art and crafts

8 new Non Fiction on how to build, create and innovate!

Katie

It’s time to build, create, educate and innovate with the latest junior non fiction books.  With STEAM, (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), learning on the rise, these book are perfect to inspire play and interest in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathmatics and coding and help kids develop the skills needed to do well in education, designing, problem solving and teamwork. Also featured in the post are books about public speaking, presentation skills, stories about heroes for boys, and the official guide to the Disney and Pixars 2004 film: The Incredibles.

Enjoy!

IMAGE COURTESY OF SYNDETICSBrick building 101.

Now kids can combine a love for LEGO with learning STEAM topics (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) in this awesomely fun activity book! Industrious minds will love learning to build a bunch of different stuff with these 20 step-by-step projects that range from beginner projects, such as a geo-board and DIY slime, to more challenging projects, such as a bird feeder and balloon racer. Large, full-colour photos show each step along the way, with simple instructions and inspiration to extend projects and keep learning. With STEAM learning on the rise, this book is the perfect way to inspire play and interest in the topics kids need to know about!

 

image courtesy of syndeticsGiving a presentation.

“An approachable guide to help master and apply the writing, speaking, and listening skills involved in preparing for and confidently delivering an effective presentation”– Provided by publisher.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsNow make this : 24 DIY projects by designers for kids.

“25 of the world’s leading designers contribute one object each for kids to make themselves”–Amazon.com.

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsSTEAM lab for kids : 52 creative hands-on projects using science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

“The creative projects in STEAM Lab for Kids are designed to demonstrate that there’s math and science to be found in great art! From rubber bands to edible stained glass, young engineers and artists alike will find inspiration in these 52 art-forward labs.” — Back cover.

 


image courtesy of syndeticsIncredibles 2: The Official Guide. 

Disney and Pixar’s lovable characters, The Increidbles are back and better than ever!

“Discover everything you wanted to know about brave superheroes, dastardly villains and cool vehicles from Incredibles 2, the awesome new sequel to Disney-Pixar’s smash hit movie, The Incredibles. When a new villain hatches a brilliant and dangerous plot, the Parr family and their old friend Frozone must find a way to work together again – which is easier said than done, even when they’re all Incredible. This book covers all the memorable and ever-popular characters, plus key locations, themes and iconic moments from the movie.” — Amazon.com.

Check out the movie trailer down below.

 


image courtesy of syndeticsSTEAM play & learn.

Preschoolers will love tackling these 20 fun, easy-to-follow step-by-step projects as they learn about STEAM topics (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math). Topics include symmetry and how light bounces to create reflections with mirror mandalas, diffusion and capillary action with tie dye towels, structural framing and bracing with marshmallow structures, and electrical currents with salty circuits. This cross-subject approach to learning will prepare young children for the subjects they will soon learn in elementary school and beyond. Each project features simple instructions and large, full-color photos, to make each one enjoyable and fun for both kids and parents.

 


image courtesy of syndeticsCoding with Minecraft : build taller, farm faster, mine deeper, and automate the boring stuff.

A hands-on introduction to coding that teaches you how to program bots to do cool things in the game you love–Minecraft! This book takes you through Step-by-step coding projects and will show you how to write programs that automatically dig mines, collect materials, craft items, and build anything that you can imagine. Along the way, you’ll explore key computer science concepts like data types, functions, variables, and more. Bonus activities in each chapter will help you take your coding skills to the next level. By the end of the book, you’ll understand how powerful coding can be and have plenty of robots at your beck and call.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsStories for boys who dare to be different : true tales of amazing boys who changed the world without killing dragons.

Stories for Boys Who Dare to Be Different offers a welcome alternative narrative. It is an extraordinary compilation of 100 stories of famous and not-so-famous men from the past to the present day, every single one of them a rule-breaker and innovator in his own way, and all going on to achieve amazing things. Entries include Frank Ocean, Salvador Dalí, Rimbaud, Beethoven, Barack Obama, Stormzy, Ai Weiwei and Jesse Owens – different sorts of heroes from all walks of life and from all over the world.

7 new children’s non fiction about deadly beasts, famous people and cooking up a storm!

Katie

Kids, the school holidays are flying by and the library has some new and exciting non fiction books for your viewing and reading pleasure. So come on down and grab books about deadly beast that roamed the earth a million years ago, as well as some that only exist in the world of fiction and fantasy; famous people who changed the world and cooking up a storm in the comfort of your own kitchen where the world of Science and The Gruffalo comes to life that will make your tummy rumble.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsDay of the Dinosaurs.

Travel back in time to a period where dinosaurs roamed the earth. This amazing book features eye catching illustrations, as well as information about dinosaurs in terms of diet, how they lived on land, water and in the skies, as well as how they defended themselves and their territory  from four different prehistoric periods: the Triassic, the early Jurassic, the Late Jurassic and the Cretaceous. This is a thrilling read for any budding palaeontologist.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsAtlas of Animal Adventures.

Prepare for a  journey of amazing discovery. Featured in this is an amazing collection of images and information about every animal known to existence, as well as nature’s most unmissable events from between the two poles, including epic migrations, extraordinary behaviours, and Herculean habits.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsGruffalo Crumble and Other Recipes.

Delights such as  Owl Ice Cream, Scrambled Snake, Roasted Fox, and of course… Gruffalo Crumble from the lovable picture, The Gruffalo comes life with this awesome cookbook, filled with recipes and ideas for every meal, that is bound to keep Gruffalo fans of all ages busy in the kitchen. Other tasty favourite that catch eye are caterpillar twists, orange eyes and even a Gruffalo cake. With this book, you are all set for a Gruffalo themed morning/afternoon tea, birthday part or even a Halloween party. These tasty delights are already starting to make my tummy rumble!

 

image courtesy of syndetics.How to draw orcs, goblins, and other wicked creatures.

Where the world of orcs, goblins and artistic creations collide. This simple and easy to read book will teach readers how to draw orcs, goblins, hags, and several other wicked fantasy creatures where you will be able to bring your own Lord of the Rings to life.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsFrida Kahlo : the artist in the blue house.

The artwork and the photographs of Frida Kahlo comes to life with this gorgeous new art book with a charming narrative and fascinating pictures that provide an engaging introduction to the life of Frida Kahlo and her creations.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsScience Experiments you can eat.

Dig into a feast of fun where you’re the scientist and the kitchen is your laboratory. This book that gives you all everything you need where you can test your science theories, make some amazing discoveries and eat your results!  Includes information on how to make rock candy, grape jelly, cupcakes, and popcorn.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsNadia : the girl who couldn‘t sit still.

A cute and easy to read biography of the young Romanian gymnast, Nadia Comaneci. This book goes into full detail of how some of the ways her energy got her into trouble as a child, how she became involved in gymnastics, and how practice and determination led her to become an Olympic champion. This is the greatest picture book biography since Different like Coco.

7 New Children’s Non Fiction

Katie

Ghoulish Get-Ups.

Whether you are planning a fancy dress party and want to get some ideas for Halloween, Fifi Colston’s book,  Ghoulish Get-Ups gives you the low down on ghoulish get ups and creative costume ideas. Be warned, you may have to raid the recycling and plunder the pantry. MUAHAHAHA!

 

 

Where on Earth.

This book Contains a collection of 80 … specially commissioned world maps that show you where everything is on our planet. The world’s most dangerous predators, ancient mummies, disastrous asteroid impacts, and towering skyscrapers–find out where they all are in this ultimate atlas that showcases the best of geography, history, nature, culture, and technology. A great book to have on hand for geography and history projects and homework.

 

 

The Comedy, History and Tragedy of William Shakespeare.

Friends, Kiwis and youths, lend me your eyes and let me tell you about the new edition to our junior non fiction collection. Read The Comedy, History and Tragedy of William Shakespeare,  who wrote many popular plays of all time, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, (Recently performed by the Royal New Zealand Ballet); Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth, and discover everything you need to know about him, such as his family, his society, his theatre  his queen, (Spoiler: Queen Elizabeth I) and his country. Best of all, this book will tell you all about his plays – the comedies, histories and tragedies in plain English. (Great for those who are not fluent in Shakespearian)

 

 

Top Ten: Pets.

Read this book and find out about of furry and feathered friends that have made it to the top 10  ranging in most popular pets, popular pet names and even most expensive, richest and highest-paid in Hollywood pets. As an added bonus, you will even get to see the top ten ugliest dogs! Specially for young animal lovers, a must-have book containing everything from the super-cute to the silly and slimy, and packed with lists and facts for readers to share with their friends. I consider this book the Guinness book of records for pets.

 

 

Top Ten: Gaming.

Which X-box games are the best in the business? What game are your friends all dying to try? What character will give you the best advantages? Find out the answers to all these and more in this jam packed book, full of checklists for children to try out with their friends. Easy to follow, funny and a playground essential, Top 10 for Kids: Gaming is a must-have for any kid who likes a bit of competition!

 

 

100 Things to make you happy.

Need some cheering up from the winter blues?  Check out this amazing book jam packed full of facts, jokes, quotes, advice, and exercises includes animal trivia, historical tidbits, and inspirational wisdom designed to help kids become actively involved in their own well-being. This book is guaranteed to motivate and empower you to get happy. A perfect pick me up just in time for spring.

6 New Non Fiction to get you back into the back to school groove.

Katie

Complete Photo Guide to Bead Crafts.

This book provides information on bead crafting, including bead types, skills and techniques, and simple projects for parents and their children to practice essential skills. A great book to have on hand on a rainy day and during school holidays.

 

 

Space record Breakers.

Look inside this book and prepare to have the most mind-blowing records experience in the universe. Read this book and get information about  outer space and human space exploration, including the planet with the most moons, the first woman in space, and the closest star to the solar system. You will also get to find out which is the biggest known planet? What’s the hottest star? Who’s the most intrepid astronaut?

 

 

New from Eyewitness…

Dog.

Read this book and find out everything you need to know about caring for dogs, working dogs, from those that rescue people to those in the military and find out which dog breed is perfect for you as your family pet.

 

 

Ancient Greece.

This is an engaging and entertaining reference guide about Ancient Greece – perfect for younger readers. Discover epic tales of heroes and villains of the ancient Greek world. A great resource to use for a project on Ancient Greece and classical studies.

 

 

Gandhi.

Reading this book will allow you  to be a part of Gandhi’s extraordinary life story and relive a momentous chapter in history. See who Gandhi was as a person: from a time child to a freedom fighter and religious leader.

 

 

Cat.

Discover in this book how cats can hear the slightest noise and smell other animals in the dark, why cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world and see the unusual and rare feline breeds, from the hairless Sphinx cat to the white tiger.

 

What to do when it’s wet outside

admin

It is cold. It is wet. And in some places it’s been flooding. You guys can’t just go outside on an adventure in this kind of weather. Although some of you Wellington kids have had adventures indoors using boats to sail through your school corridors. We don’t think you’ll be able to be an indoor pirate all winter long so here are some suggestions for cool as activities you can get up to at home and series you can read from our collection!

 

101 Dog Tricks: Kids Edition  by Kyra Sundance is a super cool book that has activities you can do with your pet dog! It keeps them out of the kennel and stops you from getting bored. Who knows you could become the next dog whisperer through teaching your pup these cool as tricks. One of my favourites is called Messenger Dog – where you can actually teach your dog to take little notes from you and pass them on to your friends. It’s a brand new book you can find in many of our libraries and on Overdrive our e-library! You could download the book today!

 

 

D.I.Y Kids by Ellen and Julia Lupton  is full of cool crafts you can do. When I was bored on a wet day my favourite thing to do was to make soft toys with my grandma and this book has a whole section devoted to making your own toys, cuddly looking bunnies, kites and dolls. It even has instructions for how you can make clothing for your teddy bears or yourself! Check out this book when you’re feeling crafty.

 

 

Mad about Cartoons by Judith Heneghan. I know after our Comics Holiday Programme last year that there are a lot of Wellington City Libraries kids who are super talented cartoonists! Mad about Cartoons gives you some good ideas of how to make your own comic strips. And it also teaches you how to create digital animations. You could make your own little animated series just like The Simpsons if you wanted to over those wet weekends?

 

 

Molly Moon by Georgia Byng: If you want to curl up with an amazing series of books I reckon you’ll love Molly Moon! We have all six in the series in our library and also on Bolinda Digital  for download to your kobo or e-reader. Here’s the synopsis of the first in the series to give you an idea what’s in store for you: “Molly Moon is treated like dirt in her squat English orphanage, with only her pal Rocky, starry Qube soda ads, and the library stacks to give her comfort. After she discovers Hypnotism: An Ancient Art Explained in her favorite library spot, Molly begins learning the ropes and takes mental control of Petula, the orphanage’s grumpy pug dog, and the nasty staff members. But when Molly finds out that Rocky’s been suddenly adopted in New York, she hypnotizes her way to the city, into Broadway stardom, and — unfortunately — into a wicked professor’s plot to rob a high-security bank. Thankfully, though, she and Rocky finally meet up, and with a few surprises, the two hatch a plan to set things right for themselves and for their orphanage.” Goodreads.

 

 

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy is another amazing, actually perfect, series of books for the wet weather. I read them all, last year, over winter and it totally made being inside okay because I was so into finding out what Stephanie and her wacky skeleton detective friend would get up to next. We have all 9 in the series available in our collection – we also have them on audiobook so you can listen while you’re doing cool craft activities if you want! They’re also available for download on Overdrive to your e-reader or Kobo. You can get the first 3 books in one go!  Trust me you’re going to want to have all three out at once, you’ll be so hooked. Here’s the synopsis from the first book to give you an idea of what it’s all about: “Meet Skulduggery Pleasant. Ace Detective. Snappy Dresser. Razor–tongued Wit. Crackerjack Sorcerer and walking, talking, fire-throwing skeleton – as well as ally, protector, and mentor of Stephanie Edgley, a very unusual and darkly talented twelve-year-old. These two alone must defeat an all-consuming ancient evil. The end of the world? Over his dead body.” Goodreads

Loom Band Swap & Meet at Johnsonville Library

debbie

loom3Calling all Loom loons! Create your own loom bands at Johnsonville Library on Friday 22nd August at 6.30pm.

Make sure you bring along your own loom board, your materials and most of all bring along your ideas.  We are going to watch some YouTube instructional videos plus gather lots of ideas from each other.

It’s going to be heaps of fun so we look forward to seeing you there!