4 New Non Fiction: Heroes and Wizards vs Zombies and Monsters.

image courtesy of syndeticsBeastworld: Terrifying Monsters and Mythical Beasts.

Step into a spine-chilling world of terrifying mythical beasts from ancient myths, strange sightings and folklore. Mythical beasts includes Bigfoot, the Loch ness monster and the kraken.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHarry Potter: The Character Vault.

Unlock new information about your favourite characters from the Harry Potter movies with this book profiling the good, the bad, and everything in between. Concept art, behind-the-scenes imagery, and film stills track everyone from Harry, Hermione and Ron to Dobby, Mad-Eye Moody and Dolores Umbridge, telling their complete stories as they evolve throughout the film series. A must read for all the Harry Potter fans out there.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsZombies: The truth behind history’s terrifying flesh-eaters.

Zombies, are they real or some made up story? Only reading Zombies: The truth behind history’s terrifying flesh-eaters, will allow to separate fact from fiction. This book describes ancient history, medieval lore, and modern portrayals of zombies in today’s popular culture. A must read for anyone who is interested in information about zombies… or who wants to prepare for a zombie apocalypse.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsPaws of Courage: True Tales of Heroic dogs that protect and serve.

Inside each courageous canine beats the heart of a hero. Readers will cheer for the hero dogs featured in this collection, profiled with stunning photos and inspiring tales of bravery, friendship, heroism, and devotion. Great for ages 10 years and over.

 

 

Magical New Fiction

Love adventure, magic and romance? Fall in love with Amy Alward‘s new book ‘The Potion Diaries’!

“A tiny bead of blood bloomed where the knife point pressed against the tip of her finger”

Oh no! The princess of Nova is accidentally poisoned by her own love potion. It’s the chance of a lifetime for Sam’s alchemist family, who have been mixing magic potions for generations …but can Sam find the cure and save their crumbling reputation?

With the nation’s media watching her every move, Sam overcomes incredible dangers and impossible dilemmas in order to hunt down the ingredients: a mermaid’s pearl, pink jasmine, Eluvian ivy, hair from an abominable and a unicorn’s tail.

Can Sam save the now dangerously powerful princess by winning the contest? And just how close are she and her handsome enemy Zain willing to get in the meantime?

Grab this new book from your local library today or head on over to the catalogue to reserve a copy!

(Note: this book is ideal for older children and young teens)

New fiction for children – Get your hands on them now!

More new books! It’s like they are just flying in the doors simply so they can fly back out again in your hands. You know what to do… find them in your local library or seek them out on our catalogue.

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsPAX by Sara Pennypacker “After being forced to give up his pet fox Pax, a young boy named Peter decides to leave home and get his best friend back”– Provided by publisher.

 

 

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsWaiting for Callback by Perdita and Honor Cargill Geek Girl meets Fame meets New Girl in this brilliantly funny new series! When Elektra is discovered by an acting agent, she imagines Oscar glory can’t be far away, but instead lurches from one cringe-worthy moment to the next! Just how many times can you be rejected for the part of ‘Dead Girl Number Three’ without losing hope? And who knew that actors were actually supposed to be multi-lingual, play seven instruments and be trained in a variety of circus skills? Off-stage things aren’t going well either – she’s fallen out with her best friend, remains firmly in the friend-zone with her crush and her parents are driving her crazy. One way or another, Elektra’s life is now spent waiting for the phone to ring – waiting for callback. Can an average girl-next-door like Elektra really make it in the world of luvvies and starlets?

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe nine lives of Montezuma by Michael Morpurgo This is the story of the nine lives of a very special cat, from impetuous young kitten to the king of the farmyard. Wherever Montezuma goes, adventure and excitement are sure to follow.

 

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsElectrigirl by Jo Cotterill Holly Sparkes was just your average 12-year-old, that was, until she’s hit by a bolt of lightning. Now Holly is EXTRAordinary. Like a human battery Holly can generate a massive amount of electricity in seconds, which could come in handy if she’s ever going to solve the mystery of her best friend’s disappearance. Because when you’re dealing with the likes of Professor McAvity and her mysterious CyberSky corporation, you need all the help you can get!

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsJust my Luck by Cammie McGovern Since entering fourth grade, Benny Barrows worries that he will never be good at anything, that he is responsible for an accident that sent his father to the hospital, and that his attempts at winning a school contest will never be noticed.

New school year means new children’s fiction to try

We know you’re excited about the new school year school starting, and we reckon you should get excited about these new titles too! Give them a go; try something new!

Sammael’s Wings by Hilton Pashley

“Everything Jonathan loves is threatened. His angel father is wounded and lost, and his demon mother is missing in Hell. When his great-aunt Sammael, an archangel, returns from exile, Jonathan finally has a chance to bring his family back together. But a terrible new enemy wants to create chaos and fear throughout the universe, and he needs Jonathan’s wings to do it. Jonathan must go through Heaven and Hell to save them all…”–Back cover.

 

A Galaxy Too Far Away by Jamie ThomsonImage courtesy of Syndetics

Harry was just an ordinary teenage boy from Croydon when he was abducted by aliens and accidentally became the captain of their starship. His quest to get back home to Earth continues – but now he’s acquired an alien ‘son’ and a new spacecraft, and he’s being pursued by an eight-foot robot bounty hunter.

 

The Swish of the Curtain by Pamela BrownImage courtesy of Syndetics

When seven bored children discover an abandoned chapel in their home town, they decide to renovate it and to form the Blue Door Theatre Company. The talented and resourceful group soon discover that they are serious about their theatrical ambitions, but will their parents stand in their way?

 

The Power of Poppy Pendle by Natasha LoweImage courtesy of Syndetics

Ten-year-old Poppy will do anything to realize her dream of becoming a baker, although her parents insist she attend Ruthersfield, the exclusive girls school for witchcraft, where she excels despite her dislike of magic. Includes baking tips and recipes.

 

 

Pieces of Why by K.L. GoingImage courtesy of Syndetics

Twelve-year-old Tia lives in a white slum in New Orleans with her mother, and her whole world revolves around singing in the gospel choir with her best friend, Keisha–but when practice is interrupted by a shooting outside the church, and a baby is killed, Tia finds that she cannot sing, and she is forced to confront her feelings about her incarcerated father who killed a girl in a failed robbery years before.

Great new kids fiction for the new school year!

Image courtesy of SyndeticsCrowns and Codebreakers by Elen Caldecott (The Marsh Road Mysteries #2)

Minnie’s Gran picks up the wrong suitcase at the airport. Then Minnie’s house is burgled and the only thing taken is the suitcase. The suitcase was full of boy’s clothes. Who was the boy? What has happened to him? Minnie knows there is a mystery to be solved here and reassembles her gang to solve it.

 

Stop Those Monsters! by Steve ColeImage courtesy of Syndetics

The Wizard of Oz meets Monsters Inc in this MONSTROUSLY funny stand-alone story from bestselling author phenomenon, Steve Cole. I’m Bob, a human boy stuck in a land of MONSTERS. I’m trying to get out with the help of three – count them, three – incredible creatures. There’s Verity, who looks like a giant hamster. Alfie, who’s about as scary as a bag of crisps. And Zola, a gorgon who can’t turn people to stone (though she can manage cardboard at a push). We’re on a crazy, death-defying quest to escape with our lives. And all around us, the cry goes up: STOP THOSE MONSTERS!!!

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsA Horse Called Dora ; Knight in Training #2 (by Vivian French and David Melling

Sam J. Butterbiggins’ only ambition is to be a Very Noble Knight, but he has a problem he’s been packed off to the castle next door to stay with his aunt, uncle and annoying cousin Prune while his parents are away. But Sam’s discovered an ancient scroll listing the six quests to be completed in order to become a knight, and he’s already completed the first one! Now he’s found his True Companion (Prune), next on the list is to track down a Snow White Steed. But when Aunt Egg orders Sam and Prune to journey to Weasel’s Hill to deliver Horace the warthog back to his owner, it looks like the young knight-in-training looks will have to put his quest on hold. Or will he?

 

Under Suspicion by R.A. SprattImage courtesy of Syndetics

Since Friday Barnes was arrested after cracking the case of Highcrest academy’s swamp-yeti, she is not so sure boarding school was the smartest choice! And there’s a new boy at school who’s take a shine to her to deal with. Can Friday navigate the school grounds and decipher a decades-old mystery without getting caught in an unexpected love triangle?

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsNancy Drew; The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene

‘Nancy Drew arrives in Phoenix, Arizona, eagerly looking forward to a fun-filled vacation at Shadow Ranch, but abruptly finds herself involved in a baffling mystery.  The ranch is being haunted by a phantom horse and maliciously damaged by an unknown enemy.  Local people believe that the ghostly animal is carrying out the curse of Dirk Valentine, the romantic outlaw who was killed many years ago at Shadow Ranch, where he had gone to fulfill a promise to his sweetheart’…. –taken from inside book cover.

 

 

Six EPIC Books

In case you guys were looking for suggestions of what to read during Summer here’s a list of books about epic girls! These girls do epic things like hanging out with REAL wolves, ACTUAL trolls, totally LEGIT villains and WEIRD circus folk. They would be ideal for kids reading at a 12 year old level and older. All are available in our libraries and on our eLibrary as well.

The Wolf Wilder by Katherine Rundell

Hey I’m serious: this book is a-mazz-ing. Katherine Rundell has written a few other children’s novels and all of them are highly cool! This book is available in most of our libraries and also on Overdrive.

Feodora and her mother live in the snowbound woods of Russia, in a house full of food and fireplaces. Ten minutes away, in a ruined chapel, lives a pack of wolves. Feodora’s mother is a wolf wilder, and Feo is a wolf wilder in training. A wolf wilder is the opposite of an animal tamer: it is a person who teaches tamed animals to fend for themselves, and to fight and to run, and to be wary of humans. What follows is a story of revolution and adventure, about standing up for the things you love and fighting back. And, of course, wolves.” Goodreads.

 

The Girl who Walked on Air by Emma Carroll

Who doesn’t love a good circus story! This is a really popular book in our collection guaranteed to entertain and thrill you. Copies available in our libraries and also on Overdrive!

“Abandoned as a baby at Chipchase’s Travelling Circus, Louie dreams of becoming a ‘Showstopper’. Yet Mr Chipchase only ever lets her sell tickets. No Death-Defying Stunts for her. So in secret, Louie practises her act- the tightrope- and dreams of being the Girl Who Walked on Air. All she needs is to be given the chance to shine …” Goodreads.

 

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Solan

This is a slightly more serious story about a really clever girl! This heart-warming read is available in our libraries and on Overdrive.

“Willow Chance is a twelve-year-old genius, obsessed with nature and diagnosing medical conditions, who finds it comforting to count by 7s. It has never been easy for her to connect with anyone other than her adoptive parents, but that hasn’t kept her from leading a quietly happy life… until now. Suddenly Willow’s world is tragically changed when her parents both die in a car crash, leaving her alone in a baffling world. The triumph of this book is that it is not a tragedy … Her journey to find a fascinatingly diverse and fully believable surrogate family is a joy and a revelation to read.” Goodreads

 

Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan

You’ll love reading about how Esperanza grows and changes – she’s such a cool character! This book is available in our libraries and on Overdrive too!

“Esperanza thought she’d always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico–she’d always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances–Mama’s life, and her own, depend on it.” Goodreads.

 

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Here’s a book which is waaay better than the movie! There are copies of Coraline available in most of our libraries and on Overdrive!

Coraline’s often wondered what’s behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her “other” parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes …” Goodreads

 

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

This story is a well loved book in our collection! Some of the things that happen to Miranda seem to defy the laws of time and space. When You Reach Me is available in most of our libraries and on Overdrive.

“By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter … ” Goodreads.

 

City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

City of Ember is the first book in the Ember series and it’s available in most of our libraries and on Overdrive. The main character, Lina, is definitely epic enough to finish this list with!

“Many hundreds of years ago, the city of Ember was created by the Builders to contain everything needed for human survival. It worked…but now the storerooms are almost out of food, crops are blighted, corruption is spreading through the city and worst of all—the lights are failing. Soon Ember could be engulfed by darkness…

But when two children, Lina and Doon, discover fragments of an ancient parchment, they begin to wonder if there could be a way out of Ember. Can they decipher the words from long ago and find a new future for everyone? Will the people of Ember listen to them?” Goodreads

 

 

 

4 great new books for kids

Clare and her Captain by Michael Morpurgo

On holiday in the Devon countryside, Clare is bored by her parents’ squabbling and longs for an adventure of her own. Her summer is transformed by a new friendship with retired horse Captain and his reclusive owner. This is a must-have for every fan of Morpurgo’s classic storytelling and Rayner’s highly sought-after artwork, and a gift to treasure for young and old.

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMemoirs of a Neurotic Zombie by Jeff Norton

“My name is Adam Meltzer and the last thing I remember was being stung by a bee while swinging at a robot-shaped pinata on my twelfth birthday. I was dead before the candy hit the ground”. ‘Memoirs of a neurotic zombie’ is narrated by the hilarious Adam Meltzer – pre-teen, worrywart, and now zombie. Adam’s family gets the fright of their lives when he turns up at their door … three months after his funeral. Soon Adam’s back at school trying to fit in and not draw extra attention to himself, but when he sees his neighbour Ernesto transform into a chupacubra, and the beautiful Corina (Adam’s number one mega-crush) turns out to be a (vegan) vampire, undead life is never going to be the same again. This is a hilarious adventure caper all about friendship and being yourself … even if you’re undead.”

 

The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon

An eccentric like all Helmsleys, eleven-year-old Archer escapes his overprotective mother and recruits two friends, Oliver and Adelaide, to help him plan a rescue of his long-lost grandparents, world-famous explorers who disappeared atop an iceberg in the Antarctic.

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsUpside Down Magic by Sarah Mlynowski

With their magic being unpredictable, Nory, Elliott, Andres, and Bax are sent to the upside-down magic room at Dunwiddle Magic School.

 

 

What to do when it’s wet outside

It is cold. It is wet. And in some places it’s been flooding. You guys can’t just go outside on an adventure in this kind of weather. Although some of you Wellington kids have had adventures indoors using boats to sail through your school corridors. We don’t think you’ll be able to be an indoor pirate all winter long so here are some suggestions for cool as activities you can get up to at home and series you can read from our collection!

 

101 Dog Tricks: Kids Edition  by Kyra Sundance is a super cool book that has activities you can do with your pet dog! It keeps them out of the kennel and stops you from getting bored. Who knows you could become the next dog whisperer through teaching your pup these cool as tricks. One of my favourites is called Messenger Dog – where you can actually teach your dog to take little notes from you and pass them on to your friends. It’s a brand new book you can find in many of our libraries and on Overdrive our e-library! You could download the book today!

 

 

D.I.Y Kids by Ellen and Julia Lupton  is full of cool crafts you can do. When I was bored on a wet day my favourite thing to do was to make soft toys with my grandma and this book has a whole section devoted to making your own toys, cuddly looking bunnies, kites and dolls. It even has instructions for how you can make clothing for your teddy bears or yourself! Check out this book when you’re feeling crafty.

 

 

Mad about Cartoons by Judith Heneghan. I know after our Comics Holiday Programme last year that there are a lot of Wellington City Libraries kids who are super talented cartoonists! Mad about Cartoons gives you some good ideas of how to make your own comic strips. And it also teaches you how to create digital animations. You could make your own little animated series just like The Simpsons if you wanted to over those wet weekends?

 

 

Molly Moon by Georgia Byng: If you want to curl up with an amazing series of books I reckon you’ll love Molly Moon! We have all six in the series in our library and also on Bolinda Digital  for download to your kobo or e-reader. Here’s the synopsis of the first in the series to give you an idea what’s in store for you: “Molly Moon is treated like dirt in her squat English orphanage, with only her pal Rocky, starry Qube soda ads, and the library stacks to give her comfort. After she discovers Hypnotism: An Ancient Art Explained in her favorite library spot, Molly begins learning the ropes and takes mental control of Petula, the orphanage’s grumpy pug dog, and the nasty staff members. But when Molly finds out that Rocky’s been suddenly adopted in New York, she hypnotizes her way to the city, into Broadway stardom, and — unfortunately — into a wicked professor’s plot to rob a high-security bank. Thankfully, though, she and Rocky finally meet up, and with a few surprises, the two hatch a plan to set things right for themselves and for their orphanage.” Goodreads.

 

 

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy is another amazing, actually perfect, series of books for the wet weather. I read them all, last year, over winter and it totally made being inside okay because I was so into finding out what Stephanie and her wacky skeleton detective friend would get up to next. We have all 9 in the series available in our collection – we also have them on audiobook so you can listen while you’re doing cool craft activities if you want! They’re also available for download on Overdrive to your e-reader or Kobo. You can get the first 3 books in one go!  Trust me you’re going to want to have all three out at once, you’ll be so hooked. Here’s the synopsis from the first book to give you an idea of what it’s all about: “Meet Skulduggery Pleasant. Ace Detective. Snappy Dresser. Razor–tongued Wit. Crackerjack Sorcerer and walking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton – as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old. These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil. The end of the world? Over his dead body.” Goodreads

4 Fun new Fiction books for children

Image courtesy of SyndeticsSave Rafe -Middle School;6,  by James Patterson

“Middle schooler Rafe Khachadorian faces his greatest challenge yet as he struggles to complete a week-long wilderness survival course to prove to his school administrators that he can succeed”– Provided by publisher.

 

 

 

 

The Complete Adventures of Johnny Mutton Image courtesy of Syndeticsby James Proimos

The many adventures of Johnny Mutton — Johnny Mutton, he’s so him! — Mutton soup — Extras, extras, read all about it!  Presents a collection of humorous stories about Johnny Mutton, the young sheep raised as a regular boy.

 

 

 

Archie Greene and the Magician’s SecretImage courtesy of Syndetics by D. D Everest

Archie Greene has lived with his grandmother since he was a baby, but when a mysterious package arrives on his twelfth birthday with instructions to take it to a strange bookshop in Oxford, he finds himself involved with a secret society of people who protect the world’s magical books, and discovers that he has family he never knew about.

 

 

 

Emily’s Tiara Trouble Image courtesy of Syndetics– The Anti-Princess Club;1

Talented ten-year-olds Emily, Bella, Chloe and Grace are sick of teachers assuming they are helpless princesses. When maths whiz Emily Martin’s mother enters her in the local beauty pageant, it’s the last straw – the four friends form the Anti-Princess Club, with the motto We Don’t Need Rescuing. Can they use their awesome skills to show the world that girls want to be valued for more than what they see in the mirror?

Warning: Not a book for scaredy kids!

Thomas is an ordinary 12 year old boy whose life is very boring until one day he receives an urgent call from his grandmother (who he has never met) to come to an isolated castle and take up the leadership of the Seapeople. At the castle Tom meets his grandmother, a girl called Mari and some surprising sea creatures who have an urgent request. The rats of Droolmoan Cave have escaped and it is up to Tom to defeat them and their horrible queen.

 

 

 

Tom gets a call to help save a village in a far off land, Moratador, from the pillaging of a great terrifying beast, the Granioptrix, controlled by a marauding thug, Ghastmangle. Tom has a dangerous trip by boat, just escapes drowning, as the boat is tossed over rocks, and then travels by Albatross to meet his grandmother and begin the battle of his life. On the last stage to the village, they have to defeat the killer ice bats of Groanlee Pass. Then the huge Granioptrix. One slash of those razor claws and he’s dead. Tom is assisted by two polar bears, some eagles and the young girl archer from the village, Lydia