ocean awareness, education, or conservation, they can be nominated as a Creator, Investigator, or Narrator! You can nominate a friend, or be nominated yourself!

Perhaps you’re keen to investigate Wellington’s beaches and sea life yourself? If you are, here are some books to get you started!

Rock pools : a guide for Kiwi kids / Barraud, Ned
“What New Zealand child is not delighted by a rockpool at low tide, with its colourful, fascinating array of creatures, some still, some flitting about? Rock Pools is a book designed to enhance this experience, with each page presenting an intriguing glimpse into the creatures that inhabit these low-tide wonderlands. All of the common creatures from New Zealand seashore, including crabs, sea anemones, starfish, barnacles and shrimps, and many more, feature in this fantastic book, which cannot help but delight and encourage children to interact with the natural world”–Publisher’s website.” (Catalogue)

Wild Coasts : exploring Aotearoa’s marine reserves / Barraud, Ned
“Aotearoa is renowned for its wild coasts, but after decades of overfishing, many of these marine ecosystems are under serious threat. A crucial response to this has been the creation of 44 marine reserves around our shores, and this book explores six of the most spectacular of these: boat Island, north of Auckland, the Poor Knights Islands, Taputeranga on the south coast of Wellington, Hikurangi at Kaikoura, Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) in Fiordland, and Ulva Island at Stewart Island/Rakiura. Full of fascinating information and wonderful illustrations of the amazing sea life found in the marine reserves, Wild boasts is an inspiring tribute to these safe zones. It will be treasured by all young people who are interested in our marine environment.” (Catalogue)

At the beach : explore & discover the New Zealand seashore / Candler, Gillian
“At the Beach is a delightful introduction to the natural history of the New Zealand seashore. The stage is set with beautiful, factually correct illustrations (including detailed cross-sections) of three familiar habitats – the sandy beach, rockpools and mudflats. Many of the plants and animals that play a part in these rich ecosystems are shown in situ, and readers are directed from there to pages dedicated to detailed coverage of: crabs; sea stars, kina and sea anemones; shellfish; seaweeds, sponges and sandhoppers; fish, jellyfish & shrimps; birds. Aimed at children 5-8 years old, but with appeal for anyone curious about New Zealand’s natural environment, At the Beach is a must for the home, bach, classroom and library. Comes with a removable, waterproof quick-reference guide to common seashore animals.” (Catalogue)

Under the ocean : explore & discover the seas around New Zealand / Candler, Gillian
“Explore the vast ocean, underwater reefs, and the depths of the sea floor and discover some of the creatures that live in the seas around New Zealand… This beautifully illustrated and highly informative book is aimed at children from pre-schoolers up and anyone curious about our ocean and the amazing creatures that live there.”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

The observologist / Clarkson, Giselle
A playful field guide for natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses.

An observologist is someone who makes small scientific expeditions every day, who notices the interesting details in the world around them, and that there are fascinating things to be found in even the most ordinary places.

Above and below : sea and shore / Evans, Harriet
“What wonders wait beneath the waves? Dive in and find out with this beautiful split-page book that celebrates ocean habitats from the sandy shallows to the darkest depths. Turn the page to discover the incredible creatures and plants that lie below the ocean blue. With magnificent mangrove forests, colourful coral reefs and exciting estuaries, there are so many watery worlds to explore.”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

I wonder why the sea is salty and other questions about the oceans / Ganeri, Anita
“Encounter deep-sea volcanoes, electric fish, fierce pirates, and much more! With over thirty bite-sized questions and answers and hundreds of fun and colorful illustrations, this is the perfect guide to the underwater world.”– Page 4 of cover.” (Catalogue)

Ultrawild : an audacious plan to rewild every city on Earth / Mushin, Steve
“Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the planet. Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems, and develops a deadly serious plan for future cities. A tour de force of extreme problem-solving for anyone who loves big ideas.” (Catalogue)

Also available as an ebook.
Hauraki broo / Slade-Robinson, Nikki
“Hauraki Broo, a young Bryde’s Whale, is searching for food but it’s getting harder and harder to find. From award-winning children’s author and illustrator Nikki Slade Robinson comes a beautiful and inspiring tale that addresses the challenges faced by marine life in the Hauraki Gulf, skillfully reminding us of the importance of the conservation of our whole marine environment”– Publisher description.” (Catalogue)

Also available in te reo Māori.

Our blue planet / Stewart-Sharpe, Leisa
“With all its variety, expanse and wonder, discover how much there is to love about Our Blue Planet. Our oceans are home to the greatest diversity of life on Earth and cover 71 percent of the planet. With so much to discover, this book introduces creatures beyond imagination.” — Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Look up! – See your library in a new way

One of the activities in our Summer Reading Adventure this season is the Upward Looking Urban Photographer, where we’ve challenged you to look upwards while out and about and notice details that you might have otherwise overlooked.

