birds & animals – Kids' Blog

Things that will make you go WOW and the World of Wearable Arts!

Katie19 August, 2013

Things that will make you go WOW!

The WOW series are books unlike any you have ever seen before. Loads of topics, hundreds of pictures, thousands of words, squillions of amazing things to discover and explore…

Find it. See it. Know it…in..

Wow! Dinosaurs.

This book contains information about all the dinosaurs you know and heard of. True to it’s word, Wow! Dinosaurs is crammed full of information that is presented in a way I have never encountered in any other book. It’s a science lab, a museam, a board games and a search engine all rolled into one. You will also a skeleton of a Stegosaurus, giant ocean reptiles as they might have looked in their natural habitat and how they might have died. I hope you will enjoy this book as much as I have. Great for ages 8 to 11 years.

Wow! Ancient History.

This book is even better than the dinosaur book. Forget the internet, everything you have ever wanted to know about the ancient world is in one resource. Wow! Ancient History! Crammed full of incredible information about Babylonian architecture, Egyptian Pharoahs, the Roman army, Buddhist monasteries of the Mauryan Empire and South American temples. It’s like a time machine, a search engine and an archaeological dig all rolled into one. There are loads of history-related topics, hundreds of pictures, thousands of words and loads of amazing things for you to discover and explore.

Wow! Science.

Have a science project about the living world?, The earth? Matter and materials? Energy and forces? Space? Look no further, Wow! Science has everything you need and all the answers to ensure you get that well deserved A++! Included in this book are simple explanations and photographs that introduce basic science concepts. Great for primary and intermediate level.

Wow! Animal.

Last and certainly not least. Wow! Animal contains facts about every bird, animal, reptile, fish, insect and believe it or nor worm known to man. This book is your one stop world zoo, natural history museam and search engine all rolled into one. So what are you waiting for? Find it. See it. Know it.

Fairtrade and Fashion.

The True Cost of Fashion: How to shop to change the world.

Strictly speaking this is not a book about wearable arts, but it’s a real eye opener to the possible reality of where the clotes we buy may come from. By reading this book, you will find out all you need to know about the supply chain, the conditions workers endure and who really makes the profit on the final purchase of the garments you buy. Also discover what enviromental impacts your fashion purchases will have on this planet and find out the answers to the following questions: What does fairtrade mean?, How can retailers make and sell clothes so cheaply and how much do you sepnd on clothes?

Eco Chic.

Hmm, echo chic indeed. If you are an eco girl looking for fabulous ideas to revamp your room or who loves to set fashion trends and showcase your style? Wellington City Libraries has two new books from this series: Crafts for styling your wardrobe and Crafts for revamping your room. Crafts for styling your wardrobe contains step by step instructions on how you can customize, upcycle and re-vamp your clothes the eco friendly way. Crafts for revamping your room. contains step by step projects to upcycle, customise and add sparkle to your bedroom. You will also learn all about fairtrade, sustainable shopping, ethical fashion and how to achieve your fashion and bedroom design goals without compromising the enviroment.

The World of Wearable Arts!

To celebrate WOW, a two hour show held annually in September in Wellington, New Zealand to an audience of 50000 over a twelve show season. Wellington City Libraries has some new and amazing non fiction that can gurentee you creating your own wearable arts award event!

Wearable wonders.

“An introduction to the World of Wearable Art Awards with history and examples, interviews, photographs etc., in a workbook which details how to make your own Wearable Art creation using various art and craft techniques”–Publisher information. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.

Renowned author-illustrator Fifi Colston shares her years of expereince in the visual and wearable arts in this new book where you will learn how to WOW the world with your very own wearable wonder using simple objects such as petals, shells, cardboard, old cans and drink bottles that can be showcased in the world of wearable arts awards or used as a costume, prop, landscape, weapon and even a creature on stage and in the film industry. A great resource to use and read if you are doing a school/drama production and/or consideirng a career in fashion, set and costume design. Perhaps local schools will find inspiration and ideas for next year’s Smokefree Stage Challenge.

