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Reading, Wellington, and whatever else – teenblog@wcl.govt.nz

Category: art and stuff Page 1 of 2

Mould, Souls, and Demon Lemons

Over the weekend, I bought an old painting from my local thrift store. I walked home feeling immensely cultured and proud of myself, filled with visions of some day being in my sixties and telling my then-BFF Taylor Swift about the first piece of art I ever collected. HOWEVER. As soon as I reached my flat and started messing around with places to hang the painting, I noticed an accursed detail: MOULD.

THERE IS MOULD ON MY NICE NEW PAINTING. (Either that or the artist has made a very questionable choice with some black paint.)

A photograph of a framed painting, depicting a still life of fruit and drinking vessels.

A perfectly innocent and mould-less painting, or SO I THOUGHT.


While this was a very upsetting development to begin with, I quickly realised that there was more to the situation than appeared. The mould was only growing on a pair of painted lemons, which lead me to the realisation that they were, in fact, Demon Lemons.

The Picture of Demon Lemons

Once upon a time, a pair of lemons made a deal with the Devil. The deal was this;  that they should remain forever young and beautiful, while an enchanted portrait (ahem) bore the marks of their aging, rotting, and decrepit natures.

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Why do we listen to K-pop? Because of INFINITE!

As K-pop is one of the big pop-culture trends in the world today, and there are a lot of good albums we have in our library collection, I would like to share the artists and songs I have liked since I started listening to K-pop as a teenager! I hope you will enjoy this music genre and culture as much as I do!

This time, I would like to introduce you to INFINITE! INFINITE is a 6-member boy group formed by Woollim Entertainment in 2010. The original members include Sungkyu, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Hoya, Sungyeol, L, and Sungjing, but Hoya left the group in 2017. The name of the group represents the idea that “both the members and the group have an infinite possibility in music and other areas.” Their fanclub name is “Inspirit” and the official colour is Pearl Metal Gold (Hex code: #80643f).

INFINITE is well known for their perfectly synchronised choreography. When they came back with their second mini album, “Evolution”, the choreography of the title song, “BTD (Before the Dawn)” helped them receive a lot of public attention because despite its difficulty, the members still performed it with absolute precision.

But what really made INFINITE successful was their first full-length album, “Over the Top”, and the title song “Be Mine.” INFINITE won their first music show award with this song, and it’s now known as one of their masterpieces (it’s my favourite as well!). “Be Mine” has a catchy melody, neat choreography, and very sad lyrics that describe a man’s one-sided love; it became a popular song at the time. Since then, INFINITE has released many more popular songs, like “Paradise”, “Lately”, “Only Tears” and become one of the most popular boy groups in Korea. They have paused their group activity since 2018 because of their military service.

Today, all of the INFINITE members have finished their military service and are more focused on their individual careers as soloists. However, with the help of other members, group leader Sungkyu has launched an agency, Infinite Company, to help and manage the group’s related projects as the group members have left the Woollim Entertainment and are under different agencies now. It is very touching to see after around 5 years, INFINITE finally made their group comeback again this July, with their 7th mini album, “13egin” and received a great result.

via GIPHY

INFINITE albums we have at the library

Infinitize / Infinite

INFINITE’s third mini-album, “Infinitize” was released in 2012 following their successful debut in Japan. The title song, “The Chaser” was chosen by Billboard as the best K-pop song of that year.

My Personal Picks:

The Chaser
Feel so bad
Tears

New challenge / Infinite

INFINITE has come back with their fourth mini-album, “New Challenge” in 2013. The title song “Man in Love” has a delightful and happy vibe that is different from their previous title song. The 6th track, “60sec” is Sungkyu’s solo debut song, and the group specially covered it for their fans.

My Personal Picks:

Man in Love
Still I Miss You
60sec (INFINITE Ver.)

Be back / Infinite

“Be Back” is a repackaging of INFINITE’s second full-length album, “Season 2,” which was released in 2014. This album also contains members’ solo songs and sub-units’ songs.

My Personal Picks:

Last Romeo
Back
Alone (INFINITE H)
Memories
I Need U Back

That’s a wrap for my sharing about INFINITE! Tell us in the comments below if you’ve found your favourite INFINITE song on our list! 안녕히 가세요!

via GIPHY

The Library Scoop on World of Wearable Art Awards Month!

It’s the World of Wearable Art awards month! That magical time of year when Welly is unbeatable on a good day, literally ANYTHING can be used as a bra, and fashion designers are hard at work reduce/reuse/recycling the mothballs and fruit burst wrappers at the bottom of their closets to create the most ineffable and astonishing works of art.

I was lucky enough to grow up within driving distance of the World of Wearable Art Museum in Nelson, and – not to share a core memory with y’all – but going to the WOW Museum for my 13th birthday was a formative experience. I even took notes in my very sparkly, very pink notebook with a little dress on the cover and one of those incredibly miscellaneous locks (obviously an essential feature, as my fashion designs were, and are to this day, strictly confidential and highly sensitive information which will likely revolutionize the world).

All this to say, WOW and I have history. And this year, we’re lucky enough to bring a little bit of WOW into your local libraries! With displays, designs, and even a couple of Wearable Art outfits designed by some immensely talented Queen Margaret College students, it’s enough to elicit a “WOW” from Owen Wilson himself.

A Wearable Art garment made of fake feathers displayed on a mannequin in a library window.

The World of Wearable Art comes to Arapaki Library!


This year, our Arapaki Library branch played host to the extraordinary designs of Adelene Cheung and Claire Ryan, two year thirteen Queen Margaret College students who produced Wearable Art creations as part of an assignment for their materials technology class.

Tui Much Drama, Adelene Cheung

Materials: Plastics bottles, plastic plates, plastic bags, fabric, spray paint, split-pins.

Adelene’s design, Tui Much Drama, is intended “to highlight the amazing biodiversity of native species that can be found in the Wellington region.” Working from the theme of Wellington Biodiversity – The Tui, the garment draws on the “drama and elegance” of its titular bird, and aims to replicate the effect of sunlight off a tui’s wings. Adelene had masterfully manipulated a variety of fabrics and upcycled throwaway plastics to create a “glamourous gown with a repetitive feather element throughout the components of the outfit.”

A Wearable Art garment comprised of fake feathers is displayed on a mannequin in a library window.

Tui Much Drama by Adelene Cheung.


Story Time, Claire Ryan

Materials: Book page paper, fabric, wire, printing ink, split-pins.

Claire’s garment explored ideas surrounding the library, and considered the question: “What does [the library] mean to people?” Claire said she was particularly inspired by “how it can be a very creative space and how so many stories come to life here, and people create stories – they’re inspired by stories, so that’s why there’s a lot of imagery and colours [in the design], because that’s how I view a library.”

When asked if – given unlimited time and resources – she would change anything about the final product, Claire said that she really loves the final design. “Sometimes, with unlimited time, you can overthink and start adding too much. So, I feel that sometimes that time constraint can actually be a helpful thing, and kind of help see what you actually need on the garment that will make it effective.”

A Wearable Art garment constructed from paper is displayed on a mannequin in a library window.

Claire Ryan’s library-inspired garment, Story Time.


Come by Arapaki Library to see these incredible designs for yourself, and keep your eyes peeled for future masterpieces from these two talented young designers!

Special thanks to Claire, Adelene, Joseph, Simon, and Queen Margaret College for helping these incredible designs come to life and be shared with the Wellington community.

Now, in case you’ve been overwhelmed by the flood of fashion and are thinking to yourself “I’m just here for the books, my dude!”, then read on for a more literary jaunt into the world of fashion and wearable art!


via GIPHY


Spin the dawn / Lim, Elizabeth
“When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. Her life will be forfeit if her secret is discovered, and Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job […] The final challenge: sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The prince and the dressmaker / Wang, Jen
“Paris, at the dawn of the modern age: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride – or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia – the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Coco Chanel : pearls, perfume, and the little black dress / Rubin, Susan Goldman
“Beginning with the difficult years Chanel spent in an orphanage […] Coco Chanel focuses on the obstacles Chanel faced as a financially independent woman in an era when women were expected to marry; as well as her fierce competition with the Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli; and some of her most memorable firsts for the fashion industry, including the little black dress, the quilted purse with gold chain, and the perfume Chanel No. 5.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Sew it yourself : 20 pattern-free projects (and infinite variations) to make your dream wardrobe / Braid, Daisy
“Sew It Yourself with DIY Daisy is a colourful, size-inclusive and inspiring book for sewers of all stages and abilities, beginners included. It includes guides on everything you need to get started (including equipment, materials and basic techniques) and step-by-step projects with clear instructions, photographs and illustrations that will take the scary out of sewing. Just remember: sewing is self-care, and you make the rules!” (Catalogue)