We’ve had a whole gallery of upwards-looking photos sent into us, and we thought we’d share some of our favourites with you. Maybe one of these photos was taken by you! One of these photos was even taken at one of our libraries. If you haven’t submitted a photo for this activity yet, there’s still plenty of time! The Summer Reading Adventure runs until the 31st of January.

  • What’s that perched atop the iconic Cuba St bucket fountain?
  • A familiar location for some of us! Can you identify which library this is?
  • An encompassing canopy of treetops.
  • You might need to take a second glance to see the floating sculpture here.
  • This building’s original owners may not still be here, but they made sure we’d know who they were!
  • Sunlight catching the edge of the clouds.

Inspired by this activity, we’ve taken our cameras around our libraries and pointed them upwards! In this selection of images you’ll find many artworks, interesting angles, library signage, and ceilings seen from a different perspective – it’s an exploration of library architecture!

We have many libraries scattered around Wellington and they all feature different designs and artworks. This challenge has given us the opportunity to look around our libraries with fresh eyes and rediscover the quirky and interesting parts of our spaces.

Can you figure out where the photo (or photos!) of your library was taken?

  • A rope bridge made of twine and popsicle sticks bridges the gap between two bookshelves.
    Arapaki Library
  • A plastic skeleton perches on a bookshelf with a sign reading 'Young Adult Fiction'. On the ceiling tiles above are movie posters.
    Arapaki Library
  • Spackled ceiling with inset boards meeting in a cross.
    Brooklyn Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Moe-rā
  • Vaulted ceiling with triangular recessed skylights pointing inwards.
    Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako
  • Towards the library entry/exit, and internal five-sided window sits in the pointed ceiling.
    Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Korimako
  • A large red paper flower and strings of red beads and white shells hanging from a red library sign with 'Can we help" written on it.
    Island Bay Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Tapu Te Ranga
  • Reflection of the library in the round security mirror by the door.
    Island Bay Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Tapu Te Ranga
  • Three pictures in a collage. Top: view of the children's area and the coloured triangular pieces of sound-baffling fitting in with the three-pronged lights. Centre: Looking up towards artworks by Robin Kahukiwa and Melvin Day. Bottom: Woven harakeke artwork Whetūrangi on the wall above and below a long window.
    Johnsonville Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Waitohi
  • A spine-like plastic guard around power cables attaches into a ceiling tile.
    Kai Ūpoko | Library offices
  • Looking upwards at the vertical word 'Library' on a red background.
    Karori Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Three narrow windows in a white wall look out onto the street and blue sky. A conical light hangs on the left, the bottom level with the top corner of a narrow window.
    Karori Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Māhanga
  • Checkered glass tiles set in the corner of the building, photographed from the inside.
    Khandallah Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Tari-kākā
  • Natural wood balcony with stuffed aniimals liiking down, a skylight above, and long tapestry hanging to the left.
    Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Takapū o Patukawenga
  • Coloured paper letters spelling 'Children's Area' on the wall below small high windows with wooden blinds.
    Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Takapū o Patukawenga
  • A blue pillar with outreaching metal struts atop it, in front of a corner window.
    Miramar Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Motu-kairangi
  • A triangular internal window above a mural of a beach with swimming child, reading octopus, and books flying through the air. In the window, a silhouette of a librarian waves.
    Miramar Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Motu-kairangi
  • Wooden beams on the right angle up to the natural wooden ceiling. On the left a wooden taniwha attached to a colourful painted wall looks up towards the peak of the ceiling.
    Newtown Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Ngā Puna Waiora
  • A round, curved, three-dimensional artwork on the ceiling. Shades of blue, with koru like tentacles reaching out from the centre.
    Newtown Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Ngā Puna Waiora
  • The corner of the building. Orange-toned wood on the ceiling, with a large corner window looking towards a Pohutukawa tree with vibrant red flowers.
    Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awa-a-Taia
  • Up past bookshelves of children's fiction are triangular fin artworks, then above those metal beams cross the wooden ceiling.
    Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Te Awa-a-Taia
  • Diagonal industrial beam cuts across decorated upper walls above fiction shelves
    Te Awe Library
  • Decorated 1900s eave overhanging the footpath, with a yellow 'Te Awe Library' sign hanging from it.
    Te Awe Library
  • A backless tall shelf of extra large books. Behind this shelf, seen through the gaps in the shelf, are yet more bookshelves.
    Te Pātaka Collection and Distribution Centre
  • Square windows, photo taken looking inside. A vase of roses, a succulent, and a yellow sign with the word 'hot' peak over the windowsill.
    Te Pātaka Collection and Distribution Centre
  • A spiral cord hangs next to a skylight with a red beam across it. Blue sky with fluffy clouds outside.
    Wadestown Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Ōtari
  • Diagonal angular ceiling line, with a square light in the ceiling and recessed skylight
    Wadestown Library | Te Whare Pukapuka o Ōtari

One of our other Summer Reading Adventure activities challenges you to go back in time using Wellington Recollect and find an image of your library taken in decades gone by. We find it very fascinating to go and look through the pictures and see the different library layouts and different buildings there have been over the years. Can you spot anything from our upward-looking-photos in the pictures of your library on Recollect?

