Books are Magic: Books about Books

Surprise! We librarians REALLY love books (almost more than cats) and so when we come across a book about books?! Well, we do a little happy dance. Here are a few good ones we’ve added to the collection recently:

Once upon a book by Grace Lin (picture book; ages 4–8)

It’s a cold winter’s day and Alice is bored. A book beckons her (quite literally) into its pages, and she climbs inside and becomes part of the unfolding story. A book that celebrates the joy of reading and the ability of books to transport us into other worlds.

This book is banned by Raj Haldar (picture book; ages 4-8)

This funny and thought-provoking book explores the issue of book banning. The story begins with the hippos’ complaint that the giraffes are getting all the leaves, which results in them getting removed from the story. When replacements are sought each are banned in turn, for example, an avocado is banned for being gross, while a roller-skating robot is banned for being too dangerous. The book ends with the message that even if a book isn’t right for you, it could still be perfect for someone else.

Books make good friends by Jane Mount (sophisticated picture book; ages 6-10)

Ha, it is no surprise to see that many of our librarian friends have this beautiful book issued! It tells the story of Lotti, who prefers the company of books to people and finds making friends hard. Through the stories she reads, she finds joy and connection with the people around her. What makes this book extra special, is the book spine art on every page, which provides a bunch of recommended reads.

How this book got red by Margaret Chiu Greanias (picture book; ages 4-8)

Adorable panda friends Red (a red panda) and Gee (a giant panda) eagerly read a book about pandas. But Red’s excitement soon turns to disappointment when she realises that there are no red pandas in the book! Red never sees books about red pandas and so determined to change this, sets out to write her own book! The theme here – the importance of representation and diversity in children’s literature, is most definitely one close to our librarian heart.

The book that no one wanted to read by Richard Ayoade (chapter book; ages 8-12)

A book, where the narrator is…the book itself! Initially, a cranky, opinionated, and repressed sort, the book begins to loosen and open-up when it starts to chat with you – the reader. A quirky, humorous read that includes diagrams, graphs, cartoons, and lots of book facts.



This guest blog post was prepared by Stephanie, Library Specialist – Collections in charge of buying for the children’s collection.

What Comes Next? Warriors

Many parents will be familiar with the challenge of finding their tamariki interesting and exciting books to read after they finish a fantastic series, and the library is here to help. In our series “What Comes Next?” we provide some recommendations for children after they’ve finished a popular series. Last month we looked at the hilariously unlucky Series of Unfortunate Eventsand this month we have focused our attention on the long-running Warrior Cats series by Erin Hunter.

For many tamariki the Warriors books are one of the first big series they really dive in to. And whether they make their way through all the books or are looking for something to read after they’ve gotten their fill, we’ve done our best to find something for everyone. We haven’t included the other Erin Hunter books in this list, but if you haven’t read them yet then check out Seekers, Survivors and Bravelands

Librarian’s tip — If you are reading the Warriors series and aren’t quite sure what order you’re meant to be reading them in, we recommend visiting Fantastic Fiction, who’ve done all the hard work of putting all those books in reading order for you!

Younger Kids:

Young kids have quite a few options when it comes to animal-focused books with lots of adventure. Kathryn Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’Hoole is simply excellent, and Lucky by Chris Hill is sure to delight kids, with a fun squirrel as the main character. Animorphs by Katherine Applegate needs no introduction to many people, who wouldn’t remember a book where kids gain the power to transform into animals? Finally, a newer book with panthers as main characters is The Lost Rainforest by Eliot Schrefer.

The capture / Lasky, Kathryn
“When Soren, a barn owl, arrives at St. Aggie’s, a school for orphaned owls, he suspects trouble and with his new friend, a clever elf owl named Gylfie, embarks on a perilous journey to save all owls from the danger at St. Aggie’s.” (Catalogue)

Mez’s magic / Schrefer, Eliot
“Caldera has forever been divided into those animals who walk by night and those who walk by day. Until the eclipse. Now Mez has discovered that she can cross the Veil and enter the daylight world. Her magical power has unknown depths, but she must rush to discover it after a mysterious stranger arrives at her family’s den, bearing warnings of a reawakened evil. Saving Caldera means Mez must leave her sister behind and unite an unlikely group of animal friends to unravel an ancient mystery and protect their rainforest home.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Lucky / Hill, Chris
“Every day is a fight for survival when you’re a young squirrel lost in the world. And for Lucky, it gets even tougher when he finds out he’s the only red squirrel in a city park fought over by grey ones. Lucky needs fortune on his side to win a place in their hearts. But when he discovers a plot that threatens his new home, is his luck about to run out?”–Back cover” (Catalogue)

Invasion / Applegate, Katherine
“When Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, and Marco stumble upon a downed alien spaceship and its dying pilot, they’re given an incredible power … a power they must use to outsmart an evil greater than anything the world has ever seen.” (Catalogue)

Older Kids:

If you’re on the older side, and looking for Young Adult reads with similar energy to Warriors then we’ve found a few books you’ll probably enjoy. While Gone by Michael Grant doesn’t have any animals, it does have teenagers with mysterious powers trying to solve a mystery in a Lord of the Flies-esque society. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater does have animals in the form of werewolves as main characters and Protector of the Small by Tamora Pierce is an excellent fantasy series sure to delight fans of Warriors who enjoyed the political intrigue.

