The ballet comes to Johnsonville Library

During the school holidays Johnsonville Library was very lucky to host Sir Jon Trimmer from the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Sir Jon performed a wonderful rendition of Peter and the Wolf to a very large crowd of enthusiastic and budding dancers.

We then learnt and practiced some ballet positions followed by the change to ask Sir Jon questions about his own career and that of the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

We learnt that ballet or pointe shoes will only last a dancer for one performance and they have a huge room that is full of ballet shoes from the floor to the ceiling because they go through so many.

Don’t miss out on the next Ballet Storytimes in August.

Here are some pictures from the performance.

Ballet8 Ballet7 Ballet6 Ballet5 Ballet4 Ballet2 Ballet1 Ballet

 

Have you visited the Ballet dancers in the Library these holidays?

RNZB Image smallWe are very lucky to have the Royal New Zealand Ballet running special dancing story times in the libraries during the July School Holidays.

You can find the times at dates at the Children’s Events Page.

Legendary dancer and performer Sir Jon Trimmer will perform ‘Tales from the Ballet’ – six great stories that have inspired generations of dancers around the world.

This is a chance to learn about ballet steps and positions – and to try them out– explore the art of mime and gesture, and hear some of the wonderful stories of the world’s greatest ballets, from an icon of New Zealand dance who has performed them all.

Come along boys and girls! These events are free and bookings aren’t required.

Want to read some ballet stories? Check out these fiction and non-fiction books.

 

Fun fact: Did you know that there is a warehouse in Upper Hutt that is full of ballet costumes and stage sets from RNZB performances from the last 60 years? Wow! read all about it in this article on the Dominion Post website.

The Ella Diaries – three great reads

WARNING – You are about to read my UTTERLY BIGGEST SECRETS.

Can I trust you? OK then.

I’m Ella, and these are my diaries.

Its a new school year, and everything is perfect. Ella has a new uniform, glittery stationery and cant wait to meet her new teacher. Until class starts, that is – and EVERYTHING goes wrong. She can’t believe she has to sit next to her absolutely WORST ENEMY EVER, Peach Parker! No matter how far she moves her pencil case across the desk, Peach is in her SPACE. Where’s her BFF Zoe? Can this year get ANY WORSE? Tune into the secret thoughts of Ella as she battles the school bully and turns a lunch time curse into a lunch time craze!

 

 

Ella dreams of dancing, but she also wants to be taken seriously. Shes in Year 5 after all! When her dreams of being the lead in the ballet recital are dashed, she starts to wonder if it might be fun to try something new. But when MEAN QUEEN PEACH takes up gymnastics and executes an AMAZING backflip in the playground, the school is taken over by the new craze. Will Ella backflip on her love of ballet? Can she bear to go along with Peach and her traitorous BFF Zoe? Leap beside Ella as her secret thoughts uncover the truth about friendship and trying new things.

 

 

Ella and Zoe want to start their own dog-walking business. They make a sign, hang it up in shops and wait by the phone for their first call. When their only job turns out to be minding a lizard, and sneaky Peach Parker starts behaving very suspiciously, Ella starts to wonder what’s up. Zoe and Ella must go undercover! Will they discover the terrible truth?

New Non Fiction: Back to School, Part 2.

101 Hidden Animals.image courtesy of syndetics

Read this book and discover the amazing ways 101 animals hide in plain sight and defends themselves from predators. Overall this book is a very enjoyable read. There are some fantastic images and amazing facts about how animals hide themselves. For example, bullfrogs rest in shallow water to look just like rocks and zebras’ stripes confuse predators.

 

Ballet Spectacular.image courtesy of http://www.roh.org.uk/

Ballet, spectacular? You bet! Hands down, this is one of the most amazing, beautiful and captivating books I have ever come across in the junior non fiction collection! Grab this book today and get a full and unique insight into the magical world of ballet seen through the eyes of The Royal Ballet!

 

 

Discovering Dinosaurs.image courtesy of syndetics

Check this ultimate, most up to date guide to the age of dinosaurs and discover over 165 fascinating prehistoric creatures from the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, including every major dino discovery made to date.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHow to be a space explorer.