Summer Reading Adventure: Writing remarkable reviews

We’re almost halfway through the Summer Reading Adventure! If you haven’t already heard about the Summer Reading Adventure, you can head on over to our previous blog post for heaps more info, or jump straight into our Summer Reading website to sign up!

Through the power of books and imagination, help us transform Wellington into a fantasy wonderland this summer!

One of the activities you can complete as part of the Summer Reading Adventure is writing book reviews. There are five digital badges you can earn for writing reviews, and some of these also come with physical prizes!

There are two different kinds of reviews you can submit, written reviews and picture reviews, and we thought we’d provide you with some tips and tricks for creating an excellent and insightful review.

Tips for writing a book review:

  • Tell us what you thought about the book! We don’t want to just read a description of the plot.
  • Useful questions to ask yourself include
    • How did I feel at the beginning of the book?
    • How did I feel at the end? Was there a change?
    • Who was my favourite/least favourite character? Why?
    • Did this book give me any new ideas? If so, what are they?
    • Who else might like this book? Why?
    • If I had written this book, would I have changed anything about it? What, and why?
  • Be creative! We love to read reviews in the form of poems, short stories, reviews written with emojis.
  • Be careful with the boring things like spelling and punctuation. This isn’t school — you won’t be disqualified if you spell “discombobulated” wrong — but having good spelling and punctuation makes it easier for everyone else to understand what you mean!

Tips for creating a picture review:

  • Will you be drawing a picture, or taking a photo of something you’ve created or that reminds you of the book?
    • Tip: Other Summer Reading Adventure participants can see your reviews so if you’re making a video talking about your book and you’re concerned with online privacy, you might want to have the book in front of the camera instead of you.
  • Useful questions to ask yourself include:
    • Was there a character you really liked (or really didn’t like) that you could draw?
    • Was there an important moment in the story? Did you think something different should have happened?
    • Did this book give you any new ideas? How might you show that new idea in a picture?
  • Be creative! Draw something that represents the book, create the characters or an important scene out of LEGO, cook something that the characters ate and take a photo. We love seeing innovative ways of reviewing books!

For inspiration we’ve included a few examples of the excellent reviews that have already been submitted. These reviewers have thought about which parts of the book that made them enjoy it, and hopefully their recommendations will make you want to read these books too!

First off, we have a picture review of Camp by Kayla Miller.

Picture review of Camp. Drawn with coloured felt pens, the left side has pictures the characters Olive and Willow. The right side has a written review.

This vibrant picture review shows us the reviewer’s interpretation of the two main characters. She also explores her two favourite characters and what about those characters she likes.
Picture review by Bea

Here’s a fab review written last summer about Louis Sacher’s There’s a boy in the girl’s bathroom. This reviewer also writes about the characters, but he also writes about what the book made him feel.

This books main characters were Bradley Jeff and Carla. Bradley was a weird kid overall but he changed a lot. At the start Bradley was a big bully but at the end Bradley was still weird but he was also kind. Bradley was super sad when Carla left it made me sad too. This book is my favourite book I have ever read because I was feeling there emotions and it was like I had gotten sucked up into the book. I love this book and want to read it again sometime☺️

Review by Dion

In this review of Which way to anywhere by Cressida Cowell, the reviewer picks out two characteristics that made her really enjoy the book, the teamwork (character interactions!) and the magic throughout the story that.

This is by far one of my favourite books ever. I like how there is a lot of teamwork involved in this adventure and the magic that just spices it up perfectly. My favourite character is definitely puck!

Review by Petra

While you’re writing your reviews, don’t forget to read through other kids’ reviews too — there are thousands and thousands of them and who knows, you may just find a book you’d like to read yourself! Happy reading and reviewing!

Nesting season is here: What to do if you find a baby bird

Summer is now officially here, and all of this season’s baby birds are starting to hatch. You might be able to see a nest up a tree at home, or there might be one tucked in under the eaves of your house’s roof and you can hear the birds cheeping at night. Some of you may even find a baby bird on the ground and not know what to do to help.

Well never fear! If you’re reading this then you’ll be ready and prepared if you do find a lonely baby bird.