Gone / Grant, Michael
“In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have “The Power” and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.” (Catalogue)

Shiver / Stiefvater, Maggie
“In all the years she has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house, Grace has been particularly drawn to an unusual yellow-eyed wolf who, in his turn, has been watching her with increasing intensity.” (Catalogue)

First test / Pierce, Tamora
“Ten-year-old Keladry of Mindalen, daughter of nobles, serves as a page but must prove herself to the males around her if she is ever to fulfill her dream of becoming a knight.” (Catalogue)

Hopefully you’ve found something to dive into after finishing Warriors, and catch us next time for another blog on a popular series, we haven’t quite decided which one yet, so feel free to drop some suggestions down below!

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)

Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals: Wrap-Up!

As we prepare ourselves for another term of school, let’s look back on all the important learning, incredible creations, and colourful critters that we encountered during our April school holidays programme, Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals.

Flip through this photo gallery to see some cheeky animals and check out a few of our holiday highlights!

  • Librarian with three camelids
    Mary the librarian, with 3 camelids at ‘Llamas at the Library,’ outside Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library!
  • A group of children making art
    Creating animal masks at Wadestown Library!
  • Children and parents using LEGO®
    Coastal Ecology LEGO® Lab at Island Bay Community Centre
  • Man walks wearing a kororā penguin suit, child watches.
    Michael the Kororā on the move at Karori Library’s Kororā Penguin Party
  • Child stands behind display, holding artwork
    Alisa (5), one of our Kilbirnie Wheelie Roar-Some competition winners, with her creation Bessie: the bird taxi! Thanks to the Kilbirnie Recreation Centre for helping out with prizes!
  • Two boys hold artwork
    Some of the masterful creations from Under the Sea Animal Craftivity at He Matapihi Library
  • A group of children building LEGO®
    Making LEGO® Habitats at Cummings Park Library
  • Child holds their artwork
    One of the lushly decorated critter creations from Technicolour Furbearers at Johnsonville Library!
  • Children work on craft project
    Creating mix and match animal flipbooks at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library
  • Group of children and parents watch librarians reading book, with musical instruments
    Our librarians lead a musical animal antics storytime at Tawa Community Centre
  • Children read a story to parents and toddlers
    Young presenters weave a tale at our Brooklyn Library Cuddly Creatures Sleepover!
  • Man with guanaco, watched by children
    Stephen Mulholland introduces tamariki to a guanaco at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library

Wellington City Libraries and Community Centres would like to give a massive thanks to all our friends from Forest & Bird: Places for Penguins, Wellington University Coastal Ecology Lab, Kilbirnie Recreation Centre, and of course Stephen Mullholand with his herd of camelids!

Thanks to everyone who came along and helped make our programme so special! We hope to see you all again next holidays, or hopefully before then at your local library branch! To find out about our regular programmes, special events, and holiday happenings, make sure to keep an eye-out on the kids’ blog, and our Facebook page, or our events calendar.

Now, it’s time for us to waddle, trot, and soar on our way out of here. Mā te wā!

April School Holidays: Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals!

The April school holidays are just one-and-a-half short weeks away! This year, Wellington City Libraries is inviting you to enter Te Ao Kararehe: The World of Animals with us all the way through the holidays, from the 8th to the 23rd of April.

Have you ever thought that perhaps you might like to meet a llama at the library? What about a penguin? What if we asked you to design your own animals — would they have claws and scales, or bright purple fur? Is it possible to use LEGO® to build a realistic habitat for a mythological beast? How good would a walking, talking animal be at playing D&D? Whatever your interests, something wild, mysterious, fascinating or exciting awaits you in Te Ao Kararehe: The World of AnimalsVisit this page to see the whole calendar, or read on to find out more about what’s happening at your local library or community centre these holidays!

What awaits you in the wilds of Te Ao Kararehe?


Animal Antics Musical Storytime

Join us for these animal-themed storytimes where your multi-talented librarians will incorporate many different musical instruments into their storytelling! Stick around when the stories and songs are done to get up-close and personal to learn about the instruments you heard.

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

Baby Rock and Rhyme: Cubs ‘n’ Bubs Special Edition!

Come on down to the library for these fun and free sessions for parents and carers to interact with their babies through songs and stories — this time with a special animal-themed twist! Rhyme, rhythm, repetition and music are the building blocks of language for babies. Stick around afterwards to chat with our librarians and meet other new parents in your community!

Recommended for pēpī aged 0-2 with their caregivers, but older siblings are also most welcome.

Be Ready In An Emergency! (For Kids)

Learn what to do in an emergency like an earthquake or tsunami with an expert from the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO)! This is an interactive group activity for children aged 5-12. Registrations are required — to book your spot, talk to a librarian or phone Karori Library on 476 8413.

