Author: Stephen Clothier

Draw Along with Paul Beavis at Karori Library!

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Learn from the master himself!

During the April school holidays, we are lucky to be hosting superstar author and illustrator Paul Beavis (Nee Naw, There Was an Odd Farmer Who Swallowed a Fly, Ring Ting Tūī) for a fantastic workshop at Te Māhanga Karori Library.

Come along to Karori Library at 2pm on Friday the 26th of April to meet Paul, learn all about how a picture book gets made, and draw along with him to pick up some new skills from the master. Who knows, you might even be inspired to start writing your own picture book!

Space is limited, so registrations are required — sign up here. This workshop is suitable for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers.


To get you excited, here are some of our favourite books from Paul’s catalogue, all available to reserve from the library:

Mrs. Mo’s monster / Beavis, Paul
“A monster with a one-track mind meets his match in an elderly lady called Mrs. Mo. With Mrs. Mo’s help, the monster is surprised to discover that he can do more than he ever thought, but that’s not the only surprise Mrs. Mo has in store”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Hello World / Beavis, Paul
“Monster is bored, but Mr. and Mrs. Mo are too busy to play. Monster decides to go off on an adventure.” (Catalogue)

Nee Naw the little fire engine / Yipadee, Deano
“The sing-along story of Nee Naw the Little Fire Engine is now available in a new board book edition! Granny’s in trouble – her house is on fire and she is trapped! The two big engines go roaring off to help but both suffer misfortune on the way to Granny’s place. Time for Nee Naw to step up and show what he can do! “–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Stink-o-saurus / Yipadee, Deano
“Stan was a rare dinosaur, a one of a kind. Most from their front, HIS roar came from his BEHIND! Youll split your pants laughing at Stan, the worlds only STINK-O-SAURUS. But can his stinky antics save the day and keep Tommy T-Rex far away?” (Catalogue)

There was an odd farmer who swallowed a fly / Millett, Peter
“Peek through the holes in the pages to see what the odd farmer swallows in this favourite nursery rhyme with a pitch-perfect Kiwi twist!”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Become an expert joke-teller / Moffatt, Tom
“Tired of no-one laughing at your jokes? You don’t have to be. Joke-telling is a skill, like playing the piano or juggling live hedgehogs. This book teaches you that skill with easy-to-follow instructions and simple exercises”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Take me to your leader / Agnew, Leonie
“Eleven-year-old Lucas has got a new worry to add to his long, long list – his rural school is on the Ministry of Education’s list for closure. What’s his mum going to do if he and his sister have to start travelling to a school an hour or two away? […] He and his friends come up with a mad idea to revive their town and save their school –they stage an alien encounter. […] Before Lucas knows it, he’s lost control of his plot, and a chain of unpredictable (and often hilarious) events that follow are quickly turning to chaos!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Ring Ting Tūī / Roo, Elena de
“The familiar antics of one of New Zealand’s favourite native birds have been captured by award-winning picture book creators Elena de Roo and Paul Beavis. SQUAWK! Things are getting loud! The kowhai branch is bending … what a sticky tūī crowd! Have the tūī slurped too much kowhai nectar to make an escape? Bursting with fun – and nectar! – this melodious tūī story will have children and adults joining in with the tūī sounds until they too fall to the ground, just like the crowd of too many tūī. Elena de Roo’s sparse use of clever text and impeccable rhythm is combined with Paul Beavis’s artwork that oozes with character, creating a special picture book fit for a clutch of chaotic tūī, and finished off with ten fascinating tūī facts.” (Catalogue)

Find out more about Paul, and keep up to date with his releases at his website: Paul Beavis – Author and Illustrator

Tūhono 2024 Submissions Are Now Open!

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The 1st of April has finally arrived, and so we have officially opened submissions for Tūhono 2024, our annual poetry journal for children and teens! This year’s theme is “Tūmanako | Hope” — check out our last blog post for the full details. We are so excited to read your entries this year — just make sure you get them in before the 12th of May! Use the button below to submit your entry.

Submit your poem for Tūhono 2024!