Top 10 DVDs for July

admin16 August, 2013

Here’s your favourites from our children’s DVD collection for the month of July. Happy watching!

1. Dino Dan

2. Strawberry Shortcake

3. The cat in the hat knows a lot about that

4. Ninjago, masters of Spinjitzu

5. Dinosaur train

6. The Garfield show

7. Thomas and Friends

8. Babar and the adventures of Badou

9. Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated

10. The Avengers, Earth’s mightiest heroes

Backyard Bird Survey Week

admin4 July, 2013

This survey started in 2007 and provides valuable information about our bird life around New Zealand. It’s really simple to do:

Spend one hour counting birds in your home garden, local park, or school ground sometime during the week 29 June – 7 July
Record the highest number of each bird species you see at one time during the hour.
Use this print form (which you can fax or post in) or this online for m to record what you see.

If you’re not sure what the names of the birds are you can look at this handy guide.

You can sit either inside (e.g. in the living room at home or classroom at school looking out the window) or outside (e.g. on a deck or garden seat). If you are outside, be careful not to frighten birds away from your garden. If you have a bird feeder or water bath, you may like to watch an area of your garden that includes that feature. You don’t have to be able to see your whole garden, just part of your garden.

Important: Record the highest number of each bird species you see at one time during the hour and record on the form. If you see 1 blackbird early in your observation period and you write that down but later see 2 blackbirds at the same time, then cross out the 1 and write down 2. And so on. Do not record the total number you see at different times over the period you’re watching because the same birds may come and go several times. For example, if you see 2 blackbirds at one time, then later see 1 blackbird the total you have seen at one time is 2 not 3. The latter blackbird may have been the same as one of the two you saw earlier. You are allowed to count birds you hear but do not see, as well as birds flying or calling overhead.

New Non Fiction: Homework Help, Sweet treats for winter and Boredom Busters!

Katie4 June, 2013

One Day: Around the world in 24 hours.

This is a beautifully illustrated book that gives children an introduction to the idea of time and time zones. This book follows the story of 15 different children around the world and the time zones they live in throughout one day. There are 24 hours in a day, so there are 24 time zones. Discover and learn all about time zones around the world, how they work and what’s happening on one side of the world while the other side sleeps. This book is a great resource for homework help and assignments on time zones around the world.

Transport.

For anyone who wants to study and explore the history of cars, bicycles, scooters, trains and even an oil tanker, this is the book you must read! So hop on board and take an express journey through every vehicle and travel known to man and how each engineering milestone has changed and transformed world history. This book is a great resource for homework help and assignments on the history of transport, vehicles and even a section on the history of the wheel.

A troop of chimpanzees, and other primate groups.

How do chimpanzees use tools? Why do chimpanzees groom each other? What does it mean when one chimpanzee grins at another? Find out all the answers to these questions and more by reading this book on chimpanzees and primates. You will also discover and get to explores the behaviors and daily life of a chimpanzee troop, as well as their habitat, environmental threats, and the advantages of group living. Great for children of Primary and Intermediate school age.

Explorer Tales.

This is a great series to read if you are interested in finding information about famous landmarks and destinations. These are great homework resources to use for projects on world exploration. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay climbing to the Mount Everest, why not have a read of one of the books from the series, Mount Everest. Reread and relive how Hillary and Tenzing being the first men to climb one of the most dangerous places to explore. How about exploring New Worlds? Read all about them in New Worlds, where you will read and learn all about famous first voyages to new and undiscovered lands and famous explorers like Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo and Captain James Cook. In South Pole, readers don’t just learn about this cold and dangerous location. They also learn about the explorers who went to great lengths to discover it! I think you will also like reading all about The Amazon, which is home to many amazing plants, animals (Jaguars that wait ready to pounce and piranha fish fish that strip the flesh off your bones in five minutes – Wow!) and land forms that runs over 6,000 kilometers across South America. You will also read stories about people who have explored and survived in the Amazon.