Ever wanted to go into space? This book gives you the lowdown on everything young explorers needs to know to travel in space, covering what life in zero gravity is like, how to find your way around the solar system, and the all-important question of how to pee in a spacesuit! (Hee, hee, still tickled pink over that one!) Overall a fantastic read, complete with unique illustrations take kids to the heart of the action and amazing photos show what the universe is really like. Not to mention, incredible stories of real-life space exploration for kids aged 8 and up, by author and astrobiologist Professor Mark Brake.

 

How to handle low self-esteem.image courtesy of syndetics

If you feel under pressure or having trouble dealing with what ever life is throwing at you, then this book can help. How to Handle Low Self Esteem is an essential guide that can help you understand how and why you might hold a low opinion of yourself and  what you can do to improve things for yourself. The book highlights areas that may trigger these feelings, such as bullying or peer-pressure. Perhaps you are under pressure because of your sexual orientation, your race or religion or because you simply don’t fit the mould. This book will help you confront your issues and offers solid advice based on the experiences of real people. A great book to read to calm those ‘

 

How to handle bullying and gangs.image courtesy of syndetics

No one should ever have to cope with bullying. Inside this book you will find: Practical advice for dealing with bullies, suggestions as to where you can find support, advice on how to feel positive about yourself.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHow Maui found his father and the magic jawbone.

An oldie but a goodie. Check out this this new addition Peter Gossage’s classic tale about how Maui found his father and the magic jawbone. Perfect timing with Waitangi day around the corner.

 

New Non Fiction rated G …for Girls!

Check the latest and newest non fiction for girls!  Escape into a world of fairy tales (and fairies), ballet, inspiring women, cheer-leading and…where dreams come true.

Becoming a Ballerina: A Nutcracker Story staring the Dancers of Boston Ballet.

Ever wanted to be a ballerina? This book is a beautiful and inspiring portrait of a real life girl pursuing her dream to becoming a ballerina and scoring the lead role in The Nutcracker. Complete with dozens of full color photographs that bring to life the hard work and artistry that go into creating the magical world of the ballet.

 

 

 

 

Gymnastics.

Are you interested in becoming a gymnast? Performing back flips, leaps and somersaults sounds exciting, but its not that easy to do. This book will help you master those techniques, along with with step by step photographs and also tell what you need to do in order to condition your body, diet, clothing and kit.

 

 

 

 

 

Ready, Set, Cheer! by Lisa Mullarkey.

If you ever wanted to become a cheerleader? Don’t be fooled by the stereotype,  cheerleading is hard work. Luckily Ready, Set, Cheer! is a new series that tells you everything you have ever wanted to know about cheerleading. Cheerleading Basics explains how to get started in cheerleading and introduces some basic motions, chants and cheers. Cheerleading Spirit will tell great ways to spread spirit around at games, pep rallies and community events. Cheerleading Stunts and Tumbling introduces a number of gymnastics moves with hints on how to be successful. Cheerleading Tryouts and Competitions shares tips on how to become the best cheerleader you can be and how to help you squad become a winner.

 

The Oxford Treasury of Fairy Tales.

The perfect book that allows you to escape into a world of brave knights, sleeping princesses, wicked witches and talking frogs. Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Cinderella and Snow White.  Oxford University Press has taken all the fairy tales that you love and know so well and published them into this beautiful, bound collection of stories with colorful illustrations.

 

 

 

 

 

Maya and the Turtle.

This Korean folk tale tells the story of Maya. She and her father are poor, but live a comfortable life. Her mother is dead, but foresaw Maya’s destiny of becoming a princess. One day Maya finds a little turtle. She takes him home, raising, caring for him and never knowing that he will play a part in her destiny. Beautifully illustrated and filled with fascinating nuggets of information about Korean culture, this book offers a poignant tale of the rewards of kindness, patience, courage, a loving heart and a lesson in how true glory, even if foretold must be earned.

 

 

Disney Fairies: The ultimate guide to the magical world.

With a sprinkle of pixie dust (and this exciting new read), take a journey to Neverland and meet all your favorite Disney fairies including Tinkerbell, Rosetta, Silvermist and Vidia. This book is crammed with fun information about your favorite fairies, finding your fairy talent and even what fairies like to eat. With eye catching pictures of the fairies, stills from the movies and fairy themes of magic, friendship, fairy fashion and nature, this is one book no fairies fan should be without.

