Books From The Vault: Episode 6

 

Welcome to our latest exciting and scintillating episode of Books from the Vault, to be found on Wellington City Libraries’ very own podcast channel called Kōtare: Wellington City Libraries Presents. Books from the Vault is a in which three intrepid librarian explorers take an in-depth and fascinating look at some of the treasure trove of titles to be found in our stacks.

Listen now! Books from the Vault: Episode 6

They dive deep into the vaults and unearth some wonderfully diverse books. After a brief description, they go on to talk vividly about the wider aspects of these works and, as an added bonus, discuss a range of linked and associated titles. This latest instalment is a children’s special.

In this episode, one of our CYA Specialists Mary Barnett selects Box by Penelope Todd; a young adult dystopian fantasy book set in Dunedin. Next, Zoë Miller, our Ethnic Communities Engagement Specialist, talks about Emeli Sione’s A New Dawn – a children’s book about the dawn raids of the 1970s and their effects on the community and individuals.

And finally, our Fiction Specialist Neil Johnstone talks about one of his favourite old-time books, The Children of Green Knowe by Lucy M Boston. First published in 1954, this is a classic English children’s book with elements of English folk mythology and ghosts, which is also heavily laden with historical detail. Intrigued? You can listen to the full episode here.

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Box / Todd, Penelope
“Derik is on the run. Not from the deadly epidemics on the rise in New Zealand but from the ruling government and its efforts to wipe out disease. The authorities have begun Endorsement: a nation-wide drive to implant a device in every citizen, to regulate body chemistry and control emotions. It’s a social experiment the whole world is watching. But Derik wants to think and feel, for himself. Trying to find shelter, he soon discovers he’s not the only one to have turned fugitive.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

A new dawn / Sione, Emeli
“Emeli Stone shares her Dawn Raid story to help us understand the real impact of this dark time in our history.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

 

 

The children of Green Knowe / Boston, L. M.
“It is a classic of its genre a Children’s book that is basically an  English  folk, ghost story that is also heavily laden with historical detail . It is really atmospheric the start is truly a fabulous bit of writing . At times it can be a bit scary and creepy but in a friendly way. An excellent gentle introduction to ghost stories.’ ( Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Continue reading “Books From The Vault: Episode 6”

International Chocolate Day: 13th of September

It’s International Chocolate Day and if there’s one thing that rates high amongst librarians, other than books and cats, it’s chocolate!  We’ll find any excuse to have some celebratory choccies around, and you’ll seldom hear more oohs and ahhs than when a really delicious looking chocolate recipe book comes into the collection.  In celebration of this most special day of the year, we’ve put together a list of chocolatey items from our collection that you can dig into while you enjoy some of the sweet stuff.

Chocolate : a global history / Moss, Sarah
“Chocolate is synonymous with our cultural sweet tooth, our restaurant dessert menus, and our idea of indulgence. It is seen as magical, addictive, and powerful beyond anything that can be explained by its ingredients, and in Chocolate Sarah Moss and Alec Badenoch explore the origins and growth of this almost universal obsession. Moss and Badenoch recount the history of chocolate, which from ancient times has been associated with sexuality, sin, blood, and sacrifice. Chocolate also looks at today’s mass-production of chocolate, with brands such as Hershey’s, Lindt, and Cadbury dominating our supermarket shelves.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Chocolate / Hay, Donna
“Featuring 60 simply beautiful recipes for all our favourites, this is the only chocolate cookbook you’ll ever need. Give yourself and your family a sweet treat! Covering the basics, biscuits and slices, small cakes, cakes and desserts, Simple Essentials: Chocolate is a celebration of everyone’s favourite ingredient.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Chocolate alchemy : a bean to bar primer : creating your own truffles, candies, cakes, fudge and sipping chocolates / Hard, Kristen
“Finally, the first book to reveal the complete bean-to-bar process of creating chocolate from scratch in your own kitchen, plus over 100 recipes for delectable cacao treats. Through easy-to-understand recipes, Chocolate Alchemy makes creating your own chocolate at home accessible to everyone, whether you are an avid cook or simply a chocolate lover.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Chocolat : a novel / Harris, Joanne
“When an exotic stranger, Vianne Rocher, arrives in the French village of Lansquenet and opens a chocolate boutique directly opposite the church, Father Reynaud denounces her as a serious moral danger to his flock – especially as it is the beginning of Lent, the traditional season of self-denial. As passions flare and the conflict escalates, the whole community takes sides. Can the solemnity of the Church compare with the sinful pleasure of a chocolate truffle?” (Catalogue)

The little book of Chocolat / Harris, Joanne
“Try me… test me… taste me… Joanne Harris’ Chocolat trilogy has tantalized readers with its sensuous descriptions of chocolate since it was first published. Now, to celebrate the much-loved story of Vianne Rocher’s deliciously decadent chocolaterie, Joanne Harris and Fran Warde have created the ultimate book of chocolate lore and recipes from around the world, bringing a touch of magic to your kitchen.” (Catalogue)

The secrets of chocolate : a gourmand’s trip through a top chef’s atelier / Alarcon, Franckie
“Following Jacques Genin for a year, Franckie Alarcon hobnobbed with one of the biggest chefs of Chocolate. Former chef and pastry chef for prestigious restaurants, this super-talented autodidact shares all his passion and knowledge of chocolate and his process for creating recipes. In this docu-comic, we travel with the starry-eyed author, satisfying many a craving from the chef’s amazing atelier above his store, trying his hand as an apprentice, all the way to the Peruvian cocoa plantations where another chef shows how one carefully chooses the beans.” (Catalogue)

Charlie and the chocolate factory / Dahl, Roald
“Charlie Bucket loves chocolate. And Mr Willy Wonka, the most wonderous inventor in the world, is opening the gates of his amazing chocolate factory to five lucky children. It’s the prize of a lifetime! Gobstoppers, wriggle sweets and a river of melted chocolate await – Charlie needs just one Golden Ticket and these delicious treats could all be his.” (Catalogue)

 

The ultimate book of chocolate : make your chocolate dreams come true / Dupuis, Melanie
“In The Ultimate Book of Chocolate trained pastry chef Melanie Dupuis will teach you how to make your chocolate dreams become a reality. Learn how to temper, mould and decorate like a pro with the complete guide to everything chocolate. Melanie guides the reader with step-by-step pictures and detailed instructions on all the essential techniques, from tempering to making ganache, chocolate mousse, creme anglaise, biscuit bases, meringue and more . This is a masterclass in making chocolate desserts from an expert pastry chef, and is truly a chocoaholic’s dream book!” (Catalogue)

Lonely Planet’s global chocolate tour
“Explore the delicious world of chocolate with Lonely Planet. Packed with find chocolate makers across six continents, and with tips on everything from where to get Germany’s best black forest cake to the hotspots for hot chocolate, our experts show you where to treat your sweet tooth. Includes Tokyo, Brussels, London, Sydney, Johannesburg, San Francisco, Oaxaca, Toronto and more.” (Catalogue)

The big block of chocolate / Bottin, Janet
“Miss Jenny bought some chocolate, a great big block of chocolate. She said, ‘This block of chocolate is mine and all for me'”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

 

 

For more delicious books about chocolate, click here.

Raymond Briggs, author of “The Snowman”, has died

Raymond Briggs, one of the world’s most unique and beloved author/illustrators has died, aged 88.

The Snowman, by Raymond BriggsAn iconic children’s author, he is perhaps best known for his hugely popular books of the 1970s, including Father Christmas, Fungus the Bogeyman, and especially The Snowman (1978). Although he was already well established as a children’s author at the time it was made, it was the 1982 multi-award winning animated adaptation of The Snowman that really propelled Briggs and his work into the wider public consciousness.

Born in Wimbledon in 1934, Briggs was evacuated as a child from London during the second world war. After doing his national service, he studied painting at University College London, which he briefly pursued as a career, before becoming a professional illustrator.