100 yummy things to cook and eat.

With winter around the corner, why not make some tasty treats and goodies to share with your friends and family, like a good old fashioned apple crumble?, a spicy bean soup or vegetable casserole? You will find the recipes and more in this book. This cook book, published by Usborne has 100 yummy sweet and savory recipes to choose from for some good old comfort food during the cold, blizzardy days and nights. There are also a lot of fantastic baking ideas for school fairs and gifts. I liked the recipes for Oranges and Lemons and Chocolate dipped fruit. I am fan of the recipes for Marzipan toadstools and chocolate nests. This is a book that can be enjoyed by both children, parents and adults.

Look inside a burrow.

This is a great picture book for young children (or for parents and teachers to read to children) about creatures that interact within burrow habitats. You will read and learn about all the different types of burrows. (I must confess I wasn’t aware there was more than one type of burrow.) Lots of amazing pictures of various types of animals that live in burrows, including a photo of a toad flicking its tongue, a close up of ants carrying food back to its nest and an even bigger close up of a centipede’s face!

The Usborne Big Book of Holiday Things to make and do.

School holidays may be a while away, but still now is the time to think ahead of ideas of banishing boredom in the long school holidays. How about reading this book from the Usborne Activities series? You are bound to find ideas for seasonal activities for each holiday, such as reindeer wrapping paper and an Easter egg card, sit alongside things to make and do all year round including a coral necklace, a pirate cutlass and fairy wings. You will find easy to follow step-by-step instructions and photos for each activity. Great book to use for gift ideas .

New Non Fiction: Skills, Homework Help and Getting Dewey Decimal.

Katie12 April, 2013

New books! Grab them before they all run out the door!

Do you Know Dewey? Exploring the Dewey Decimal System.

This is a fun, informative book about the Dewey decimal system the young reader will enjoy. The ultimate resource that all kids, parents, teachers and librarian must have!

Caring For your Turtle.

Did you know that turtles are cold blooded animals and don’t have teeth? These were facts that you can read about in this new book: Caring for your turtle. A great resource for young children to have that goes through all the basics of how to care for your turtle. You will also learn which turtle breeds make good pets.

First Aid Basics.

A great resource for young children that takes you through all the basics of first aid. Comes complete with color photos and simple text describe first aid for cuts, bee stings, choking, and other medical issues. Also includes note to parents and teachers.

The Quick Expert’s Guide to Building a Website.

Here’s another awesome read from the Quick Expert’s Guides, focusing on how to build a website. Great for ‘tweens’ who are interested in learn how to create your very own, personal, fantastic website from scratch, how to master HTML programming, embed content galore and get the scoop on how to keep your click rates sky-high.

You may also like The Quick Experts Guide to Starting your own business. Also check out last month’s blog post on Skills that every kid should know.

Extraordinary Animals.

Extraordinary Animals looks at some of the most incredible animals on the planet. This is the book to read if you want to read about the ugliest fish alive, poisonous frogs and naked rats. This book is also full of fascinating facts like the hag fish eats its prey from the inside out, the giant salamander is the size of a dog and the bee hummingbird is so small that it is light as a few grains of rice.

I Wonder Why Soap Makes Bubbles.

Why does soap make bubbles? What force stops us from slipping over? Can liquids change shape? You will find all the answers to all these tricky questions in this new and exciting read! This book is full of colorful and surprising information that will set thousands of young minds buzzing full of information that gives children a perfect introduction to science, featuring rainbows, fizzy drinks, musical instruments and much, much more.

For more help on big questions and amazing answers, check out Any Questions and Many Answers.

New Non Fiction for 2013: Things to do, Things to eat and some things that are just plain weird.

Katie15 January, 2013

The Kids’ Guide to Projects Four Your Pet.

Did you know that creating something for your pet is a great way to show how much you care about it. If you are stuck on ideas, then this book will give you a range of ideas with step by step instructions show how to make simple projects for pets from toys for your cats, clothes for your dogs, a fun house for your hamsters and liver treats for your cat or dog. You are sure to find something for your fury, feathery or even scaly friend.

Poo! A History of the World from the Bottom Up.

How many toilets were there in the average Egyptian pyramid? Did lead pipes cause the fall of the Roman Empire? How did a knight over 20 kilograms of armour go to the loo? How do astronauts wee and poo in space? Find out all the answers to these questions in this new and exciting read that the School Library Journal rates as the “number one book on number two”. This book provides everything you have ever wanted to know about the history of poo, as well as hygiene and sanitation throughout history in times of Ancient Greece, Rome, Middle ages, renaissance and the Victorian Era. Also check out Poop Happened! A History of the world from the Bottom Up!

Tractors and trucks.

The ideal arts and crafts book for boys that allows them to get creative with fun tractor and track activities. Complete with brilliant step by step photographs and templates to make a digger picture with moving parts, a tanker, tire track pictures, a tractor cab and lots lots more, this is one book and activity idea that can keep boys busy throughout the school holidays.

Incredible Edibles.

Love food and science? Looking for a book on mad recipes, crazy experiments, kitchen science projects and weird food stories that will shock and perhaps gross you out? Look no further, here is the book for you. Stefan Gates’s book takes you on an adventure of the amazing, weird and perhaps gross facts about food. You will also find out answers to questions like what is the most dangerous food on earth, how do you milk a cow and perhaps the mother of all food recipes: how to make your own cola.

The Garden Cook: Grow, Cook and Eat with Kids.

Move over, Annabel Langbein, there’s a new chef in town! Former Masterchef Australia contestant and teacher, Fiona Inglis has written this excellent book that draws on her real-life experience of working with primary school-aged children. You will find information that covers all aspects of cooking and gardening, including plenty of helpful advice and recipes. The book is written in simple, clear language, is beautifully illustrated and is guaranteed to appeal to all young cooks and gardeners (and to inspire their parents).

New Non Fiction: Amazing Series! Animals, Adventure and … Some not for Parents!

Katie28 December, 2012

As School’s drawing to a close, here are some new exciting reads to keep you busy during the holidays.

New from Lonely Planet:

Not for Parents U.S.A. Everything you ever wanted to know.

Planning a trip to the USA over Christmas? This book opens up a world of amazing facts and stories (probably facts and stories your parents don’t even know) about the people, places, History and culture of the USA? A brand new read from the Country Series Book from Lonely Planets that is not a guidebook and it is definitely not for parents. Great for ages 8 to 11 years.

New from National Geographic Kids.

Angry Birds Playground Animals.

Have you ever wanted to play Angry Birds and learn all about animals around the world at the same time? Angry Birds Playground Animals makes that possible! The Angry birds have lost their precious eggs, thanks to those pesky pigs and they need YOU to help them. On this quest to find the eggs, you will also find information about about various animals, like jaguars, desert horned lizards, great hammer-head sharks, black swans and polar bears. Also learn about the animals’ habitats which includes rain forests, deserts, oceans, grasslands and the Arctic. Also full of activities and quizzes to test your knowledge.

New from Eyewitness:

Jungle.

Interested in zoology and ecology? Experience all the action of the rain forest and encounter the teeming animals and plants of the tropical rain forest by reading Jungle, from the Eyewitness series. This would also serve as a great companion guide alongside How to be a world explorer and Angry Birds Playground Animals .

Titanic.

Interested in the history of shipping disasters? How about learning more about the detailed descriptions of the Titanic, including its accommodations, a retelling of its sinking in the North Atlantic in April, 1912, and amazing facts like the Titanic was carrying 5,986 tonnes (6,598 tons) of coal to New York and there were only two bathtubs for more than 700 third class passengers. A Great resource for ages ranging from to intermediate to junior secondary age.

Find your Talent.

