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)

So many Christmas books and movies that you’ll love!

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 2019 is on!

Check out the following:

What’s Christmas? Find out with…

Christmas.

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.

 

Some handy ideas for Christmas Crafts:

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

100 things to recycle and make.

Provides step-by-step, illustrated instructions for crafts made with everyday materials, including egg cartons, sticks, and cardboard tubes.

 

Christmas activities.

From baking Christmas pudding sweets to creating hand-printed angels. These projects include how to make a pop-up polar bear card, a snowman paper chain or glittery decorations. Two pages of stickers are included and each project is accompanied by simple step-by-step instructions and an illustration or photograph of the final creation.


Christmas.

This book explores the festival of Christmas and the story behind it and features six simple origami projects for your own festive fun! The book shows how people around the world celebrate Christmas both in church and at home. Attractively designed, its simple text and wonderful full-colour photos make this an essential book for children celebrating or learning about the festival. The origami activities are accessible to all and are explained with step-by-step illustrations. Your fantastic creations can be used as decorations for the festival, for presents, to impress your teacher for a Christmas school project or simply to wow your friends!

 

Read stories about Christmas or Christmas themed:

Picture Books:

A very Marley Christmas.

With all the excitement of Christmas approaching, it’s no surprise that Marley, the loveable pup with a nose for trouble, wants to get in on the action. Anticipating his very first snowfall and Santa’s arrival, Marley jumps in to help his family every way he can. But Marley, being Marley, always ends up on the wrong side of right.


The Christmas Peg.

From Cameron Williams and Matthew Martin comes a hilarious and energetic story about the worst Christmas present ever.


How the Grinch stole Christmas!

When the grumpy Grinch tries to steal Christmas from the citizens of Who-ville, he realises there’s more to it than presents and tinsel!


The Christmas caravan.

When Simon sees a competition in the newspaper for the best decorated Christmas house, he is keen to enter it. His mother says she can’t afford expensive lights and decorations. So Simon decides to decorate their caravan in his own way.


The Polar Express.

Late one Christmas Eve, a boy boards a mysterious train that waits for him- the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers him any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the reindeer’s harness. It turns out to be a very special gift, for only believers in Santa can hear it ring.Liam Neeson’s gravitas lends the story just the right sense of magic and possibility in the book and CD edition.


Santa’s worst Christmas.

There are just a few days to go before Christmas, and everyone’s busy putting up decorations, preparing food and getting ready for the big day. Then comes the shock news – Santa’s cancelled Christmas. Santa had so many disasters last year that he can’t face it again, and he’s quit. The elves try everything, but they can’t get him to change his mind. In this Aotearoa Christmas picture book, the kids come up with a clever plan and amazing gadgets to get Christmas back on and Santa back in the sleigh delivering presents.


 

Chapter Books:

Christmas in Camelot.

A cup, a compass, a key: the magic tree house has brought siblings Annie and Jack to Camelot, where they embark on a mysterious mission to find these enigmatic gifts. In this special hardcover addition to the bestselling Magic Tree House series, the young adventurers must travel to the Otherworld, an “ancient, enchanted land beyond the edge of the Earth, the place where all magic began” to save Camelot from dark wizard Mordred’s evil spell. If they fail, Camelot will be forgotten forever. Fans of the beloved, highly readable series by Mary Pope Osborne will rise to the challenge of this longer, more complex companion to her other titles, which include Earthquake in the Early Morning and Twister on Tuesday. As in every story in the sequence, Jack and Annie bravely plunge into their quest, learning about a culture and time very far removed from their own, and prove once again that children can make a difference.


A Christmas carol by Geronimo Stilton.

Ebenezer Scrooge is a cranky old mouse who is only concerned with his business and making money. Scrooge thinks Christmas is just a waste of time. But on the night of Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts who take him on a journey through his past, present, and future. His experience could change him forever and teach him the true meaning of Christmas!


The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch.

One year has passed since William Trundle’s incredible adventure with the most extraordinary dinosaur: the Christmasaurus. Now, William is swept back to the magical North Pole, where he meets a mysterious witch – whose power to control time allows Santa Claus to make the long journey all around the world every Christmas Eve. And when they learn that the fate of Christmas itself hangs in the balance, William and the Christmasaurus must work with the Winter Witch to protect it.


Quentin 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.


 

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.


The 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. What he finds, however, is that Christmas in Whoville is much more than gifts and decorations, it’s a time to celebrate love and friendship.


curtesy of amazon.co.ukThe Polar Express.

Santa Claus does not exist. Or does he? For one doubting boy (voice of Daryl Sabara and Tom Hanks), an astonishing event occurs. Late on Christmas Eve night, he 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 (voice of Tom Hanks) 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.


image courtesy of amazon.co.ukRise of the Guardians.

When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imagination of children all over the world.


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.


Check out the movie trailer for Frozen II!


 

Not Christmas, but just as amazing and new to the Childrens DVD collection is…

The Lion King.

The Lion King is finally at WCL! Why rent the DVD… rent the original film this Christmas and relive the class tale of Simba, a delightful lion cub who is heir to the throne of the pride lands. However, when Simba’s father is killed… by Simba’s treacherous uncle, Scar, poor Simba, feeling guilt ridden lion cub flees into exile until the moment where he must confront his uncle and reclaim his identity , as well as destiny as the future King. Another movie trailer filled with (wild) animals and cute baby animals!!!

image courtesy of amazon.co.uk

image courtesy of amazon.co.uk


 

And coming soon to movie theaters…

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. It will be the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the ninth and final episode of the main Star Wars film franchise.

“The saga comes to an end”… on December 19th 2019, and from the looks of this trailer, they definitely saved the best for last.

 

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!

6 New Junior Comics and graphic novels

Hey kids! Welcome to the first month of spring!

Time to spring on down to your local library and check out the latest comics and graphic novels in the children’s collection.

Enjoy!

Dugout : the zombie steals home.

Twins Stacy and Gina Cavallaro are on rival little league teams, and when Gina accidentally unleashes a curse that wakes the dead, Stacy’s misfit team gets coached by a baseball-playing zombie!

image courtesy of syndeticsGhost hog.

Truff is the ghost of a young boar, fueled by fury towards the hunter who shot her down. She has a lot to learn about her new afterlife, and thankfully the forest spirits Claude and Stanley are there to guide her! However, they soon find that her parents, along with their fellow animal villagers, have been kidnapped by the malicious mountain demon Mava! Truff wants to help, but… the hunter is finally within her grasp, and if she lets him go, she may never get her revenge! Is vengeance all that being a ghost is good for? Or is there something stronger keeping this little pig tethered to the living world?

Geronimo Stilton 3 in by Geronimo Stilton.

The hit Scholastic chapter book series has been successfully adapted into the best-selling graphic novel series from Papercutz. As Geronimo continues to garner new fans from his animated adventures seen on Netflix and Amazon Prime, Papercutz proudly collects 3 Geronimo Stilton graphic novels in 1! Geronimo Stilton and friends travel back to the past in the Speedrat to save the future from dastardly Pirate Cats. First up, head back to visit the Dinosaurs, then save Mozart from composing a CAT-astrophe, and finally help Geronimo invent the printing press. Fun and educational, Geronimo Stilton has a huge fan following and thanks to the new animated series, that following is getting larger all the time!

image courtesy of syndeticsGeronimo Stilton, reporter. #2, It’s my scoop!

Geronimo Stilton, top reporter for The Rodent’s Gazette, has a reputation of breaking the top news stories first to the citizens of New Mouse City. But lately, Sally Ratmousen of rival paper ‘The Daily Rat’, has been leaking Geronimo’s secret scoop! Can Geronimo keep the lid on a surprise celebrity guest to the city’s 100 year celebration or will Sally rat him out?

Sonic the Hedgehog : Battle for Angel Island.

“When Neo Metal Sonic–an evil robot with Sonic’s speed, Dr. Eggman’s intellect, and an unbreakable mechanical body–conquers the island to grow his power even more, Sonic and his friends must team-up and take the fight to him. But even with the full power of the Resistance behind him, will Sonic be able to take down Neo Metal Sonic once and for all?”–Provided by publisher.

The singing rock & other brand-new fairy tales.

A genie just wants a chance to grant a wish to the frog who accidentally let him out of his lamp–meanwhile, the frog just wants to be left alone. A witch is tormented by the cheerful (and awful) singing of a persistent bard, but when she finally snaps and turns him into a rock, he just keeps on singing–somehow the power of terrible music overcomes all magic. A wizard wants a pet. An ogre just wants to make beautiful art. Four original, wry and utterly charming fairy tales comprise this new collection for young readers

Some great new kids fiction to help get us through winter!

 

We are over halfway through winter now – yahoo! This is the perfect time of the year to snuggle up with a good book and hot chocolate. Try one of these new ones that the library has just bought.

 

A Twist of Tales by Julia Donaldson

A king hides a terrible secret under his crown … A marvellous dream inspires an epic journey … A clever girl outwits the king. Told in hyper-readable language and with full-colour illustrations.

 


 

Kensy and Max:  Undercover by Jacqueline HarveyImage courtesy of Syndetics

Kensy and Max are back in London for no time at all before things begin to heat up – quite literally. As a result, Granny Cordelia ships them off to Australia on an undercover mission. The twins find themselves planted in a posh Sydney school where first appearances prove to be deceiving. What seems like a straightforward assignment turns into something so much bigger. Kensy and Max must employ all their spy skills – the fate of their parents, and who they’ve been searching for, depends on it.

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsWe’ll bite your tail, Geronimo by Geronimo Stilton

Professor Greenfur, the onboard scientist on spaceship MouseStar 1, has changed color from green to–orange! What’s going on? To find out, the spacemice travel to his home planet of Photosyntheson. There, they learn that all of Professor Greenfur’s relatives are being threatened by the nibblix, tiny aliens with very sharp teeth! Can the spacemice help in time?

 

Maximillian Fly by Angie SageImage courtesy of Syndetics

Maximillian Fly, a roach-human hybrid, helps two young humans escape from the Bartizan’s eye, only to find himself a key player in a deadly war between roaches and humans

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMeet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi

In this compilation of four separately published books, Pakistani American second grader Yasmin learns to cope with the small problems of school and home, while gaining confidence in her own skills and creative abilities.

Come on a time travelling adventure!

If you could travel back in time to any point in history, where would you go?

Right back to the Stone age being chased by a saber tooth tiger. Maybe in Ancient Egypt helping build the great pyramids or how about being a Viking sailing on one of their great ships.

What about going the other way – into the future. What do you think our world will be like? Maybe we could be living on Mars!

How do you feel about time travel? Do you think that one day we might be able to travel to any point in time or do you think that’s just weird.

Either way it is fun to read books on time travel and we have heaps of choice for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top 10 Children’s eBooks December 2016

There no doubt in anyone’s mind that J. K. Rowling totally owns the December’s eBook Top 10.  The world of Harry Potter continues to inspire new readers, but also people love to re-read these books.  Re-visiting the books often reveals passages that were missed the first time round.  Or when you read a book at a different age you get new things out of the writing, and J. K. Rowling explores different aspects of her characters as the series expands through the school years.

But wait what is that at the end of the list? Squeaking in at the end… Thea Stilton.  The Thea sisters are out to solve the theft of a precious ring on a trip to Russia. A figure skating medal and a good reputation is at stake!

1.  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, by J. K. Rowling

2.  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J. K. Rowling

3.  Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J. K. Rowling

4.  Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling

5.  Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J. K. Rowling

6.  Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J. K. Rowling

7.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling

8.  Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J. K. Rowling

9.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by J. K. Rowling

10.Thea Stilton and the Lost Letters, by Thea Stilton

Top 10 Childrens DVDs July 2016

Long winter evenings are a great time to catch up with the latest movies.

It’s not just the one off movies people love to borrow from the library, there are the DVD series where you can follow characters through their many adventures. Building adventures with lego is great for your imagination and construction skills.  These building blocks have inspired quite a few series – do you know them all?

There’s: Legends of Chima,  Justice League, Ninjago Masters of SpinjitsuLEGO friends, Star Wars, Nexo KnightsBionicle and there’s a LEGO Scooby-Doo! Try saying all that in one breath!  Have I missed any? Let us know in the comments.

Here’s your Top 10 for July 2016: 

1. My little pony, friendship is magic

2. Inside out

3. Legends of Chima

4. Minions

5. Snoopy and Charlie Brown 

6. The good dinosaur

7. Strawberry Shortcake

8. Goosebumps

9. Geronimo Stilton

10. Rabbids invasion

Top 10 Childrens DVD’s May 2016

Monsters and dragons and minions, oh my! There are some great favourite movies amongst the DVD listings for May.

Adventures abound for Geronimo, the popular mouse hero of middle fiction continues on his world wide escapades.  Fancy writing your own article for The Rodent Gazette?  What adventure would you report to the editor? Let us know your ideas in the comments.

Here’s your Top 10 for last month:

1. My little pony, friendship is magic

2. Inside out

3. Strawberry Shortcake

4. Minions

5. Hotel Transylvania

6. Dragons

7. Geronimo Stilton

8. Legends of Chima

9. Home

10. The new adventures of Peter Pan

Top children’s fiction authors for May

Here’s a joke: Why did the librarian slip over? Because she was in the non-friction section!! Get it?

No one like falling over, so we aren’t going to talk about non-fiction today. This post is all about FICTION.

We love fiction, you love fiction, everyone loves fiction! So here are the most popular children’s fiction authors for this month, based on how many of their books have been borrowed from the library.

 

1. Daisy Meadows (Rainbow Magic, Magic Animal Friends series)

2. Geronimo Stilton (Geronimo and Thea Stilton series)

3. Enid Blyton (classics stories of adventure and bad behaviour)

4. Erin Hunter (Warriors series)

5. Sally Rippin (Billie B Brown and Hey Jack series)

6. Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid series)

7. Adam Blade (Beast Quest series)

8. Jacqueline Wilson (amazing stories about different lives and adventures)

9. Liz Pichon (Tom Gates series, and picture books)

10. Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson series)

11. Roald Dahl (Charlie and the chocolate factory and other funny tales)

12. Andy Griffiths (Storey-treehouse series)

13. Megan McDonald (Judy Moody and Stick series)

14. Dav Pilkey (Captain Underpants series)

15. Francesca Simon (Horrid Henry series)

16. Alan MacDonald (Dirty Bertie series)

17. H. I. Larry (Zac Powers series)

18. David Walliams (Hilarious stories)

19. Jacqueline Harvey (Alice Miranda series)

20. Rachel Renee Russell (Dork Diaries series)

Top 10 Childrens eBooks March 2016

Get the jump on your mates for the school holidays. eBooks from overdrive are a great way to make sure you get all the books in a series. David Walliams has some collections to download. So if the book you’re looking for is out from your local library, check the eLibrary collections just in case.

Jeff Kinney rules the countdown for March, think you’re a fan? Well, a group of people in Minneapolis made a musical they like it so much!

 

Here’s your top 10:

1.  The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien

2.  The Ugly Truth: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, Book 5, by Jeff Kinney

3.  Billionaire Boy, by David Walliams

4.  Ratburger, by David Walliams

5.  The Third Wheel: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, Book 7, by Jeff Kinney

6.  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J.K.Rowling

7.  Surf’s Up Geronimo! & The Wild, Wild West: Geronimo Stilton Series, Books 20 and 21, by Geronimo Stilton

8.  Cabin Fever: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, Book 6, by Jeff Kinney

9.  Last Straw: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Series, Book 3, by Jeff Kinney

10.The Son of Neptune: The Heroes of Olympus Series, Book 2, by Rick Riordan