Children’s Librarian’s note: How is this event related to animals, you ask? Well, have you ever heard of ‘turtling’ during an emergency? Okay, okay, the link is fragile at best, we just wanted the opportunity to have our friends at WREMO come for a visit!

The Bad Smell Hotel: Book Launch and Celebration

Karori Library and The Cuba Press warmly invite you to the book launch of The Bad Smell Hotel, by father-daughter duo Rajorshi Chakraborti and Leela (age 11)!

The duo came up with the idea of the book during the 2020 lockdown, and their story is set in the not-too-distant future, where society is contending with mysterious bouts of uncontrollable farting! The forthcoming book is marvellously illustrated by Dan Mills.

Join us at the library for this very special celebration where you can meet the authors and find out more about the wonderful worlds they have created together!

Coastal Ecology LEGO® Laboratory

Ahoy, kids and whānau! Come join the team from the Wellington University Coastal Ecology Lab to learn incredible facts about your local marine ecosystem: from coral and fishes, all the way to mighty sharks! Kids then can build their very own sea critter or underwater habitat with our LEGO® collection! The most creative design will win a prize, and all models will be displayed at Island Bay Library, along with descriptions written by their creators.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Create-a-Critter Flipbooks

For our event today, tamariki will create a booklet made of pages cut into thirds, each featuring pictures of different animal body parts that they have drawn or found in magazines. As the pages flip around, the body parts will combine in ways both abstract and hilarious!

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Create Cuddly Creatures

Bring your old socks along to the library and transform them into a fuzy friend! We’ll provide the thread, needles, and extra accessories for your creature creation, as well as guidance from an expert librarian. Just make sure you’ve washed your socks, it may be difficult to give them a bath afterwards!

Recommended for tamariki and rangatahi aged 8+ with their caregivers.

Critter Creation: Recycled Art

Join us at Newlands Community Centre to turn junk into art! Bring along your own recycling stash to add to our supply, and create the critter of your dreams. Build a lion, a lemur, a llama, or something wild from your imagination!

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Cuddly Toy Animal Sleepover!

Dress up in your favourite onesie or your PJs, bring a cuddly toy animal, and join us for music, stories and crafts! Those who can bear (geddit?) to may leave their cuddly toy for a special overnight stay in the library — come back in the morning to find out what mischief and hijinks they got up to!

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Kids’ Book Club: Animal Edition!

Join us at Wadestown Library for our monthly Kids’ Book Club, where we’ll be talking about the books we love and enjoying an animal-themed craft activity too!

Recommended for tamariki aged 6-12 with their caregivers.

LEGO® Habitats

Join us for these special variant sessions of our popular Let’s Go LEGO® programme! Tamariki will design and assemble an ideal habitat for their favourite animals, living or imagined. There will be small prizes for the most creative habitats as well as for the most realistic or viable ones! Completed models will be displayed in the library following the event, alongside descriptions written by their creators.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Llamas! At the Llibrary

Yes, you heard us — get up close with real-life llamas at your local library! Join us for a special outdoor storytime where your llama-loving librarians will warm you up with some stories, then introduce you to our expert Stephen and a couple of camelids — a llama and an alpaca!

Since these are outdoor events we may have to postpone it if weather is poor on the day. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for any updates.

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

*Note: The event at Johnsonville Library has been postponed to Thursday, 20 April at 2pm due to wet weather.

Make Your Own Animal Mask

Make your own animal mask at the library! We will provide lots of different mask templates and heaps of craft supplies so that everyone can create their own unique mask to take home. Animal masquerade ball, anyone?

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

Paws and Claws: Pompomania!

This fun craft is no pig-deal! Come on down to He Matapihi Library and we’ll help you make your first pompom animal. Just bring your enthusiasm and can-do attitude — it’s going to be a paw-some time!

Recommended for tamariki aged 7+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required as space is limited, contact the library at 801 4122 to book your place.

The Pet Files: Zine Making

Kia ora kids! Bring in a photo, or draw an illustration, of your whānau pet (or your dream pet!). Then, join in at the library to create your very own fact file zine about your pets, with fun question prompts, and plenty of time to share our favourite pet stories! Once you’re done, you can also choose to have your Pet Files zine catalogued and added to the library collection for your friends and whānau to borrow. Sweet!

Recommended for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers.

Poké Pets Pompomania

Anime lovers unite! We got chu doing something fun these school holidays. Come along to Poké Pets Pompomania to make a Poké animal like no other. Create adorable Poké pet pompoms and their pompom Pokéball containers at the end of the session. We have instruction sheets you can bring home too.

Recommended for tamariki aged 8+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required as space is limited, contact the library at 801 4122 to book your place.

Spanish Language Day | Día del Idioma Español

Join us on the 22nd of April for Spanish Language Day at Karori Library! Whether you are a Spanish speaker, a language aficionado, or just love learning about other cultures, you are welcome at this family-friendly celebration.

