6 new non fiction: Buzzing bios, Cooking Madness and the mysterious world of the greeks and… an egg.

Nelson Mandela : it always seems impossible until it’s done.

Read the incredible story of Nelson Mandela, a remarkable man that would fight against discrimination,  his country’s cruel system of apartheid and eventually become president of his country. A great resource to use for anyone studying Nelson Mandela and apartheid.

 

 

Shackleton’s Journey.

This book tells the story of the shipwreck of the Endurance in a sea of ice en route to Antarctica, and the survival of all 28 members of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by Sir Ernest Shackleton.

 

 

 

Complete Children’s Cookbook.

Yummy, yummy, yummy and just in time for the winter season. This book features over 150 delicious recipes to get you and your kids in the kitchen. From eggy bread to sunflower loaves, lamb hotpot to ice cream, there’s a scrumptious recipe for every occasion in the Complete Children’s Cookbook. One word to describe this book, YUM!

 

 

Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Greece.

This book serves as a wonderful introduction to the world of gods and goddesses of the Olympians. From Zeus to Athena, read about the family of gods and goddesses that the ancient Greeks believed watched over them.

 

 

 

The Olympics of ancient Greece.

Read this book and learn all about the athletes, competitions, and religious ceremonies of the ancient Olympics. Great for a younger audience.

 

 

 

Egg : nature’s perfect package.

Explore how a simple, often colorful, sometimes surprisingly shaped package, reveals nature’s life cycle, unusual animal defensive strategies, parenting behaviour, evolution, and more, in this beautifully illustrated non-fiction picture book. Overall this is a fantastic book that gives you insight into the remarkable and mysterious world what really goes on inside an egg and what fantastic animals emerge from eggs.

6 new New Zealand and fairy tale non fiction just in time for winter.

Operation Nest Egg Chick.

“Deep down in a dark burrow, a father kiwi snorts and snuffles in his sleep. Underneath him , a large creamy egg lies snug and safe from pilfering predators.” Read more in Operation Nest Egg Chick, a creative non-fiction story about a BNZ Operation Nest Egg chick. Each page features beautiful illustrations, photographs and text boxes about how kiwis are being saved. A must have read!

 

Snow White : 4 beloved tales.

Retells the classic German version of Snow White, together with three similar tales–Marigo of the Forty Dragons from Albania, The unnatural mother and the girl with a star on her forehead from Mozambique, and The magic needle from Turkey

 

 

Rapunzel : 3 beloved tales.

Retells the classic German tale of Rapunzel in the tower, along with the similar tales of Clotilde from the Philippines, and Petrosinella from Italy.

 

 

 

Little Red Riding Hood Stories Around the World: 3 Beloved Tales.

Retells the classic German version of the fairy tale of a girl and a wolf, along with similar tales from Italy and Taiwan.

 

 

 

Alices food A-Z : edible adventures.

Written by Alice Zaslavsky – one-time Masterchef contestant and the host of TV quiz show Kitchen Whizz, this book contains information about all the things you ever wanted to know about food… and some things you probably didn’t. Packed to the brim with funny food facts, clever cooking tips and kidfriendly recipes, this is a book for the fact-hungry, food-obsessed or those who like to mess about in the kitchen. A great book to have on hand, especially with winter around the corner.

 

 

New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame : 25 Kiwi champions.

This book features information about 25 famous New Zealand sportspeople across a wide range of different sporting disciplines. Includes a caricature, an action photograph, a profile of the person, timeline, inspirational quote, description of the sport, training regime and trophy board. One book you must read!

Christmas non-fiction for children

It’s time to get into the Christmas spirit. Check out some of the huge collection of non-fiction books that Wellington City Libraries has to offer!

Craft it up Christmas!

image courtesy of syndetics10 minute Christmas crafts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas things to stitch and sew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsCraft it up : Christmas around the world : 35 fun craft projects inspired by traveling adventures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking up a Christmas Storm!

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas cookies! : a holiday cookbook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas fairy cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Carols.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Usborne book of Christmas carols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMy very first Christmas carols.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fun facts and Information about Christmas.

image courtesy of syndeticsHorrible Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsChristmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Usborne Christmas treasury.

New Non Fiction: Back to School numbers.