Nestlings

Two pink baby birds with no feathers in a nest

Two baby Tauhau nestlings (Silvereyes or Wax-eyes) ‘gaping’ – asking to be fed.
Photo: 2695117 by Robyn on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

We call baby birds nestlings when they’re at their smallest. Nestlings won’t have many feathers – they might not have any feathers at all! A nestling will spend their days tucked cosily into the family nest, waiting for their parents to come back and feed them. A nestling should still be in the nest, so:

  1. if you find one out of the nest,
  2. you can see where the nest is, and
  3. it doesn’t look sick or injured,

then the best thing to do is to put it back in the nest. You can get an adult to help with this if the nest is high up. If you can’t find the nest or the nest is damaged, then the next best thing is to make the nestling a replacement nest! Once you’ve made the replacement nest and put it somewhere safe near the original nest, keep an eye on it – from a distance! If the parents don’t come by to check on their nestling within a couple of hours, then you might need to contact the SPCA or a bird rescue.

Fledglings

A fledgling Pīwakawaka (right) perches on a branch next to their parent (left).
Photo: 26966445 by Jacqui Geux on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY 4.0 DEED.

Once the bird has grown their feathers and is starting to think about leaving the nest, we call them a fledgling. A fledgling might leave the nest to get some movement practice in, hopping between branches or the on the ground near the nest. If you find a fledgling on the ground, it may be perfectly safe and healthy and all you should do is keep your distance and see if there are any dangers about. If the fledgling is not in a safe spot, then you can move them to somewhere nearby that is safe. If they’re injured or sick, that’s when you should take the fledgling in and contact the SPCA or a rescue.

Here in Wellington our local rescue is the Wellington Bird Rehabilitation Trust who will take in any injured or abandoned wild bird.

The SPCA has this great flowchart that you can follow if you do find a baby bird, fledgling or nestling. They also have information on exactly what you should do if you find an injured bird, as well as a section on their education site that covers a few more situations to do with birds. These links have tips for how to move and handle any bird you find, and tips for making a replacement nest.

Cats

A small dark cat perched partway up a fence staring past the camera with wide eyes

Your friendly pet cat may not be as friendly to the local birds.

Many of us have pet cats, and many of our pet cats love to go outside. Unfortunately, cats also love to hunt and we really don’t want them hunting baby birds that can’t fly away. If your cat brings you a bird they’ve caught, and the bird is still alive, even if the bird looks healthy you should contact the SPCA or a bird rescue. Birds can become sick or get an infection from being carried around in a cat’s mouth and the rescue will know the best way to look after the bird.

If you have a pet cat, the Department of Conservation has created an easy quiz you can take to see how conservation friendly your cat is. Remember, even if your cat gets all 8 points that doesn’t mean that they won’t ever hunt any of the animals you may see in your garden. It just means that you are doing your best as a pet owner to lessen their impact.


Where to learn more

If you’d like to learn more about the birds visiting your garden, DOC has created a short guide to help you identify some of the common birds you may see. We’ve also put together a list of books that you might find interesting. Some have information about birds and bird rescues in Aotearoa, and some are stories we hope you’ll enjoy about lost or rescued birds.

New Zealand’s backyard birds / Barraud, Ned
“Guide to the birds that children see and hear in their everyday lives, those that visit our backyards. Some of those will be native birds, maybe tūi, korimako/bellbird and pīwakawaka/fantail, though just as likely they will be introduced birds such as thrush, blackbirds, or flocks of sparrows. This book brings to life our most accessible wildlife, describing the different birds we are likely to see around home, and with useful background information about birds in general”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Squawk! : Donovan Bixley’s forest birds of Aotearoa / Bixley, Donovan
“Bright birds, cheeky birds, masked birds, clever birds, warrior birds, shy birds, big birds, tiny birds and the world’s most gigantic birds! Find out what makes the feathered friends of Aotearoa so lovable in this … book by author and illustrator Donovan Bixley. Includes moa, tui, kakapo, whio and so many more!”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

The video shop sparrow / Cowley, Joy
“Two boys rescue a sparrow trapped in a closed video shop.” (Catalogue)

Are you my mother / Eastman, P. D.
“When a baby bird hatches while his mother is out searching for food, he leaves the nest for a series of adventures to try to determine his mother’s identity.” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eaudiobook.


Sylvia and the birds : how the bird lady saved thousands of birds, and how you can too / Emeney, Jo
“Part Graphic Biography, Part Practical guide to protecting out Taonga Birdlife, this remarkable Book for young readers and their Whanau is fully committed to detailing the wonders of our native Birds, the threats they face, and how we can help them. Based on the life of ‘The Bird lady’, Sylvia Durrant, it inspires a reverence for the natural world and is a call to action for all young ecologists and Environmental Activists. With an Engrossing Text, Matauranga Maori insights, Activities and How-Tos, It offers hours of enchantment and Engagement.” (Catalogue)

Kererū / Kane, Glenda
“High in a tree in a suburban backyard, a kererū hatches. At rest in its nest, it waits for its food … But another stomach is rumbling, too. Will the baby kererū survive? This unflinching tale paints a complete picture of life in the wild for these beloved native birds, and offers solutions, too. The reader is invited into the story and shown how to look after Aotearoa’s vulnerable wildlife. And at the end of the story there are exciting new beginnings”–Publisher’s website.” (Catalogue)