At Spanish Language Day at Karori Library you will experience a range of activities in Spanish — storytelling, an art exhibition, crafts, and the launch of our new Spanish-language book collection. ¿Hablas español? Sí!

Te Ao Kararehe Animal Storytime

You think storytimes are just about stories? Not so in Te Ao Kararehe! Journey to the tangled heart of the forest, soar to the greatest heights of the mountains, and dive to the inkiest depths of the ocean in these continent-spanning storytimes like no other. If you’re lucky you may even get to craft a souvenir to take home as a memento of your travels in the World of Animals.

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Te Ao Kararehe Family Movies

Looking for a purrr-fect chill activity to do in the library? Why not join us for free movie time! It’s definitely a sloth-mode vibe so don’t forget to bring your favourite animal plushie to snuggle. All movies screened will have an animal theme, and will be rated either G or PG. Registration aren’t required; popcorn and beanbags aplenty will be supplied!

Technicolour Furbearers

Welcome to the world of the technicolour furbearers, where nothing is as it seems! At this fun workshop, tamariki will select a pre-prepared model of a fur-coated animal, and decorate their chosen critter with lush paint, shiny gems, colourful fabric, and funky textures.

Recommended for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required.

Under the Sea: Animal CRAFTivity

Whale hello there! Celebrate your school holiday weekend at He Matapihi Library as we create some fun under-the-sea crafts together. Perfect for all ages and stages!

The Wolves of Welton: An Introduction to D&D

Join us for an introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons — no prior RPG experience required. We’ll provide the Dungeon Master, dice, books, pack of ravenous wolves, gear, and knowledge — all you need is enthusiasm!

This session is intended to introduce brand new and novice players to Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop roleplaying games, learning from our experienced librarians in a beginner-friendly environment. Intermediate or experienced players might find this one-shot too simplistic and undemanding.

Recommended for tamariki aged 8-12. Registrations are required: sign up below!

View Finders Beanstack Challenge!

This April School Holidays, take part in our View Finders Photography Challenge! 

We have a holiday challenge for you on our Beanstack platform!

This Beanstack challenge will guide you down the path of learning about photography so that you can get your submissions in before the deadline of the 1st of May — and there are some cool spot prizes for people who complete book reviews and take part in activities. We’re choosing a random book reviewer or challenge completer EVERY DAY to win a spot prize, so don’t miss out!

To jump right into Beanstack, click here! 🎞

Our Beanstack challenge is full of tips and activities to help you take great portraits of people, find flora and fauna in our wonderful city, and get inspired by excellent object photography!

Beanstack challenges

Some of the digital badges you can earn on our Beanstack!


For our photo competition, we’re taking submissions in three categories: Nature, Whānau, and Objects/Books, and in two age groups, 5-12 and 13-18.

The first prize for each category is a reusable Kodak film camera, some black-and-white film roll, and free development with Splendid Photo!

The Beanstack activities lead to a link to enter your own photos.

We look forward to seeing your photos and hearing the story behind them! You may want to display your photo at your local branch library at the end of the competition.

View Finders 1st Place Category Prizes

Our 1st place category prizes! You could win your very own film camera!


Special thanks to our friends at Splendid Photo, who are helping us to judge the competition, and Ben & Jerry’s Wellington, Light House Cinema, and Unity Books, who are kindly providing us with spot prizes to give away. Ka rawe!

Christmas in the Capital and at the Library!

Tis the season for festive fun! Christmas is coming to the Capital … and to the library! Why not get into the Christmas spirit and check out the amazing Christmas themed books and DVDs we have in our collection in between Christmas shopping and life! The countdown to Christmas and the end of 2021 is on!

image courtesy of wellington.govt.nz

Image courtesy of WCC.


Ngā haora hararei – Holiday hours over Christmas & New Year 2021/2022!

Libraries in Wellington are closed on Christmas Day, (Saturday 25th December) until Tuesday 28th December, and again on New Years Day (Saturday 1st January) until Tuesday 4th January. From the 29th of December, we will be open on reduced hours.

From Wednesday 5th January, all branches, except for He Matapihi Molesworth Street, will return to normal to normal hours. He Matapihi Molesworth Street will be open again on Monday 10th January.
Click here for more information about opening hours across all our libraries over the Christmas and New Year period.

What is Christmas? Find out with…

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas.

“Learn what Christmas is, and how it is celebrated. Learn about the religion of Christianity, and what Christmas means to its followers. Learn about prayers and carols, Santa Claus and his reindeer, and traditional decorations and gifts. Also learn about festive Christmas foods and traditions of giving to charity at Christmas.” (Catalogue).

Also check out last year’s post on Solstice and Yule: The Grandfathers of Christmas, which provides you with information about the history of Christmas.

Did you know? Two cultures, the Celts and the Norse each contribute to some of the world’s original festive celebrations at the Christmas time of year.

Some handy ideas for Christmas Crafts:

Need some ideas on making Christmas cards, decorations and gifts? Why not check out books such as:

image courtesy of syndetics100 things to recycle and make.