Here’s a wee reminder of the guidelines this year:

  • We want you to write a poem on the theme of “Tūmanako | Hope.” The kupu Māori ‘tūmanako has a wide range of meanings, including the act of hoping or wishing for something to happen, as well as hope as an object — something that you greatly desire, yearn for, or wish to be so. When you are writing your poem, you might like to think about some of the following questions, but as always with Tūhono, there is no one way we expect you to respond to this theme:
    • Act of hoping — how does hope make you feel? What does hope help you to achieve? What does hope mean to you? When you are hoping for something to happen, what thoughts and feelings come into your mind? How does the act of hoping make your body feel?
    • Hope as an object — Do you hope for something tangible, like a new thing to own? What does that thing look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, or feel like? Do you hope for something intangible, like world peace? What does that look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, or feel like? When you have gained (or not) the thing that you have hoped for, what do you think that will feel like?
  • Length: Your poem should not be longer than one A4 page typed, with size 12 font and 1.5 line spacing. Only one poem per person will be accepted.
  • Language: Your poem may be written in English or te reo Māori.
  • Format: Your poem should be submitted as a .doc, .docx, or .txt file.

Announcing our Summer Reading Adventure Prize-Winners!

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The winners themselves have known for a couple of weeks, but the day has finally come — it’s time for us to publicly announce the Grand Prize winners of the 2023-24 Summer Reading Adventure!

Of course, everyone who took part is a winner in some way — whether you won badges, books, stationery, vouchers, or just the eternal respect and admiration of your peers, your fearless ventures into the Land of Literature have not gone unrewarded. In fact, during the Summer Reading Adventure, our librarians gave out 2,270 prizes to intrepid word explorers across our fair city.

Some of these prizes came along with another, hidden prize — the opportunity to put your name in the hat to win one of the Grand Prizes. There were 10 Grand Prizes up for grabs in total — four for kids, three for teens, and another three for adults. Our lucky prize-winners are listed below:

Kids

Grand Prize #1 – Into the Wild

Winner: Natalie, age 8, from St Benedict’s School and Tari-kākā | Khandallah Library

Prize description:

  • 1x family pass to Staglands Wildlife Reserve and Cafe
  • 1x family pass to Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne
  • 1x family pass to Wellington Zoo
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #2 – Science and Wonder

Winner: Michelle, age 6, from Wadestown School and Ōtari | Wadestown Library

Prize description:

  • 1x family pass to the Wētā Cave Workshop Experience
  • Activity books from Te Papa Press
  • A NeoBear AR Globe
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #3 – Ultimate Artistry

Winner: Alin, age 12, from St Catherine’s College and Ngā Puna Waiora | Newtown Library

Prize description:

  • A selection of high-quality artistic stationery from Gordon Harris
  • A NeoBear AR Globe
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #4 – Books and More!

Winner: Abhirup, age 9, from Amesbury School and Waitohi | Johnsonville Library

Prize description:

  • A Summer Reading book bundle from Gecko Press
  • A voucher for Unity Books
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Teens

Grand Prize #5 – Books, Books, Books!

Winner: Rebecca, age 15, from Wellington Girls’ College and Waitohi | Johnsonville Library

Prize description:

  • A voucher for Unity Books
  • A voucher for a VIP experience at Te Pātaka, the site of our Central Library collection
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #6 – Artistic Endeavours

Winner: Penelope, age 13, from Waitohi | Johnsonville Library

Prize description:

  • A voucher for Gordon Harris Fine Art Supplies
  • A voucher for 3D printing and lasercutting services at Tūhura | The HIVE in Johnsonville
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #7 – Games and More

Winner: TJ, age 15, from St Patrick’s College and Te Awa-a-Taia | Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library

Prize description:

  • 20x tokens for experiences at Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe
  • 1x family pass to the Wētā Cave Workshop Experience
  • A voucher for Cerberus Games and a set of artisan gaming dice
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Adults

Grand Prize #8 – Books and Blockbusters

Winner: Doreen from Te Awa-a-Taia | Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library

Prize description:

  • A voucher for Unity Books
  • Double pass to Light House Cinema movie screening
  • A voucher for a VIP experience at Te Pātaka, the site of our Central Library collection
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #9 – Cultural Capital

Winner: Alex from Waitohi | Johnsonville Library

Prize description:

  • Double pass to a show at Circa Theatre
  • Double pass to a show presented by the Wellington Footlights Society
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Grand Prize #10 – Sonic Wonderland

Winner: Moriah from Te Awe Brandon Street Library

Prize description:

  • Double pass to a concert in Orchestra Wellington’s The Story season
  • Selection of recent CD releases from Rattle Records
  • Assorted locally-made goodies, including chocolate!

Massive congratulations to all our winners!

Thank you as well to all of our wonderful sponsors for their support of this year’s Summer Reading Adventure. In no particular order: Ben & Jerry’s Wellington, Circa Theatre, Gecko Press, Light House Cinema, Office Max NZ, Orchestra Wellington, Rattle Records, Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, Staglands Wildlife Reserve and Cafe, Unity Books, the Wellington Footlights Society, Wētā Workshop, Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe, Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne, and Wellington Zoo. Ngā mihi to you all for helping us help you keep reading over the summer!