World of Wearable Art
“All new photos of garments from the last two shows, as well as new photos of some of the most extraordinary award-winning entries from the last decade”–Cover.” (Catalogue)
Private label / Yang, Kelly
“Serene dreams of making couture dresses […] but for now she’s an intern at her mom’s fashion label. When her mom receives a sudden diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, all that changes. […] Lian Chen moved from China to Serene’s mostly white Southern California beach town a year ago. […] Lian thinks there’s nothing to stick around for, until one day, he starts Chinese Club after school … and Serene walks in.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Fashion : Australian & New Zealand designers / Oakley Smith, Mitchell
“Since Collette Dinnigan became the first Australian to launch her ready-to-wear collection in Paris in 1995, Australian and New Zealand fashion designers have become increasingly recognized and admired in the international arena. Fashion documents the countries’ current key players, showcasing the work of 70 leading antipodean designers of women’s and men’s fashion.” (Catalogue)

Dior. [Fashion] / Bongrand, Caroline
“The pinnacle of French haute couture and savoir faire, the house of Dior is one of the world’s most celebrated luxury brands. […] As a young man, Christian Dior had hoped to become an architect; his mother wanted him to be a diplomat: He was all that and more.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Glitter / Pike, Aprilynne
“A teenager living in an alternate-history futuristic Versailles must escape its walls by selling a happy-enducing makeup called Glitter”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
Be dazzled / La Sala, Ryan
“Raffy has a passion for bedazzling– and sewing, stitching, draping, pattern making. He is determined to make his mark at this year’s biggest cosplay competition. If he can wow there, it could lead to sponsorship, then art school, and finally earning real respect for his work. One small problem: Raffy’s ex-boyfriend, Luca, is his main competition. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

New Zealand fashion design / Lassig, Angela
“New Zealand Fashion Design is the first and most authoritative book to document New Zealand’s contemporary fashion design scene, showcasing the work of top designers and encapsulating the developments that have brought New Zealand to the attention of the international fashion world over the past 30 years. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Model misfit / Smale, Holly
“Geek girl, Harriet Manners, having been spotted by a fashion designer, is suddenly on a whirlwind modelling trip to Tokyo while surreptitiously studying maths for her GCSE. But while she know a lot of facts, clearly, she knows nothing about boys…” (Catalogue)
The World of WearableArt / Potton, Craig
“The World of WearableArt is the second edition of this inspirational and truly original visual design sourcebook. Completely revised with all new photographs, it features the best garments that have been entered over recent years in a remarkable celebration of the diversity and creativity of wearable art.” (Catalogue)

Shoe obsession / Steele, Valerie
“This fabulously illustrated book explores western culture’s fascination with extravagant and fashionable shoes. […] Shoe Obsession examines recent extreme and fantastical shoe styles in relation to the history of high heels, the role of shoes as a reflection of their wearers’ personality traits, and the importance of shoes in art and exhibitions.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Karori Youth Night in Living Colour

Artwork of a globe ornament with a loom wheel inside of it

Image courtesy of Karori Arts & Crafts Centre

Young people aged 14— 18 are invited to join us at Karori Library’s Youth Night on Saturday, 16 September 2023, 5 – 8pm.

These after-hours events are for teens who are into books, gaming, making music, watching movies, crafts, eating pizza, and generally just hanging out!

Logo for Karori Arts & Crafts

This Youth Night, you can add colour to your artwork with alcohol markers! Jenny from the Karori Arts & Crafts Centre will teach some tips and tricks to using marker in your drawings to bring them to life. Learn how to ink and colour your sketches, adding a 3D feel to your characters and drawings in no time. All materials provided!
Our Youth Nights are totally free (pizza included!) but you do need to be 14+ in order to come, so please come prepared to show your student ID. Once you’re in, our space is yours!

Pukapuka for inspiration, available at the library

Pocket fantasy art : the very best in contemporary fantasy art & illustration
“Featuring some of the freshest and most exciting artists working in the genre today, ‘Pocket Fantasy Art’ is an inspirational pocket-sized showcase of the very best in contemporary fantasy art and illustration.” (Catalogue)

Art of protest : what a revolution looks like / Nichols, De
“From the psychedelic typography used in “Make Love Not War” posters of the ’60s to the solitary raised fist, some of the most memorable and striking protest artwork from across the world and throughout history deserves a long, hard look. Readers can explore each piece of art to understand how color, symbolism, technique, and typography play an important role in communication.” (Abridged from catalogue)

Guide to cartooning / Bohl, Al
“Provides instructions for drawing different styles of cartooning, including political, strips, books, and illustration, and gives advice on how to get a job in the field.” (Catalogue)
Manga mania fantasy worlds : how to draw the amazing worlds of Japanese comics / Hart, Christopher
“Manga fantasy is the swords-and-sorcery Japanese animation style featured in the most popular video role-playing games on the market. Christopher Hart’s latest tutorial reveals the secrets and art techniques that go into creating these worlds of wonder.” (Catalogue)
Halo warfleet : an illustrated guide to the spacecraft of Halo / Peters, Kenneth
“The authoritative guide to the spacefaring fleets of the Halo universe. Discover everything about the spaceships of the Halo universe with Halo Warfleet, from the Covenant’s homeworld, High Charity, to the gigantic Forerunner Guardians that lay dormant beneath the planets of the Orion Arm. Each of the featured ships is shown as a detailed cross-section, illustrated by renowned technical artists Hans Jenssen and John R. Mullaney, which shows the internal machinations and features of these incredible spacecraft. Created in collaboration with the team at 343 Industries, this is the perfect companion to the multimillion-selling franchise. Look out for other Halo titles from Egmont: Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Storey of Halo The Art of Halo 5: Guardians.” (Catalogue)

Comics, graphic novels, and manga : the ultimate teen guide / Bonser, Randall
“In Comics, Graphic Novels, and Manga: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Randall Bonser explores the history, evolution, diversification, and impact of these storytelling forms. This book looks at the origins of illustrated stories and how they have evolved over the decades.” (Catalogue)


Be Baffled ‘Bout Brilliantly Bad Ballads! Nonsense Verses for National Bad Poetry Day!

I  know
how
to write
Poe-
Try good
Just press ent-
er a whole bunch at
random point-
s
It looks super
✨fancy✨

It’s another day
It’s another holiday
Who woulda thunk it?

Dear God! The blogger
Is writing verse once again!
TREMBLE YE MORTALS!

Let’s celebrate art
The most fançioux: poetry
but not the good stuff

drop the pretention
rake those nails on the chalkboard
make fun, not good, stuff

just stop counting
abandon the thesaurus
who cares if a haiku is supposed to have a specific amount of syllables? rules? what are those? oh im “breaking the rules” who are you? my dad? hah i can does what me wantses irregardless!

It is national bad poetry day
Where we celebrate creativity
By making and reading poems that may
not exactly be “literary”
There’s so much pomp and circumstance in it
You’d think you could only read poetry
With a lordship and some prestige degree
But anyone can read ’em, they’re fun, try it
Here’s my suggestion: write some pretty words
They don’t have to be good, but maybe they’ll be.
Do whatever you want, follow rules or don’t
I’m sure there’s many a poem in ye.

“But alas”, you cry, “I doth not know how!”
Worry not, the librarian me knows all about crappy poetry

Rhyme is sublime. It’s a crime, I’mma chime, anytime the paradigm of rhyme goes bye. Similar sounds bound together incur profound purr renowned all-around. Astound year-round you crowned amateur litterateur!

Alliteration: an amazing action an author attempts, attracting attention among audiences. Bundling beginnings breaklessly becomes bountiful by bewitching bodies, banishing boredom.

Sibilance: certain s/c sounds said surplus, structured so somehow specialises sufficiently so sibilance stays separate. Sibilance starts sounds ampersand simultaneously starts inside some sounds.

Meter is not just a form of measure.
Iambic pentameter; what Shakespeare
Wrote requires ten syllables in five “feet”.
Feet is a unit, the Bard used iambs

Unstressed then stressed, a meter of two sylls
But I’ll tell you a secret: it’s nonsense,
Gobbledygook! Pick a random number
Of syllables and stick to it. Pretend!

People assume you know what you’re doing.
One format to try: Old Shakespeare’s sonnet
Three groups of four lines, rhyme A B A B
Ten syllables: Iamb pentameter

End it with a rhyming couple of lines,
A couplet, if you will, wrapping it up

Limericks are fun don’t you know
Rhyme A A B B A like so
Write li’l shorter here
For reasons we’ll veer
Answers? Nah, just enjoy the show

Haikus are classic
A sandwich of funny words
It’s easy as pie

Five syllables up
Seven syllables between
Five syllables down

So there it is, go poetry right now
If creativity is hard, then I suggest thou

Should pick up a book, read some nonsense poetry.
Where silly people make silly sounds sillily


The complete nonsense of Edward Lear / Lear, Edward
King and Queen of the Pelicans we;
No other Birds so grand we see!
None but we have feet like fins!
With lovely leathery throats and chins!
Ploffskin, Pluffskin, Pelican jee!
We think no Birds so happy as we!
Plumpskin, Ploshkin, Pelican jill!
We think so then, and we thought so still!”
(Edward Lear, The Pelican Chorus)

The musician Cosmo Sheldrake has turned one of these poems into a song, it’s worth a listen


Fox in socks / Seuss
“Knox in box.
Fox in socks.
Knox on fox in socks in box.
Socks on Knox and Knox in box.
Fox in socks on box on Knox.”
(Dr. Seuss, Fox in Socks)

There’s a very fun video of this book as a rap from the Dr. Seuss YouTube channel


Old Possum’s book of practical cats / Eliot, T. S.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
He’s broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare,
And when you reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!

(T.S. Eliot, Macavity: The Mystery Cat)

(Also it inspired the brilliant musical Cats and its… less brilliant movie adaptation Cats)


Jabberwocky / Carroll, Lewis
“’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

(Lewis Carroll, Jabberwocky)


Cautionary verses / Belloc, Hilaire
And is it True? It is not True.
And if it were it wouldn’t do,
For people such as me and you
Who pretty nearly all day long
Are doing something rather wrong.
Because if things were really so,
You would have perished long ago,
And I would not have lived to write
The noble lines that meet your sight,
Nor B. T. B. survived to draw
The nicest things you ever saw.

(Hillaire Belloc, Introduction)


Michael Rosen’s book of nonsense / Rosen, Michael
“The seagulls think we live at the seaside:
the tower blocks are their cliffs;
they swoop for fish in the gutter
but are happy that it’s last night’s fried rice.”

(Michael Rosen, The Seagulls)

 

Fun fact: this book’s written by the guy behind this meme:

via GIPHY
Forgive me, I meant to do it : false apology poems / Levine, Gail Carson
“This Is Just to Say
If you’re looking for a nice happy book
put this one down and run away quickly
Forgive me sweetness and good cheer are boring”(Adapted from Catalogue)

Youth Night at Karori: Crochet, Pizza & Games

This weekend, young people aged 14— 18 are invited to join us at Karori Library’s Youth Night on Saturday, 19 August, 5 – 8PM.

These after-hours events are for teens who are into books, gaming, making music, watching movies, crafts, eating pizza, and generally just hanging out!

This Youth Night, you also have a chance to learn some of the basics of Crochet with Judy, one of the fantastic tutors from Karori Arts & Crafts Centre. You might learn to make something beautiful to keep you warm on a cold winter night! All materials provided.

Our Youth Nights are totally free (pizza included!) but you do need to be 14+ in order to come, so please come prepared to show your student ID. Once you’re in, our space is yours!

Email karori.youthnight@wcc.govt.nz if you’d like more info — otherwise, we’ll see you there!

For any budding Crochet enthusiasts, here’s a quick intro to crochet from our wonderful blogger Maiph taken from their blog Cool Things to Make During a Study Break.

Crochet

A green, grey, and yellow crocheted caterpillar sits next to a yellow crocheted octopus. The octopus has one tentacle through the handle of a white and blue crocheted teapot.

Just some crocheted friends sharing a pot of tea. Lovely.

Crocheting is done with one hook rather than two needles, so there’s not as many things to keep track of with your hands. And it’s usually faster than knitting too! Particularly with a big hook and chunky yarn…

But there are so many things you can crochet! Crochet a curious critter (as seen on the right), make a garden of flowers, or even the Twelve Birds of Christmas!

Hats are usually a good beginner project, and they can be embellished in very fun ways if you feel like it, or there’s the good old-fashioned granny square – great for blankets, using up yarn leftovers, and cushion covers!

Some of the books we have available for you to borrow include more Literary Yarns, amigurumi style foods or animals, you’ll be sure to find something fun! We’ve got books of crochet patterns available through our eLibrary, and there’s also a few crochet eMagazines, and our eMagazines are always available.

Claude, a grey, green, and yellow caterpillar is sitting on a cushion crocheting the last row of a scarf. The stripes of the scarf are, in order, yellow, white, purple, and the last one is black.

Claude, our favourite crocheted caterpillar with their Non-binary Pride Flag scarf.

 

 

 

Why do we listen to K-pop? Because of BTS!

As K-pop is one of the big pop-culture trends in the world today, and there are a lot of good albums we have in our library collection, I would like to share the artists and songs I have liked since I started listening to K-pop as a teenager! I hope you will enjoy this music genre and culture as much as I do!

This time, I am going to introduce you to the most popular Korean boy group in the world, 방탄소년단 (BangTan Sonyeondan, which means “Bulletproof Boy Scouts” literally) BTS! Formed by HYBE Entertainment, BTS debuted on 13th June 2013, and its members include Jin, SUGA, j-hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. According to j-hope, the meaning of the group name is “to block out stereotypes, criticisms, and expectations that aim at adolescents like bullets, to preserve the values and ideals of today’s adolescents” (Source: Affinity). The group was rebranded in 2017, adding another meaning to the group’s name, which is “Beyond The Scene”, and new logos for the group and their fan club, A.R.M.Y (Adorable Representative M.C. for Youth). BTS does not have an official colour, but they have their specific official light stick, Army Bomb.

The main music style of BTS is hip-hop. Members RM and SUGA were underground rappers before they joined, and had already released several self-written songs. Their song “Hip Hop Phile” was talking about how much they love hip-hop and shout out to those hip-hop artists who influenced them like Epik High, Nas, Eminem and much more. Since the release of the “School Trilogy Project,” BTS has broadened their music style by trying different genres, like pop rock (Spring Day), synth-pop (Dionysus) and tropical house (Save Me).

Since their debut, BTS members have written, composed and produced most of their songs, with rap line members, RM, SUGA, and j-hope participating the most in songwriting. Their creative works are well known for their poetic and literary lyrics (Author’s note: I really admire how literary their lyrics are! I will recommend: Butterfly, Serendipity, and DNA). On SUGA’s YouTube video, RM describes rap as “poetry with rhythm,” showing how the group conceives of their lyrics as contributing to the field of literature.

BTS has always tried to convey different messages to society through their songs, with each album embracing a different theme. The School Trilogy Project discusses teenage dreams (2 Cool 4 Skool), happiness (O! R U L8, 2!), and love (Skool Luv Affair). Meanwhile, in the Youth Series, BTS talk about their hopes for ‘youth’ — even with all the uncertainly and insecurity (The most beautiful moment in life pt.1), the youth who embrace the pain and bittersweetness of live and keep running (The most beautiful moment in life pt.2) are in the most beautiful moment of their lives (The most beautiful moment in life: Young Forever). They talk about love, social issues, mental health, and all the topics they believe they should share with the public.

BTS is truly a group that has brought K-pop into the next chapter, and to a whole new audience. They’ve broken many music industry records, including being the first K-pop group to hit the 1st place on the Billboard Hot 100, the first K-pop group nominated for a Grammy Award, and the first K-pop group to speak at the United Nations. Today, BTS is focusing on the members’ solo activities as they complete their military service, and is expected to reunite and come back as a group again around 2025. Jin and j-hope are doing their military service and released a single, The Astronaut, a debut solo album, Jack in the Box respectively before they proceeded with their conscription respectively. RM released his first full-length album, Indigo last December and is preparing his second solo album. SUGA just released his first full-length album under his stage name ‘August D’, D-Day in April and is doing his show on BTS’s YouTube channel. Jimin also released his first solo album, Face in March and has received a very good result. Jungkook is expecting to release his first solo album around July and V had filmed a variety show, Jinny’s Kitchen, that was on air in February.

via GIPHY

BTS albums we have at the library

Love yourself : answer / BTS (Musical group)

LOVE YOURSELF 結 ‘Answer’ is a repackaging of  BTS’s third full length album, LOVE YOURSELF 轉 ‘Tear’ that released in August 2018. This album also marked the end of their “Love Yourself” series. After taking about the brightness side of love (LOVE YOURSELF 承 ‘Her’) and the pains of love (LOVE YOURSELF 轉 ‘Tear’), this album concludes the message that “Loving yourself is where true love begins”.

My personal picks:

Euphoria
Serendipity
DNA
dimple
Trivia 承: Love
Fake Love
Trivia 轉: Seesaw
I’m Fine
Idol
Answer: Love Myself
Magic Shop
Best of Me
Mic Drop
Go Go


Proof / BTS (Musical group)

This album is BTS latest anthology album and their last album before they pause their group activity because of the military service. This album contains 48 songs, including 3 new songs, their lead singles since debut, members solo tracks, subunit songs and the demo version of their released songs.

My personal picks:

Born Singer
Boy in Luv
I NEED U (my all time favourite!!!)
RUN
Burning Up (Fire)
Blood Sweat & Tears
Spring Day
Boy With Luv
Life Goes On
Yet To Come
Moon
Friends
00:00


Books about BTS available at the library

BTS : rise of Bangtan / Stevens, Cara J.
“This unofficial biography tells the story of BTS and their global ARMY, which helped propel them to the top of the charts all over the world. Extensively researched, Rise of Bangtan explores the lives of RM, J-Hope, Suga, Jimin, V, Jin, and Jungkook, the story behind how they all got together, and their amazing rise to fame–from their start in East Asia to their dominance across the globe.” (Catalogue)

BTS : the ultimate fan book / Croft, Malcolm
“BTS: the ultimate fan book” is a spectacular celebration of the best and brightest K-Pop group from South Korea. Inside you’ll explore the songs, the moves and the fashions that have led the Bangtan Boys to worldwide success. Beautifully illustrated with photographs that highlight the band’s kaleidoscope of personalities and passions, this is a must-read for any fan who just can’t get enough BTS!” (Catalogue)

BTS : K-pop kings : the unauthorized fan guide / Brown, Helen
“BTS: Kings of K-Pop is the must-have commemorative celebration of BTS, the Korean boy band with a global army of fans.” (Catalogue)

BTS army handbook / Smith, Niki
“There are few who have made a mark on 2018 quite like BTS, the seven member Korean K-Pop group that is singlehandedly reviving the Age of the Boyband with their electric tracks, explosive dance routines and unnervingly perfect hair. BTS may have been catapulted to international acclaim this year, but there’s still a whole world of facts and stories from the six years it took for them to become the first K-Pop act to hit No. 1 on the Billboard charts. Become a fully-fledged ARMY and learn about the members, the songs, and all of the stages along their journey from pre-debut training to global stardom.” (Catalogue)

Larger than life : a history of boy bands from NKOTB to BTS / Sherman, Maria
“Larger Than Life is a history of boy bands in popular music, from the 1990s to 2010s.” (Catalogue)

That’s a wrap for my over-sharing about BTS 방탄소년단! Tell us in the comments below if you’ve found your favourite BTS song on our list! 안녕히 가세요!

via GIPHY

Why do we listen to K-pop? Because of Girls’ Generation!

As K-pop is one of the big pop-culture trends in the world today, and there are a lot of good albums we have in our library collection, I would like to share the artists and songs I have liked since I started listening to K-pop as a teenager! I hope you will enjoy this music genre and culture as much as I do!

This time, after two boy groups, I am going to introduce you to my favourite girl group, “지금은 소녀시대!앞으로도 소녀시대!영원히 소녀시대!”, the Girls’ Generation (or SNSD, GG)! Formed by SM Entertainment, Girls’ Generation debuted on 5th August 2007, with the song, “다시 만난 세계 Into the New World” from their eponymous first single. The original members include Taeyeon, Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun, making Girls’ Generation the biggest girl group in Korea at that time. Their fan club name is S♡NE (소원, sounds like “So one,” meaning Wish in Korean) and the official colour is Pastel Rose Pink (Hex code, #ff4980). The group was carefully planned, having practiced their single “Into the New World” for around a year before their debut.

Since their debut, Girls’ Generation have always challenged themselves to try different music genres and concepts. At first, as their average age was just 17.4 when they debuted, their image was sweet, cute, and high-energy, while the music genres they focused on were teen-pop and bubblegum-pop (“다시 만난 세계 Into the New World”, “소녀시대 Girls’ Generation”, “Kissing You”, and “Baby Baby”). Then, they changed their concept to a more mature image, and started trying dance-pop and electropop, as in “Gee”, “소원을 말해봐 (Genie)” and “Oh”. After “Oh”, the girls began to present darker and stronger concepts (Run Devil Run and Catch me if you can), incorporating other musical styles like hip-hop (I Got a Boy and You Think), retro style (훗 Hoot and Lion Heart) and much more. Among all these different concepts they have tried, the group members themselves choose “Genie” as the song that represents them the best, from the concept itself to the song and its choreography.

Today, members of the Girls’ Generation are focusing on their solo activities. After their sixth full-length album, Holiday Night (from the two title songs, Holiday and All Night) which was released on their 10th anniversary, Tiffany, Sooyoung, and Seohyun decided to leave SM Entertainment, while remaining members of the group. Leader Taeyeon has a very successful solo singing career. She just released her third full-length album, “INVU” last year and is expected to release a new mini album this year (Author’s note: I will recommend 11:11, Wine, and Blue, however all of her songs are super good). Hyoyeon works as a singer and DJ. The other members are more focused on acting careers and have achieved good results respectively. The group had a full-group comeback last August for their 15th anniversary, and released their 7th full-length album, “Forever 1” (after five years, like finally!!!).

The Girls’ Generation means a lot to the whole of K-pop history. They have shown us, girls can be sweet and cute, but also strong and cool, encouraging us to be whoever we want, do anything we want. At the time of their debut, most of the popular idol groups were boy groups, and the girl groups tended not to survive long in the industry. The longevity of Girls’ Generation has attracted the public and forced them to pay more attention to “girl groups”.  They prove that girl groups can achieve the same results as boy groups — better, even. Moreover, their debut song, “Into the New World” has found renewed life in protest activities in Korea, because of its meaningful lyrics and the powerful message the girls have conveyed:

I love you, just like this. The longed-for end of wandering.
I leave behind this world’s unending sadness.
Walking the many and unknowable paths, I follow a dim light.
It’s something we’ll do together to the end, into the new world.

— Girls’ Generation, “Into the New World”

via GIPHY


Girls’ Generation albums we have at the library

Mr. Taxi / Girls’ Generation

Mr. Taxi is the repackaged edition album of Girls’ Generation’s third full-length album, “The Boys” which was released in 2011. “The Boys” has received a very good result in Korea and also internationally. The title song “Mr. Taxi” of this album is an electropop and R&B song, and the Korean version of their first original Japanese song.

My personal picks:
— Telepathy
— Say Yes
— Trick
— How Great is Your Love
— Sunflower


I got a boy / Girls’ Generation

Girls’ Generation released their fourth full-length album, “I Got a Boy” in 2013. The title song “I Got a Boy” is a hybrid genre song that includes bubblegum pop, electropop, electropop, and R&B, while the pre-release single “Dancing Queen” is a remake of Duffy’s “Mercy”, used to plan to release with “Gee” together. This album has received a very good result as well, and “I Got a Boy” has become one of their iconic title songs.

My personal picks:
— Baby Maybe
— 말해봐 (Talk Talk)
— Promise
— Express 999
유리아이 (Lost in Love)
— XYZ
— 낭만길 (Romantic St.)


2011 Girls’s Generation tour / Girls’ Generation

This is the live album of their second concert tour, the 2011 Girls’ Generation Tour. They performed some of their Japanese singles on this tour, and each member had a solo stage.

My personal picks:
— Let It Rain
— Lady Marmalade
— Devil’s Cry


Girls’ Generation – TTS is the first subunit of this group, made up of vocal members Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun. This subunit has a different music style compared to the Girls’ Generation. Their performance I like the most is their cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Cater 2 U” which shows how powerful their vocals are.

Twinkle / Girls’ Generation

Twinkle is their first mini album which was released in 2012, with the title song “Twinkle”. Twinkle is a medium-pop dance song. This album contains most dance-pop songs and some pop songs.

My personal picks:
Baby Steps
— Library
안녕 (Good-Bye, Hello)
— 처음이었죠 (Love Sick)



Holler : the 2nd mini album / Girls’ Generation

Girls’ Generation – TTS released their second mini album “Holler” in 2014, with the title song “Holler”. “내가 네게 Whisper” was released three days earlier as a promotional single. Member Seohyun had written the lyrics for the song “Only U”.

My personal picks:
아드레날린 (Adrenaline)
내가 네게 (Whisper)
— Stay
Only U
— Eyes


That’s a wrap for my over-sharing about Girls’ Generation! Tell us in the comments below if you’ve found your favourite Girls’ Generation song on our list! 안녕히 가세요!

via GIPHY

Why do we listen to K-pop? Because of Super Junior!

As K-pop is one of the big pop-culture trends in the world today, and there are a lot of good albums we have in our library collection, I would like to share the artists and songs I have liked since I started listening to K-pop as a teenager! I hope you will enjoy this music genre and culture as much as I do!

After SHINee, I am excited to introduce my all-time favourite boy group, and also the reason I have started listening to K-pop, 우리는 슈퍼주니어 에요, Super Junior! Super Junior is a boy group formed by SM Entertainment and debuted on 5 November 2006, with the title song “Twins (Knock Out)” from their first mini album, Super Junior 05. They were the largest boy group in Korea when they first debuted with a total of 12 members: Leeteuk, Heechul, Han Geng, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook and Kibum. When Kyuhyun joined the group six months later, the suffix “05” was taken out and Super Junior 05 became Super Junior as we know them today. After Han Geng, Kibum and Kangin left the group in 2011, 2015, and 2019 respectively, there are now ten members in Super Junior, although Sungmin no longer joins group activities. Their fan club name is E.L.F. which means Ever Lasting Friends, and their official colour is Sapphire Blue (Hex code, #0F52BA).

Super Junior gained a lot of popularity following their debut as all the members worked hard to join different shows to promote the group. But what brought Super Junior international success was their third full-length album, 쏘리 쏘리 Sorry, Sorry. With catchy lyrics and melodies, and smooth and clean choreography, the title song “쏘리 쏘리 Sorry, Sorry” was a real hit in South Korea and also in other countries around the world. After the success of “쏘리 쏘리 Sorry, Sorry”, Super Junior maintained their frequency of releasing an album every year, becoming one of the most iconic K-pop groups in the world today.

Super Junior’s title songs are more focused on dance pop like “Mamacita(아야야)”, “Black Suit”, and “House Party”, with media outlets praising them for creating their own genre, “SJ Funky.” Aside from dance-pop, they have also experimented with other music genres like ballad, R&B, Latin and much more. As with SHINee, I like their ballad and R&B songs the most, and I recommend “너라고 It’s You” from the repackaged version of Sorry, Sorry, “사랑이 멎지 않게 Raining Spell for Love” from Mamacita, “같이 걸읅까 More Days with You” from The Renaissance, and Lovely Day – Rearranged Studio Version from their concert, Super Show 4.

Super Junior is also the first Korean group which started doing sub-unit activities. There are five subgroups, which are Super Junior-K.R.Y., Super Junior-T, Super Junior-M, Super Junior-H, and Super Junior-D&E, formed in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2008, and 2011 respectively. Each group consists of different members who perform in different music genres.

  • Super Junior-K.R.Y. focus on ballad-style songs, as this group is formed by the main vocal members, Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung (When We Were Us).
  • Super Junior-T focuses on Trot music, the oldest form of Korean pop music (첫눈에 반했습니다 Love at First Sight).
  • Super Junior-M is a group that releases songs in Mandarin (Break Down).
  • The main music genre of Super Junior-H is bubblegum pop — the H stands for Happy! (요리왕 Cooking? Cooking!).
  • Super Junior-D&E was formed by members Eunhyuk and Donghae to do the music they like and enjoy, including hip-hop.

Aside from the subgroup activities, members of Super Junior also do a lot of solo activities, including musicals, solo albums, TV programmes, acting and much more. Super Junior is one of the longest-running K-pop groups (the oldest after Sechskies and Shinhwa) and they just celebrated their 17th anniversary last November! They also released their 11th full-length album, “The Road” last year with three title songs, which are “Callin”, “Mango”, and “Celebrate”. As a card-carrying E.L.F., I am very proud and looking forward to see what they will bring to us in the future!

via GIPHY

Super Junior albums we have at the library:

Mr. Simple / Super Junior

Mr. Simple is Super Junior’s fifth full-length album which was released in 2011. The title song “Mr. Simple” became one of their most popular songs and the album won several awards after release. This album contains various music genres like synthpop, electropop, R&B, and ballad. Members Donghae and Eunhyuk also wrote the lyrics for some tracks.

My personal picks:
— Walkin’
— Storm
— Memories
— Sunflower
— Y
— My Love, My Kiss, My Heart

A-cha / Super Junior

A-cha is the repackaged edition album of “Mr. Simple” that features four new songs and a new title song “A-cha.”

My personal picks:
— Superman
— Oops!!
— A Day
— Andante

Spy / Super Junior

Super Junior released their 6th full-length album, “Sexy, Free and Single” in 2012 and this album also become a hit in Korea. “Spy” is the repackaged version with 4 new songs and the new title song, “Spy”. “Spy” has the most complicated choreography and the members refused to perform it in the shows or concerts anymore (so E.L.F.s are always teasing them to perform it!)

My personal picks:
— From U
— Only U
— Haru
— Gulliver
— Someday
— Bittersweet
— Daydream
— A ‘Good’bye

The beat goes on / Donghae & Eunhyuk

This is the first mini album of the subunit, Super Junior-D&E which was released in 2015. With the title song “Growing Pains” written by the member Donghae, this mini album received a good result overall. This subunit is still active now compared to other subunits which have stopped working because of a range of reasons. Super Junior-D&E announces that they will release a new mini album this year and have a new concert tour after that.

My personal picks:
— Growing Pains
— 1+1=Love
— Love that I Need
— Sweater & Jeans
— Mother
— Still You

That’s a wrap for my over-sharing about Super Junior! Tell us in the comments below if you’ve found your favourite Super Junior song on our list! 안녕히 가세요!


via GIPHY

Why do we listen to K-pop? Because of SHINee!

As K-pop is one of the big pop-culture trends in the world today, and there are a lot of good albums we have in our library collection, I would like to share the artists and songs I have liked since I started listening to K-pop as a teenager! I hope you will enjoy this music genre and culture as much as I do!

The first K-pop artist I would like to introduce to you is 빛나는샤이니: SHINee! SHINee is a Korean boy group formed by SM Entertainment and debuted on 22 May 2008. The original group members included Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, and Taemin. All the members had been trainees for around two to three years and received a lot of training in singing, dancing, and RAP before their debut. Their fan club is named 샤이니 월드 (SHINee World), with fans calling themselves Shawols or S.W. Their official colour is Pearlescent Aquamarine (Hex code #79e5cb, for anyone who wants to theme their Tumblr dash appropriately!).

SHINee debuted with the title song “Replay (누난 너무 예뻐)” from their first mini album “Replay.” They have gained a lot of attention since gaining the title of ‘Rookie Grand Slam’ following their debut. Defined as a “Contemporary group,” SHINee’s main music style is contemporary R&B, but they also have challenged musical boundaries by incorporating various music genres like Hip-Hop, EDM, and Deep House into their style. I personally like their pop ballad songs the most (my top three: Jo Jo from 2009, Year of Us, Don’t Let Me Go from 1 Of 1, and Symptoms from Everybody). Moreover, they always received a lot of compliments for their live performances because of their powerful vocals, exceptional choreography, and perfect synchronisation.

Today, the members of SHINee are focusing on their solo activities while waiting for the youngest member, Taemin, to complete his military service in early March 2023. Leader Onew is doing his solo concert in Japan and has been cast in several musicals, and Key is doing a lot of variety shows and has released his second full-length album “Gasoline” last August, while Minho has finally released his first solo mini album “Chase” with his new drama “The Fabulous” premiering on Netflix last December! Although member Jonghyun passed away in 2017, he was always one of SHINee’s most talented members, and his songs still have the power to heal us now (End of a Day).

We are lucky enough to have some of SHINee’s albums in our CD collection (editor’s note — do the kids still listen to CDs these days? Anyway, they’re free to borrow this year!), so check out some of my favourite picks below!

via GIPHY


SHINee albums we have at the library:

Sherlock / SHINee

Sherlock is SHINee’s fourth mini album which was released in 2012. The title song “Sherlock (Clue + Note)” is a “hybrid remix” of two songs, which are both from the same album: the second track “Clue,” and the third track “Note.” World-famous choreographer Tony Testa has done the choreography work for the title song and “Sherlock” has become one of SHINee’s masterpieces (Sherlock, Everybody, and View are always mentioned when we talk about SHINee’s outstanding and unique performances).

My personal picks:
–The Reason
–Honesty


Dream girl : the misconceptions of you ; Why so serious : the misconceptions of me / SHINee

In January 2013, SHINee announced that they were coming back with their third full-length album. The first chapter “Dream Girl – The misconceptions of You” was released in February with the title song “Dream Girl” and chapter two “Why So Serious – The misconceptions of Me” was released in April with the title song “Why So Serious”. Chapter 1 contains more happy and delightful songs, while Chapter 2 has more dark and gloomy songs. The complete album, The Misconceptions of Us, was released in June with an additional two new songs.

My personal picks:
Chapter 1 “Dream Girl – The misconceptions of You”
–Spoiler
–Girls, Girls, Girls
–Aside

Chapter 2 “Why So Serious – The misconceptions of Me”
–Excuse Me Miss
–Sleepless Night

The misconceptions of Us
–Selene 6.23
–Better Off


Odd / Shinee

Odd is SHINee’s fourth full-length album released in 2015 with the deep house genre title song “View.” The lyrics are written by member Jonghyun and describe how love intensifies people’s senses. It has received a lot of good reviews because of Jonghyun’s beautiful and sophisticated writing.

My personal picks:
–Love Sick
–View
–Farewell My Love
–An Ode To You
–An Encore


Ace : the first mini album / Taemin

Ace is SHINee’s member Taemin’s first solo mini album which was released in 2014. He is also the first member of SHINee who starts a solo career. With the title song “괴도 (Danger)”, Taemin has proved that he is not only good at dancing (he is the lead dancer in SHINee and well known as one of the best dancers in Korea) but also good at singing as well. Ace had received many good reviews in overall and Taemin has continued his solo career along with the group activities since then.

My personal picks:
–Ace
–Pretty Boy


Base : the first mini album / Jonghyun

My favourite member, Jonghyun released his first solo mini album, Base, in 2015. He was the second member after Taemin to start his own solo career. As the lead vocalist in SHINee, Jonghyun had always been praised for his singing skills, as well as his songwriting skills since his debut. He wrote all the lyrics for this album (not only this album but also all his solo albums that had been released after Base) and cooperated with other composers to write the music. This album explores various genres, including R&B, ballad, and soul.

My personal picks:
–Déjà-Boo
–Hallelujah
–Mono-Drama


That’s a wrap for my over-sharing about SHINee! Tell us in the comments below if you’ve found your favourite SHINee song on our list!

via GIPHY

The Wellington Comic Lover’s Guide to… The Mighty Thor

Welcome to the Wellington Comic Lover’s (WCL) Guide, where we take you through the Wellington City Libraries’ collection of a comic book character.
This post is about the god (and mortal) who hold the hammer Mjolnir and are worthy of the power of Thor!

(via GIPHY)

Who is The Mighty Thor?

After being humbled by his father, Thor the Norse God of Thunder returns to Earth as a superhero. Using an enchanted hammer that only he is worthy to wield, he protects Midgard and fights alongside the Avengers as the Mighty Thor!

Later, when Thor becomes unworthy of using his hammer, Doctor Jane Foster takes it up in his place as her own version of Thor.


Classic Thor

Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Volume 1 (only on Libby)

Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Volume 2 (only on Libby)

Marvel-verse: Thor (a collection of stories from across Thor’s publishing history)

Thor : the mighty avenger / Langridge, Roger

Secret invasion : Thor / Fraction, Matt

Thor : wolves of the north

Thor : the deviants saga / Rodi, Robert

Thor of the realms (a collection of stories set across each of the Nine Realms)


Straczynski/Fraction run (2007-2012)

The defining aspect of this run is bringing Thor and Asgard back down to Earth – literally, as the home of the Norse gods appears hovering over the ordinary town of Broxton, Oklahoma. This era ends with Norman Osborn’s invasion of this floating city in Brian Michael Bendis and Oliver Coipel’s Siege.

Thor. [Vol. 3] / Straczynski, J. Michael

Astonishing Thor / Rodi, Robert

Thor : the World Eaters / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor [1] / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor [2] / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor [3] / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor : journey into mystery : everything burns / Fraction, Matt

Siege / Bendis, Brian Michael

Avengers : prime / Bendis, Brian Michael


Marvel NOW! – Thor, God of Thunder meets the God Butcher

Beginning in 2012 with the Marvel NOW! relaunch, Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron and artist Esad Ribic introduces Gorr the God Butcher, a vengeful alien who wants to destroy every god across time and space. To stop him, Thor teams up with his younger self from his Viking days and an older, surlier All-Father Thor from the future.

Thor, God of Thunder [1] : the God Butcher / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor, God of Thunder [2] : Godbomb / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor, God of Thunder [1] and [2] are also collected together as Thor : the saga of Gorr the God Butcher

Thor, God of Thunder [3] : the accursed / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor, God of Thunder [4] : the last days of Midgard / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)


Jane Foster becomes Thor

During the Original Sin storyline, Thor learns a devastating truth that causes him to become unworthy of wielding Mjolnir. The hammer goes to Doctor Jane Foster, Thor’s ex-girlfriend, and she headlines a new series as The Mighty Thor. Meanwhile, Odinson wanders the cosmos trying to find a new hammer (and reason to be worthy) as The Unworthy Thor.

The reading order for this period is as follows:

Original sin : Thor & Loki : the tenth realm / Aaron, Jason

Original sin. Who shot the Watcher? / Aaron, Jason (only on Libby)

Thor : the goddess of thunder / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor [2] : who holds the hammer? / Aaron, Jason

Secret wars / Hickman, Jonathan

The mighty Thor [1] : thunder in her veins / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The mighty Thor [2] : Lords of Midgard / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor : the goddess of thunder, [2], and The mighty Thor [1] and [2] are also collected together as Jane Foster : the saga of the mighty Thor

The mighty Thor [3] : the Asgard/Shi’ar war / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The unworthy Thor / Aaron, Jason 

The mighty Thor [4] : the war Thor / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The Mighty Thor [5] : the death of the Mighty Thor / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Unworthy Thor and The Mighty Thor [4] and [5] are also collected as Thor : the complete collection. Volume 4


The War of the Realms

Jason Aaron’s last Thor series has Thor Odinson reclaim Mjolnir, while his enemies from across the Nine Realms band together to invade Midgard and take over Earth. This results in the crossover series The War of the Realms.

Thor [1] : God of Thunder reborn / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor [2] : road to war of the realms / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The war of the realms / Aaron, Jason

Thor [3] : war’s end / Aaron, Jason

King Thor / Aaron, Jason

Thor [1], [2], [3] and King Thor are also collected as Thor : Volume 5


Jane Foster, Valkyrie

After her tenure as Goddess of Thunder, Jane Foster gains a new weapon in Undrjarn the All-Weapon and becomes Valkyrie, leading souls to the afterlife while balancing her career as a doctor.

Valkyrie : Jane Foster [1] : the sacred and the profane / Ewing, Al (also on Libby)

Valkyrie : Jane Foster [2] : / Ewing, Al (also on Libby)

King in black : return of the Valkyries / Aaron, Jason

The mighty Valkyries : all Hel let loose

Jane Foster & the Mighty Thor / Grønbekk, Torunn

A variant of Valkyrie based off Tessa Thompson’s performance in the MCU Thor films is a member of the Exiles, a multiverse-hopping team of heroes.

Exiles [1] : test of time / Ahmed, Saladin

Exiles. Vol. 2, The trial of the Exiles / Ahmed, Saladin


Donny Cates run

Venom scribe Donny Cates is the most recent Thor writer; his series so far explores Thor’s new duties as All-Father of Asgard in Odin’s absence.

Thor [1] : the devourer king / Cates, Donny

Thor [2] : prey / Cates, Donny

Thor [3] : revelations / Cates, Donny

Thor [4] : God of Hammers / Cates, Donny

Thor [5] : the legacy of Thanos / Ewing, Al

Thor [6] : blood of the fathers / Grønbekk, Torunn


Beta Ray Bill

Did you know that an alien was once worthy of wielding Thor’s hammer? Beta Ray Bill from the planet Korbin got a hold of Mjolnir while Thor was inspecting his crashed spaceship, and Bill briefly took on the role of God of Thunder. Bill became an ally to Thor, and was eventually given his own Asgardian hammer named Stormbreaker.

Thor : Ragnaroks / Oeming, Michael Avon

Beta Ray Bill : godhunter / Gillen, Kieron

Beta Ray Bill : argent star / Johnson, Daniel Warren

World Space Week 2022

This October school holidays, Wellington City Libraries is running events to celebrate World Space Week.

World Space Week Association (WSWA) has themed the October 2022 celebrations around “Space and Sustainability”! The theme is inspired by the ways that humans use space, and acknowledging how the orbital area surrounding Earth-itself is a finite resource. Read more here.

Did you know the Muppets TV show had a Star Wars Crossover? Learn more by clicking!

The World Space Week Association exists to strengthen the links between space and society! WSWA is working to expand and establish the UN-declared World Space Week “globally on the largest possible scale!” Check out their mission statement to learn more.

Holiday youth events

Event image

Experience VR ISS: International Space Station Star Stitching – we will use the library’s Oculus Quest 2s and Oculus Rifts at MiramarKarori, and Te Awe to explore the international space station!
Star Stitching at Johnsonville Library

Embroider a constellation!

To celebrate Space Week 2022, we have premade constellation packs for Matariki & Southern Cross, and general instructions if you want to choose your own! Embroider your constellation and mount it on card!

Recommended for children (10+) accompanied by parents, or young adults (14+), but open to all.

Youth Night image

Youth Nights @ Karori and Johnsonville 

These after-hours events are for teens who are into gaming, books, making music, watching movies, debating the finer points of costume design on RuPaul’s Drag Race, eating pizza, and generally just hanging out.

Our Youth Nights are totally free (pizza included!) but you do need to be 14+ in order to come, so please come prepared to show your student ID. Once you’re in, our spaces are yours!


 

Weird Art (and How to Make It)!

In a world of incredible mainstream artists like Frida Kahlo and Vincent van Gogh, some of the stranger, funnier, and more relatable creatives can be left flying under the radar. It can also make it more difficult for us – the artistic hoi polloi –  to find our own style and way of creating.

Perhaps you could be inspired by Tomislav Jagnjić, a Serbian concept artist and illustrator whose oeuvre includes titles such as “hey psst, wanna buy some cubes” and “can’t believe u forgot the scrolls, how am i supposed to resurrect the dragon now?”

Or maybe you could innovate like Thirza Schaap, a Dutch artist who’s been revamping beach trash to create a grim yet aesthetically pleasing commentary on sea pollution.

Or perhaps you’d rather focus on just one subject, and paint it with such determination that you’re eventually interrogated by police. Look no further than Alex Schaefer‘s fascination with painting the Chase Bank. On fire. Repeatedly.

via GIPHY

And if you’re ever feeling insecure about your work, just remember that  Massachusetts has its own museum dedicated entirely to celebrating “art too bad to be ignored” – pop on over here for a browse!

Whatever it is you want to say, and however it is you want to say it, get inspired by our collection on weird art (and how to make it)!


Find your artistic voice : the essential guide to working your creative magic / Congdon, Lisa
“This book is a guide to the process of artistic self-discovery”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
The best art you’ve never seen : 101 hidden treasures from around the world / Spalding, Julian
“Across the globe there are scores of beautiful and unusual works of art that are largely unseen or fail to receive the critical acclaim they deserve. The Best Art You’ve Never Seen is your essential companion to this hidden world of artistic treasures.” (Catalogue)
You are an artist : assignments to spark creation / Green, Sarah Urist
“More than 50 assignments, ideas, and prompts to expand your world and help you make outstanding new things to put into it […] Full of insights, techniques, and inspiration from art history, this book opens up the processes and practices of artists and proves that you, too, have what it takes to call yourself one.”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)


Guerrilla Girls : the art of behaving badly / Guerrilla Girls (Group of artists)
“A compendium of artwork by the feminist activist group, the Guerrilla Girls.”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
Art in minutes / Hodge, Susie
“The perfect compact reference guide for all would-be art buffs. Art historian Susie Hodge takes you on a whistle-stop international tour of all the major artistic cultures, movements, phases, developments, artists and themes, from Prehistoric art to Hyperrealism. Contents also include Greek classicism, Gothic art, the Renaissance, Baroque, Romanticism, Realism, Impressionism, Cubism, surrealism, Pop art and Minimalism.” (Catalogue)


Unexpected art : serendipitous installations, site-specific works, and surprising interventions / Spring, Jenny Moussa
“Graffiti made from cake icing, man-made clouds floating indoors, a luminous moon resting on water. Collected here are dozens of jaw-dropping artworks – site-specific installations, extraordinary sculptures, and groundbreaking interventions in public spaces – that reveal the exciting things that happen when contemporary artists play with the idea of place. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)


Wall and piece / Banksy
“_______________Banksy. His work. Photographed. With comments by Banksy. In a book. This is that book._______________” (Catalogue)
Modern vintage Illustration / Dawber, Martin
“Past is prologue in this stunning survey of vintage-inspired illustrations that employ classic styles of artistic expression for up-to-date effects.” (Catalogue)
Muse : Uncovering the Hidden Figures Behind Art History’s Masterpieces / Millington, Ruth
“The fascinating true stories of thirty incredible muses–and their role in some of art history’s most well-known masterpieces. We instantly recognize many of their faces from the world’s most iconic artworks–but just who was Picasso’s ‘Weeping Woman’? Or the burglar in Francis Bacon’s oeuvre? Why was Grace Jones covered in graffiti? ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Come and do some art at Newtown Library

We’re super stoked to be working with the kind and talented folks at VIVITA to run all kinds of cool events for kids and teens around the city this year. During the last school holidays, they ran a seriously awesome and engaging 5-day workshop on board game creation at Johnsonville Library (check out the video below), and next on the agenda is TRASH ART at Newtown Library.

Yep, you read right. Trash Art. Inspired by the work of phenomenal photographer and environmental activist Mandy Barker, who gained great notoriety in the art world for taking plastic pollution out of the Pacific Ocean and turning it into incredibly intricate photographic sculptures, VIVITA has decided to run a global series of events around turning trash into art, to raise awareness about plastic consumption, its harmful effects on the environment, and how we can fight back. In New Zealand, this is all boiling down to a one-day workshop at Newtown Library on Saturday 5 June, 10am – 1pm, where you’ll go on a journey (literally, like, outside) to capture the good, the bad, and the ugly of consumption and waste in our community, and bring that waste back to the library to turn it into art. What you create will be captured by a professional photographer and included as part of an international exhibition across 8 countries (including New Zealand) in September this year.

The event is totally free, but you do need to be between the ages of 9-15 to attend. If you’re keen, make sure you click here to register, because spots are limited and they are disappearing fast!

Check out Mandy Barker’s incredible work by visiting her website to see what kinds of wondrous things you will learn how to create, using our very own local trash in Newtown.

Click Happy Live: Free Photography Workshop for Teens!

We thought we’d help you celebrate the end of Term 1 by inviting you along to Click Happy Live, a free photography workshop run by master photographer Mandi Lynn, winner of NZ Creative Photographer of the Year 2017. Mandi came along to Te Awe and Kilbirnie Libraries earlier in the year to run this same workshop, and let’s be real, they were super awesome, so we’re thrilled to be able to welcome her to Johnsonville Library as well. Here’re all the deets you need to know:

Where and when?

Johnsonville Library, Sunday 11 April 2021, 10am – 3pm

What even is it?

Click Happy Live is a free photography workshop for young creatives aged 10-22 with an award-winning photographer! This workshop is especially for those who believe that photography and the creative arts can be used as a tool to make themselves — and the world — better. You’ll learn practical photography skills while taking part in creative challenges that will help you to build your personal style as a photographer or as a creative activist. You’ll also get a chance to win a scholarship to participate in a one-term masterclass and one term of professional mentorship with master photographer Mandi Lynn.

So how do I do the thing?

What are you waiting for? To find out more, and to register to take part, just click right on here. We can’t wait to see you there!

Photo of a smiling young man holding a DSLR camera

You could be as cool and chill as — if not cooler and chiller than — this guy! Photo courtesy of clickhappy.org.

Tara Black x Dylan Horrocks: An Event You Don’t Want to Miss

So, you’re an artist. Or a writer. Or both. Or neither — maybe you just like looking at stuff and reading stuff and want to know more about how it works! Maybe you’re into comics, or manga, or general illustration, or live drawing, or all of the above. Maybe, just maybe, you’re wanting to find out how you can take your passion for drawing or writing and turn it into your life’s work, your livelihood, your source of creative (and financial) nourishment. Or maybe you just want to sit in on a conversation with two very cool and talented people and be swept away by their wit and craft.

Regardless of which category you fit into above, we have the event for you: Talk and Draw with Tara Black and Dylan Horrocks, Saturday 17 April, 1.00pm at Johnsonville Library at Waitohi Community Hub. Part workshop, part overview, part conversation — join us for what promises to be a fabulous, informative, and entertaining event, with two of the biggest names in New Zealand comics.


Photo: Ebony Lamb 2020

If you don’t know Tara Black, you should — she is one of the most distinctive and unique graphic artists working in Aotearoa. Alongside her excellent webcomics (I’m particularly partial to The Blue Fury, in which the ghosts of Janet Frame and Katherine Mansfield get their kicks out of haunting a first-year English teacher) and her extremely weird and cool new book This is not a pipe (VUP, 2020), Tara is known for doing live illustrations of events around Wellington City. I reckon that’s a pretty awesome way to make a living.


The Eisner Award-winning Dylan Horrocks, of course, is one of the most talented and versatile cartoonists working in the scene today. His works range from the meta-comic tour-de-force that is Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen (VUP, 2014) to the iconic Hicksville (Black Eye Comics, 1998), which I choose to believe draws some inspiration from my own home town of Hastings, which may have been briefly known as Hicksville in the early 1870s, with a healthy dose of work on the Batman and Batgirl comics in the early-mid 2000s.

Come along and join us for this Most Ambitious Crossover Event In Comic Book History (okay not really, but it will still be really cool!), and of course check out Tara and Dylan’s books below!


This is not a pipe / Black, Tara
“I’ve decided to document my life in pictures. It’s hard to draw the pole, because of the pole. Beth has a pole through her arms. This is not a metaphor. A metaphor would be a lot less inconvenient. On the other side of the room, Kenneth is creating a new religion. He thinks narrative is the operating principle of the universe. He also thinks he’s the hero of Beth’s story. Beth is worried he’s going to leave her. The creatures living in the pole may have stolen her cat. Tara Black’s comic is surreal, dark, sad, perversely joyful, and if you bet someone they couldn’t find another book remotely like it, you would win. It’s a little bit about being married to Kenneth. It’s a little bit about losing your cat. It’s definitely not about the pole.” (Catalogue)

Hicksville : a comic book / Horrocks, Dylan
“World-famous cartoonist Dick Burger has earned millions and become the most powerful man in the comics industry. However, behind his rapid rise to success, there lies a dark and terrible secret, as biographer Leonard Batts discovers when he visits Burger’s hometown in remote New Zealand. One of the best graphic novels of the past decade.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Incomplete works / Horrocks, Dylan
“Daydreams, fantasy, true love, and procrastination feature strongly in this selection of Dylan Horrocks’s shorter comics running from 1986 to 2012. It is both the chronicle of an age and a portrait of one man’s heroic struggle to get some work done.” (Catalogue)

Sam Zabel and the magic pen / Horrocks, Dylan
“Cartoonist Sam Zabel hasn’t drawn a comic in years. Stuck in a nightmare of creative block and despair, Sam spends his days writing superhero stories for a large American comics publisher and staring at a blank piece of paper, unable to draw a single line. Then one day he finds a mysterious old comic book set on Mars and is suddenly thrown headlong into a wild, fantastic journey through centuries of comics, stories, and imaginary worlds. Accompanied by a young webcomic creator named Alice and an enigmatic schoolgirl with rocket boots and a bag full of comics, Sam goes in search of the Magic Pen, encountering sex-crazed aliens, medieval monks, pirates, pixies and–of course–cartoonists. Funny, erotic, and thoughtful, Sam Zabel and the Magic Pen explores the pleasures, dangers, and moral consequences of fantasy.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

New books

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsThe Demon king, Cinda Williams Chima

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister is struggling to get by. Ironically, the only thing of value he has is something he can’t sell – a pair of thick, silver, rune-engraved cuffs he can’t seem to be able to get off his wrists. Meanwhile, Raisa ana’Helena, Princess Heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She aspires to be like Hanalea – the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King. But her mother has other plans for her – plans that include a suitor. First in a thrilling new teen fantasy trilogy. (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsThe fall of innocence, Jenny Torres Sanchez

For the past eight years, sixteen-year-old Emilia DeJesus has done her best to move on from the traumatic attack she suffered in the woods behind her elementary school. She’s forced down the memories–the feeling of the twigs cracking beneath her, choking on her own blood, unable to scream. Most of all, she’s tried to forget about Jeremy Lance, the boy responsible, the boy who caused her such pain. Emilia believes that the crows who watched over her that day, who helped her survive, are still on her side, encouraging her to live fully. And with the love and support of her mother, brother, and her caring boyfriend, Emilia is doing just that. But when a startling discovery about her attacker’s identity comes to light, and the memories of that day break through the mental box in which she’d shut them away, Emilia is forced to confront her new reality and make sense of shifting truths about her past, her family, and herself. (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsNightblood, Elly Blake