Ngā manu Māori = Native birds / Merewether, Katherine Q.
“Learn the Māori names for 35 of our precious native and endemic birds of Aotearoa. A beautifully presented te reo Māori and English bilingual board book. Drawn from the multi-award-winning Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary, and collated into bite sized pukapuka. A stunning matte laminated robust book with rounded corners, for durability and longevity.” (Catalogue)

Kakapo rescue : saving the world’s strangest parrot / Montgomery, Sy
” KAKAPO RESCUE gives young readers a first hand account of the efforts to save one of the world’s rarest and more unusual birds, the kakapo. Part of the Scientist in the Field series. ” (Catalogue)

Little Truff saves the kererū / Russell, Ann
“Little Truff, the cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is spending the summer holidays with her family at Piha, New Zealand’s famous surfing beach. Along with her Siamese friend Chloe – highly intelligent but mischievous, Truff is asked to investigate why the kererū, native wood pigeons, are disappearing without trace. A drastic drop in numbers could lead to their extinction in the area, meaning the forest’s giant trees couldn’t regenerate – and an eco-tragedy would result … Will they find out why the birds are vanishing? And put a stop to it?”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Out on the Shelves: What’s on for kids

Out on the Shelves is an online reading resource that aims to connect rainbow young people with the stories that represent them, listing books with positive rainbow representation in them.

June is the Out on the Shelves Campaign Month where libraries around the country are encouraged to see who can create the most out-there displays, activities, and programmes. Several of our Wellington City Libraries branches have won awards in the nationwide Out on the Shelves Display Competition in the past, so be sure to drop into your local library to check out this year’s offerings!

Here are some of our past offerings:

If you and your tamariki have recently enjoyed a book with rainbow themes and it doesn’t appear on the Out on the Shelves booklists, why not make a submission? Out on the Shelves relies on user submissions to keep their booklists current, and to make sure that they’re recommending books that people enjoy!

They also have a Rainbow Writing Competition, and you can submit reviews of books you’ve read too.

If you’re looking for some rainbow reading inspiration, just head on over to the homepage of our catalogue. At the moment the carousel of recommended books displaying there includes a selection of Out on the Shelves recommendations for kids. Or check out this previous blog post of ours for a curated booklist.

To celebrate Out on the Shelves, Johnsonville Library have planned a few special events for you and your whānau. We hope to see you there!

Rainbow background, title Dress up Family storytimeDress Up Family Storytime

Dress in your favourite costume and join us to make some accessories before the stories begin.​

For ages 2+​ with their caregivers.

Logo reading The Glamaphones


Out on the Shelves Musical Performance: The Glamaphones

Celebrate Out on the Shelves at Johnsonville Library with the Glamaphones, Wellington’s rainbow community choir.

The Glamaphones have an emphasis on participation, inclusion, and building LGBTQI+ community. They sing a range of music including pop, classical, spirituals, world, choral, musical, and jazz classics.

Nau mai rā tātou katoa | Everybody is welcome.

rainbow background, title dress up preschool storytime


Dress Up Preschool Storytime

Dress in your favourite costume and join us to make some accessories before the stories begin.​

For ages 2-4​ with their caregivers.

Fascinating and Weird New Zealand Invertebrates

Kakapo Hugh feeds on some vibrant red supplejack berries

Photo by Jake Osborne, licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Three seals on a rocky outcrop. One reaches its head up to another silhouetted against the sea

Photo by Laura Boren, Department of Conservation, licensed under CC BY 4.0

New Zealand is home to many fascinating and beautiful creatures. There’s the vibrant green Kākāpō, the endangered bird that booms in the night. There’s the Pekapeka-tou-roa, the smaller of our two native bat species, which controversially won Bird of the Year in 2021. There are Tuna, who can wriggle their way up waterfalls and can be seen in the streams around Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush. We have the blue, green, and red Takehē, who we once thought were extinct but were rediscovered in 1948. There’s the Kekeno, or New Zealand fur seal, that you can spot sunbathing on the rocks around the coast. And who could forget the Tuatara, our ‘living fossils’, that can live to at least eighty?

A tuatara crouches and looks towards the camera

Photo by Leon Berard, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

These birds, mammals (marine or otherwise), and reptiles are all amazing creatures, but what about some of the native creatures that you might not have heard about? What about our fascinating and often-weird-looking invertebrates?

Humans are vertebrates, which means that we have a backbone. If you feel your way up the middle of your back you’ll be able to feel the lumps of the vertebrae that make up your spinal column. Invertebrates are creatures that have no backbone or spinal column. Think of an octopus, that can squeeze it’s whole body through the tiniest of gaps, or a wētā that has the hard parts of its body, its exoskeleton, on the outside. Those are both invertebrates!


Let’s have a look at some of the weird and wonderful invertebrates we have living around Aotearoa:

Corals

Underwater photo of a tree-like coral with white 'leaves' and small fish swimming around it

Photo: 246922003 by sea-kangaroo on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY 4.0

Yes, corals are animals and they’re invertebrates!

Many of the coral species in New Zealand are protected. The coral in this photo is known as a black coral, even though it looks very pale. Black corals are named for the colour of their skeletons, so a living black coral appears white and will only appear black once it has died. Black corals are hexacorals, which means that they have six tentacles and body partitions. Anemones are hexacorals too!


Ngaokeoke | Velvet worm | Peripatus

A dark blue velvet worm climbing over a piece of orange rotting wood

Photo: 79386934 by Strewick on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

These ‘walking worms‘ look a bit like caterpillars with short stumpy legs. They come in a range of colours, from indigo (like the picture to the left), to grey, to orange. There are at least 30 different species of velvet worm in New Zealand, however only 9 have been described by scientists so far.

Like the Tuatara, Ngaokeoke are another ‘living fossil’ – they still closely resemble their ancestors from hundreds of millions of years ago!


Powelliphanta

A large snail with a flat black and brown striped shell crawls over some moss

Photo by Kath Walker, Department of Conservation, licensed under CC BY 4.0

Some species of this native snail can grow as big as your fist!

These snails have distinctive, beautiful shells that can come striped in patterns of reds, browns, blacks, and yellows. They are carnivorous, which means they eat things like slugs and worms, and there are at least 21 different Powelliphanta species across the motu.

Gay Hay’s wonderful book Watch Out, Snail!, about a Powelliphanta snail encountering various other animals, is currently on display as the latest installment of Te Ara Pukapuka (The Book Pathway) over at Khandallah Park.


Putoko ropiropi | Leaf-veined slug

A tear-drop shaped slug with leaf-like veins along its back crawls along a blade of grass

Photo: 11847495 by Shaun Lee on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY 4.0

That’s not a leaf, it really is a slug in that picture! These invertebrates are included in this list for the way they look. This one looks a lot like a leaf, but some closely resemble gherkins!

There are around 30 different species of native New Zealand slugs, and they all have that leaf-like pattern to help camouflage them in the bush. Leaf-veined slugs have been spotted at Zealandia, and gardeners don’t need to worry because our native slug species don’t damage garden plants.


Salps

Close-up of several chains of transparent salps washed up on a beach

Photo by Chris Woods, NIWA, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Salps are those little clear lumps you sometimes find in the sea that can make it feel like you’re swimming through lumpy rice pudding. You can come across salps in chains, like in the photo here, or as individuals.

Salps are one of the unnerving mysterious things encountered in Things in the Sea are Touching Me, but we learn that they’re nothing to be worried about.


Wētāpunga | Giant wētā

A giant wētā perched on the photographer's hand with a friendly look in its eyes

Photo: 107125402 by Zhaoxuan Li on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0

There are many different species of Wētā in Aotearoa. The Wētāpunga is the largest of them all!

These impressive invertebrates only managed to survive in the wild on Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island) thanks to habitat destruction and predators, but there are breeding programmes in place to help build numbers.

Gentle Giant: Wētāpunga has a lot more information about these threatened creatures, or you could check out No Home for a Wētā for a fun story about a young Wētā who’s sick of her rambunctious family.


If you’d like to learn more about these native invertebrates, or find out about other creatures not on this list, check out these titles in our collection:

New Zealand’s backyard beasts / Barraud, Ned
“In the garden, creeping along branches, hiding under stones or flitting from flower to flower, a whole universe of creatures is waiting to be discovered. Butterflies, moths, beetles, wasps, spiders… what have you found in your backyard? Did you know that chorus cicadas live underground for most of their life? That bumblebees have smelly feet? That some species of stick insect are all female? Or that earwigs don’t actually crawl into ears? […] From the simply curious to the budding entomologist, New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts will please and inform all age groups about the fascinating creatures found in the back garden. Whether just looking at the beautiful illustrations or absorbing the facts, this book is a must for all backyard adventurers.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Animals of Aotearoa : explore & discover New Zealand’s wildlife / Candler, Gillian
“Animals of Aotearoa is a must-have compendium for children curious about New Zealand’s wild animals. Based on the award-winning and best-selling `Explore and Discover’ children’s series about New Zealand’s natural history, this book is packed full of illustrations and information about our native animals, both common and rare, as well as many well-known introduced animals. The book includes land and sea birds, frogs and lizards, many kinds of fish and other marine creatures, insects and invertebrates.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

In the bush : explore & discover New Zealand’s native forests / Candler, Gillian
“In the Bush is the fourth in the popular Explore & Discover series. It includes insects and other invertebrates, fungi, ferns and mosses, birds, bats, introduced pests, vines, epiphytes, and trees. Includes removeable, waterproof reference guide.” (Catalogue)

The life-size guide to insects & other land vertebrates of New Zealand / Crowe, Andrew
“Pictorial guide to identifying common insects, spiders and other land vertebrates of New Zealand. Suggested level: primary, intermediate, secondary.” (Catalogue)

Tiaki : a shout-out to Aotearoa’s lesser-known creatures / Donaldson, Jean
“This book is a shout-out to the weird and wonderful endangered species in Aotearoa, those lesser-known creatures that don’t regularly make the news. But they are just as important as the ‘stars’ like kākāpō and kiwi, for they are the foundation of our unique biodiversity. Tiaki includes such exotic animals as the Smeagol gravel maggot, a sea slug found on the south coast of Wellington; the moko kākāriki, a gecko with a bright blue mouth; the kōwaro/Canterbury mudfish, which can survive out of water for up to several months; and the tiny, critically endangered pekapeka-tou-roa/ long-tailed bat.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Dear Delaware: Make a friend 14,000km away!

Have you ever had a pen pal?

We’ve teamed up a series of public libraries in Delaware, USA for a Pen Pal program! It’s a chance to make new friendships and learn about another person’s culture and life experiences.

From Tuesday 18th April –  Sunday 14th May you can join the first round of the program, simply by filling out a sign-up form. This program is open to adults, teens and children over 5 years old. Parental permission and in-person signup is required for ages 5-15, so drop into your local library and ask for a signup form.

From there, we’ll pair you with a similar participant from Delaware – you’ll be notified via email of who your pen pal is and what their interests are. Then write your letter and bring it to the library – we’ll take care of the international postage and you’ll be notified when to pick up your pen pal’s response.

A banner with a picture of a coastline and the words Dear Delaware

If you’re wondering about Delaware, here’s a few facts to get you started:

  • Delaware is the second smallest of the 50 U.S. states – only Rhode Island is smaller.
  • The first people to live in the area that became Delaware were the Lenni-Lenape, which means “original people”.
  • The capital city of Delaware is Dover.
  • If you go for a walk in the bush in Wellington you’ll find Kawakawa, Horopito, Nikau Palms, Wētā, Kaka, and Tūī. If you go for a walk in the woods in Delaware you could find Oak, Sycamore, Maple, Raccoons, Foxes, and Muskrats.

If you’d like to learn more, we recommend checking out the Encyclopaedia Britannica – it’s free to use through Wellington City Libraries, just sign in with your Library Card Barcode Number and 4-digit PIN. Just log in and search for Delaware!


If you’re after some letter-writing inspiration, check out these titles on our catalogue:

Tim’s bad mood and other stories / Donaldson, Julia
“With a focus on building phonics skills, this collection includes seven fun stories with colourful illustrations. It is ideal for children who are growing in reading confidence. Find out why Tim is in a bad mood, what makes a good pen-pal and learn about different animal tails! Tips for reading together explain the letter patterns that each story focuses on and identify any words children may find tricky, helping you to get the most out of the collection.” (Catalogue)
Same sun here / House, Silas
“A twelve-year-old Indian immigrant in New York City and a Kentucky coal miner’s son become pen pals, and eventually best friends, through a series of revealing letters exploring such topics as environmental activism, immigration, and racism.” (Catalogue)
Yours sincerely, giraffe / Iwasa, Megumi
“This book is about friendship and the distinctions of living in different parts of the world. A giraffe that lives in Africa meets a pelican who is a mailman. Since the giraffe is bored, she sends a letter to the first animal the pelican can find on the other side of the horizon. The letter passes on to a seal who gives it to a penguin. He reads the letter and even though he does not understand it he writes back, and becomes the giraffe’s pen pal. Although they do not know what each other looks like the giraffe decides to meet her new friend disguised as a penguin!”Giraffe is bored, as usual. He’d love a friend to share things with. So he writes a letter and sends it as far as possible across the other side of the horizon. There he finds a pen pal—Penguin. Giraffe knows nothing about penguins and his letters are full of questions. What does a penguin look like? Where is a penguin’s neck? And so the letters begin to fly from horizon to horizon”–Publisher description.” (Catalogue)
Same, same, but different / Kostecki-Shaw, Jenny Sue
“Pen pals Elliot and Kailash discover that even though they live in different countries–America and India–they both love to climb trees, have pets, and ride a school bus.” (Catalogue)
Dear Greta / Poshoglian, Yvette
“This was meant to be Alice’s year to shine, but things are already going wrong . . . First she is given young environmental activist Greta Thunberg as her pen pal for a fictional writing assignment. Why couldn’t Alice get someone easy to write to, like a pop star? Then she’s put in charge of the Harmony Day Food Fair. It’s the ultimate Year Six project, so Alice should be happy . . . but the food fair has to go online this term, which seems impossible, and she has to work with the most annoying boy in her school. As if she didn’t have enough on her plate, Alice gets kicked out of her bedroom by her grandmother coming to stay. Through her letters to Greta, Alice finds herself opening up about her life. And as Alice approaches the hard questions by wondering, ‘What would Greta do?’, she starts to believe that her voice can make a difference – a big one.” (Catalogue)
Yours troolie, Alice Toolie : letters from my enemy / Temple, Kate
“Something very bad has happened to Alice Toolie. Her secret diary has been read by her worst enemy – Jimmy Cook. It’s war. Until Ms Fennel decides that Alice and Jimmy need to make peace and become pen pals for the term. And it works. Before long, Alice and Jimmy are planning to make billions of dollars for the school fete and with a captured ghost and jars full of unicorn vomit, it’s sure to be their time to shine.” (Catalogue)