But most of all, thank you and congratulations to everyone who took part! As we’ve noted before, you have positively blown our socks off with your reading and we couldn’t be prouder of you all. See you for the next Adventure!

Tūhono 2024: We Want Your Poems!

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Tūhono, Wellington City Libraries’ poetry journal for children and teens, will soon be opening for submissions! From 1 April – 12 May, we will be accepting submissions of poetry from young writers aged 5 – 18 in Wellington City. In previous years we have published more than 200 young poets in Tūhono — so this year we’ll again be splitting it into two books, one for kids and one for teens.

Unlike some other poetry journals, having your work accepted in Tūhono is not a competition — as long as you follow the rules of submission, every piece of work that gets sent to us will be published. Tūhono itself will be published as an eBook on OverDrive, and in a limited print run for our libraries, so that everyone with a library card can borrow it and bask in your talent and glory! Check out previous editions of Tūhono on our catalogue here.

Let your poetic thoughts take wing!

Here is all the information you need in order to submit a poem for inclusion in Tūhono 2024:

When?

  • Submissions are open from 1 April – 12 May 2024.
  • The journal will be published and available to borrow from the library in late 2024.

Where?

Who?

  • Anyone between the ages of 5 and 18 who lives in the Wellington region may participate.
  • You may submit as an individual or as a group.

What?

  • Theme: We want you to write a poem on the theme of “Tūmanako | Hope.” The kupu Māori ‘tūmanako‘ has a wide range of meanings, including the act of hoping or wishing for something to happen, as well as hope as an object — something that you greatly desire, yearn for, or wish to be so. When you are writing your poem, you might like to think about some of the following questions, but as always with Tūhono, there is no one way we expect you to respond to this theme:
    • Act of hoping — how does hope make you feel? What does hope help you to achieve? What does hope mean to you? When you are hoping for something to happen, what thoughts and feelings come into your mind? How does the act of hoping make your body feel?
    • Hope as an object — Do you hope for something tangible, like a new thing to own? What does that thing look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, or feel like? Do you hope for something intangible, like world peace? What does that look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, or feel like? When you have gained (or not) the thing that you have hoped for, what do you think that will feel like?
  • Length: Your poem should not be longer than one A4 page typed, with size 12 font and 1.5 line spacing. Only one poem per person will be accepted.
  • Language: Your poem may be written in English or te reo Māori.
  • Format: Your poem should be submitted as a .doc, .docx, or .txt file.

Why?

  • We want to give all young people in Wellington the opportunity to have their work published on an accessible platform. We think everyone deserves a platform and the chance to see something they created be part of the library’s collection, alongside all the other great authors and poets represented on our shelves. Tūhono aims to be a uniquely Wellington collection of writing, capturing the thoughts and emotions of kids and teens from all over the city and region across time. We consider ourselves lucky to be able to provide this platform for your creativity to take wing.

Throughout the months of April and May, we will be posting regular updates on this blog providing inspiration for your writing — so keep your eyes peeled! If you would like more information about Tūhono, you are more than welcome to contact the editors here. Happy writing, everyone! We are so excited to see what you come up with.

Read to Kurī Starting Up Again at Kilbirnie Library!

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Good news for dog-lovers and book-lovers alike — we’re bringing back our popular Read to Kurī programme at Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library throughout Term 1 this year!

Every Thursday after school from the 15th of February on, you’ll be able to book in a 15-minute slot to read to one of our gorgeous therapy pups from our friends at Canine Friends Pet Therapy. Read on to learn more about Read to Kurī, and how you can book your session!

Archie (right) is one of the lovely doggos joining us for this programme!


What is Read to Kurī?

At Read to Kurī, you will book in for a 15-minute one-on-one reading session with one of our gorgeous doggy pals from Canine Friends Pet Therapy. You will be able to choose a book and curl up somewhere cosy in the library to read with your chosen dog. The dog’s handler will be present at all times.

Read to Kurī aims to help tamariki improve their literacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem in a relaxed, non-judgemental environment. All dogs have been trained and tested for health, safety, and temperament, and many have experience working with young children.

Research shows that therapy dogs:

  • Can increase a child’s relaxation while reading
  • Listen attentively
  • Do not laugh, judge or criticise a child’s reading level
  • Allow children to proceed at their own pace
  • Can be less intimidating to read to than a child’s peers

This programme is perfect for tamariki aged 5+ who would like to practice their reading skills while making a new canine friend at the library. Bookings are essential as spaces are limited — visit our Event Calendar to place your booking.

Meet the Kurī

We are very lucky to have two talented pooches join us for Read to Kurī at Kilbirnie Library during the term. Read on to find out a little bit more about each dog!


Kurī 1: Archie

Handler: Penny Griffith

“My name is Archie and I am six years old. I absolutely love people, and especially children!

I am a Schnoodle — my mummy is a Schnauzer and my daddy is a Poodle.

I think I will be very good at listening to children reading me stories… maybe they can even teach me how to read!”

Penny and Archie will be at Kilbirnie Library from 3.30 – 4.30pm every second Thursday starting on Thursday 29 February.


Kurī 2: Mātai

A golden retriever wearing a red bandana with his tongue out in a doggy smileHandler: Lisa Allan

“Kia ora!  My name is Mātai (prounounced maa-tie) and I’m a 4 year old Golden Retriever.

I’m a very chilled out dog with a very warm and patient nature.  I love people and especially children.  They are super fun to hang out with.

I enjoy sitting or lying listening to stories, and when the time is right, playing.  My favourite place is the beach.  I have fun chasing sticks and balls, playing tug of war, and swimming (even when my mum has told me it’s not swimming time )

I think I’d like listening to you reading me a story.”

Lisa and Mātai will be at Kilbirnie Library from 3.30 – 4.30pm on Thursdays 15 and 22 February, and every second Thursday thereafter.

Spaces for Read to Kurī are strictly limited, so book your session in now!

The Summer Reading Adventure Has Concluded!

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Kia ora readers and writers, quest-takers, and Adventurers of all stripes! The 2023/24 Summer Reading Adventure is officially over, and it’s fair to say that we have been absolutely blown away by your exploits over the summer. We will be announcing our Grand Prize winners over the next week or so, so do keep an eye out on this blog and on our social media for more on this!

Here are some very impressive numbers for those who are that way inclined:

  • 1,715 intrepid Adventurers participated in the Summer Reading Adventure this year
  • Together, you read 22,910 books — that’s one book every 3 minutes and 53 seconds!
  • You also created 7,692 book reviews — some of you even chose to make videos, write poems, or make dioramas based on the books you read!
  • You completed 5,006 quests — some of them in our libraries, others in your own home, and others still out in the city, making this the most adventure-filled Adventure yet!
  • Together, you earned and collected 2,270 prizes for your efforts, including ice cream vouchers, stationery, books, book vouchers, and much more, thanks to our generous sponsors.

We are also extremely excited to announce that Seatoun School is the official winner of this year’s School Prize, with 45.9% of their school roll, or 169 students, signing up for and taking part in Summer Reading. Ka rawe, Seatoun School! They have won a free visit from a Wellington author or illustrator of their choice, courtesy of our kind and generous friends at Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. We can’t wait to see which lucky creator gets to visit them!

Finally, we would like to thank all of our wonderful sponsors for their support of this year’s Summer Reading Adventure. In no particular order: Ben & Jerry’s Wellington, Circa Theatre, Gecko Press, Light House Cinema, Office Max NZ, Orchestra Wellington, Rattle Records, Read NZ Te Pou Muramura, Staglands Wildlife Reserve and Cafe, Unity Books, the Wellington Footlights Society, Wētā Workshop, Ye Olde Pinball Shoppe, Zealandia Te Māra a Tāne, and Wellington Zoo. Ngā mihi to you all for helping us help you keep reading over the summer!

That’s it for now — thank you for a wonderful summer, and we’ll see you again next year!

Free Puppet Shows and Workshops for the Summer!

Stephen Clothier

This summer, we are lucky to be joined by not one, but two prestigious puppeteering theatre companies — Birdlife Productions and String Bean Puppets — bringing us 8 free shows at our libraries and community centres! Read on to find out more.

Box of Birds! with Birdlife Productions

Peter and his new friends in Box of Birds! Photo: Supplied

The magic begins this week, with the exquisite puppet show Box of Birds from Birdlife Productions. This beautiful show features hand-crafted puppets, interactive songs, and percussion, and tells the story of Peter and his Grandma as they build a nesting box for Ruru – but Peter must learn to be patient and wait to discover who will eventually nest in his ‘box of birds’!

The show lasts for 30 minutes and is perfect for tamariki aged 3-6 with their caregivers, but older and younger siblings are very welcome.

Dates and Locations:

Flutter: Puppet Show and Workshop with String Bean Puppets

Pepe and Titi flying in Flutter! Photo: Dianna Thomson//TAHI Festival 2023

Join Anna Bailey of String Bean Puppets for this mesmerising puppet show and workshop during the holidays! Experience the magic of puppetry in Flutter, an expowering and delightful show for young audiences about a bat who is afraid of the dark making friends with a glowworm who thinks she is a star.