Ruby’s world has changed more than she ever could have imagined. She’s in love with a powerful Frost King. She’s the heir to the Fire Throne. And she may be a Nightblood–the spawn of a vengeful deity hellbent on releasing an imprisoned army of shadowy wraiths. Once freed, these beasts will roam the earth, devouring the spirits of every last person until he or she is nothing but an empty husk. Ruby is able to control the shadows to a degree, even hosting one in her own body. But will this tenuous connection–which threatens to consume her–be enough to hold the beasts back? With time running out, she must bring Frostbloods and Firebloods together to make a stand against an immortal foe more deadly than any she’s faced. And the price of peace may be her very life. (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsThe brink of darkness, Jeff Giles

Things have changed for seventeen-year-old Zoe ever since the otherworldly events that brought her together with the mysterious bounty hunter she calls X. In order to save Zoe and her family, X has done the unthinkable–he’s given up his freedom and returned to captivity in the Lowlands. X is determined to break the lords’ hold on him once and for all, but being stripped of his power pushes him toward a darkness he’s never experienced and a past he’s never known. The secrets that surface could be the key to reuniting X and Zoe…or they could mean the destruction of everything they have been fighting for. (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsYou’re welcome, universe, Whitney Gardner

When Julia finds a slur about her best friend scrawled across the back of the Kingston School for the Deaf, she covers it up with a beautiful (albeit illegal) graffiti mural. Her supposed best friend snitches, the principal expels her, and her two mothers set Julia up with a one-way ticket to a “mainstream” school in the suburbs, where she?s treated like an outcast as the only deaf student. The last thing she has left is her art, and not even Banksy himself could convince her to give that up. Out in the ?burbs, Julia paints anywhere she can, eager to claim some turf of her own. But Julia soon learns that she might not be the only vandal in town. Someone is adding to her tags, making them better, showing off-and showing Julia up in the process. She expected her art might get painted over by cops. But she never imagined getting dragged into a full-blown graffiti war. (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsAsh princess, Laura Sebastian

When her country was invaded, Theodosia’s mother, the Fire Queen, was murdered before her eyes. The Kaiser had Theo crowned Ash Princess– a title of shame to bear in her new life as a prisoner. For ten years a captive in her own palace, Theo has endured the relentless abuse and ridicule of the Kaiser and his court. One night the Kaiser forces her to do the unthinkable. With blood on her hands and all hope of reclaiming her throne lost, surviving is no longer enough. But she does have a weapon: her mind is sharper than any sword. And power isn’t always won on the battlefield. (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsCatwoman: soulstealer, Sarah J. Maas

Two years after escaping Gotham City’s slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Gotham City looks ripe for the taking. Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove that as Batwing he has what it takes to help people. He targets a new thief on the prowl who has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. Together, they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman is clever–she may be Batwing’s undoing. In this third DC Icons book, Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse, forming unexpected friendships and entangling herself with Batwing by night and her devilishly handsome neighbor Luke Fox by day. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the heist that’s closest to her heart? (Publisher summary)

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsSmoke and iron, Rachel Caine

To save the Great Library, the unforgettable characters from Ink and Bone , Paper and Fire, and Ash and Quill put themselves in danger in the next thrilling adventure in the New York Times bestselling series. The opening moves of a deadly game have begun. Jess Brightwell has put himself in direct peril, with only his wits and skill to aid him in a game of cat and mouse with the Archivist Magister of the Great Library. With the world catching fire, and words printed on paper the spark that lights rebellion, it falls to smugglers, thieves, and scholars to save a library thousands of years in the making…if they can stay alive long enough to outwit their enemies. (Publisher summary)

You might like…books about art and artists (Part 1 of ? )

Book cover courtesy of the SyndeticsI’ve been inspired to write this post by a visit to our neighbour, the City Gallery, and their excellent exhibition This is New Zealand, which is based around how New Zealand artists convey national identity. But this post isn’t just looking art, it’s looking at artists as well. I’m sticking with drawing and painting this time – there may be more entries on this subject. Artists’ lives can be as interesting as the work they produce…of course this isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are some top picks. Think of this selection like a jumping off point: find something you like, and investigate further!

Book courtesy of SyndeticsLet’s take a look about our fiction first. The guy, the girl, the artist and his ex by Gabrielle Williams is a great look at love, death, human emotion and, of course, art. Then we have Dear Vincent, from New Zealand’s own Mindy Hager. This is a heart-wrenching novel about a young woman who finds comfort – and similarities – in the life and art of Vincent Van Gough. Shadowshaper by Daniel José Older has a more fantastical integration of art into the narrative; in Brooklyn, Sierra Santiago notices that the murals that are a feature of her neighbourhood start to change, revealing a strange and dangerous new world. Finally, we have another testament to the saving power of art; Draw the line, which is written and illustrated by Laurent Linn, deals with a young artist who uses his obsession with superheroes to work through a hate crime that happens in his small town.

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsThen there’s our non-fiction collection. For the sake of brevity, we’ll leave graphic novels aside. For a look at the creative process of one of my favourite artists, Shaun Tan, pick up The bird king : an artist’s notebook. One of my other favourites is Subway Art, which is huge, so bring your bag if you want to take it out!

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsMoving on to the adult collection now: there’s certainly not shortage of amazing books here. Tracy Chevalier’s Girl with a Pearl Earring deals not only with art, but the artist, his model and the historical and social context in which this famous painting was created. An artist of the floating world by Kazuo Ishiguro deals with similar themes, but also asks harder questions of complicity and integrity – not just artistic, but personal. Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood focuses on the female artist and her own past feeds into her development.
Finally, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt examines the theft of a famous painting by a teenager and the impact it has on his life. Like I keep saying, this is by no means an exhaustive list. If you’re looking for a more thorough booklist, here are some: female artists from Electric Literature, a top ten list from the Guardian and this utterly insane (667 books) list on Goodreads.

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsAnd now, on to the non-fiction section. Try to pick a selection from this would be an act of madness, so here’s a few (and I mean A FEW) call numbers for you to investigate:
1) 704.03994 : Maori art and artists
2) 709.45 : Renaissance Art
4) 751.73 : Graffiti
5) 741.5 : Comic book art (I couldn’t resist, after all!)

If you’re looking for some great documentaries and movies, we have some of those as well!

I recommend:

1) Jean-Michel Basquiat: the radiant child (documentary)
2) Maudie (film)
3) Exit through the gift shop: a Banksy film (documentary)
4) Simon Schama’s Power of art (documentary)
5) Séraphine (film)

That’s all for now. I think my next one will be on photography! Stay tuned.

You might like….fairy tale edition and first in a series!

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsHere is a new feature on the blog! In this series of posts, I will examine various new releases and Librarian’s Choice books and suggest other items in our collection that are related – whether as inspiration or as first examples in the genre. This week, something that’s close to my heart and very popular in YA fiction at the moment: fairy tales.

Holly Black is one of the best YA authors writing today and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of her books and am especially keen to read her latest book (the first in a series, yay!) called The Cruel Prince. Like many of her other books, it deals with the fae. This time a young woman must navigate the capricious and cruel fae court – politics and fairy tales, excellent!

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsThe Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert is another book I’m really interested in; it’s currently ninth on the New York Times’ YA bestseller list and had a glowing review in the Guardian. It’s rather more controversial on Goodreads, but that just makes me all the more eager to give it a look. It tells the story of Alice, who lives with her mother is chased by constant bad luck; they make their way to Alice’s Grandmother’s (an author of a cult collection of fairy takes) house, in the Hazel Wood of the book’s title.

Book cover courtesy of SyndeticsShaun Tan’s The Singing Bones is my go-to recommendation for anyone looking to start investigating the “original” Grimm Brothers’ fairytales. It’s a deceptively simple collection featuring a fragment of text from the original Grimm brother’s story and then an image depicting a central moment within that narrative. If you want to read the original stories, we also have the uncensored translation. We also have books about fairy tales and their significance. My favourite and one of the most well known authors on this subject is Jack Zipes: start with Fairy tales and the art of subversion. If you’re more visually inclined, check out Fairy tale fashion by Colleen Hill.

I’ve hope you pick some of these books up – they’re all wonderful and weird, just like faerie/fairy tales themselves.

Books for Pride Week

A bit late with this post, but better late than never! Here are some of the best books about living as a member of the LGBTQ community.

  1. Some assembly required : the not-so-secret life of a transgender teen, Arin Andrews
  2. If you could be mine, Sara Farizan
  3. Girl mans up, M-E Girard
  4. If I was your girl, Meredith Russo
  5. As I descended, Robin Talley
  6. Drag teen, Jeffrey Self
  7. Draw the line, Laurent Linn
  8. Boy meets boy, David Levithan
  9. Beyond magenta : transgender teens speak out, Susan Kuklin
  10. The boy’s own manual to being a proper Jew, Eli Glasman

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