If you this tickles you fancy, you might want to check out the DVDs Tinkerbell, Tinkerbell and the great fairy rescue  and Tinker Bell and the secret of the wings.

 

 

Helen’s big world : the life of Helen Keller 

Read about the inspiring life of Helen Keller in this picture book biography. Born deaf and blind, she was determined to expereince every part of life and with the help of an unrivaled teacher, Annie Sullivan, Helen found that knowledge would soon lead to freedom. This book is an excellent and unforgettable portrait of one of the world’s most influential women whose vision for progress changed America and the world forever.

 

 

 

 

The stories of the Mona Lisa : an imaginary museum tale about the history of modern art.

In this book, a father tells his daughter a story of the fascinating history of modern painting through what many consider the most famous work in the history of art: the Mona Lisa by Leonardo De Vinci. This book takes you on a through an imaginary museum where you learn about famous art movements, for example  impressionism, cubism, expressionism, minimalism and surrealism. You also learn about artists like Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Picasso and Pollock. All of the most famous painters of the modern and contemporary art movements are explained with their own Mona Lisa portraits, in their signature styles. The Stories of the Mona Lisa is the perfect book for anyone who loves art, history, and a good story.

 

Girls (and boys) will also like:

I have a dream / Martin Luther King, Jr.

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of it’s creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, 28th August 1963.

Do you have a dream? Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr did.  He was an American clergyman, activist, and leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He had a dream for freedom and equality of all people, no matter the colour of their skin. On August 28th 1963, he stood before the nation and agave one of the most powerful and memorable speeches in our history. In the only picture book version of Dr King’s speech, with magnificent illustrations his iconic words and dream comes alive again and again for many generations to come. This book also includes a CD of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s original speech. A fantastic book to use if you are doing a project on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr and African-American Civil Rights Movement.

Have you ever had a dream? Now is the time to make it come true.

 

 

 

 


Angelina Ballerina visits the North

A wonderful ballet filled time was enjoyed at the Tawa, Johnsonville and Khandallah Libraries last week as the Dance Explorer Team from the Royal New Zealand ballet came to celebrate Angelina Ballerina.

We had packed libraries as the children enjoyed hearing about Angelina Ballerina and reading some of her stories. We learned lots of ballet steps from plies to arabesques as well as finding out about ballet shoes and beautiful tutu’s.

Check out some of the photos from this great event.

Karori Holiday Activities

Karori Library was packed full of fun these school holidays with lots of entertaining activities and stories.  We marked the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and we danced with a Ballerina from the Royal New Zealand Ballet in celebration of the Angelina Ballerina production.  It was awesome to see so many of you enjoying your holidays at the library.  You might even be able to spot yourselves in some of our photos!

School Holiday Activities for April 19th

Looking for free fun during the school holidays? Events in your libraries today:

Baby Rock & Rhyme at Johnsonville Library (9.30am). 0-2yr olds.

Preschool Storytimes at Karori (10.30am) and Island Bay (10.30am) Libraries. 2-5 yr olds.

Angelina Ballerina Storytime Dance with a member of the Royal New Zealand Ballet Dance Explorer Team at a special library storytime at 10.15am at Miramar Library at at 2pm at Khandallah Library. 3-8yr olds. Koha for RNZB appreciated.

Cummings Park Library Holiday Activities

We had a lot of fun these school holidays at Cummings Park Library.  In the first week we marked the 100th year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic then in the second week we had a special visit from a member of the Royal New Zealand Ballet in association with the Angelina Ballerina production.  It was lovely seeing so many of you in the library, we hope you all had a great time too.

School Holiday Activities for April 18th

Looking for free fun during the school holidays? Events in your libraries today:

Baby Rock & Rhyme at Central (9.30am), Island Bay (9.30am), Johnsonville (9.30am) and Cummings Park (10.15am) libraries. 0-2yr olds.

Preschool Storytimes at Karori (10.30am), Kilbirnie (10.30am) and Newtown (10.30am) Libraries. 2-5 yr olds.

Angelina Ballerina Storytime Dance with a member of the Royal New Zealand Ballet Dance Explorer Team at a special library storytime at 10.30am at Tawa Library at at 2pm at Newtown Library. 3-8yr olds. Koha for RNZB appreciated.

Will You Sink or Swim? Activities to mark the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. On at Central Library at 11am). 5-12 yr olds.