Top 10 Children’s Fiction May 2016

There are some terrific series in the lists for May.  Adventure, laughs and brave heroes of a young age taking on the extraordinary and the very ordinary – both can be pretty daunting!

There’s lots of reading going on with the long winter evenings, some of it will be the finalists in the New Zealand Post Book awards.  I wonder if any of these will make it into the Libraries’ Top 10??  Remember Hell Pizza are really keen to tempt you into expanding your world of imagination, wonder and delight by rewarding you with pizza!  Every seven books entitles a lucky reader (5-12 years old) to a free pizza. Yum!

 

Here’s your Top 10 novels for May 2016:

1.Diary of a wimpy kid, by Jeff Kinney

2. Tom Gates series by Liz Pichon

3. Storey Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths

4. Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford

5. Dirty Bertie series by Alan MacDonald

6. Percy Jackson series, by Rick Riordan

7. Ruby Redfort series by Lauren Child

8. Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce

9. The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton

10.Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone, by J. K. Rowling

Top 10 Children’s e-Books February 2016

Overdrive has some pretty popular children’s titles right now.  It’s not in the Top 10, but Frank Cottrell-Boyce, of Millions fame has The Unforgotten Coat newly added to the overdrive selections, along with Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The 39 Clues series.  Found a favourite of your’s as an eBook? let us know in the comments.

 

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, By J.K. Rowling

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

3. The Crown of Ptolemy: Percy Jackson & The Kane Chronicles Crossover Series, Book 3, by Rick Riordan

4. The Lost Hero: The Heroes of Olympus Series, Book 1, by Rick Riordan

5. The Mark of Athena: The Heroes of Olympus Series, Book 3, by Rick Riordan

6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, By J.K. Rowling

7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, By J.K. Rowling

8. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, By J.K. Rowling

9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, By J.K. Rowling

10. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, By J.K. Rowling

Top 10 Children’s E-Books for October 2015

Fantasy saga fans have really taken to the E-Books.  Rick Riordan has become the favourite with his myth influenced series inspiring a lot of Wellington readers. There are some great resources in the library about Greek myths, non-fiction, comics, more comics,  audio books, movies and some other great stories.  If you’re enjoying the Rick Riordan Heroes of Olympus series try the Pegasus series by Kate O’Hearn (she has also written books on the Norse Myths).

Did you know that many of the heroes and heroines of the Greek myths were immortalised in constellations? Take a look here for some of their stories and place in the night sky.

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

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

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

4.  The Mark of Athena: The Heroes of Olympus Series, Book 3 by Rick Riordan

5.   The House of Hades: The Heroes of Olympus Series, Book 4 by Rick Riordan

6 .  The Lost Hero: The Heroes of Olympus Series, Book 1 by Rick Riordan

7.   The Son of Sobek: Percy Jackson & Kane Chronicles Crossover Series, Book 1 by Rick Riordan

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

9.   The Red Pyramid: The Kane Chronicles, Book 1 by Rick Riordan

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

 

      

November’s Top 10 Children’s fiction

This month’s favourite library lends include author Jeff Kinney.  As popular online as in print, “To date, the online version of Diary of a Wimpy Kid has more than 80 million visits, and is typically read by more than 70,000 kids a day.”

1.   Diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney.
2.   Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford
3.   Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan
4.   Dirty Bertie by Alan MacDonald
5.   Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone by J. K. Rowling
6.   Awful Auntie by David Walliams
7.   Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
8.   Matilda by Roald Dahl
9.   Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord
10. Puzzle pirates by Leigh, Susannah.

Ever wondered who the most popular children’s authors are?

Wonder no more! Here’s a list of the 25 most popular authors for the last month or so, based on how many times their books have been borrowed from Wellington City Libraries.

1. Daisy Meadows – author of the Rainbow Magic series

2. Geronimo Stilton – funny comics about a mouse detective

3. Enid Blyton – classic stories of school mischief, adventure, and magical fantasy

4. Jacqueline Wilson – loads of popular books, you’ll never run out

5. H. I. Larry – author of the action series ‘Zac Power’ that’s perfect for younger readers

6. Erin Hunter – author of the Warriors series

7. Susannah Leigh – writes those amazing puzzle adventure books

8. Adam Blade – author of the Beast Quest series

9. Roald Dahl – classic laugh-out-loud funny fantasy stories, many have been made into movies too!

10. Andy Griffiths – writes very funny short stories

11. Jeff Kinney – author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

12. Megan McDonald – author of the Judy Moody series

13. Stephen Cole – author of the Astrosaurs series

14. Sally Rippin – author of the Billie B. Brown series, great for younger readers

15. Rick Riordan – author of the Heroes of Olympus series and others, great fantasy adventure based on Greek, Roman, and Egyptian myths

16. Alan MacDonald – author of the Dirty Bertie series

17. Francesca Simon – author of the Horrid Henry series

18. Dav Pilkey – author of the captain Underpants series, great for those who like disgusting humour

19. J. K. Rowling – author of the classic series Harry Potter

20. Thea Stilton – similar to Geronimo Stilton, comic-style mouse mysteries

21. Cressida Cowell – author of the How to train your Dragon series, which has been made into a popular movie too.

22. Emily Rodda – an author who has written many fantasy adventure series, including Rowan of Rin, Raven Hill Mysteries, and Deltora Quest.

23. R. L. Stine – author of many spooky horror stories

24. John Flanagan – author of the Ranger’s Apprentice series

25. Lemony Snicket – author of the zany series A Series of Unfortunate Events

 

You can search for these authors in the library catalogue. Which one’s your favourite?

 

 

Top 10 Fiction for February

Favorite children’s summer reads.  Have you read them all?  Grab one and find out if it’s your new favorite!

1. Diary of a wimpy kid series by Jeff Kinney

2. Dirty Bertie series by Alan MacDonald

3. Where’s Wally? series by  Martin Handford

4. Ruby Redfort series by  Lauren Child

5. Conspiracy 365 series by Gabrielle Lord

6. Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone  by  J. K. Rowling

7. Captain Underpants and the big, bad battle of the Bionic Booger Boy by Dav Pilkey

8. Percy Jackson and the Titan’s curse  by  Rick Riordan

9. The son of Neptune by  Rick Riordan

10. Attack of the bandit cats by Geronimo Stilton

 

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.

New Non Fiction: Take a journey into the wild, Mythological lands and to a galaxy far, far away.

Another school term has began and Wellington City Libraries has some new non-fiction books for you to get stuck into. Enjoy!

Greek Myths.

Orpheus and Eurydice.

What is mythology? The Free Dictionary defines mythology as “a traditional, typically ancient story dealing with supernatural beings, ancestors, or heroes that serves as a fundamental type in the worldview of a people, as by explaining aspects of the natural world or delineating the psychology, customs, or ideals of society.” While the Oxford Dictionary defines mythology as “a collection of myths, especially one belonging to a particular religious or cultural tradition.”

If you are interested in Greek mythology and looking for shorter and easier myths to read than Rick Riordan’s “Percy Jackson & the Olympians”, then this story of Orpheus and Eurydice will  appeal to fans of that series. Shakespeare once said “the course of true love never did run smooth.” At least not for Orpheus and Eurydice. So when Eurydice is killed by a snakebite on her wedding day, her husband, Orpheus journeys to the Underworld to negotiate with Hades himself to win his bride back. Can true love triumph over the dark power of the Underworld? You’ll have to read the story to find out.

Also check out Myths in 30 Seconds for easy reads on Greek, Roman… pretty much myths and legends around the world. This book is a perfectly enchanting introduction to mythology for lively minds.

 

Animal Planet.

Finding Bigfoot.

If you have already watched and/or a big fan of the show, Finding Bigfoot on Animal Planet, then you will love this book that is full of information and details of actual sightings of Bigfoot based on real encounters around the world, evidence for the existence of the controversial animal and viewpoints of skeptics and scientists on the subject. After reading this book you can decide for yourself whether Bigfoot real or a myth?

Also check out The Unsolved Mystery of Bigfoot.

 

 

Into the Wild.

 Mud, Sweat and Tears /  Bear Grylls.

We all know Bear Grylls for his television series Man vs. Wild, writer of the Mission  Survival series and the real-life action man who has survived in dangerous environment few would dare to visit. but what don’t you know? Read the latest biography on his life and find out how Bear Grylls started out by engaging in secret childhood missions to climb the town’s school buildings and steeples, to starring in his own global TV series and becoming one of the world’s toughest adventurers. As a bonus you will also find out what it’s like to take on mountaineering, martial arts, parachuting, life in the SAS and all that nature can throw at you! This is one book that can be enjoyed by kids of all ages!

Also check out his books from the Mission Survival Series: Gold of the Gods, Way of the Wolf and Tracks of the Tiger.

 

 

Star Wars.

Star Wars, The Clone Wars : Episode guide.

Yes siree! We have another addition to the Star Wars collection in our library with Star Wars, The Clone Wars : Episode guide. Take a journey back through the clone wars and relive the dramatics events that took place in all episodes of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars series. Also includes coverage of everything from key plot points and characters to spaceships and weapons.

 

 

 

 

Lego Ideas:

LEGO play book : ideas to bring your bricks to life. Lego! Fairy Tale characters! Mythological creatures! Ghosts and ghouls! Marine life! Barnyard beasts! Safari giants! Who can ask for more? if you enjoyed The Lego Ideas books, then you will love this book that  encourage kids to think, build, and play with more than 200 different LEGO builds and create amazing LEGO models of their very own. This book is fantastic for any LEGO builder looking to be inspired to build and create.

Top 10 Fiction for June

Here are the most popular children’s fiction titles for June:

1. Diary of a wimpy kid by Jeff Kinney (series)

2. Dirty Bertie by Alan MacDonald (series)

3. Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord (series)

4. Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford (puzzle book series)

5. Ruby Redfort by Lauren Child

6. Puzzle pirates by Susannah Leigh

7. Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone by J. K. Rowling

8. Judy Moody & Stink by Megan McDonald (series)

9. Captain Underpants and the big, bad battle of the Bionic Booger Boy by Dav Pilkey

10. The mark of Athena by Rick Riordan

 

Ketea Dragons

In Ancient Greek mythology there is a sea dragon called ketea (singular ketos).

They are amphibious and have two flippers instead of legs. They have sleek bodies with hides covered in barnacles, and a long, tapering tail with a sea-weed like end.

Ketea have a long, pointy snout, long ears, sharp horns on their heads, and small sharp teeth. Although they live in the ocean around Greece, they can also survive on land.

Ketea obey Poseidon, Greek god of the sea, and he sends them to punish people who have offended him. They are ravenous and can never get enough to eat!

If you enjoyed this post and want to read more, you can find out more about dragons in The Dragon Companion: An Encyclopedia by Carole Wilkinson. All the facts in this post were taken from this book.

 

Some new books about dragons that you might like to read are:

The Dreadful Dragon by Kaye Umansky

Dragon Boogie by Erik Craddick

Fangbone!, third-grade barbarian by Michael Rex

How to Seize a Dragon’s Jewel by Cressida Cowell

Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Regan Barnhill

Secrets of the Dragon World by S. A. Caldwell