“Provides step-by-step, illustrated instructions for crafts made with everyday materials, including egg cartons, sticks, and cardboard tubes.” (Catalogue). Also available as an eBook. 

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas things to stitch and sew.

“This new reduced edition of this seasonal title contains fifteen enchanting activities that use a selection of simple sewing techniques. Includes festive projects such as a reindeer collage, Christmas stockings, hanging star decorations and a beautiful fabric holly wreath.” (Catalogue).
Also search our catalogue for more ideas for Christmas Crafts.

Whip up a Christmas feast:

Need some ideas on making snacks, nibbles and a feast for a Christmas party or Christmas lunch! Have a read of this book, or click here for more:

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas cooking.

“Easy step-by-step recipes for delicious Christmas biscuits, cakes and sweets that can be given as gifts, hung on a Christmas tree, or simply eaten and enjoyed. Lots of wrapping ideas, including festive gift boxes and tags. Colourful illustrations and mouth-watering photographs throughout.”

Read stories about Christmas:

image courtesy of syndeticsCowshed Christmas.

“A retelling of the Christmas story with a New Zealand twist. Farmyard animals including a cow, sheep and kune kune come with gifts such as a rugby ball, pavlova and jandals for the baby Jesus by the cowshed door. Suggested level: junior.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsGrumpy Cat’s first worst Christmas.

“Pokey makes every effort to get Grumpy Cat to join in the Christmas spirit! Pokey wants to build a snow-cat together, go sledding, decorate the Christmas tree, and bake cookies for Santa! But Grumpy Cat wants to live in her wonderland of NO.” (Catalogue). Also available as an eBook.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe life and adventures of Santa Claus.

“Drawing on the attributes of Santa Claus from Clement Moore’s 1822 poem […], Baum chronicles Santa’s life from his childhood in an enchanted forest […] to his destiny of sharing gifts and spreading love to his fellow man. Along the way we witness him making his first toys, discover the origins of the Christmas tree and Christmas stockings, and learn the stories behind many Christmas secrets…” (Adapted from Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsI killed Father Christmas.

“Jo-Jo’s mum and dad are arguing again – but this time it’s on Christmas Eve and Jo-Jo’s convinced it’s all his fault. He’s been spoiled, selfish and greedy – and his badness has actually killed Father Christmas. […] But then a magical encounter with the real Father Christmas shows Jo-Jo that the true message of Christmas is the giving of love, not of gifts.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsQuentin Blake’s A Christmas carol.

A beautiful edition of the timeless Christmas classic. A Christmas Carol is the book that defines the Christmas spirit. Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean-spirited miser, is visited by three ghosts one Christmas Eve. The ghosts show Scrooge the true value of Christmas: charity, good humour and love for his fellow man.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsA very Babymouse Christmas.

“The holidays are here and everyone’s enjoying their favorite traditions-eating latkes, decorating for Kwanza, singing holiday songs, and most of all, being with family. Well, everyone except Babymouse. […] Whether she has to face down the ghosts of mean girls past or outsmart Santa himself, she’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she gets the present she wants.” (Adapted from Catalogue).

For more ideas on Christmas themed stories click here.

Stuck inside? Try some Christmas movies:

image courtesy of amazon.co.ukHome Alone.

“When the McCallisters went on holiday they forgot eight year old Kevin. When two bungling burglars break into the house Kevin outwits them.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of amazon.comThe Grinch.

“A re-telling of the classic tale about a grumpy old creature living in a cave on Mt. Crumpet who can’t stand to see his neighbors in Whoville enjoying themselves. Things are especially bad at Christmas, when the Whos kick their merriment into high gear with fantastic celebrations. This year, the Grinch decides to dress up like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and steal all the Christmas gifts and decorations so the Whos can’t enjoy the season.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of amazon.comThe Polar Express.

“Late on Christmas Eve night, a boy lies in bed hoping to hear the sound of reindeer bells from Santa’s sleigh. When to his surprise, a steam engine’s roar and whistle can be heard outside his window. The conductor invites him on board to take an extraordinary journey to the North Pole with many other pajama-clad children. There, he receives an extraordinary gift only those who still believe in Santa can experience.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

image courtesy of amazon.co.ukOlaf’s Frozen Christmas.

“Olaf teams up with Sven on a merry mission. It’s the first holiday season since the gates re-opened and Anna and Elsa host a celebration for all of Arendelle. When the townspeople unexpectedly leave early to enjoy their individual holiday customs, the sisters realise they have no family traditions of their own. So, Olaf sets out to comb the kingdom to bring home the best traditions and save this first Christmas for his friends.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of amazon.comThe Nutcracker and the four realms.

“In search of a key to unlock a box from her late mother, Clara finds her way into a mysterious parallel world. She teams up with a soldier named Philip in order to brave the Fourth Realm to find the key and return harmony to the unstable world.” (Catalogue).