Welcome to Term 3! I hope you all had a fantastic break over the school holidays.  Here are some new junior non fiction to help you catch up on your school work.
image courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndeticsWhy do reptiles have scales? : and other questions about evolution and classification. 
Wildlife wonders? You better believe it. This book covers anything and everything you want/need to know about the classification and evolution of reptiles and how they have adapted to survive the ever changing environment. This is a great book to use for biology projects and homework. Great for Primary and Intermediate level.

You might also want to check out Why do Plants have flowers? and other questions about evolution and classification. Lots of amazing facts about the evolution and classification of plants, like you find out the age of a tree by counting the rings beneath the bark and apparently find out which flower smells of rotting meat – Whoa!. A great resource to sue for horticulture projects and homework.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndeticsIt’s time for Animaths! It’s time to improve your maths sssskills by looking at Shapes with Snakes. Become a “roaring” success with maths by Taking Away with Tigers and some maths ant-ics by looking at Adding with Ants.

These books are great to use to introduce young children to simple key maths concepts with the use of  cut out photos of animals. These books are sure to engage the interest of reluctant mathematicians.

 

 

 

All about the Commonwealthimage courtesy of syndetics

According to WikipediaThe Commonwealth of Nations, commonly known as the Commonwealth (formerly the British Commonwealth),  is an intergovernmental organisation of 53 member states (including New Zealand) that were mostly territories of the former British Empire, with some notable exceptions. The Commonwealth operates by intergovernmental consensus of the member states, organised through the Commonwealth Secretariat, and non-governmental organisations, organised through the Commonwealth Foundation.

Luckily for the library, we now have a junior non fiction book jam packed with information about the Commonwealth. This informative, fact-packed guide also tells you all about the history and the aims of the Commonwealth since its foundation in 1931. Did you know New Zealand is one of the 53 countries led by HM Queen Elizabeth II? A great book to use for Social Studies homework.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsCool Kids Cook.

Ready for another back to school number that will help you ace Home Economics and allow you to unleash your inner Gordon Ramsey-Jaime Oliver- Nigella Lawson-Chelsea Winter? Donna Hay has released a cookbook for kids. Donna Hay for kids?! How cool is that! Check out the awesome cookbook, catered for cool kids that contains over 40 fun and simple recipes for kids to make for family and friends to enjoy. Found a few tasty numbers like spaghetti bolognese, sausage rolls, chicken noodle soup, cup cakes and chocolate moose. Wow,  I wish I had this book when I was doing Home Economics at school.

 

 

 

image courtesy of knight academy blog

Encyclopedia of the human body : begin to discover the human body.

Got a biology project coming up on the human body? This back to school number can help.  The Encyclopedia of the human body will allow you to discover information about how the human body and anatomy works. You will discover and learn everything from how blood flows through the heart, to how food is digested and where your voice comes from… hmmm!  This is the kind of book that makes *physiology look cool and screams AMAZING!

 

*Physiology: The branch of biology that deals with the normal functions of living organisms and their parts.

 

New Non Fiction: A cure for the winter blues.

Well, boys and girls. We have finally entered into the coldest month of the year and have been and/or about to be hit hard with some miserable weather. Have no fair, the library has got a new range of Junior Non Fiction. Nothing but a little ‘Plants vs Zombies, a tribute to the arts and Angry Birds Star Wars and Lego redux!’ to cure the winter blues.

Image courtesy of Syndetics

Childrens book of cinema :  Explore the magical, behind-the-scenes world of the movies.

“Presents an introduction to the world of cinema. This title tells the story of cinema from silent films of yesteryear to the big blockbusters of today, covering the innovation of “talkies” as well as the revolution of technicolor.” – World Cat.

This book is every film buff’s (myself included) and budding film maker’s dream! It contains a lot of information about the history of film, actors and directors, (both past and present) From monsters (both scary and fun loving) to musicals, (like The Wizard of Oz) and wizards (Yep, even Harry Potter is mentioned) to westerns, this is true to its word taking you on a showstopping journey through the fascinating world of film. A great book to curl up to, with popcorn during winter.

 

 

Image courtesy of Syndetics

Oil Paints.

Here’s a book that  contains step-by-step guides show how to create a variety of projects using oil paints that is bound to unleash your inner artist. You may also like Watercolors and Acrylics,

 

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of Syndetics

The Official Angry Birds Star Wars Joke Book.

