Graveyard Shakes: Kids’ Comics for Halloween!

Spooky season is upon us, and we just so happen to have you covered for some great reads from our comic and graphic novel collections.

If you like the idea of a witch who uses her cauldron to make pizza, an avenging-warrior-ghost-hog, or a girl who meets her new best friend by summoning a spirit at a seance tea party, then these are for you!

Junior Comics

Witches of Brooklyn [1] / Escabasse, Sophie
“Effie moves to Brooklyn to live with her strange aunt and soon discovers that she might be a witch.” (Catalogue)

Graveyard shakes / Terry, Laura
“When Katia runs away from her private boarding school her sister Victoria goes looking for her, accidentally stumbling into the underworld of a nearby graveyard inhabited by ghosts and a man named Nikola, who is preparing a sinister spell.” (Catalogue)
Séance tea party / Yee, Reimena
“After watching her circle of friends seemingly fade away, Lora is determined to still have fun on her own, so when a tea party leads Lora to discovering Alexa, the ghost that haunts her house, they soon become best friends.” (Catalogue)

Ghost hog / Weiser, Joey
“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?” (Catalogue)

Skull Cat. Book 1, Skull Cat and the curious castle / Shurtliff, Norman
“It’s Scully the Cat’s first day as the new garden-keeper at a spooky castle… but when everyone goes missing, is he brave enough to become a hero? Draw your sword and let’s find out! Even though the castle is an eerie place, full of dark secrets, Scully is excited to start his new job and prove himself to be a great gardener. But wait a minute… what happened to all his co-workers? Were they devoured by bloodthirsty vampires? Spooked by a love-struck ghost? Pranked by a comic-reading goblin? Enchanted by a sleepy sorcerer? Will Scully have to become the hero and uncover the truth behind Le Dark Chateau? He never signed up for this!!”– Publisher’s website.” (Catalogue)

Sorceline / Douyé, Sylvia
“For as long as she can remember, Sorceline has had a knack for the study of mythical creatures. Now a student at Professor Archibald Balzar’s prestigious school of cryptozoology, she’s eager to test her skills and earn a spot as one of Balzar’s apprentices. But for all her knowledge of gorgons, vampires, and griffins, Sorceline is mystified by her fellow humans. While she excels in her studies, she quickly clashes with her classmates, revealing her fiery temper. When one of her rivals suddenly disappears, Sorceline must set aside her anger and join the quest to find her. But the mystery only deepens, leading Sorceline on a journey far darker and more personal than she expected.” (Catalogue)

YA Comics

Unfamiliar. 1 / Newsome, Haley
“Young kitchen witch Planchette gets an incredible deal on a new house in a magical town. Turns out, there’s a reason: it’s haunted! After unsuccessfully attempting to get these unwanted ghosts to leave, she realizes the only thing to do is to help them with their problems. Along the way, she befriends a shy siren who hates being popular, a girl battling a curse, and a magically-challenged witch from a powerful coven.” (Catalogue)

Summer spirit / Holleville, Élizabeth
“Summer for Louise means sand, surf, and… the supernatural. Louise spends every summer at her grandma’s house with her older sister, cousins, and Rodin the dog. But, this year, her plans to relax and read comics on the beach are about to be turned upside down by a mischievous ghost, bored with being forced to haunt the same house. While the other girls are wrapped up in romance and teenage problems, Louise takes refuge with her new paranormal BFF, determined to escape the drama and just enjoy her summer break, something that is proving to be a lot harder than she anticipated.” (Catalogue)

The Okay Witch / Steinkellner, Emma
“Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.” (Catalogue)

Get into the spirit of Halloween ’21 at the library – Part Two!

image courtesy of stuff.co.nz

Halloween has STILL arrived at the library!… and the scare fest continues on from Part One, with some fiction, picture books, and books from the eLibrary collection for a quiet (but scary!) night in. Wellington City Libraries also has some spooktacular DVDs in the collection for your viewing pleasure. AHHHWWOOOOOO!

eBooks on Overdrive!

Overdrive for Kids has an amazing collection of eBooks about Halloween and Halloween themed. Click here to view the collection.

image courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndeticsimage courtesy of syndetics

Fiction, Comics and Picture Books!

image courtesy of syndeticsSeven ghosts.

“Jake and the other finalists in a writing competition have been invited to a stately house for a tour like no other. As their guide leads them through grand rooms, hidden nooks and magnificent grounds, they hear the stories of seven ghosts who haunt the halls. But strange shapes and shadows follow Jake as he journeys through the house and with each tale that Jake hears, he begins to feel more uneasy. All is not as it seems and soon Jake will discover that something is very, very wrong … Old ghosts are stirred-up for Halloween in this spine-tingling, multi-narrative horror.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsMelusine [2] : Halloween.

Melusine is a sorcerer’s apprentice, funny and dynamic, who does everything possible to become a powerful witch. Unfortunately, she’s not always successful, and very often her tricks turn against her and her friends… But tremble, poor mortals, for it’s the return of Halloween, the day of witches and the walking dead! This festival of demons must be celebrated with dignity, with great smashing of pumpkins and rotten tricks. The opportunity rises for Melusine and her friends to show what they can do… And then to start a new storm of gags and catastrophes!” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsBabymouse: monster mash.

“It was a dark and scary Halloween… This year, Babymouse is determined to have the best Halloween costume and the best Halloween party ever. Will Babymouse be the monster of her dreams? Will Felicia Furrypaws come to the party? And is that really the creature from the black lagoon living in Babymouse’s locker?” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsThe very hungry caterpillar’s creepy-crawly Halloween : a lift-the-flap book.

“Join The Very Hungry Caterpillar on his spookiest adventure yet as he explores the woods by the light of the moon. Lift the big flap on every page to discover which creatures are hiding in the woods tonight. A simple, engaging new seasonal lift-the-flap adventure with big flaps that are perfect for little hands!”(Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsWhat do werewolves do when it’s not halloween?

“But what about werewolves? Where do they go? What do they do through the year? Do they groom? Do they howl? Do they listen to jazz? Or watch movies and shed a small tear? What do werewolves do when it’s not Halloween? Perhaps they’re lurking where you least expect! Featuring vampires, witches, zombies, ghosts and skeletons, this is a SPOOKY and KOOKY Halloween treat for all to devour!” (Catalogue).


New to the collection is…

image courtesy of syndeticsThe good, the bad, and the spooky.

“Based on the New York Times bestselling picture book sensation The Bad Seed, Jory John and Pete Oswald present: The Good, the Bad, and the Spooky! Includes two sticker sheets, perfect for decorating your own mini jack-o’-lantern. Halloween is the Bad Seed’s favorite holiday of the year. But what’s a seed to do when he can’t find a show-stopping costume for the big night Postpone trick-or-treating for everyone, of course! Can he get a costume together in time Or will this seed return to his baaaaaaaaad ways Find out in this hilarious, charming, and thought-provoking continuation of Jory John and Pete Oswald’s bestselling series.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of Pup detectives [4] : ghosts, goblins, and ninjas!

“During a martial arts expo at Pawston Elementary, the sacred scroll of Bark-Jitsu is stolen. The pup detectives set out to crack their most puzzling case yet… because this one involves, ghosts, goblins, and a super stealthy ninja”– Provided by publisher.

Click here to view more Halloween themed books.

DVDs:

image courtesy of amazon.comThe Addams Family.

“Members of the mysterious and spooky Addams family–Gomez, Morticia, Pugsley, Wednesday, Uncle Fester and Grandma–are readily preparing for a visit from their even creepier relatives. But trouble soon arises when shady TV personality Margaux Needler realises that the Addams’ eerie hilltop mansion is standing in the way of her dream to sell all the houses in the neighbourhood.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of amazon.comCoco.

“Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of amazon.comCoraline.

“A young girl walks through a secret door that she has found in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life, but much better. When her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents, including the Other Mother, try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family.” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of amazon.comHotel Transylvania 12 and 3.

“The Hotel Transylvania, run by Dracula, is a unique, high-end resort catering only to the finest monsters and their families. Check out The Hotel Transylvania trilogy and watch all three films back to back starting with the original film, where Dracula is preparing for an extra special weekend – his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday – when trouble arises: a human has stumbled upon the resort for the first time ever! Even worse: the human has taken a liking to Mavis!” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of amazon.comIn the sequel, everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania. “Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire.” (Catalogue).

iage courtesy of amazon.com

In third film, A monster vacation, “The monster family embarks on a vacation on a luxury monster cruise ship so Drac can take a summer vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. It’s smooth sailing for Drac’s Pack as the monsters indulge in all of the shipboard fun the cruise has to offer. But the dream vacation turns into a nightmare when Mavis realizes Drac has fallen for the mysterious captain of the ship, Ericka, who hides a dangerous secret that could destroy all of monster kind.”(Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsHarry Potter (and the philosopher’s stone) (and the chamber of secrets).

An oldie but a goodie, watch Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone and relive the magic where Harry learns on his eleventh birthday that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own, becoming a student at Hogwarts, an English boarding school for wizards and having to battle some “enemies” along the way.

IMAGE COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM

In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry finds the second year more challenging with flying cars, trees fighting back, duelling clubs  and a fifty year old secret that threatens to destroy Hogwarts.

image courtesy of amazon.comMonsters (Inc and University).

Mike Wazowski and James “Sulley”  P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

image courtesy of amazon.com

In Monsters Inc, Lovable Sulley and Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at MONSTERS, INC., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, monsters are scared silly, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to get her back home. But Boo’s presence is more than just a mere accident. Now, Mike and Sulley have to face an enemy within their own ranks. Overall a heart-warming movie where guaranteed to scare and make you laugh.

Extra challenge… from beyond the grave!

Get into the Halloween spirit and dance your socks off zombie-style to Thriller by the late but talented Michael Jackson! Hmmm, I wonder if he would be keen to accept the vacancy of Wellington City Libraries’ library ghost?

Did you know? Wellington City Libraries’  Nao Robots, Frank and Stein, (formally known as Red and Blue) can whip out their own dance moves to to Thriller by Michael Jackson. Read more about them here.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Get into the spirit of Halloween ’21 at the library — Part One!

image courtesy of stuff.co.nz

Halloween has arrived at the library! In addition to dressing up and eating treats, now is the time to get your scare on reading up about the history of Halloween, and getting some cool ideas for Halloween costumes and crafts. Soon to come is Part Two, where we’ll share with you some extra-spooky fiction, picture books, eBooks and movies for a quiet (scare) night in. Let the scare fest begin! AHHHWWOOOOOO!

About Halloween:

Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, is celebrated on October 31st. The origins of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, which was held on November 1 in contemporary calendars. It was believed that on that day, the souls of the dead returned to their homes, so people dressed in costumes and lit bonfires to ward off spirits. Today Halloween is considered a holiday (especially in the United States) for dress-up, (traditionally witches, ghosts and zombies), treats and fun, especially for children. For more information about the history of Halloween, read our previous post.

Some ways that people around the world celebrate Halloween include:

  • Dressing up in costume,
  • Handing out treats to trick or treaters,
  • Decorating the house with Halloween party favours,
  • Reading or sharing ghost stories (we have heaps of those!),
  • Watching scary movies (we have heaps of those as well!)

Immediately following Halloween, on November 1st, Día de Muertos is a traditional Central American holiday that reunites the living and dead. It is a holiday for celebrating life and death, a holiday where mourning is exchanged for celebration. Below are a couple of books from our collection where you can read up more about this festival:

image courtesy of syndeticsThe day of the dead = El dia de los muertos.

@This book tells the story of two children as they celebrate their ancestors on the vibrant holiday: The day of the dead. With sugar skulls, sweet-smelling marigold petals and joyful songs, Hispanic families welcome back ancestors on this holiday. Complete with lush college and lyrical text in both English and Spanish, this wonderful picture book creates the perfect introduction to this festival (and perhaps also to the Spanish language).” (Catalogue).

image courtesy of syndeticsDía de los muertos.

“It’s Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) and children throughout the pueblo, or town, are getting ready to celebrate! They decorate with colored streamers, calaveras, or sugar skulls, and pan de muertos, or bread of the dead. There are altars draped in cloth and covered in marigolds and twinkling candles. Music fills the streets. Join the fun and festivities, learn about a different cultural tradition, and brush up on your Spanish vocabulary, as the town honors their dearly departed in a traditional, time-honored style.” (Catalogue)


Where can I find more information about Halloween:


image courtesy of syndeticsCelebrate Halloween.

“Vivid images and lively, inviting text illuminate the spookiest night of the year. This book spirits readers on a tour of Halloween celebrations around the globe as it explores the rich history of this holiday and the origins of its folklore, food, games, costumes, and traditions.” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsHow to make frightening Halloween decorations.

“Do you like to scare and gross out your friends? Create frightening Halloween decorations with just a few simple supplies. Surprise your friends with glowing alien heads and sicken them with bloody intestines. Whether you’re decorating for a party or just for fun, these projects will turn an ordinary Halloween into a howling good time.”(Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndeticsHow to create spectacular Halloween costumes.

“Are you searching for a Halloween costume that will get you noticed? Then How to Create Spectacular Halloween Costumes is the book for you! From a guitar-playing vampire to the floor of a movie theater, these easy-to-make costumes are sure to impress your friends. They might even cause a few screams!” (Catalogue)

image courtesy of syndetics10 minute Halloween crafts.

“In 10 Minute Crafts: Halloween, children can learn how to make Halloween decorations such as bat hangings and black cat lanterns and create spookily brilliant zombie finger puppets and witches on broomsticks, plus lots more amazing Halloween ideas.” (Catalogue)

New to the collection is…

image courtesy of syndeticsHalloween : 300 spooky facts to scare you silly.

“The wildly popular Weird But True line is all dressed up for Halloween with 300 all-new spooky facts about candy, costumes, pumpkin carving, and more Calling all boys and ghouls: You’re in for a treat of freaky facts, stats, tidbits, and trivia about one of the most popular holidays Did you know that there is an underwater pumpkin carving contest? Or that the U.S. Defense Department has a zombie apocalypse plan? Maybe you’d be amazed to discover that there are more Halloween emojis than there are U.S. states? It’s all weird–and it’s all true–in this latest and greatest edition, packed with hilarious and terrifying tidbits on Halloween.” (Catalogue)


Have a safe and happy Halloween!

6 New Comics to Read During Winter

Hey Kids!

Wellington City Libraries has a new shipment of junior comics and graphic novels! Get your hands on them just in time for winter!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsMaker Comics: Grow a Garden!

You can grow a garden — and it’s easier than you think! With the easy instructions inside this book, you can grow lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, and more. And you don’t need a backyard to be a great gardener — just a little bit of space and a lot of sunlight. Maker Comics: Grow a Garden! will walk you through each step, from seed to harvest.

image courtesy of syndeticsMarvel action : Spider-Man : bad luck. Book 3.

“Peter, Gwen, and Miles have learned to work together, but a sinister new enemy is about to tear them apart in this middle-grade-friendly graphic novel! After a devastating encounter with the Black Cat and her bad luck powers, the Spidey team is down on their luck and at each other’s throats. Will Peter, Miles, and Gwen learn to overcome their bad luck and work together again, or is this the end of the line for the Marvelous Spider-Trio?”–Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsPoems to see by : a comic artist interprets great poetry.

This stunning anthology of favorite poems visually interpreted by comic artist Julian Peters breathes new life into some of the greatest English-language poets of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

image courtesy of syndeticsAstronauts : women on the final frontier.

“The U.S. may have put the first man on the moon, but it was the Soviet space program that made Valentina Tereshkova the first woman in space. It took years to catch up, but soon NASA’s first female astronauts were racing past milestones of their own. The trail-blazing women of Group 9, NASA’s first mixed gender class, had the challenging task of convincing the powers that be that a woman’s place is in space, but they discovered that NASA had plenty to learn about how to make space travel possible for everyone.”–Front flap.

image courtesy of syndeticsSnapdragon.

“Snap’s town had a witch. At least, that’s how the rumor goes. But in reality, Jacks is just a crocks-wearing, internet-savvy old lady who sells roadkill skeletons online–after doing a little ritual to put their spirits to rest. It’s creepy, sure, but Snap thinks it’s kind of cool, too. They make a deal: Jacks will teach Snap how to take care of the baby opossums that Snap rescued, and Snap will help Jacks with her work. But as Snap starts to get to know Jacks, she realizes that Jacks may in fact have real magic–and a connection with Snap’s family’s past.”–Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsKaren’s witch : a graphic novel.

Karen Brewer’s imagination gets the best of her when she decides that her neighbour, Mrs. Porter – who has wild gray hair, wears black robes, and has a garden full of mysterious herbs – must be a witch.

Here’s 7 great new kids fiction books from your library to start your New Year off perfectly!

 

It’s the end of the school holidays! You might be excited to go back to school …or you might not be. Either way, you can ease yourself back into routine with these simply awesome super cool new books. They will make you forget all about going back to school, guaranteed!! **

** Not guaranteed, sorry. 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsKlawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat by Johnny Marciano

Klawde is not your average cat. He’s an emperor from another planet, exiled to Earth. He’s cruel. He’s cunning. He’s brilliant… and he’s about to become Raj Banerjee’s best friend. Whether he likes it or not. Klawde had everything. Sharp claws. Fine fur. And, being the High Commander of the planet Lyttyrboks, an entire world of warlike cats at his command. But when he is stripped of his feline throne, he is sentenced to the worst possible punishment: exile to a small planet in a quiet corner of the universe… named Earth. Raj had everything. A cool apartment in Brooklyn. Three friends who lived in his building. And pizza and comics within walking distance. But when his mom gets a job in Elba, Oregon, and he is forced to move, all of that changes. It’s now the beginning of summer, he has no friends, and because of his mother’s urgings, he has joined a nature camp. It’s only when his doorbell rings and he meets a furball of a cat that Raj begins to think maybe his luck is turning around…


Image courtesy of SyndeticsZac’s Biggest Ever Hits; Volume 3 (4 missions in 1!!!) by H.I Larry

Zac Power is a boy spy who has twenty-four hours to save the world and do his homework. A haunted house, sabotage in space, vanishing tombs and undead dinosaurs – Zac’s biggest ever adventures are action-packed. But can he outsmart an evil genius and save the world, yet again?

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMika & Max by Laura Bloom

A story about a girl who meets a boy who changes everything. When 13-year-old Mika is forced to attend a music festival with her family, she resigns herself to hippies, heat, and embarrassment. But nothing could prepare her for Max, who’s almost 10 and has autism. When the two of them join forces, a series of unexpected and life-changing events unfold.

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMy Parents Cancelled my Birthday by Jo Simmons

Tom can’t wait for his LUCKY BIRTHDAY. It’s an EPIC family tradition and he’s dreamed up an UNFORGETTABLE party! Only, after several disasters involving a flattened Chihuahua and a curse from the tooth fairy, it’s been CANCELLED. But Tom won’t give up. With the help of his friends (and a pig painted like a zebra), Tom decides to throw himself the party he deserves. What could possibly go wrong?

Image courtesy of SyneticsNatboff! One Million Years of Stupidity by Andy Stanton

Time travel through the funniest and most mad moments in history, from the stone age to a million years in the future, all set in the town of Lamonic Bibber (home of Mr Gum). Meet the town’s most famous residents such as Natboff the caveman, Terry Shakespeare, a squirrel, Edith the witch, some grapes and mysterious Victorian inventor, Cribbins, who invented mysterious Victorian things. Learn LOADS of stuff about history along the way*.

*You won’t learn anything about history.


Image courtesy of SyndeticsTrouble in New York (the Travels of Ermine (who is very determined)) by Jennifer Gray

Ermine the Determined is off to explore NEW YORK. She can’t wait to visit Central Park Zoo, ride in a yellow taxi, and zoooom to the top of the Rockefeller building! But when her suitcase is switched, Ermine finds some robbers are hot on her tail.

Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe Leap of Death by Andrew Clover and Ralph Lazar

Meet RORY BRANAGAN – he eats bad guys for breakfast. Well, not ACTUALLY. But he IS the best detective in town. Fifth in a hilarious comedy-crime series for readers of 8+. Hello. I am Rory Branagan. I am actually a detective. And I am about to face more DEADLY DANGER than ever …

 

 

Some great new kids fiction for you to read

Here’s some new and exciting kids fiction books which are now available from your local library!

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe Callback by Maddie Ziegler

Harper McCoy, twelve, joins the school musical hoping to get past “dancer’s block,” but her Dance Starz teammates are not pleased, especially since they will soon compete against their biggest rivals, The Belles, in Regionals.
Punky Pineapple by Hil and JoshieImage courtesy of Syndetics

It’s a whole bunch of crazy in the fruit bowl! When Missy Starfruit goes missing, Punky Pineapple is on the case! But where could Missy Starfruit be? Punky and his friends will have to brave The Electric Waterfall, explore the Bottom Drawer and ski the slopes of the Freezy Freezer to find out!
Image courtesy of SyndeticsTen Nasty Little Toads by Steve Cole

In these delightfully humorous tales of a decidedly blackish hue, ten follysome toads can never change their beastly habits despite the efforts of goodly witch Madame Rana who reminds them ‘It’s never too late to change.’ The Toad With Square Eyes develops mutant thumbs and fingers and finds himself on the other side of the screen; Cherry Oddfellow, the Dirty Little Toad, is part-girl, part-mudslide; and Jeremiah Bratson, the Spoiled Little Toad, finds himself face-to-face with a perfect robot replica. Featuring toady facts, quizzes and games, this collection of tales is a warning to certain children that there must come an hour when they pay the price…

Oops I’ve done it again! by Chrissie Perry

Blabbermouth = a person who talks too much = Amelie Anderson Amelie is a blabbermouth. She’s not a bad kid – she’s just so bubbly that sometimes words fizz right out of her mouth! And then things go wrong. Terribly wrong. But she’s determined to fix all that. It’s time for a reputation make-over!
Image courtesy of SyndeticsGinger Green + Cousins = total chaos! by Kim Kane and Jon Davis

Ginger’s super-fancy cousins Tess and Tom are coming to stay for a whole week – all the way from New York City! Ginger can’t wait! But what happens when Tom and Penny turn into DOUBLE-TROUBLE?

 

Top 10 recommended children’s Halloween movies for 2018

Hey kids! Halloween is just around the corner and Wellington City Libraries has some spooktacular DVDs in the collection for your viewing pleasure and frightful night in.

Check out this year’s top 10 Halloween movies for kids that is guaranteed to make you scream… sometimes of fear or laughter!

Let the scare fest begin!

Enjoy!… and Happy Halloween.

Goosebumps.

Based on the popular series by R.L. Stine, Goosebumps comes to life on the small screen. After moving to a small town, teenager Zach Cooper discovers that his new friend, Hannah’s mysterious dad is in fact R.L. Stine, the author of the bestselling Goosebumps series and holds a dangerous secret that bridges the gap between fiction and reality.

Also check out the trailer to the sequel: Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween.

 


Casper.

Join Casper the friendly ghost is a kind young ghost who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine. When specialist James Harvey (Bill Pullman) arrives to communicate with Casper and his fellow spirits, he brings along his teenage daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci). Casper quickly falls in love with Kat, but their budding relationship is complicated not only by his transparent state, but also by his troublemaking apparition uncles and their mischievous antics.


image courtesy of amazon.comMonsters Inc and Monsters University.

Mike Wazowski and James “Sulley”  P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.

In Monsters Inc, Lovable Sulley and Mike Wazowski are the top scare team at MONSTERS, INC., the scream-processing factory in Monstropolis. When a little girl named Boo wanders into their world, monsters are scared silly, and it’s up to Sulley and Mike to get her back home. But Boo’s presence is more than just a mere accident. Now, Mike and Sulley have to face an enemy within their own ranks. Overall a heart-warming movie where guaranteed to scare and make you laugh.


Frankenweenie.

What if you could bring your pets back to life? Young Victor successfully proves that theory when he revives his best friend back to life. However problems emerge when his class mates want follow suit in bringing their pets to life and ensues disastrous consequences. Overall a heart-warming and hilarious tale about how far a boy will go for his best friend. A must see movie for Halloween.


The Boxtrolls.

A community of quirky, mischievous creatures who have lovingly raised an orphaned human boy named Eggs in the amazing cavernous home they’ve built beneath the streets of Cheesebridge. The town’s villain, Archibald Snatcher, comes up with a plot to get rid of the Boxtrolls, so Eggs decides to venture above ground, ‘into the light,’ where he meets and teams up with feisty Winnie. Together, they devise a daring plan to save Eggs’ family.


Coraline.

A young girl walks through a secret door that she has found in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life, but much better. When her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents, including the Other Mother, try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family.


Hotel Transylvania 1 and 2, and 3.

The Hotel Transylvania, run by Dracula, is a unique, high-end resort catering only to the finest monsters and their families. Check out The Hotel Transylvania trilogy and watch all three films back to back starting with the original film, where Dracula is preparing for an extra special weekend – his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday – when trouble arises: a human has stumbled upon the resort for the first time ever! Even worse: the human has taken a liking to Mavis!  In the sequel, everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania. Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire. In third film, A monster vacation, The monster family embarks on a vacation on a luxury monster cruise ship so Drac can take a summer vacation from providing everyone else’s vacation at the hotel. It’s smooth sailing for Drac’s Pack as the monsters indulge in all of the shipboard fun the cruise has to offer. But the dream vacation turns into a nightmare when Mavis realizes Drac has fallen for the mysterious captain of the ship, Ericka, who hides a dangerous secret that could destroy all of monster kind.


image courtesy of amazon.comHarry Potter and the philosopher’s stone… and the chamber of secrets.

An oldie but a goodie, watch Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone and relive the magic where Harry learns on his eleventh birthday that he is the orphaned son of two powerful wizards and possesses unique magical powers of his own, becoming a student at Hogwarts, an English boarding school for wizards and having to battle some “enemies” along the way. In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry finds the second year more challenging with flying cars, trees fighting back, duelling clubs  and a fifty year old secret that threatens to destroy Hogwarts.


The Witches.

Nine-year-old Luke finds that saving the world from witches is a tall order for a boy who has been turned into a mouse.


image courtesy of amazon.comMonster Island.

When teenager Lucas (voice of Phillip Vasquez) discovers that he is not human as he always thought, his world is turned upside down as he must adapt to being a monster. Not only is Lucas troubled by the fact that his first transformation occurred at school but also that his father had kept him in the dark about his true nature. His frustrations lead Lucas to leave home in pursuit of the fabled Monster Island with the hope of learning the truth about his heritage. His journey brings him into contact with several weird and wonderful individuals, not all of whom have good intentions.

Special Summer Reading Challenge Competition! Win some books!

Hope you have all been enjoying some of the wonderful sunny summer days and better still reading some of the fabulous books on our Summer Reading Challenge book list! Judging by the fantastic reviews that I have been reading, I know many of you have been wildly reading over the school holidays which makes me very happy! Now I know we all have a favourite books to read but I would really like to see some of the books being reviewed from the list that no one has reviewed yet soooo…. I’m going make a bit of an incentive for you. I have 5 books to give away for the first reviews I receive in on the following books, but you must have at least 3 sentences about the book in the review. They are all great reads and if you are a Harry Potter or a Northern Light fan you’ll especially enjoy these! Continue reading

Wild About Reading! Summer Reading Challenge

Yes it’s nearly time to Slip, Slop, Slap and read, relax and rummage through some fantabulous books! Summer Reading Challenge is just around the corner and have we got some great reads lined up for you this Summer!!!

So for those of you new to this and a reminder to the rest of us who feel like last summer was ages and ages ago, here’s what it’s all about…

Down at Wellington City Libraries we have chosen some of our favourite books, and hopefully some of yours, to see how many of them you can get through between the 1st of December to the 31st of January 2018. There are 60+ books on our list so plenty of variety. The idea is to read a book from the list then go to the Kid’s Page on our website, click on the Kids Club and start writing reviews. Even better you get prizes as well! Also each review puts you in the draw for an amazing book bag full of exciting books and things. Don’t belong to the Kids Club yet? It’s easy to join online check out the Kids Page to find out how.

So here’s a little preview of what’s in store for you this summer!

Ever thought of having a raven as a pet? Well that’s what happened to Arabel when her Dad (a London Taxi driver) finds a raven in the middle of the road one night and brings it. From there the crazy wild adventures begin, who knew a raven could reek so much havoc. Read about Arabel and Mortimer ‘s hilarious antics in one of the 4 books in the Arabel and Mortimer series with fantastic illustrations by Quentin Blake.

 

The Doomspell by Cliff McNish is an amazing fantasy trilogy which are a must for all Harry Potter and Northern Lights fans! “Rachel has been having disturbing dreams that start to feel too real. Then one day, she and her brother are ripped through a wall in her house and transported to a dangerous world ruled by a manipulative witch and her ancient underlings.” – Publisher

 

 

Moa by James Davidson. I don’t know about you, but I love reading comics and summer for me is the perfect time to hang out in a hammock with a great big stack of them! Moa is a laugh out loud series and the perfect thing for those hot summer days. “Ride along with Kiwi and Possum on their side-splitting adventures battling mythical creatures and dangerous hunters in colonial New Zealand! This treasury collection contains all five issues of James Davidson’s acclaimed comic series Moa, sure to delight readers of all ages.” – Publisher.

That was just a sneak peak of what’s in store for you over the holiday season and guess what there are another 57+ books to choose from! So keep an eye out at your local library and on our website for the Wild About Reading: Summer Reading Challenge booklet.

What: Wild About Reading: Summer Reading Challenge booklet

When: Available at your local Library from 18th November 2017

Top 10 Recommended Halloween movies for kids.

Hey kids! Halloween is just around the corner (AHHHWWOOOOOO!) Wellington City Libraries has some spooktacular DVDs in the collection for your viewing pleasure and frightful night in. Let the scare fest begin!

Enjoy!… and Happy Halloween.

Casper.

Join Casper the friendly ghost is a kind young ghost who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine. When specialist James Harvey (Bill Pullman) arrives to communicate with Casper and his fellow spirits, he brings along his teenage daughter, Kat (Christina Ricci). Casper quickly falls in love with Kat, but their budding relationship is complicated not only by his transparent state, but also by his troublemaking apparition uncles and their mischievous antics.

Frankenweenie.

What if you could bring your pets back to life? Young Victor successfully proves that theory when he revives his best friend back to life. However problems emerge when his class mates want follow suit in bringing their pets to life and ensues disastrous consequences. Overall a heart-warming and hilarious tale about how far a boy will go for his best friend. A must see movie for Halloween.

Coraline.

A young girl walks through a secret door that she has found in her new home and discovers an alternate version of her life. On the surface, this parallel reality is eerily similar to her real life, but much better. When her adventure turns dangerous, and her counterfeit parents, including the Other Mother, try to keep her forever, Coraline must count on her resourcefulness, determination, and bravery to get back home – and save her family.

image courtesy of amazon.com

Shrek’s thrilling tales.

Join Shrek, Donkey, Puss and B.O.B. as they get the fright of their lives in five spooktacular stories the will keep you howling with laughter. It’s a Shrektastic halloween treat that’s ogre-the-top fun for the whole family.

 

Toy story of terror!

What starts out as an exciting road trip for the Toy Story gang takes an unexpected turn for the worse following a detour to a roadside motel. After Mr. Potato Head suddenly disappears, his friends find themselves caught up in a hilarious mystery that must be solved before they suffer the same fate in this thrilling story of TERROR!

image courtesy of amazon.comThe Goonies.

“From the imagination of Steven Spielberg, The Goonies plunges a band of small heroes into a swashbuckling, surprise-around-every-corner quest beyond their wildest dreams! Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of bumbling bad guys… and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love. A family adventure classic from start to buccaneering finish, The Goonies is a cinematic treasure trove of breathtaking action, dazzling effects and shiver-yer-timber thrills!” –Container.

Hotel Transylvania 1 and 2.

The Hotel Transylvania, run by Dracula, is a unique, high-end resort catering only to the finest monsters and their families. Dracula is preparing for an extra special weekend – his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday – when trouble arises: a human has stumbled upon the resort for the first time ever! Even worse: the human has taken a liking to Mavis!  In the sequel, everything seems to be changing for the better at Hotel Transylvania. Dracula’s rigid monster-only hotel policy has finally relaxed, opening up its doors to human guests. But behind closed coffins, Drac is worried that his adorable half-human, half-vampire grandson, Dennis, isn’t showing signs of being a vampire.

 

The Witches.

Nine-year-old Luke finds that saving the world from witches is a tall order for a boy who has been turned into a mouse.

Monster High. Ghouls rule.

Ghouls Rule unearths an old conflict between ‘Normies’ and monsters – and things are about to get scary. For years, students at Monster High were warned that Halloween was a night to stay inside and avoid conflict at all costs. But Frankie and her friends discover that ghouls and ‘Normies’ once loved to spend the holiday together. The ghouls decide to turn back the clock and use the night to celebrate their individuality and show that it’s okay to ‘Be Yourself. Be Unique. Be a Monster’.

Room on the broom.

“The story of a kind witch who invites a surprising collection of animals to join her on her broom, much to the frustration of her cat. When the gang saves the witch from a fearsome dragon she rewards them with a magnificent new broom which has room for everyone!”–Container. Based on the book by Julia Donaldson.