Getting Crafty: Arts and Crafts Books From Our eLibrary

If you’re anything like me and my sister you will be reaching for the arts and crafts supplies to get you through these next few weeks. Of course, it can be hard to get started on a project, or think up an idea all by yourself which is where the library comes in. We have loads of great crafting books online you can check out and help you get creative and pass the time throughout the lockdown.

Origami activities for children / Araki, Chiyo
Want to get creative but don’t have many craft supplies around the house? Then origami would be perfect! Learn how to make boats, flowers, pumpkins and more out of just a square of paper. Each project comes with step by step instructions and all are graded so you can start off simply and progress to more difficult designs as you improve your origami skills. Have fun keeping your hands busy and decorating your room with some wonderful paper creations.

Life hacks for kids / Keller, Sunny
Who doesn’t love a fun life hack? Sunny Heller will take you through her favourite hacks from her youtube channel and teach you exactly how she makes them. Feel like creating your own bowling alley at home? Or maybe some duct-tape earrings or even a new cat toy for your kitty? Sunny can help you make all this and more with this wonderfully colourful and fun craft book.

20 ways to draw a tree and 44 other nifty things from nature / Renouf, Eloise

Incredible Dinosaurs / McCurry, Kristen

Itching to draw and paint but can’t quite decide what you should create? Then the library can help you figure out your style and help perfect your pictures. These are just two books from our elibrary that are designed to teach you how to draw certain things and inspire you to create your own amazing landscapes, dinosaurs and more!

These are just a few of the books we have available in our elibrary so if they’re not quite right for you feel free to check out the rest of our collection.

One thing to remember is that it might be hard to get a hold of all the supplies needed for some of these projects because most shops are closed and we can’t leave our houses much. It might be best to talk to your Mum or Dad about what you have available when you’re picking your projects and using some kiwi ingenuity by swapping out things you can’t get with similar bits and pieces around your home.

I hope these books can inspire you and help you get crafty over the next few weeks!

That’s a Wrap!

Wow – the Summer Reading Challenge is finished for another year. It was fantastic to see so many great review coming in over the last 8 weeks.

We librarians are busy crunching numbers behind the scenes, and will announce the winners in the next couple of weeks.

There are two main prizes (every review you wrote was one entry into this prize draw), and also a prize for the top school.

If you completed the reading bingo challenge and gave us your booklet, then you will receive a book prize too. You’ll hear from your local librarian soon.

And if you want to now… there were 708 reviews written in total. Cool!

But don’t slow down now! You can keep reading and reviewing (and earning prizes) all year long through our online Kids’ Club (…it’s very similar to the Summer Reading Challenge, but without the big prize draws). Check out our booklists and this blog for some reading inspiration.

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

 

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

** Not guaranteed, sorry. 

 

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

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


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

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

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMika & Max by Laura Bloom

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

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMy Parents Cancelled my Birthday by Jo Simmons

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

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

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

*You won’t learn anything about history.


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

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

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

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

 

 

Happy New Year from us to you

Happy 2020 bookworms!

What’s your reading goal this year? Is it to read a certain number of books, or try a new topic or author, or to challenge yourself with books that are harder than anything you’ve ever read before…? If you’re looking for some inspiration you could start with the Summer Reading Challenge, which still has almost four weeks left to go – plenty of time to read, review, and win prizes.

The Challenge also includes a Book Bingo with lots of fun reading challenge to tick off.

 

Our newly opened Johnsonville library at the Waitohi Community Hub has loads of new and cool events and activities for you. Check out the library event calendar to find out what’s on (select Johnsonville Library from the location list).

 

 

If you’re still on holiday and can’t make it to the library then make sure you get your reading fix at our eLibrary. You download heaps of eBooks and audiobooks, including Dogman, Harry Potter, Big Nate, Amulet, Captain Underpants, Goosebumps… and more!

 

Changes to programmes over Christmas and January

Hi all,

We know you love taking a break at this time of year, and we do too!

Some of our regular library programmes won’t be available during the holidays. Here’s what is and isn’t happening:


Baby Rock & Rhyme:

There will be no sessions from Monday 16th December to Sunday 2nd February

Preschool Storytime:

There will be no Sessions from Wednesday 25th December to Sunday 5th January.

-Brooklyn Library will start back on Tuesday 14th January.

-Wadestown Library will start back on Monday 27th January.


Kōhunga Kōrero:

All sessions are happening! Check the event calendar to find out when and where.

Let’s Go Lego:

There will be no sessions from 16 December to the end of January.

Except at the new Johnsonville Library at the Waitohi Hub, who will have two sessions of Lego each week during December and January.

Code Club:

This programme runs during school terms only, and will return in February 2020.

Look out for new clubs at the new Johnsonville Library at the Waitohi Hub – including Level 1 and 2 Code Club, and Code Time. Coming soon!


Crafterschool:

This programme runs during school terms only, and will return in February 2020.

Family Movies:

Some sessions are cancelled, and some are still running. It’s best to check the library event calendar to see what’s on and where.

Tech Time:

This programme runs during school terms only, and will return in February 2020.

What is happening?

Have a look in the library event calendar to find out what is happening. There are lots of school holiday and makerspace events happening in the Johnsonville Library.

You can also take part in the Summer Reading Challenge, which is on ow until the end of January.

Going on Holiday? Through our website you can download thousands of books, magazines, movies, TV shows, interactive books and storytimes, and so much more! Click through to our eLibrary to find your next favourite or binge.

 

Marry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas Storytimes – Start today!

Ho ho ho!

Take a sleigh ride into your local library for our annual festival family storytimes. These popular events are back for 2019, with more opportunities to join in with the fun.

Suitable for families with children of all ages, these storytimes are free and bookings are not required.

Come along for stories, songs and carols, crafts and activities with a festive Christmas theme:

Thursday 12th December

Karori Library, 6 – 7pm

Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, 6.30 – 7.30pm

Friday 13th December

He Matapihi (Molesworth St) Library, 10 – 10.45am, Bilingual Storytime

Saturday 14th December

Arapaki (Manners St) Library, 10.30 – 11.15am

Monday 16th December

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library, 6 – 7pm

Miramar Library, 6 – 6.45pm

Brooklyn Library, 6.30 – 7.15pm

Thursday 19th December

Island Bay Community Centre, 4.30 – 5.30pm, Christmas Crafts

Island Bay Library, 6 – 6.45pm

Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library, 6 – 6.45pm

Khandallah Library, 6 – 7pm

Wadestown Library, 6.30 – 7.15pm

Friday 20th December

Newtown Library, 6 – 6.45pm Multicultural Storytime

Saturday 21st December

Johnsonville Library at Waitohi Hub, 2 – 3pm

Special Christmas Storytimes and Craft

Our popular annual Christmas Storytimes are back for 2019. Grab the family and head along to your nearest location for some festive fun.

There will be fun crafts, carols, stories and activities. Have a bilingual or multicultural christmas experience with two special events.

The storytimes are free, everyone is welcome, and suitable for preschoolers and children or all ages with their caregivers.

 

Here’s the where and when:

12th December:

Karori Library 6 – 7 pm
Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library  6.30 – 7.30 pm

____

13th December:

He Matapihi Library 10 – 10.45 am

Special bilingual session

____

14th December:

Arapaki Library 10.30 – 11.15 am

____

16th December:

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library 6 – 7 pm
Miramar Library 6 – 6.45 pm
Brooklyn Library 6.30 – 7.15 pm

____

19th December:

Island Bay Library 6 – 6.45 pm

Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library 6 – 6.45 pm

Khandallah Library 6 – 7 pm

Wadestown Library 6.30 -7.15 pm

and

Island Bay Community Centre 4.30 – 5.30 pm

Special Christmas crafts event

____

20th December:

Newtown Library 6 – 6.45 pm

special multicultural storytime

____

21st December:

Johnsonville Library at Waitohi Hub 2 – 3 pm

Summer Reading Challenge

You can even read a book at the beach!

The 2019 – 2020 Summer Reading Challenge is here!

We challenge you! How many can you read? From 1 December to 31 January you can pick up a challenge booklet from your local library, or download and print, and get Reading, Reviewing and Winning!

An extra special treat for this year… Win more prizes by doing the Book Bingo!

Find out more and get started at the Summer Reading Challenge page.

5 great new fiction to read as warm summer days approach

mysthsIsn’t springtime wonderful?!

Birds are chirping and who knows what the weather is going to do! So head down to your nearest library and escape into some of these fantastic new books!

 

Aru Shah and the Song of Death by Roshani ChokshiImage courtesy of Syndetics

Accused of stealing the god of love’s bow and arrow, Aru has ten days to find the real thief or risk being kicked out of the Otherworld.


Image courtesy of SyndeticsPrincess Leia: Royal Rebel by Calliope Glass

Ever wonder how Princess Leia became the leader of the Resistance? When did she first join the fight against the Galactic Empire? What was her home planet like? How did she help destroy the Death Star? Who are her closest allies and greatest enemies? And how did she go from being a senator to a general? In this biography–filled with illustrations, character profiles, and fast facts–you’ll learn the complete history of Princess Leia and her fight to free the galaxy.

 


Lady Mary
by Lucy WorsleyImage courtesy of Syndetics

Mary Tudor’s world is turned upside-down when her father, Henry the Eighth, declares his marriage to her mother is over and that Mary isn’t really his child. How can he do such a thing? Banished from court and separated from her beloved mother, Mary realises her family will never be as she hoped. Alone for the first time in her life, Mary must fight for what is rightfully hers. Despite what anyone says, she will always be a princess. It is in her blood. But without her fierce mother by her side, will Mary find the strength? Is there anyone Mary can trust? And how will she survive?

 


Image courtesy of SyndeticsBeyond Platform 13 by Sibeal pounder

The Island of Mist is under siege and Odge Gribble and Prince Ben are in hiding. Desperate to find out why the mist is disappearing, Odge travels through the gump to Vienna, to find a mistmaker expert. But in yet another case of mistaken identity, Odge finds Lina, a nine-year-old girl looking for adventure. With the help of friends old and new, and some very interesting magic, Odge and Lina must discover the secret of the mist, before they lose their beloved island completely.

 


Tui Street Heroes by Anne KayesImage courtesy of Syndetics

Who can help when you’re faced with vicious creatures that are meant to be extinct or people who don’t care whether you live or die? The Tui Street kids are writing ‘hero’s journey’ stories at school, but soon find themselves involved in adventures more difficult than they could ever have imagined

 

 

Summer Reading Challenge – starts this week!

Summer Reading 2017Look out! It’s back again! Your favourite reading challenge starts this week on 1st December. Welcome to Summer, and welcome to the annual Summer Reading Challenge!

Drop into to any Wellington City Library, or go online to the kids’ webpages to pick up or print the Summer Reading Challenge booklet. You can start reading and reviewing, and completing the challenges from this Sunday.

The Summer Reading Challenge runs through to 31st January 2020, and is open to all 5 – 12 year olds with a Wellington City libraries card.

Don’t forget that schools are also competing to see who has the most students involved in the challenge, so make sure you tell your friends and get them on board.