A long time ago in a galaxy far far away. The bird rebels and the pork federation joined forces to find the funniest, craziest, zaniest jokes in the Star Ways history. Well did they complete their mission? “Hee Hee! Mwa Ha Ha Ha! Bleep Bleep!” Hmmm, I guess the words speak for themselves. Hands down, this is the funniest joke book voted by bird rebels,  pork federation and of course a local children’s librarian in the history of joke books, Angry Birds and Star Wars.  Most of the jokes in this book are Angry Birds Star Wars related. There are the odd jokes enclosed in this book that might be enjoyed by those with a sick and warped sense of humor. And believe it or not, there is the odd librarian joke, hmmm perhaps you might want to try it out on your local librarian, hee hee. Hope you enjoy this book… as much as I did.

But wait, there’s more!

 

Image courtesy of Syndetics

Super Interactive Annual 2014 Angry Birds Star Wars.

“Birds! Slingshots! Destruction! Feathers! Fun! This best selling Annual has it all. Join your favourite flock of characters on Piggy Island as the world of Angry Birds is brought to life in this fun and truly interactive Annual. Using your smartphone or tablet to zap the unique icons on the page reveals super interactive bonus features including exclusive stories, additional profiles and entertaining activities”–Publisher’s description.

Your one stop Angry Birds Star Wars entertainment is here! In the form of this awesome new addition to Wellington City Libraries. Puzzles, quizzes, drawing, games and… lets not forget Angry Birds Star Wars. Who could ask for more? This book is sure to keep children entertained, especially with all the yucky weather we have had lately.

 

 

Image courtesy of Syndetics

Plants vs Zombies : Books of Things.

Are we one the verge of the zombie apocalypse? Not yet. But it could happen… right? So best to be prepared. That’s where this book comes in. This book had all the entertainment, puzzles, games and quizzes to do to pass the time in the probably unlikely event of having to barricade yourself inside your own home to protect your precious brain parts from being gobbled up during a terrifying invasion of shuffling, plant-hating and frankly inconvienient zombies… and also perhaps another book to keep you entertained in the very likely event of having to barricade yourself indoors to protect your precious body from the terrifying cold and wet weather. Great for kids aged 9-12 years.

 

 

 

Image courtesy of Syndetics

The Lego Book.

You can never go wrong with Lego. For all you die-hard Lego fans, this is the No#1 book to read! Here is your chance to read the complete illustrated history of the LEGO products that discusses the origins of the company, and the evolution of bricks, figures, play themes, and related products; and features a time line that records the introduction of the first plastic bricks to the LEGO products of 2012.  I could spend hours looking at this book. Another awesome read that has the WOW factor and that will bring out every adult’s inner child. A definite 5 star rating!

Also check out LEGO play book : ideas to bring your bricks to life and The LEGO ideas book : unlock your imagination.

Also how about some recipe ideas? Check out this new series on recipes from around the world. The books from the Global Cookery series features recipes from India (Recipes from India), China, (Recipes from China), Italy (Recipes from Italy) and Mexico (Recipes from Mexico) A great way for kids to learn about the eating habits of various cultures and nutritional information. These books also featured recipes on your favourite takeaways like Pizza, Tandoori Chicken and Wanton soup. with these ideas, your parents will be able to save money on the weekly Friday night takeaways.

 

To finish off…

 

Image courtesy of Syndetics

Judith Kerr’s Creatures.

Here is a children’s art book and a biography all rolled into one which celebrates children’s author and illustrator, Judith Kerr’s life and work. As a child, I simply adored Judith Kerr’s picture books like the Mog series and The Tiger who came to tea. But after reading this book, I have fallen in love with Judith Kerr’s picture books all over again. This is another WOW factor book that is well deserving of a 5 star rating!

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT JUDITH KERR:

– She was born in Berlin.

– Her family fled to Switzerland when Hitler seized power.

– She failed a diploma in book illustration.

– Her husband, Tom Kneale was a famous British screenwriter.

– Her daughter, Tacy Kneale made creatures for the Harry Potter films.

 

New Non Fiction: Celebrating Mothers, Artists, Animal Heroes and 100 inventions that has shaped and changed the world forever.

Amazing Babes.

Amazing Babes was originally written as a gift from a mother to her son. This is a great picture book that celebrates inspirational women from around the world and across generations. All the women in this book had the ideas, determination, and creativity to bring about change in the world, and in learning about their stories we honour their achievements. Overall a fantastic read with striking pictures and simple text that celebrates the achievements of inspirational women such as Gloria Steinman, pioneer of the American women’s movement and Malala Yousafzai, a passionate advocate of worldwide access to education. A great book to celebrate International Women’s day. You may also like Of thee I sing : a letter to my daughters by American president, Barack Obama, where he  writes  a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation in the form of a beautiful letter to his daughters.

 

 

 

Mummy & Me Cook and Craft.

Great books to read and use for  gift ideas for Mum on Mother’s day, like whipping up a yummy pancake  breakfast to serve Mum in bed or making up a bead necklace as a gift. Either way or something that you and Mum can do together. Mummy & Me Cook serves as a great introduction to cooking for kids with its blend of over 20 healthy recipes and fun activities as well as fabulous food facts about everyday ingredients. While Mummy and Me Craft introduces kids  to the wonderful world of crafting. Great was for you and Mum to spend quality time together.

 

 

The noisy paint box : the colors and sounds of Kandinsky’s abstract art.

If you have a project which involves studying a famous artist and abstract art, this biography on Kandinsky is a great resource to use. A fantastic picture book biography that explores how one ordinary little boy named Vansa Kandinsky became one of the most (and first) accomplished painters in abstract art and describes how Vasya Kandinsky’s creative life was profoundly shaped by a neurological condition called synesthesia which caused him to experienced colors as sounds and sounds as colors. A biography, art and music book rolled into one.

 

 

 

 

100 inventions that made history : brilliant breakthroughs that shaped our world.

The wheel, the light bulb, the telephone, the toilet, antibiotics,  denim jeans… This book holds information about 100 inventions that has shaped and changed the world forever. This book is a great resource to use if you are doing a project on inventions.

 

 

 

 

 

Animal Bravery in Wartime.

Read this book and find out all about the brave animals from horses on cavalry charges to messenger dogs and carriers, that helped and risked their lives to help humans in frightening and dangerous situations during the war.The first page of this book opens with the sentence, “Although much is made of human bravery in warfare, the role of animals has been neglected.” I couldn’t agree more.

 

 

 

 

Midnight: The Story of a light horse.

‘A foal is born at midnight, on the homestead side of the river. Coal black. Star ablaze. Moonlight in her eyes.’ On October 31, 1917, the 4th and 12th Regiments of the Australian Light Horse took part in one of the last great cavalry charges in history. Among the first to leap the enemy trenches was Lieutenant Guy Haydon riding his beloved mare, Midnight. This is their story.’

We all know the epic story of War Horse by Michael Morpurgo , but are you ready to read the true story of a real-life war horse? This book tells the story of Midnight, an Australian light horse who took part of one of the great cavalry charges on October 31st 1917 during World War I. Prepare to have tissues on stand by when reading this story.

 

Are you hungry?

Are you looking for some fun things to cook?

Would you would like to cook yourself around the world –  maybe cook some vegetarian. How about trying some sugar-free or wheat-free cooking. What about pasta and noodles?

You can cook yourself up some pancakes, burgers, muffins or what about some chocolate fudge or some yummy smoothies.

So get creating and get cooking!

New Non Fiction: Interesting facts, Noodlemania and Greek Mythology strikes again!

Noodlemania!: 50 Playful Pasta Recipes.

Forget two minute noodles. Check out Noodlemania. This cool book contains 50 playful pasta recipes that make dinnertime more fun and gives you an excuse to play with your food. This book has been cleverly written as the author, Melissa Barlow adds twists to dishes to indeed make them playful, for example making robots out of macaroni and pretzels, etc. However my personal favorites were making ladybugs (or ladybirds as we call them) out of tomatoes and black olives, making gnomes out of hard boiled eggs and tomatoes and purple pasta monsters… You have to read the recipe to find out how to make them, (one key ingredient being purple food coloring) This is one book you will go noodle crazy over!

 

 

 

How to be a dinosaur hunter : your globe-trotting, time-travelling guide.

Well Lonely Planet, you have done it again by releasing another awesome book! (not for parents.) Kids this is your chance to read everything you need to know about being a young explorer (and perhaps the next Bear Grylls), how to become a famous dinosaur hunter, covering what it was like in the age of the dinosaur, what clues to look for and what equipment to pack, Danger ratings show which dinos are safe to approach and which will eat you for lunch!

Another 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. Also check out Not for Parents U.S.A. Everything you ever wanted to know.

 

 

The Odyssey.

You are in for a treat with the retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey, one of the greatest stories of  Greek mythology and literature of all time. Read all the exciting and thrilling adventures of the hero of the story, Odysseus as he faces a storm, shipwreck, terrifying monsters and the fury of the gods as he journeys home after the Trojan war. The question on everyone’s lips is will he ever make home and what happens when he does? In order to find out, you have to read the book.

You might also be interested in reading The Adventures of Achilles by Hugh Lupton, Daniel Morden and Carole Henaff.

 
Think Again.

This book with definitely make you THINK AGAIN about everything you thought you knew, but most importantly gives you all the gives you account of all the TRUE facts  about all the body bloopers, animal errors, science slip-ups, historic howlers, world wonders,  blunders and perhaps even some facts you may not find in Ripley’s Believe it or not and Guinness World Records. This book will also be good for homework and research as it covers curriculum-linked subject areas.

Also check out Ripley’s Believe It or Not Special Edition 2014 and Guinness World Records 2014.

 

 

 

Greek Myths Stories of Sun, Stone and Sea.

This book brings to life ten of the greatest stories from the world of Greek mythology starring meschievous gods and goddesses, brave heroes and heroines, and amazing magical animals. Read all about how spirited girls like Atalanta who can run faster than all her unwanted suitors only to be tricked by three golden apples,  the goddess Athena challenging the over-proud Arachne to a weaving contest and the deeds of heroes, such as Perseus’s killing of the Gorgon Medusa and rescuing the princess Andromeda from a dragon by turning it to stone.  This book also features the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. This is a treasure that will be enjoyed by kids of all ages.

 

 

 

Richard Hammond’s great mysteries of the world.

Are you a fan of mysteries of the world and  Richard Hammond? Well, you are going to love this book. Richard Hammond’s great mysteries of the world gives the low down of some of the greatest mysteries around the world and a crash course on how to an world explorer. Prepare to be taken on a journey to discover the truth behind the world’s strangest occurrences, explore the ancient pyramids, stonehenge and the Bermuda Triangle, hunt for werewolves, vampires, aliens and the Abominable Snowman. Overall this is a great book for all ages. A great resource to use for history homework and assignments.

Maia and What Matters – Book Blog tour

Welcome to our book blog tour for Maia and What Matters, by Tine Mortier.

What’s going on here, you ask? This week there is a tour happening across blogs from around the world about Tine Mortier’s new book –Maia and What Matters, published by BookIsland. We are very lucky to be participating in this and, even luckier, we get to interview the author -cool!

Here’s a little info about the book from the publisher’s website:

Maia is an impatient little scamp. When something pops into her head, she wants it. Now! Right this minute! Her grandma’s just the same and they get along like a house on fire. One day Grandma falls ill and loses her control over words. The grown-ups don’t seem to understand her, but Maia never loses sight of her strong, wonderful grandma and knows exactly what she means.

This blog has info about a baking competition, so read through the interview to find the competition details at the end. The next blog on the tour is Munch Cooking, so make sure you visit them to keep going on the book blog tour (the previous stop on this tour was Stephanie Owen Reeder).

 

And now for the interview…

1. The themes tackled in ‘Maia and What Matters’ are not the easiest. What inspired you to write this story?

TINE: I have a very wonderful family doctor, with whom I have a very good relationship. We always talk a lot when I go to see her about some problem or other. Once, she told me the story of her great-aunt, who had had a stroke and could no longer communicate with her family. My GP was the only one who understood her, so she had to be a kind of translator between the aunt and the rest of the family. Her story almost made me cry, so that same day I decided I had to do a book about it.

 

 2. The Illustrations by Kaatje Vermeire are amazing. Did you get to work with her closely when she was designing the illustrations for the book?

TINE: Not really. She showed me some sketches occasionally, but it’s not like we really communicated about the work. Mostly, I feel like author and illustrator should be able to do their work independently. I had all the faith that she would do a wonderful job, and she did.

 

3. Do you have a favourite page in the finished book?

TINE: I really adore the page where the grandfather dies. It is very intense. When I first saw it, it made me cry. Although I knew what was coming, of course, since I wrote the book, the harshness and still the poetry of that page took me completely by surprise.

 

4. What’s your favourite food from your country?

TINE: I am absolutely fond of chocolate. It even sometimes gets out of hand. I could eat a shelf full of it, and I have no control about it whatsoever. I’m a real disaster when it comes to chocolate…

 

5. What’s your favourite memory of your Grandma?

TINE: There are so many things. She died only two weeks ago, so it is all very fresh still.

I will forever remember her incredible cooking. She was a very direct and down to earth woman, who never told us literally she loved us. But the way she looked after us and cooked for us, showed us that time and time again.

 

 6. Your books, and in particular ‘Maia and What Matters’, have been translated into a dozen languages now. How does that feel and which language do you have most affinity with? Is there a particular language that would you like to see ‘Maia and What Matters’ translated into?

TINE: It feels incredible. The very thought that children all over the world are reading the book, makes me shiver at times.

The language I have most affinity with up to now, is English. But frankly: most of the other languages I don’t understand at all. I really would love the book to be translated into Spanish, because half my family are Latin Americans. It would be wonderful if they could read the book as well.

 

 7. Please tell us what you love about libraries?

TINE: I’m fond of everything that’s got to do with paper and books, so libraries are a kind of candy store to me. I do prefer private libraries to public ones, since I love to have my own books. I do visit public libraries, but I almost always buy the books I like. I find it kind of comforting to be surrounded by them.

 

8. Over the past ten years you’ve been doing hundreds of workshops with children. What was the most intriguing question you were asked by a child?

TINE: It is very difficult to pick out one particular question, since there have been so many of them. One question that keeps coming back though, is ‘if it is all true’. It applies to nearly all my books, both those that are pretty autobiographically inspired, and those that are cheer fantasy. I always answer it the same way: all is true. Absolutely all of it. Even if children fly (as in Zooperman) or run around as rabbits (Silly Rabbit), or a hurricane gets out of control because she was given the wrong name (Angelica the Terrifying). I then tell them it’s because children’s authors cannot tell lies. That’s forbidden. We never lie. We only exaggerate from time to time.

 

9. What is the most important message or lesson you would like readers of your book to take away with them?

TINE: That’s a tough one. I don’t really think about messages too much when writing a book. I just hope people will enjoy it, and maybe grow to love it. In that case, they will get exactly what they need from the book, I suppose.

 

 10. What’s your next project?

TINE: That is very secret, so don’t tell anyone else.

I’m currently writing a book about a young boy who wants to become a train. He has all sorts of reasons for it, and he wishes it so hard, he gets to realise his dream in the end.

 

As promised, here’s the competition info (click on the picture). Good luck!

 

Next stop in the tour is Munch Cooking. Go there now! (Find the other tour stops here)

 

Thanks for visiting everyone.

New non-fiction stuff to make

The brilliant book of easy recipes

If you’ve ever wanted to learn to cook, but been too intimidated, then have no fear: there is a book for you.  There’s a great range of easy, delicious recipes for you to make, and most of them you should be able to make on your own, without needing a parent looking over your shoulder! Although asking for help isn’t a bad thing, of course. But you might want to keep everything you make to yourself, as there’s some really yummy treats in here, like marshmallow fingers and quesadillas.

 

The brilliant book of Easy crafts

Like the previous book in this series, this a simple book for crafters beginning in crafting. It’s perfect for younger children, as most of the projects aren’t really that difficult.  What’s great about this book is that chapters are arranged by types of project, so if you feel like making a mask or a puppet you can find what you want easily.

 

Rock star style: fun fashions you can sketch

Lights! Camera! Action! Learn how to draw the latest celebrity fashions with this cute book.  The fashions are wild but there’s plenty here to appeal to everyone. Each design is named after a genre or type of musician, from “cross-over artist” to “rock royalty.”  If you’re just starting out drawing, then you might find this book a little tricky, but it’s certainly good inspiration and something to challenge yourself. But this is a great book for any budding fashionista.

 

My first knitting book

Winter’s nearly over, so surely you don’t want to be spending your time stocking up on winter woolies, right? Luckily for the more DIY inclined among you, this book is packed full of cute things to knit like soft toys and Ipod covers.  Perhaps you might want to work on these projects during the summer so by the time winter rolls around again (we do live in Wellington, after all!) you’ll be ready to make hats and scarves for you and your friends.

 

 

Sewing for kids

Knitting not for you? Take a look at this book.  As well as having lots of fun projects (mostly toys and stuff for your room) it will teach you the basics  of both hand and machine sewing. It’s a great book for beginners, although there’s enough here to interest ardent sewers of all abilities.

 

 

Craft it up: Around the world

Travel around the world without leaving your house; this book has projects from many countries, and all of them cute and colourful. There’s a ton of different types of craft represented, so this is a good book if you’re looking for a bit more of a challenge.