 

2022 Round-Up: Picture Books

We’ve already highlighted some of the wonderful Children’s Fiction titles that have been published this year, and now it’s time for the Picture Books to shine!

Picture Books are wonderful things to read with your tamariki. While they’re written for a younger audience they can still cover some pretty serious topics. With themes from grief and loss to friendship and fun, these books are a wonderful tool to use to help build our children’s understanding of the world around them.

While this list is quite a short one, if you would like to browse through a longer selection we have a list of the Best Picture Books of 2022 available over on the Libby App. Or you can scroll through the latest titles we’ve added to our collection on our New Material page – you can browse back through each month of the year, and filter books by age and genre too.


The cream of the 2022 Picture Book crop has got to be Ruth Paul’s Lion Guards the Cake, which won the Picture Book Award at this year’s New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults (NZCYA Book Awards).

Lion guards the cake / Paul, Ruth
We’re big fans of Ruth Paul here at Wellington City Libraries (she is a local author, after all!) and are really thrilled that this book has been recognised by the Awards. We predict this book will be a favourite bed-time read for ages to come, as it’s already a favourite for storytime in our libraries — it’s impossible not to feel some kinship with this cheeky lion as he fabricates more and more reasons why perhaps just a little bit more of the cake needs to be nibbled away… it’s a sacrifice, but someone’s got to do it!

To read more about this year’s NZCYA award winners you can read our blog post about the winners, or head over to the NZCYA Book Awards website itself!


Is this your class pet / Cummings, Troy
Arfy is a wonder of a dog – he can write! And when he accidentally fetches a turtle and can’t figure out which classroom the turtle belongs to, he writes letters to all the classes to try to find its home.

Also available as an ebook.
Two dogs / Falconer, Ian
From the author of the Olivia picture books comes the story of these two very noble looking, but very mischievous dachshunds. One is cautious, one is reckless. What happens when they escape out their back door?
Words about birds of Aotearoa New Zealand / Fuller, G. F.
This book combines our native birds, poetry, and the art of Geoffrey Fuller. Each double page spread highlights a different bird in their habitat, alongside a charming poem about them.

This is a New Zealand picture book.


Goat on a trampoline / Harrop, Amy
Lily Goat discovers a new skill, which should be pretty easy to guess from the title! But when her prideful boasting lands her in trouble she needs her friends to come to her rescue and teach her (and us) something about kindness.

This is a New Zealand picture book.
Kororā and the Sushi Shop / Keegan, Linda, Jane
This picture book tells the true (and local!) story of a penguin who kept coming back to a sushi shop, right by the Wellington Railway Station. The shop was so enticing that the little kororā even took a friend along! And now we can read the story in this delightful book.

This is a New Zealand picture book.
Mama and mummy and me in the middle / LaCour, Nina
This is a lovely story about a little girl with two wonderful parents, but when her Mummy goes away on a work trip things aren’t quite the same at home with only Mama around. This book explores what it’s like to miss someone, and then the awkwardness when they return.
The Grizzled Grist does not exist / MacIver, Juliette
A class goes on a trip through the Dismal Hills, with their teacher reminding them that “The Grizzled Grist does not exist!” But when she’s proven wrong it’s lucky that one student is very skilled at hiding. This is a fun rhyming story, with lots of details to look for in the illustrations.

This is a New Zealand picture book.
Cat’s first baby / Nelson, Natalie
When there’s a new baby around, it’s not only the human members of the family who have to get used to the changes! After all, there’s this new creature in the house that Cat is pretty sure isn’t also a cat. This board book is a companion to Dog’s First Baby.
Daddy’s rainbow / Rowland, Lucy
This picture book explores what it is like for a child to lose a parent. Erin’s daddy shows her all the different ways to find colour in the world, even when the day is dismal and wet. But when he’s not there anymore and the world goes grey, will Erin be able to find those colours again?
No home for a wētā / Thatcher, Stephanie
Wētā is sick of living with her rowdy and rambunctious family, so she decides to move out. But when she finally finds her perfect, quiet, and peaceful new home she realises there’s something missing. This is a fun rhyming story about family and the things you can find outside in Aotearoa.

This is a New Zealand picture book.