The show is followed by a shadow puppetry workshop where tamariki can explore a world of shadows, learning how to create magical and beautiful shadow puppet creatures using natural materials, as well as building their own upcycled shadow box to take home.

The Flutter puppet show lasts for 40 minutes and is perfect for tamariki aged 4-10 with their caregivers. The shadow puppet workshop last for 45 minutes and is most suitable for tamariki aged 6-10, but younger siblings are welcome to participate with help from their caregivers.

Dates and Locations:

Ngā mihi to the Creative Communities Scheme from Creative NZ for making it possible for us to share these experiences with you for free.

Nau mai — everyone is welcome!

Read to Kurī at Te Māhanga Karori Library!

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Great news for dog-lovers and book-lovers alike — our popular Read to Kurī programme is coming to Te Māhanga Karori Library!

On Friday 15th of December, you’ll be able to book in a 15-minute slot to read to gorgeous therapy dog Pippin, thanks to our friends at Canine Friends Pet Therapy. Read on to learn more about Read to Kurī, and to find out how to book your session!

Join Pippin and her handler, Julia, at Te Māhanga next Friday!


What is Read to Kurī?

At Read to Kurī, you will book in for a 15-minute one-on-one reading session with one of our gorgeous doggy pals from Canine Friends Pet Therapy. You will be able to choose a book and curl up somewhere cosy in the library to read with your chosen dog. The dog’s handler will be present at all times.

Read to Kurī aims to help tamariki improve their literacy, self-confidence, and self-esteem in a relaxed, non-judgemental environment. All dogs have been trained and tested for health, safety, and temperament, and many have experience working with young children.

Research shows that therapy dogs:

  • Can increase a child’s relaxation while reading
  • Listen attentively
  • Do not laugh, judge or criticise a child’s reading level
  • Allow children to proceed at their own pace
  • Can be less intimidating to read to than a child’s peers

This programme is perfect for tamariki aged 5+ who would like to practice their reading skills while making a new canine friend at the library. Bookings are essential as spaces are limited.

Meet Pippin

We are very lucky to have Pippin and her handler Julia Melville joining us at Te Māhanga Karori Library for Read to Kurī.

Pippin is a very chill doggo who loves being read to. She visits daycares regularly and loves getting to know lots of different tamariki around the city.

Her human, Julia, says she’s a bit lazy for tricks, but will happily lie and get pats!

Pippin and Julia will be at Te Māhanga on Friday 15 December from 3.15 – 4.30pm. We hope they will be able to join us again in 2024!

To book your session with Pippin, please register at the desk or call Karori Library on 476 8413.


Spaces for Read to Kurī are strictly limited, so make sure you register early to guarantee your spot!

The Summer Reading Adventure is Here!

Stephen Clothier

It’s the 1st of December, which in the land of libraries can mean only one thing — the Summer Reading Adventure has officially begun!

Through the power of reading, transform Wellington into a fantasy dreamland! Is that a phoenix soaring above the harbour?

From today until the 31st of January 2024, we’re inviting you on an adventure — an adventure that will take you from the safety and comfort of your bedroom, to locations around the city, into your back yard, down to the local library, into the pages of more than a few books, and back home again in time for tea.

Along the way, you’ll be reading books, drawing pictures and maps, taking videos, completing challenges, getting out into nature, and maybe fighting off the odd monster or two — all in the name of seeing who shall have the honour of being crowned Supreme Champion of Words, Books and Deeds. You’ll also be earning all kinds of awesome prizes for your efforts, from collectible badges to ice-cream vouchers, books, family experiences and much more!

Pick up an Adventurer’s Guide from your local library, or check it out below, to get started — or just head straight to our Summer Reading website! Don’t forget to check out our previous blog post for heaps more info about how you can take part!

Pre-Register now for the Summer Reading Adventure!

Stephen Clothier

Read books, explore the city, win prizes!

The Summer Reading Adventure for Kids runs from 1 December 2023 – 31 January 2024 for children aged 5-13. Read books; write, draw or film reviews; and complete quests to earn all kinds of awesome goodies — and you’ll still be home in time for tea! Adults and teens can also take part in their own Summer Reading Adventures — visit the Summer Reading page on our website for all the info.

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

Starting on the 1st of December, you’ll be able to pick up an Adventurer’s Guide from your local library to get started. But you don’t have to wait! Head on over to our Summer Reading Adventure website to pre-register — you’ll get a sneak preview of the quests and activities you’ll be able to do, and you’ll be ready to get started immediately when the 1st of December rolls around.

Read on to find out more!

Continue reading →