Whether you want to start your own blog, start a band or make a film, this new series, Find you Talent will tell you everything you need to know about developing your skills and ambition into a brilliant hobby or even a glittering career. Start a Blog is full of ideas that will inspire you to create your own blog, Start a Band will help make your dream band become a reality and Make a Film will give you ideas that will inspire you to make your every own short film.

Mean Machines.

This high impact series features information about the world’s fastest, biggest and meanest machines. Roar into action with the world’s fastest, weirdest and most cutting edge vehicles with the Mean Machines series! Supercars brings you up to speed with amazing facts about the latest and greatest cars known including Lamborghini Miura and Ferrari 599 GTB. You will find out all you need to know about high-tech war planes and super-fast record-breaking planes like the X43-A in Superplanes and Superbikes gives you everything you need to know about concept bikes like the Dodge Tomahawk and record-breaker like the fastest bike in the world, the Top Ack Attack Streamliner.

Also new:

My Polar Animals Journal : In Search of Polar Bears, Penguins, Whales and Seals.

Interested in wildlife photography? Then have a read of this new animal journal by Steve Bloom. This book is complete with journal entries, amazing photographs of polar bears, penguins, whales and seal in the Arctic and Antarctica and packed full of amazing facts about the animals, for example a male polar bear weighs up to 545 kg (the weight of 7 men) and a humpback whale can live to about 50 years old. Steve Bloom also offers tips of taking wildlife photographs, creative projects to help you have fun with the photos and develop your camera skills.

A Horrid Factbook: Food.

Did you know that carrots used to be purple? How long does it take for food to reach your stomach? Does eating crusts really make your hair curly? Find all the answers to these questions and more in this amazing new read. The Love-able character, Horrid Henry takes you on a weird, wonderful, hilarious and horrid journey on everything you have ever wanted to know about… food.

Princess : The Essential Guide (Revised editon).

If you are a fan of Disney Princesses (like I am) and you loved the book, Princess : The Essential Guide first published in 2008 with Princess Aurora on the front cover, then you are going to love this this new edition fabulous updated edition of this guide to the best loved fairy tale princesses of all time! Experience the magic of Disney with this guide to the best loved fairy tale princesses of all time! This guide provides in-depth information on all six favorite Disney princesses, that includes Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, Pocahontas, Tiana and Rapunzel. Fully illustrated, the book is full of cut-away artwork and scenes from the Disney films and provides a view of the princesses’ magical worlds, ‘where dreams really can come true’.

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Vote for the Bird of the Year

admin14 September, 2012 1 Comment

Show your love for New Zealand’s unique and special birds by voting in the Bird of the Year poll run by the Forest and Bird Society (which has been around since 1923!).

There are 44 different birds you can vote for, from Albatross to Yellowhead. Have a read through the descriptions, click on the links for more info and then pick your favourite and vote for it. Voting closes on October 10th.

Previous winners of Bird of the year:

2011: Pukeko

2010: Kakariki

2009: Kiwi

2008: Kakapo

2007: Grey Warbler

2006: Fantail

2005: Tui

You can find out more about New Zealand birds at your local library. Here are some books I think are cool:

New Non Fiction – Zoom! The Invisible World of…

Katie19 July, 2012

Introducing new books from the series: Zoom! The Invisible World of… that zooms in on the intriguing but invisible world of animals and plants, using macro-photography to reveal some weird and wonderful sights you will not have seen before.

Birds by Camilla De la Bédoyère

Fantastic book to read if you want information and zoomed in pictures of your favourite birds. Esepcially seeing a picture of Hummingbird feathers up close.

Plants by Camilla De la Bédoyère

A great book to read that zooms in on the intriguing but invisible world of plants. Great section on meat-eating plants.

Ocean Life by Camilla De la Bédoyère

Want to see pictures of your favourite sea creatures up close? Want facts and information? Then this is the book for you. You even get to see a picture of a krill zoomed in.

Bugs by Camilla De la Bédoyère