In 1966, he won the first of many major awards — the Kate Greenaway Medal, for illustrating  The Mother Goose Treasury. His 1970s work appealed to children, teenagers, and adults alike, whilst later works took on a more serious political aspect, with works such as When The Wind Blows (about nuclear destruction) and The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman (about the Falklands War).

In many of his works, Briggs liked to include autobiographical elements with poignant, humanist portrayals, such as Ethel and Ernest (about his parents). His last work — the brutally honest  illustrated memoir Time for Lights Out.

Taken as a whole the body of his works is remarkable funny, sad, political and sometimes deeply personal.  He always adapted his illustration style in a chameleon type way, to precisely suit the mood and tone of each work. In short, he created books that matter and will continue to matter as time passes and surely that is the ultimate point of great books, or indeed great art.


The snowman / Briggs, Raymond
“When his snowman comes to life, a little boy invites him home and in return is taken on a flight high above the countryside.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Father Christmas / Briggs, Raymond
“Strip pictures, with an occasional full-page spread, and words in comic-style balloons show domestic activities as well as the working life of a slightly reluctant Father Christmas.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Father Christmas goes on holiday / Briggs, Raymond
“Follows Father Christmas on a search for the ideal holiday spot.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Fungus the bogeyman / Briggs, Raymond
“Everyday life in Bogeydom is examined as Fungus the Bogeyman describes the skills of scaring people in the nighttime and living underground amidst slime and grime in the daytime.” (Adapted from Catalogue). We also have the award winning film available on DVD.

Ug : boy genius of the stone age and his search for soft trousers / Briggs, Raymond
“Ug, an inventive and inquisitive Stone Age boy, is misunderstood by his family and friends when he tries to improve their living conditions.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The Puddleman / Briggs, Raymond
“Tom refers to his grandfather as ‘Collar’ because he drags him around on a lead. One day, Tom decides that he will take Collar on a walk to see the puddles he has named after the members of the family, but the puddles are not there. Collar insists that this is because it hasn’t rained, but Tom believes that it’s just because they haven’t been put in yet. He wanders off, leaving Collar talking to Mrs Whitebobblehat, and comes across just the person he needs.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Time for lights out / Briggs, Raymond
“In his customary pose as the grumpiest of grumpy old men, Raymond Briggs contemplates old age and death… and doesn’t like them much. Illustrated with Briggs’s inimitable pencil drawings, Time for Lights Out is a collection of short pieces, some funny, some melancholy, some remembering his wife who died young, others about the joy of grandchildren, of walking the dog… He looks back at his schooldays and his time as an evacuee during the war, and remembers his parents and the house in which he grew up. But most, like this one, are about his home in Sussex.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Notes from the sofa / Briggs, Raymond
“In ‘Notes from the Sofa’, Raymond Briggs traces the course of his life in a series of wonderfully observed vignettes that take him from the awkwardness and embarrassment of growing up to the vicissitudes and frustrations of growing old.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Gentleman Jim / Briggs, Raymond
“Jim is the story of Jim Bloggs, an imaginative toilet cleaner who, dissatisfied with his station in life, devotes his time to envisioning a world beyond it. His walls are lined with books like Out in the Silver West, The Boys’ Book of Pirates, and Executive Opportunities, which provide fodder for his ruminations on career change. Encouraged by his wife, who is also eager to incorporate more adventure into her life, Jim sets out to bring these dreams to fruition by accumulating various accoutrements, only to discover that the life of an executive, an artist, or a cowboy is more complicated and costly than it appears.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Summer Reading Challenge for Kids

All of a sudden the end of the school year and Summer are nearly upon us, and lo and behold, it RAINS! Need an activity to occupy your kids’ imaginations? Print out a Summer Reading Challenge booklet for them (and explore our interactive list online!).

Every year the team at Wellington City Libraries put their heads together and come up with a list of 60+ amazing books. We then challenge kids aged 5 – 12 years to read as many books as possible from our Summer Reading Booklist between the 1st of December and the 31st of January. Once the kids have read a book, they go to the Kids’ Club page, write a review and win prizes!

P.S. You might find yourself reading their Summer Reading Challenge books as well!