Month: March 2019

6 New Non Fiction to read before the holidays.

Katie

Hey kids! Check the latest new non fiction added to the Children’s collection! Featured in this are new biographies from the DK Life Stories series, world football records, and much more!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of sydneticsHelen Keller.

Discover the inspiring story of Helen Keller, who overcame the odds by learning to understand and communicate with the world. Helen Keller lost her sight and hearing due to an early childhood illness and spent the first 6 years of her life unable to interact with other people. She remained isolated from the outside world until Anne Sullivan came to work as her teacher. In this biography book for kids ages 8-11, learn all about Helen Keller’s amazing life and achievements – how she learned to read Braille and speak, go to college, write books, and ultimately revolutionize the world through her activism on behalf of the deaf and blind.

image courtesy of syndeticsGandhi.

Discover the inspiring life story of Mohandas Gandhi, from early beginnings to  using his teachings of non-violence and civil disobedience to win his country’s freedom – and create a philosophy of peace and equality. Highly recommended.

image courtesy of syndeticsAnne Frank.

Discover the incredible story of Anne Frank, the courageous young writer who hid from the Nazis during World War II. Anne Frank’s diary is read by children and adults worldwide. It tells two stories- one of an extraordinary young girl living in hiding during one of the most fearsome times in history, and one of a relatable young girl facing the same questions and troubles that kids come up against today. Learn how both sides of this puzzle made up the person who is Anne Frank. Meet her family and friends, explore “The Annex” where they hid, and see her story put in historical context alongside information about World War II and the Holocaust, and Hitler and Nazi Germany.

image courtesy fo syndeticsAlbert Einstein.

Follow the remarkable life story of Albert Einstein, whose legendary genius and creative imagination made him one of the world’s most famous thinkers. His many theories and discoveries changed the way scientists think and work, and the way in which we look at and understand things. Learn all about Einstein’s family and education, his travels and troubles, and the special compass he was given as a young boy that first set him on the path to questioning the world around him.

image courtesy of syndeticsSTEM Lab.

This book presents over two dozen science activities demonstrating such scientific properties as forces and motion, chemical reactions, shapes and structures, and light and sound.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Vision book of football records 2019.

10th edition of this popular, bright and quirky annual football records book. Crammed with records, facts, stats and amazing feats from the world’s greatest game, The Vision Book of Football Records 2019 is the perfect Christmas present for football fans of all ages. It includes an entry on every English league team and all the Scottish SPL clubs plus the major European and world clubs from Brasil to Barcelona and an all-star squad of current and former football legends.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Book of Dragons: Secrets of the Dragon Domain.

Move over  Toothless from “How to train your dragon.”, and Smaug from The Hobbit, there’s a new lot of dragons in the world of literature!  The book for dragons charts the natural habitats of these mighty and ancient creatures. With amazing facts and eye catching pictures, you will be amazed by what you learn about these remarkable dangerous creatures.

 

 

 

 

 

Bear Themed Storytime with Baz at Vic Books Kelburn this Saturday!

Katie

Hey Kids!

While the Central Library is out of action delivering your regular Saturday storytimes, you can still go VicBooks Kelburn, every Saturday from 11am for Storytime with Baz.

This Saturday, to celebrate 30 years since the publication of We’re Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen, this week’s Story Time with Baz has a special bear theme!

image courtesy of vic books kelburn

Where: Vic Books Kelburn, Easterfield Building, 1 Kelburn Parade, Victoria University Wellington

Date: 23rd of March 2019

Time: 11am

 

 

 

If you can’t make it this Saturday, you can still catch Baz’s reading of the classic on RadioActive.fm‘s Breakfast Show with Maggie Tweedie from 8.15am on Thursday 21st of March.

Have you watched Michael Rosen Reading We’re going on a Bear Hunt on Youtube?

 

Three Disney Live Action film movie trailers!

Katie

The wonderful world of Disney comes to life, (literally) with the remake of three classic and entertaining animation movies to the big screen… and in live action. Three movies that I watched during my childhood and still remain favourite of mine to this day.

Warning: This blog post contains three movie trailers filmed in live action sequence, filled with cute baby animals, where there will be lots of “awwwwww’s” in unison, movies trailers filled with singing and dancing and a humanoid genie that grants wishes and at times acts as a surrogate parent.

Dumbo.

Release date: 28th March.

Tim Burton, (director of the 2005 movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory),  directs this live-action retelling of the original animated 1941 Disney classic. Struggling circus owner Max Medici enlists a former star and his two children to care for Dumbo, a baby elephant born with oversized ears. When the family discovers that the animal can fly, it soon becomes the main attraction — bringing in huge audiences and revitalizing the run-down circus. The elephant’s magical ability also draws the attention of V.A. Vandevere, an entrepreneur who wants to showcase Dumbo in his latest, larger-than-life entertainment venture. So far, looks like it’s going to be amazing, heart warming, and I suspect at times, heart breaking movie for the whole family to enjoy. Dumbo is the epitome of  cuteness. The song, “Baby of mine” is eerily beautiful, haunting and makes you want to cry. Maybe best to have tissues on stand by.

Aladdin.

Release Date: 23rd May.

Guy Ritchie directs this live-action retelling of the original animated 1992 Disney classic, with Will Smith the wish-granting Genie.

If this film is anything like the original, you will be taken on a journey of wonders, non stop laughs, thrills and magic carpet rides.  In the heart of an enchanted city, a commoner named Aladdin battle to save (and win the heart of)  the free-spirited Princess Jasmine from the schemes of the evil sorcerer Jafar. Aladdin’s whole life changes with one rub of a magic lamp as a fun-loving, shape shifting, humanoid Genie, played by Will Smith, appears and grants him three wishes, setting him on an incredible journey of discovery, love and true meaning of friendship. The trailer is in a word… AWESOME! Will Smith owns the role of the genie!

 

The Lion King.

Release Date: 18th July.

The Jungle Book director Jon Favreau helms this CG-animated re-imagining of the 1994 Walt Disney classic. Stars Donald Glover as Simba.

The Lion King, based on the original animated movie… and one of my favourite films! It is scheduled to be released on July 18th 2019, which marks the 25th anniversary of the release of the original film. Exciting! While you’re waiting, why not come on down to your local library and rent the original film! As a recap, The Lion King, tells the story of Simba, a delightful lion cub who is heir to the throne of the pride lands. However, when Simba’s father is killed… by Simba’s treacherous uncle, Scar, poor Simba, feeling guilt ridden lion cub flees into exile until the moment where he must confront his uncle and reclaim his identity , as well as destiny as the future King. Another movie trailer filled with (wild) animals and cute baby animals!!! (Spoiler: Simba as a baby in his Mum’s arms and being presented to the entire African animal population)

The Central Library is closed

admin

Hi kids and families,

We’re sorry to tell you that the Central Library has closed. This is because engineers have told us that, while the building is not damaged, the library might not be very safe if there is a large earthquake.

The librarians are busy coming up with ideas and plans for how we can make the books and events available to you, so stay tuned.

This means that our usual programmes like Storytimes and Baby Rock & Rhyme are cancelled for now.

In the meantime, you can return books and items to any other Wellington City Library, and you can use your library card at any of our libraries to borrow books and other items too. Don’t forget you can download ebooks, and audiobooks, from our website.

Stay up to date with news and announcements by checking the library website, or take a look at our Facebook or Twitter feeds (ask an adult to help if you don’t know how).

Flicks @ Six at Tawa Library

debbie

Come along to our free movie event on Thursday 21st March at Tawa Library. There are two times to choose from – 4pm or 6pm.

This is a double screening of the same movie so pick the time that suits you best.

This month follow in the adventures of a clumsy, vine-swinging king of the jungle. With friends including a talking gorilla and an elephant who aspires to be a dog this movie is full of slam-bang action and fun.

This film is rated PG

You can call the library or talk to a librarian to find out what is playing each month.

Bring your own cushion for a comfy night in. Movies will play in the Children’s section of the library

Here’s some great new kids fiction to read as Autumn starts to settle in

admin

The warm summer days will be coming to an end, so what a great chance to read these great new fiction choices available through your library!

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsUnexpected twist; An Oliver Twisted tale by Michael Rosen

Shona and her dad are moving house, and at Shona’s new school, the rules are pretty confusing; she keeps getting into trouble without realizing! It’s a lot like how it is for Oliver Twist, that boy she’s reading about in English class. After Shona is unexpectedly given a mobile phone, she begins to suspect there’s something fishy about the new boys she’s met. Where did the phone come from? And some gifts, she soon learns, aren’t exactly free…


Image courtesy of SyndeticsInto the Jungle by Matt Forbeck

The Harpers have lost one of their own, a legendary adventurer named Artus Cimber, keeper of the artifact known as the Ring of Winter. They’ve hired you to travel to the jungle-clad land of Chult and find him. If only you can manage it before the frost giants hunting for him do — and before the zombies that infest the lands get you…


Image courtesy of SyndeticsPearl the Proper Unicorn by Sally Odgers

Pearl, Olive and Tweet meet another unicorn! His name is Prince Percy and he is positively perfect in every way! But when mean, smelly gobble-uns take over the pond, can Prince Percy’s perfect magic help them? Or will Pearl’s magic be just what they need?


Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman’s stirring middle-grade debut. Life is harsh in Chennai’s teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Ruku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter-and friendship-on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And while making a living scavenging the city’s trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.


Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe train to impossible places by P.G Bell

Join the journey to Impossible Places, where there’s magic at every stop… Suzy is surprised to find a grumpy troll building a railway through her house – especially when a gigantic steam train crashes into her hallway! This is the Impossible Postal Express, the trusty delivery service of the Union of Impossible Places, and Suzy becomes its newest recruit. And with her cursed first package, an Impossible adventure begins.–Provided by publisher.

Special Seaweek Storytime at Newtown Library!

Stephen Clothier

Get those flippers on and dust off your snorkel, we’re helping you celebrate New Zealand Seaweek 2019 with a special Seaweek storytime at Newtown Library! Join us this Wednesday, the 6th of March, at 10.30am, for a shimmering submerged safari of more seaworthy stories than even the saltiest sailor could shake a stick at.

We’d love to see you there! While you’re here, why not check out all the other stuff that’s going on in Wellington for Seaweek this year?

The theme for Kaupapa Moana NZ Seaweek 2019 is Tiakina i tātou Moana — Care for our Seas.

Seaweek 2019 – Kaupapa Moana – is here!

Stephen Clothier

New Zealand Seaweek 2019 has officially begun!

This year the theme of Seaweek is Tiakina i tātou Moana — Caring for our Seas, and it runs from the 2nd to the 10th of March. We know that looking after the ocean is really important. We rely on it for food and fun (and a whole bunch of other things, too!), but sometimes the things we do can have a bad effect on the overall health of our seas. Plastic packaging is often thrown away carelessly, and ends up in the ocean, where it can be eaten by sea creatures who mistake it for food. Fertilisers that we use to grow our food on land can make it into the ocean due to runoff into streams and rivers, which feed into the sea. Fertilisers in our waterways often cause toxic algae to grow, which makes it impossible for most animals to live in the area.

Seaweek 2019 is your chance to learn about how you can help! Zoom out to the beach and see if you can help organise a local clean-up, or head along to one of the over 40 events taking place in Wellington for Seaweek this year!

Your library has a bunch of books that can help you learn about what you can do to care for our seas. Check the list below, or ask a friendly librarian to help you find the perfect read for Kaupapa Moana 2019!

Ocean / Howell, Izzi
This book helps you learn all about ocean habitats, what creatures live there, and what we can do to protect these precious parts of the planet’s ecosystem.

The sea book / Milner, Charlotte
Featuring fascinating fishy facts accompanied by bright, bold, and beautiful illustrations, this book takes you on a journey through the sea and all its zones.

Go green! / Gogerly, Liz
Learn all about ways you can reduce, reuse and recycle your way to a healthier planet — and a happier ocean!

Hero of the sea : Sir Peter Blake’s mighty ocean quests / Hill, David
Read this awesome and inspiring book about the life of Sir Peter Blake and how he contributed to safeguarding our oceans and waterways for future generations.

Under the ocean : explore & discover the seas around New Zealand / Candler, Gillian
Learn more about all of the amazing animals that live in and around the oceans of Aotearoa New Zealand, and find out what makes our little corner of the marine world so special!