To get into the spirit of a Kiwi Christmas, relive the magic of Kiwi Christmas song, Summer Wonderland so you can sing along and take part in the festive cheer while  strolling through a summer wonderland. To recap, Summer Wonderland is a Kiwi spin on a much beloved classic Christmas carol Winter Wonderland, with a lyrical twist for the Southern Hemisphere and recorded for Air New Zealand.  This Christmas carol really showcases and beautifully captures the spirit and essence of a Kiwi Christmas of tucking into ham and pavlova, playing cricket, mozzie spray and tan marks. Check it out!


On behalf of the staff at Wellington City Libraries, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Meri Kirihimete! Kia Pai ngā Hararei!

Comics and Graphic Novels: Even More New Stuff!

Hey Kids! Wellington City Libraries has MORE new children’s comics and graphic novels this month to keep you amused just in time for Summer. So what are you waiting for? Come on down to your local branch and borrow the following:

image courtesy of syndeticsPirate Penguin vs Ninja Chicken. Book three, Macaroni & bees!

“Best friends and worst enemies Pirate Penguin and Ninja Chicken discuss werewolves, time travel, anti-gravity popcorn, and where Pirate Penguin possibly came from.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsPizza and Taco. 3, Super-awesome comic!

Who’s the Best? Pizza or Taco? “Besties Pizza and Taco are BACK in Book 3, putting their drawing skills–and wild imaginations–to good use writing a comic book together.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsGeronimo Stilton reporter. #8, Hypno-tick tock.

“After Geronimo Stilton visits a hypnotist to get rid of his allergies, a rash of strange thefts begins in New Mouse City.” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook.

image courtesy of syndeticsJonna and the unpossible monsters. 1.

“Rainbow has been looking for her younger sister, Jonna, for over a year–since the monsters appeared and the world began to dry up. Going from settlement to settlement, Rainbow asks every survivor she meets: Have you seen my sister? Then, one day, Jonna is spotted out in the wild: nearly feral, and stronger than ever before. […] But there are more dangers in the world than monsters, and when the two sisters reunite, they’ll discover the secrets of this new and terrifying world firsthand.” (Adapted from Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsThe fifth quarter. 1.

“Lori Block and her best friend Sophia are dedicated to their Fourth-Grade basketball team, despite being relegated to the 5th quarter, an extra period before the real game starts, where the not-so-good kids play, and the points don’t count. That doesn’t matter to Lori though, because basketball is a place where working hard and getting better gives her hints of self-confidence. […] Can she find her confidence in school, at home, and on the court?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook. 

image courtesy of syndeticsPawcasso.

“Every Saturday, Pawcasso trots into town with a basket, a shopping list, and cash in paw to buy groceries for his family. One day, he passes eleven-year-old Jo, peering out the window of her house, bored and lonely. Astonished by the sight of an adorable basket-toting dog on his own, Jo follows Pawcasso, and when she’s seen alongside him by a group of kids from her school, they mistake her for Pawcasso’s owner. […] When it all spirals out of control, is Jo willing to spill the truth and risk her new friendships?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook. 

image courtesy of syndeticsJukebox.

“A mysterious jukebox, old vinyl records, and cryptic notes on music history, are Shaheen’s only clues to her father’s abrupt disappearance. She looks to her cousin, Tannaz, who seems just as perplexed, before they both turn to the jukebox which starts… glowing? Suddenly, the girls are pulled from their era and transported to another time! Keyed to the music on the record, the jukebox sends them through decade after decade of music history, from political marches to landmark concerts. But can they find Shaheen’s dad before the music stops?” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsCici’s journal. 2, Lost and found.

“Everyone has secrets, but no one can hide them from Cici! As a future writer, Cici knows what questions to ask and where to find the clues she needs to unlock people’s hearts. Yet even though Cici is great at helping others, for a long time now she has kept a dark and painful secret hidden inside herself. Cici’s friends and mom all want to help her heal, but she keeps pushing them away. Can a treasure hunt, a mysterious mansion, and an epic beachside fight help her to open up at last?” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsClash.

“There’s a new kid in town! From the moment Natasha sets foot in class, it’s clear she’s one of the coolest kids in sixth grade. Everyone wants to be her friend, including Olive…but things might not be so easy. Olive tries her best to befriend Nat, but it seems like the only thing they have in common is that they both want to hang out with Olive’s friends! Watching as Natasha gets closer with some of her best buds, Olive can’t help but worry that they’re starting to like Nat more than they like her…and who could blame them? Nat is just that cool…and Olive is, well, just Olive.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsEighth grade witch.

“From the Choose Your Own Adventure novels comes a newly adapted graphic novel taking readers on their own visual adventure! Enter a ghoulish world of nightmares, witches, ghosts, and the dreaded eighth grade as Rabbit, the new kid on the block! As Rabbit, readers will get to choose which adventure–or nightmare–they’ll embark on. […] Will you choose a path that leads to the light? Or will the path you choose lead to a gruesome end? You get to decide!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

New Children’s Fiction in November 2021

News off the hot press, kids! Wellington City Libraries has some new fiction for your reading pleasure just in time for Summer and spending longer days outdoors. Why not spring on down to your local library and borrow the following books:

The tunnel of dreams / Beckett, Bernard
“In an abandoned house at the end of their street, twin brothers Stefan and Arlo discover a young girl hiding in its dusty shadows. Alice needs their help as her twin sister is locked in a cage suspended high above a mysterious mine in a strange parallel world and she asks an impossible favour. Will they meet her on the next full moon at the entrance to a tunnel they both know doesn’t exist?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook on Overdrive and Borrowbox.

Karen’s school picture / Martin, Ann M.
“Karen has to get glasses–two pairs! One pair for reading and one for all the time. Karen does not want glasses. Her school pictures are going to be taken soon! But Karen has to…so she picks out some pretty pink and blue ones. Karen thinks she looks very grown-up. Then Yicky Ricky calls her Four-eyes. If Karen wears her glasses for the school picture, Ricky will make fun of her. But Karen is not a wimp! Glasses or no glasses–that Ricky is going to get it!” (Catalogue)

Swarm Rising / Peake, Tim
“When Danny is kidnapped by Adi – who can run through brick walls and make cars drive on water – he realises that all humans are in danger. Adi is part of a super-advanced hive mind, the Swarm, which intends to protect the Earth from the environmental catastrophe caused by the human race. […] Can Danny and his friend Jamila help Adi stop the Swarm Agents and give humanity a second chance?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

What Zola did on Sunday / Marchetta, Melina
“Zola loves living on Boomerang Street with her mum and her nonna. Every day of the week is an adventure. But Zola has a problem. No matter how much she tries, she can’t keep out of trouble! Like on Sunday, when it’s St Odo’s fete and Zola and the gang join in the fun…” (Catalogue)

The Tindims and the floating moon / Gardner, Sally
“Have you seen a Tindim? The Tindims can hardly see each other! A grumpy Gupper fog is swirling all over Rubbish Island and it won’t leave the Tindims alone. And now their world has turned upside down as Ethel & Dina thinks the moon has fallen into the sea! Scrunch me a teabag, how are they going to get out of this pickle?” (Catalogue)

The firebird song / Flores, Arnée
“Tied by destiny, Prewitt the Bargeboy and Calliope the Lost Princess set out on their twelfth birthdays, determined to end the reign of the evil Spectress and her marauders by calling the Firebird back to Lyrica.” (Catalogue)

Leopardstar’s honor / Hunter, Erin
“Leopardstar knows her destiny is to save RiverClan from destruction, so as the rise of ThunderClan deputy Tigerstar shatters peace among the clans, Leopardstar must decide what kind of leader she will be.” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook and eAudiobook.

Prank ninjas / Stanton, Matt
“Every kid wants to laugh, but Max is the boy who can make it happen. These school holidays have turned Redhill into chaos as Max and his friends are locked in an epic prank battle … with each other! Max is the funny kid … and his pranking powers are being put to the test! Movie-theatre ninjas, toilet turbulence, shopping-mall disasters, cling-film mazes and an unimaginable Kid-Free Zone are just some of the things in store for Max and his friends in this brand-new Funny Kid adventure.” (Catalogue)

The raven heir / Burgis, Stephanie
“Triplets. One of them is heir to the throne. But which one? Cordelia, Rosalind and Giles. They have lived in the tower all their lives, protected by their mother’s enchantments. Only Cordelia’s magic lets her steal moments of freedom – over the walls in the shape of a bird or beneath them as a scurrying mouse. The eldest of the three is heir to the Raven Throne of Corvenna – a land no one can rule for long and hope to live. Only their mother knows which is the true heir, and she will do anything to keep them hidden. But one day, thanks to Cordelia, destiny finds them…” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook.

Enola Holmes and the black barouche / Springer, Nancy
“When professional typist Letitia Glover is desperate to learn more about the fate of her twin sister Flossie, Enola enlists the help of her brother Sherlock and her friend Tewky to investigate Flossie’s husband, the sudden death of his first wife, and the mysterious appearance of a black barouche.” (Catalogue)

Did you know? The first book from the Enola Holmes series was made into a movie in 2020 on Netflix. Check out the trailer down below.

Comics and Graphic Novels: New Releases in November 2021

Hey Kids! Wellington City Libraries has some new children’s comics and graphic novels this month to keep you amused just in time for Summer. So what are you waiting for? Come on down to your local branch and borrow the following:

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Smurfs tales. 1.

“On the occasion of the all-new animated TV series starting on Nick this September, an all-new series of Smurfs graphic novels! The Smurfs are back in new stories in English for the first time! First, when Papa Smurf’s stork gets wounded in a storm, he must rely on the kindness of a local farmer to nurse the stork back to flying condition. A different kind of storm arrives in the shape of Johnny, the nephew of the farmer. The boy is as aggressive as his uncle is friendly. Making his way to the Smurfs Village, Johnny leaves a path of destruction in his wake, putting the whole village in jeopardy…” (Adapted from Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsMaking friends. [3], Third time’s a charm.

“Dany’s sketchbook is at it again, but this time it’s not Dany’s doing! Dany and Madison are living a new reality. Rather than best friends, the pair now believe they are twins — and that isn’t the only part of their lives that has been completely rewritten. […] Can the pair put things back the way they were, or is this magic beyond their control?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook.

image courtesy of syndeticsCat & cat. 4, Scaredy cat.

“After a long day of chasing around Sushi the cat, paying attention to Sushi the cat, and catering to Sushi the cat’s every whim, Sushi’s owner Cat and her dad get exhausted. But you did know that cats are nocturnal, right? And when Cat and her dad are away, sleeping, Sushi the cat will play… ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsGrumpy monkey. 1, Freshly squeezed.

“Jim Panzee is out for his usual Wednesday walk when he accidentally squishes his stress orange into orange juice. He and his friends must cross the jungle before all of the fresh oranges are gone” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsCity of Dragons: The Awakening Storm.

“When Grace moves to Hong Kong with her mom and new stepdad, her biggest concern is making friends at her fancy new boarding school. But when a mysterious old woman gifts her a dragon egg during a field trip, Grace discovers that the wonderful stories of dragons she heard when she was a young girl might actually be real – especially when the egg hatches overnight. The dragon has immense powers that Grace doesn’t understand. And that puts them both in danger from mysterious forces intent on abusing the dragon’s power.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Baby-sitters Club. 10, Kristy and the snobs.

“This graphic novel adapted by rising cartoonist Chan Chau is now available in full colour! Kristy, Mary Anne, Claudia, and Stacey are best friends and founding members of The Babysitters Club. Whatever comes up, you can count on them to save the day. Kristy’s family moves to a new neighborhood where the kids make fun of Louie, Kristy’s pet collie, who’s going blind. The Baby-sitters are not going to let them get away with it.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsSunny makes a splash.

“It’s summer, and Sunny is BORED. Most of her friends are out of town. Her mom wants her to baby-sit way more than Sunny wants to baby-sit. There’s nothing good on TV. The only place that’s cool (in a not-boring sense) and cool (in a not-hot sense) is the community pool. Sunny loves going there . . . and loves it even more when she’s offered a job at the snack shack. Soon she’s flinging fries and serving soft ice-cream like a pro . . . with the assistance of the very sweet boy who works with her. Sunny’s mom isn’t sure Sunny should be quite so independent. But Sunny is definitely sure: Life is best when it’s free swim.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsBaby-sitters little sister [4] : Karen’s Kittycat Club.

“Karen wants to start her own club! Karen’s best friend Hannie just got an adorable new kitten. Their neighbor Amanda has a cat, too, and Karen has grumpy old Boo-Boo. Now that they all have cats, Karen comes up with a great idea. She wants to start a Kittycat Club! What will the club do? Karen can’t baby-sit like her big sister Kristy… but she can cat-sit! Will anyone want to hire Karen and her friends?” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsBeak & Ally. [1], Unlikely friends.

“Ally the alligator is perfectly happy being alone… until one day a noisy bird named Beak lands on her snout. Much to Ally’s annoyance, this chatty bird likes to sing all the time and has chosen a nearby tree to build his new nest. Even worse, he insists that he and Ally will be best friends. In fact, he has all kinds of friendship goals in mind, and it seems nothing Ally says will convince him that she’d rather just be alone. Nothing beats peace and quiet… except for maybe a new best friend?” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsBeak & Ally. 2, Bedtime jitters.

“With weird swamp noises swirling around him, Beak the Bird cannot get any sleep until his friend Ally the alligator shows him where the racket is coming from.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsBig Nate Aloha!

“Aloha can mean hello or goodbye–which makes it the perfect word for sixth grader Nate Wright. Why? Because Nate doesn’t know whether he’s coming or going. Will his romance with Daisy sizzle or fizzle? Will his hair survive Teddy’s cut-rate barber skills? And when Nate spots a crime in progress at Klassic Komix, can he find his inner superhero?” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe spellbinding episodes of Phoebe and her unicorn.

“A deluxe bind-up featuring all the comics from two different Phoebe and Her Unicorn books: Unicorns vs. Goblins and Razzle Dazzle Unicorn . In these spellbinding adventures, nine-year-old Phoebe Howell and her unicorn best friend, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils, explore the possibilities of friendship, summer camp, the holidays, and even founding their own detective agency. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsAbsolutely Nat.

“Natalie has just arrived at summer camp and soon realizes it isn’t anything like the brochure. Instead of spending the summer with her best friends, Zoe and Flo, Natalie is stuck with her ex-BFF, Lily, and someone even more annoying than the endless mosquitoes: Millie Flatbottom. Even worse, she’s constantly pushed out of her comfort zone and forced to come face-to-face with some of her greatest fears. Although summer camp isn’t at all what Natalie expected, could it be exactly what she needs?” (Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook.