roald dahl

Top 10 Children’s fiction September 2016

Dusty

It’s all about adventure this month! From the Classic authors Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl to the yet to be released latest Diary of a Wimpy kid, Double Down,  by Jeff Kinney. These children aren’t one’s to shy away when strange events come knocking at their door.

You don’t have to be kidnapped by giants or attend a magical school, some of these adventures happen in homes just like yours and to children just like you!

 

1. Diary of a wimpy kid, by Jeff Kinney

2. Tom Gates, by Liz Pichon

3. Storey treehouse series, by Andy Griffiths

4. Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford

5. Dork Diaries series, by Rachel Renee Russell

6. Dirty Bertie series, by Alan MacDonald

7. The BFG, by Roald Dahl

8. The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton

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

10. The enormous crocodile, by Roald Dahl

Happy 100th Birthday, Roald Dahl!

Katie

Who ever said that September was a boring month.

Not where Roald Dahl is concerned!

September is Roald Dahl’s birth month, and each year around the world, libraries, schools and the like celebrate this day, also known as Roald Dahl Day.

However this year, on the 13th of September, a big event, not to mention the biggest party in history, is about to take place. Roald Dahl will be 100 years old, that is if he was still alive, and there are celebrations around the world for Roald Dahl 100, focusing on Roald Dahl’s stories, characters and delivering a year packed with surprises and treats for everyone.

image courtesy of syndetics

image courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of sydnetics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Want to take part in the celebrations? Here’s how!

Visit the Roald Dahl website, where you will find  information about Roald Dahl as well as activities, games and quizzes.

Dress up as your favourite Roald Dahl book character for Dahlicious Dress Up Day.

Download your Roald Dahl Day 2016 party pack, whether you’re celebrating at home, in school or out and about.

Get crafty and whip up a delicious feast inspired from Roald Dahl’s novel. Fore more ideas, click here.

Read and relive your favourite Roald Dahl stories. Wellington City Libraries holds a huge array of Roald Dahl books, including The BFG, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and movies for your reading pleasure. Also check out this previous blog post for ideas on what are great  Roald Dahl movies to watch.

This year marks the 50th anniversary since The Magic Finger was published – another milestone moment in the history of Roald Dahl, not to mention the some new Roald Dahl junior non fiction added to the collection: Roald Dahl Whizzpopping joke book and Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary.

 

image courtesy of syndetics

image courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of sydnetics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well you’re at it, why not read about his remarkable life. Read Boy, that presents  humorous anecdotes from the author’s childhood which includes summer vacations in Norway and an English boarding school, and Going Solo, that tells the story of his adventures as an adult, first in Africa, then learning to be a wartime fighter pilot and discover what led him to becoming the world famous author that he is known as today.

image courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of sydnetics

 

Top 10 Children’s fiction for August 2016

Dusty

New releases galore on the Children’s fiction front! There is a new Tom Gates adventure, catch up with Liz Pichon’s hero at your library. And what could be on the 78th storey of Andy and Terry’s treehouse? Any one else find this series a really good way to learn their 13 times tables?

 

1. Diary of a wimpy kid series, by Jeff Kinney

2. Tom Gates series, by Liz Pichon

3. Treehouse series, by Andy Griffiths

4. Dirty Bertie series, by Alan MacDonald

5. Dork Diaries, by Rachel Renée Russell

6. Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford

7. The Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton

8. The BFG, by Roald Dahl

9. Matilda, by Roald Dahl

10. The hidden oracle, by Rick Riordan

Top 10 Children’s Fiction July 2016

Dusty

Roald Dahl has two entries in the Top 10 this month.  Some of you may have been inspired from the movie The BFG to check out his books.

Roald Dahl’s imagination made more words than you’ll find in the dictionary! The BFG’s grasp of English “is a bit crumply” as he himself admits. Sometimes though a made-up word is the best kind to use! The oxford dictionary team seem to think so, this year the Oxford Roald Dahl Dictionary was published to celebrate the author’s 100th birthday!

Have you guys found Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes book yet?  We think Roald Dahl is pretty cool so we made up our holiday programmes around one of his tales of the BFG. Hope we get to see you at one of them.

Here’s your Top 10 for July 2016:

1. Diary of a wimpy kid, by Jeff Kinney

2. Tom Gates, by Liz Pichon

3. Dirty Bertie, by Alan MacDonald

4. Where’s Wally? by Martin handford

5. The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton

6. The BFG, Roald Dahl

7. Ratburger, by David Walliams

8. Matilda, by Roald Dahl

9. Awful Auntie, by David Walliams

10. Demon dentist, by David Walliams

Whizzpoping good time at Johnsonville Library in the school holidays

debbie

Thank you to all of the splendiferous people that turned up at the Roald Dahl school holiday event at Johnsonville Library.

We had a buckswashling huge crowd and a scrumdiddlyumptious time was had by all.

As well as a game of who knows Roald Dahl books best, children were able to create their own unique dream jars. From climbing Mt Everest to saving panda’s to having the superpower of flight there were some wonderful dreams captured.

Check out these delumptious photos.
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Great children’s movies based on Roald Dahl’s books.

Katie

The wintery-est of school holidays have started. Are you still stumped on what DVDs to watch during the coldest and blistery of days? With the release of The BFG, based on the lovable story by Roald Dahl, why not go down to your local library and check out some other movies, based on his novels:

image courtesy of amazon.comFantastic Mr Fox.

An urbane fox cannot resist returning to his farm raiding ways and then must help his community survive the farmers’ retaliation.

Trivia: Roald Dahl allegedly fashioned Mr Fox after himself.

 

 

image courtesy of amazon.comJames and the Giant Peach.

An orphan with terrible aunts for guardians, befriends human like bugs who live inside a giant peach, who take the boy on a journey to New York City.

Trivia: The lyrics for the song “Eating the Peach” were written by Roald Dahl.

 

image courtesy of amazon.com

Matilda.

Story of a wonderful little girl, who happens to be a genius, and her wonderful teacher vs. the worst parents ever and the worst school principal imaginable.

Trivia: The picture of Miss Honey’s father, Magnus, is actually a portrait of Roald Dahl, the author of the book “Matilda,” upon which the film is based.

 

image courtesy of amazon.comDOUBLE TAKE ALERT!

Believe it or not, there are two versions of the same movie adapted from Roald Dahl’s novels. Which version tickles your fancy? Original vs. Remake? You decide!

Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) vs. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. (2005)

Both DVDs are the same story, but made different years, which is about a young boy wins a tour through the most magnificent chocolate factory in the world, led by the world’s most unusual candy maker. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is an afternoon-delight film that the whole family can enjoy and is indeed a classic, that follows the story roughly to a tee. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is also a brighter and more colourful film, though it still manages to show the darker side of the story.

Trivia: Roald was reportedly so angry with the treatment of his book (mainly stemming from the massive rewrite by David Seltzer) that he refused permission for the book’s sequel, “Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator”, to be filmed.

 

 

image courtesy of amazon.comThe BFG (Animated DVD) vs. The BFG (2016 film.)

*** Please be aware that the 2016 film version of The BFG is not yet available at Wellington City Libraries. The DVD release date is yet to be confirmed ***

A girl named Sophie encounters the Big Friendly Giant who, despite his intimidating appearance, turns out to be a kind-hearted soul who is considered an outcast by the other giants because, unlike them, he refuses to eat children.

bfg 2016Trivia: Roald Dahl has a granddaughter named Sophie,  who is an English author and former fashion model.

Trivia: Roald Dahl dedicated The BFG to his late daughter, Olivia, who died of measles at age seven in 1962.

 

 

 

image courtesy of amazon.comExtra recommendation: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Roald Dahl wrote the screenplay to this fantastic movie, based on the novel, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, by Ian Fleming, the same guy, (believe it or not), who wrote the James Bond series! The movie is about a down-on-his-luck inventor, (played by Dick Van Dyke, who also played Bert in Mary Poppins), turns a broken-down car into a fancy vehicle for his children, and then they go off on a magical fantasy adventure to save their grandfather in a far-off land.

Trivia: Roald Dahl also wrote the screenplay to the James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice.

 

 

 

 

 

6 New children’s non-fiction to keep you entertained over the school holidays

Katie

image courtesy of syndeticsOxford Roald Dahl Dictionary.

From aardvark to zozimus, a real Roald Dahl dictionary of everyday and extra-usual words. Yes, believe it or not, there is a Roald Dahl dictionary in existence! This book will inspire you to choose and use each and every word brilliantly in your own writing – whether it’s a real word, a Roald Dahl word or your own made-up one. A must read for anyone who is a Roald Dahl fan or wanting to become a writer.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsGo Photo!

Looking to becoming a nature photographer or do photography based projects over the school holidays? Then check out this amazing book the features 23 hands on and creative photography activities. Accessible, fun and practical, the activities in this book have been brought together to engage kids in the fun and wonder of photography. Great to use for indoor and outdoor activities.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Story of the Olympics.

The Olympics are nearly here, why not get schooled up just in time by reading The Story of the Olympics? Full of wacky facts about the Olympics and Olympic champions down the centuries, this book takes you through the entire story and history of the Olympics, from their beginning in Ancient Greece right up to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics of 2016. Also contains the funny, surprising, heroic exploits of winners and loser around the world.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsDo Animals go to schools?

Do you think animals go to school? Of course not!  Although animals don’t go to school in a special building, they do have to learn important lessons to survive. They must master how to catch and store food, make nests, fight against enemies and find their way around. Sometimes their parents teach them. Sometimes they learn by themselves. Do animals have refrigerators? Do they go to the doctor? Do they dance and sing? These and many more questions are answered in this intriguing natural history book.

 

 

Do Animals need umbrellas?image courtesy of syndetics

This book is the perfect introduction to the amazing diversity of the animal kingdom. Do animals carry umbrellas or wear winter clothes? Of course they don’t! In nature, animals have to survive using only their own bodies. Creatures in cold climates have thick fur, feathers or fat to keep them warm. Those that live in dry places need to drink very little water. Animals in wet places have waterproof fur, feathers, scales or skin to keep them dry. Such adaptations help creatures to survive. Do animals play in the waves? Do they ever get stuck in the mud? These and many more questions about how animals live in different habitats are answered in this entertaining book.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsOutside: A Guide to discovering nature.

This fantastic guide offers a lot of information that allows you to discover nature in one’s own backyard, and includes tips on identifying trees, flowers, mammals, rocks, and insects, and examining the night sky.

 

Top 10 Children’s Fiction for June 2016

Dusty

Mid winter favourites reveal fans of some classic children’s authors. Enid Blyton and Roald Dahl are two very different authors creating very different worlds for their imaginary children and their readers.

The secret seven adventures were so popular that the translations inspired writers from other countries to develop the characters in their own stories.  Some of these were translated back into English some outlandish titles like… “The famous Five and the Z-Rays”

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. The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton

7. Big Nate series, Lincoln Peirce

8. The hidden oracle, by Rick Riordan

9. Gangsta granny, by David Walliams

10. Matilda, by Roald Dahl

Explore the magical world of Roald Dahl these school holidays

admin

The waiting is over! Here’s what’s happening in the July School Holidays at a library near you…

Due to the release of the movie The BFG and with 2016 being his 100th birthday, we are celebrating that amazing author – Roald Dahl.

He is many people’s favourite author and his books have become classics for a number of generations. Lots have been turned into movies too – The BFG, Fantastic Mr Fox, The Witches, Matilda…

During the school holidays you can whizz-pop your way into a library for some whoopsy-splunkers fun! We will be exploring the life of Roald Dahl, learning Gobblefunk (the language of The BFG), competing against each other in a clever matching game, and creating our own dream jars. You’ll be frothbuggling if you miss this one.

 

Here’s the details:

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: Thursday 14th July, 11am

Miramar Library: Friday 15th July, 2pm

Karori Library: Tuesday 19th July, 11am

Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library: Tuesday 19th July, 2pm

Central Library: Wednesday 20th July, 11am

Johnsonville Library: Thursday 21st July, 11am

Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: Friday 22nd July, 11am

 

These events are free and you don’t need to book – just turn up. The activities are best suited for 6-12 year olds.

 

Advanced showing of The BFG Movie – get your free tickets here!

admin 6 Comments

TheBFG_NZ1Sht_PayoffWe have some exciting news!

Wellington City Libraries will be hosting a special advanced screening of the new Disney movie The BFG, which takes Roald Dahl’s much loved story to the big screen.

This event is free, however tickets are limited and will be drawn from a lottery.

To enter the ticket lottery, please fill in the online form after reading the event information below.

 

Information:

  • The movie is being screened at Reading Courtenay on Sunday 26 June at 10am
  • The BFG is rated PG, all children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a lottery ticket holding adult.
  • Entry to the screening will be by ticket only, which will be drawn from a lottery.
  • Tickets can be collected at the event on the day. The tickets have no cash value and cannot be exchanged or sold.
  • Tickets are available as double passes (two tickets) or family passes (four tickets)
  • Please indicate which ticket you would like when filling in the lottery form. Library staff will do their best to allocate the ticket type you selected.
  • One lottery entry per family please.

 

We will notify the lottery winners over the weekend of 18-19th June.

Good luck!

 

Here are the movie trailers to get you excited: