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Some great new kids fiction to help get us through winter!

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We are over halfway through winter now – yahoo! This is the perfect time of the year to snuggle up with a good book and hot chocolate. Try one of these new ones that the library has just bought.

 

A Twist of Tales by Julia Donaldson

A king hides a terrible secret under his crown … A marvellous dream inspires an epic journey … A clever girl outwits the king. Told in hyper-readable language and with full-colour illustrations.

 


 

Kensy and Max:  Undercover by Jacqueline HarveyImage courtesy of Syndetics

Kensy and Max are back in London for no time at all before things begin to heat up – quite literally. As a result, Granny Cordelia ships them off to Australia on an undercover mission. The twins find themselves planted in a posh Sydney school where first appearances prove to be deceiving. What seems like a straightforward assignment turns into something so much bigger. Kensy and Max must employ all their spy skills – the fate of their parents, and who they’ve been searching for, depends on it.

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsWe’ll bite your tail, Geronimo by Geronimo Stilton

Professor Greenfur, the onboard scientist on spaceship MouseStar 1, has changed color from green to–orange! What’s going on? To find out, the spacemice travel to his home planet of Photosyntheson. There, they learn that all of Professor Greenfur’s relatives are being threatened by the nibblix, tiny aliens with very sharp teeth! Can the spacemice help in time?

 

Maximillian Fly by Angie SageImage courtesy of Syndetics

Maximillian Fly, a roach-human hybrid, helps two young humans escape from the Bartizan’s eye, only to find himself a key player in a deadly war between roaches and humans

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsMeet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi

In this compilation of four separately published books, Pakistani American second grader Yasmin learns to cope with the small problems of school and home, while gaining confidence in her own skills and creative abilities.

Matariki – Māori New Year

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Kia ora koutou,

Matariki is a time to celebrate, remember and plan. It is a time to be together and to share and learn new skills.

One way to find out more about Matariki could to to explore Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand 


Would you like to listen in Te Reo, English (or both!) to this story woven with magic, love and adventure?

The Seven Stars of Matariki / Te Huihui o Matariki by Toni Rolleston is a beautiful book to read about Matariki. It’s available in English, and te reo. Check out the videos below.

Image Courtesy of SyndeticsImage Courtesy of Syndetics

 



 


You might want to keep practising your New Zealand Sign Language AND your Te Reo! Learn some more sign by watching  19 year old Tuhoi Henry (Te Uri o Hau).


Image Courtesy of SyndeticsThen, you could borrow the book Matariki and keep improving your signing. Ka rawe!

 

 

 


Pop over to the Wellington City Libraries and explore our Tamariki section here

You will find some great tools to help you improve your Te Reo.


Ngā mihi.

Eid Mubarak to our Muslim whānau

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In 2019, Eid begins on Tuesday 4 June and ends on Wednesday 5 June. People traditionally greet each other on the day with the phrase “Eid Mubarak”, which means ‘blessed celebration’. Check out these books to find out more about this important international celebration.

Image Courtesy of Syndetics

 It’s Ramadan, Curious George

Journey with George and his friend Kareem as they celebrate Eid. Together they try special treats, create baskets for others who have less money than they do and look for the crescent moon. This board book includes snappy rhyme that will appeal to school children.

Ramadan Image Courtesy of Syndetics

Learn and understand Ramadan and Eid as you enjoy this story.

 

 

 


Image Courtesy of SyndeticsSamīrah fī al-ʻĪd

Share with Samira and her family a day of fasting during Ramadan and feel her excitement as she sees the new moon. Practise your Arabic, your English, or even better, both!
Image Courtesy of SyndeticsEid al-Adha 

 

Explore Muslim culture through these clear explanations, and beautiful photographs. This non-fiction book will help you to become bilingual and multilingual too!


The Shapes of Eid, According to Me 

Experience visiting the Mosque, praying and getting henna done as you look at the shapes in nature and our world.

 

Vaiaso o le Gagana Sāmoa

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Kia ora and Talofa!

O au I le Faletusi. I am at the library. 

It is raining outside and it is a perfect day for me to look at and share some of our beautiful bilingual, multilingual and monolingual books with you.

 

E te tautala I se gagana Sāmoa?  Do you speak some Sāmoan?

Image Courtesy of Syndetics

Vāteatea

If you read this, it might make you think about some of what surrounds us -our sun, moon and planets.
It will be so wonderful to be able to describe the beautiful things around you in more than one language!

Image Courtesy of Syndetics

 If you listen to the rhyme, it could help you to learn Māori, Fijian, Sāmoan, and Tongan words for the numbers one to ten.

Here are ten readers for Samoān Language Learners.

Image Courtesy of Syndetics

Samoan Heroes

 

If you read this, you can learn more about Associate Professor Donna Adis, Judge Ida Mālosi and Tim Cahill.

 

 

 

Haera rā and Tofa!

International Spanish Language Day – April 23rd 2019

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Kia ora and hola!

Estoy en le biblioteca. I am at the library.

Here at Wellington City Libraries we are celebrating International Spanish Language Day on Tuesday April 23rd.

Hablas espanol? Do you speak Spanish?

Hablo un poco de espanol. I speak a little Spanish

Join us! We invite you to explore bilingual books at your community library.

And, keep having fun while you practise ! There are magical books here just waiting for you to savour them.

Última parada de la calle Market by Matt de la Peña 
A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things.

Elmer by David McKee, 
All the elephants of the jungle were gray except Elmer, who was a patchwork of brilliant colours until the day he got tired of being different and making the other elephants laugh.

Cucú-tras by Francesca Ferri
This book invites you to play a fun game: the “Cucú-tras”. This book has great illustrations with cheerful colours and you will have fun lifting the flaps to find different farm animals.

La lección de August by R. J. Palacio

Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as he struggles to be seen as just another student.

Green Storytime at Karori Library

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Help the library celebrate around Earth Day by coming along to this special storytime all about the environment – and how we fit in it!

Come along for magical eco-stories including The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and many beautiful new tales of sustainability and our relationship with nature.

We’ll also be making incredible zines about the environment!

Time: Saturday 27th April from 11am to 12pm

Place: Karori Library Children’s area

No registration required!

Here are some of our favourite books about the environment for you to check out!

Here we are : notes for living on planet Earth / Jeffers, Oliver
Well, hello.And welcome to this Planet.We call it Earth. Our world can be a bewildering place, especially if you’ve only just got here. Your head will be filled with questions, so let’s explore what makes our planet and how we live on it. From land and sky, to people and time, these notes can be your guide and start you on your journey. And you’ll figure lots of things out for yourself. Just remember to leave notes for everyone else… Some things about our planet are pretty complicated, but things can be simple, too: you’ve just got to be kind. (Catalogue)

If sharks disappeared / Williams, Lily
A nonfiction picture book tracing the repercussions of what would happen if sharks disappeared from our planet (Provided by publisher)

 

 

 

Where’s the elephant? / Barroux
“Where’s the elephant? Where’s the parrot? Where’s the snake?…And where are the trees? What starts as a game of jungle hide-and-seek quickly turns into something more significant in this charming, unique book by award-winning illustrator, Barroux. (Catalogue)

 

 

Think green and we hope to see you soon!

Get down to Earth during the April School Holidays

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Explore earth science, learn about the environment, kick back and watch a movie, or let your creative side out to play, during the school holidays at Wellington City Libraries.

 

Let’s Go Lego!

At Let’s Go Lego, your creative skills will be put to the test as you use our Lego collections to design and build your masterpieces. Each session will have a different theme that will inspire you to hone your skills and become a Lego Legend. Bookings not required. Suitable for ages 5+

Monday 15th April, 3.30 – 4.30pm at Newtown Library

Tuesday 16th April 1 – 3pm at Island Bay Community Centre

Thursday 18th April 10am – 12pm at Churton Park Community Centre

Saturday 20th April 2 – 3pm at Karori Library

 

Earth Science 101

Join experts from Victoria University to learn about the amazing geology of our city – rock formations, fault lines, earthquakes and more. Come along prepared to do some hands-on science as well! Suitable for ages 5+.

Monday 15th April 2 – 3pm at Johnsonville Library

Tuesday 16th April 2 – 3pm at Karori Library

Wednesday 17th April 11am – 12pm at Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library

Wednesday 17th April 2 – 3pm at Miramar Library

 

Family Movie

Bring a blanket and pillow, and relax at our fun family movies. A different G rated movie from the library collection will be showing each time, and are suitable for the whole family. Recommended for ages 4+.

Thursday 18th April 4 – 5.30pm and 6 – 7.30pm at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library

 

Easter Rock Painting

Paint up some special rocks to hide around the suburb for Easter. We’ve got the rocks, the paint, the brushes and more, just bring yourself and your imagination! #WGTNRocks. Suitable for ages 4+.

Thursday 18th April 1 – 3pm at Island Bay Community Centre

 

Recycled Art

Let out your inner artist as we use recyclable material to create inspiring artworks from scratch! Join in to make a huge collaborative sculpture, or make your own piece to take home. Suitable for ages 4+.

Wednesday 17th April 2 – 3.30pm at Newlands Community Centre

Thursday 18th April 11am – 12pm at Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library

Wednesday 24th April 10am – 12pm at Churton park Community Centre

Friday 26th April 11am – 12pm Wadestown Library


VR Experience

Virtual reality (VR) offers us a new and exciting way to learn about science and the world around us. Explore the wonders of our planet’s most extreme locations from the comfort of your local library. Numbers are limited, bookings required. Reserve your seats by contacting the event library. Suitable for ages 6+.

Tuesday 23rd April 2 – 3pm at Johnsonville Library

Wednesday 24th April 2 – 3pm at Ruth Gotlieb (Kilbirnie) Library

Friday 26th April 11am – 12pm at Khandallah Library

Friday 26th April 2 – 3pm at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library

 

Green Storytime

Help the library celebrate the lead-up to Earth Day by coming along to this special storytime all about the environment – and how we fit in it! Magical eco-stories and crafts for the whole family to enjoy. Suitable for all ages

Tuesday 16th April 2 – 3pm at Brooklyn Library

Saturday 27th April 11am – 12pm Karori Library

 

 

All events are free. Bookings are not required, except for the VR experience. All children must be accompanied by caregivers at every event.

Movie Review: Dumbo

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Last weekend I went to see Dumbo at the movies and it is in a word, FANTASTIC!

This movie is a must see and has been worth the long wait.

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 , Holt Farrier and his two children, Milly and Joe, to care for Dumbo, a baby elephant born with oversized ears. When Milly and Joe discover that Dumbo can fly, with the help of feathers as a good luck charm, it soon becomes the main attraction — bringing in huge audiences and revitalizing the run-down circus.

image courtesy of flicks.co.nz

The elephant’s magical ability also draws the attention of villain, V.A. Vandevere, an entrepreneur who wants to showcase Dumbo in his latest, larger-than-life entertainment venture, however with less than honourable, and perhaps sinister intentions. And it’s up to Milly, Joe and the circus performers to save the day by rescuing Dumbo, and his Mum from the evil clutches of Vandevere.

 

Overall I feel Tim Burton did an amazing job with this live action retelling of Dumbo.

Dumbo steals the show with his cuteness, baby blue eyes, inquisitive nature and flying antics. I enjoyed the moments where Dumbo was able to confront and give his tormentors their just deserts by hose down, the tender moments he had with his mother, the warm and loving relationships he had with the children and circus performers who become his surrogate family and advocates, and even (spoiler), where he saves the day!

This movie encourages the characters of the film and viewers to look beyond the “oversized ears” and to be compassionate, kind, curious, humble, and generous. To be accepting and appreciating of the unique qualities that all people, animals and creatures possess.

All the other characters, Holt, Milly, Joe, the circus performers, and even the villain, brings the film to life, gives it depth and will keep you entertained from start to finish, and eager for the long awaited, well deserved and surprising happy ending that Dumbo gets.

As promised, the film delivered at being amazing, entertaining, heart warming, and definitely heart breaking where it is recommended to have tissues on stand by.

 

A well deserved 9/10… and highly recommended movie that the whole family can enjoy at the weekend and Easter break!

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).

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.