Author Interview: Bill Nagelkerke

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What better way to celebrate Halloween than checking out an interview with author Bill Nagelkerke about his spooky new children’s novel The Ghost House!

The Ghost House revolves around 13-year-old David, whose family has moved to a house on the edge of the Red Zone in Christchurch. When David ventures into the forbidden Red Zone he stumbles upon an old villa that survived the earthquakes! The house speaks to him and begs him to help.

Bill Nagelkerke has written short stories, poems, plays and books for all ages, as well as translating other people’s books from Dutch into English.

He has won the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award. His children’s book, The Ghosts on the Hill was a Storylines Notable Book and joint winner of the 2021 Storylines What Now Kids’ Pick Award.

The Ghost House is a poignant and eerie supernatural tale aimed at readers 8 – 13 years that carefully navigates the line between being deliciously spine tingling without ever crossing the line into becoming full out frightening. It is beautifully and evocatively written using very carefully chosen words and language to describe the settings and characters.

Click the above banner to go to the interview, or click here: https://www.mixcloud.com/wellingtoncitylibraries/bill-n/

This interview was done in conjunction with The Cuba Press, and Caffeine and Aspirin, the arts and entertainment review show on Radioactive FM. This interview was conducted by Neil Johnstone.

Find out more about Radioactive FM on their website!

You can reserve a library copy on our catalogue or buy your own copy through The Cuba Press! Check out the full range of titles by Cuba Press here!


Here’s some of Bill’s other books available at your library!

Stop the tour : the diary of Martin Daly, Christchurch, 1981 / Nagelkerke, Bill
“It is 1981 and Martin senses big trouble brewing at home. The South African rugby team has been invited to tour New Zealand. Martin’s sister, Sarah, is out to stop the tour in protest against South Africa’s apartheid system. His rugby-mad dad is equally determined that the tour should go ahead. Martin wishes the whole thing would simply go away … Then a new school leads to a new friendship, and Martin is faced with a choice. He can walk away or he can become involved in something that will end up being bigger than anybody could have predicted”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)
Ghosts-on-the-Hill-cover-webThe ghosts on the hill / Nagelkerke, Bill
“The year is 1884. The place is Lyttelton, a small and bustling harbour town. Elsie is waiting for the fish to bite. She has her reasons for coming down to the waterfront so often, the main one being the memory of the lost boys. She was one of the last to see them alive, and now she is haunted by what happened to them. When the opportunity comes for Elsie to follow in their footsteps over the Bridle Path, and put their ghosts to rest, she doesn’t hesitate. ‘I’ll be careful,’ she says. But no one knows that the weather is about to change for the worse.”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Emily the Dreadfuls and the Dead Skin Gang / Nagelkerke, Bill
“Emily, the hero of ‘Emily’s Penny Dreadful’, is back. She has an idea for a new ‘dreadful’ story, this time all about a group of burglars who call themselves the Dead Skin Gang. At the same time, Emily starts her own gang, the Dreadfuls. Her best friend Robin, isn’t too keen on joining, while Uncle Raymond doesn’t like all the noise the Dreadfuls make. But then the next door neighbour’s dog goes missing, and the Dreadfuls (and Uncle Raymond) have a job to do”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)
Old bones / Nagelkerke, Bill
“Jamie and his dad have lost the farm in the floods. But Dad’s new partner, Sue, doesn’t seem that upset by the destruction of the farm. The trio move into a large old house in the city, right beside the Avon. While the adults seem content to put their energies into the new house and circumstances, Jamie has a bad feeling about the house and is terrified of the closeness of the river. Something bad happened in this house, he just knows it. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.” (Catalogue)

Kua tā te taimi? : ko he tala Hamoa mai Niu Hila / Nagelkerke, Bill
“Tua and his class are preparing for special visitors. While everyone is getting ready, Tua can’t stop asking, “Is it time yet?” Suggested level: junior, primary. Also available in Cook Islands Māori, Niue language, Sāmoan, and Tongan.” (Catalogue)

The Late, Great Eric Carle

“I believe that children are naturally creative and eager to learn. I want to show them that learning is really both fascinating and fun.” (Eric Carle)

No photo description available.

Eric Carle display, Johnsonville Library. Image: Lara van der Raaij

Eric Carle, author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other much loved classics, passed away a couple of days ago at the age of 91.

Eric was born in Syracuse, USA in 1929 but moved with his parents to Germany when he was six years old. He went to school and university in Germany but in 1952, as an adult, he decided to return to New York. Eric became a graphic designer at The New York Times newspaper and later an art director of an advertising agency. It was the graphics on an advertisement that Eric had created that caught the eye of Bill Martin Jr, author of Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? who asked Eric to illustrate this now famous book.

This was the beginning of Eric Carle’s true career and soon he was writing his own stories, too. His first wholly original book was 1,2,3 to the Zoo, followed soon afterward by the celebrated classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Eric’s Art & Words

Eric Carle’s art is distinctive and instantly recognisable. His artwork is created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers, which he cuts and layers to form bright and cheerful images. The themes of Eric Carle’s stories are usually drawn from his extensive knowledge and love of nature. Besides being beautiful and entertaining, his books always offer the opportunity to learn something about the world around and to connect us to the simple things of life, and how to overcome our fears.

Check out Eric’s unique and effective artistic technique HERE

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Book Jacket for: Te anuhe tino hiakaiBook Jacket for: Khubaja bhukyo keḍarapilara = The very hungry caterpillarBook Jacket for: al-Yaraqah al-jāʼiʻah jidan = The very hungry caterpillar

Although Eric Carle wrote and illustrated over 70 books in his lifetime, The Very Hungry Caterpillar stands out for many fans as a favourite. This much-loved classic was first published in 1969, and has gone on to sell around 55 million copies worldwide! It has also been translated into 60 languages. The idea for the format of the book came from playing around with a hole punch and thinking of a worm eating its way through a book. The rest, as they say, is history!

Here’s a short clip of Eric himself sharing his thoughts for the 45th Anniversary of The Very Hungry Caterpillar (2014):


You can immerse yourself in the beauty of Eric Carle’s many books at Wellington City Libraries:

Eric Carle’s book of many things. / Carle, Eric
“Very young children will delight in the vocabulary in this colourful book- filled with familiar and some not-so-well-known aspects of the world.”–Cataloguer.” (Catalogue)

A house for Hermit Crab / Carle, Eric
” Poor Hermit Crab! He’s outgrown his snug little shell and has to find a new home. And he does, with help from some friends who make the move less scary. Children facing change in their own lives will relate to Hermit Crab’s story and learn a lot about the fascinating world of marine life along the way. ” (Catalogue, abridged)

The grouchy ladybug / Carle, Eric
“A grouchy ladybug, looking for a fight, challenges everyone she meets regardless of their size or strength.” (Catalogue, abridged)

Have you seen my cat? / Carle, Eric
“A young boy encounters all sorts of cats while searching for the one he lost. Suggested level: junior, primary.” (Catalogue)

The very lonely firefly / Carle, Eric
“A lonely firefly goes out into the night searching for other fireflies.” (Catalogue)

From head to toe / Carle, Eric
“Creatures move their bodies in lots of different ways – just like people. Try wriggling and jiggling as you try to keep up with these animals.” (Catalogue)

Mister Seahorse / Carle, Eric
“After Mrs. Seahorse lays her eggs on Mr. Seahorse’s belly, he drifts through the water, greeting other fish fathers who are taking care of their eggs. Suggested level: junior, primary.” (Catalogue)

The Nonsense Show / Carle, Eric
“Ducks growing out of bananas? A mouse catching a cat? What’s wrong with this book? Yes, there’s something strange, something funny, and even downright preposterous on every page of this book. But it’s not a mistake–it’s nonsense! And it’s also surrealism” (Catalogue)

Winners Announced! Did your favourite win?

At a lavish ceremony on the evening of 15th June, the winners of the LIANZA Children’s Book Awards were announced. The winners are the best books, according to Librarians, that have written and illustrated by New Zealanders in the last year.

(LIANZA – Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa)

Here are the winners:

Russell Clarke Award for Illustration:

Mrs Mo’s Monster by Paul Beavis (See Paul Beavis in the library during the School Holidays!)

 

Elsie Locke Award for Non-fiction:

Maori Art for Kids by Julie Noanoa and Norm Heke

 

 

Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction:

Conrad Cooper’s Last Stand by Leonie Agnew

 

 

Young Adult Fiction Prize:

Night Vision by Ella West

 

 

Librarians’ Choice:

I am Rebecca by Fleur Beale

 

 

Te Kura Ponamu for best te Reo book:

Kimihia by Te Mihinga Komene and Scott Pearson

Winners announced!

The New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards winners were announced in a lavish ceremony in Christchurch last night.

We blogged about the finalist books here, and now we can tell you which ones won!

 

Best Non-Fiction:

100 Amazing Tales from Aotearoa by Simon Morton & Riria Hotere

Go behind the scenes at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand and discover more than 100 treasured items from the Museum’s collection. 100 Amazing Tales From Aotearoa gives readers a special look at some of the surprising, wonderful, and significant items that Te Papa stores in trust for the nation. Learn the secrets of one of the first dinosaur fossil ever discovered, see new spider species, be inspired by famous paintings and quirky jewellery, encounter fearsome weapons from the Pacific, and uncover deep and personal stories of Māori taonga (treasures).

The book is based on the popular TV mini-documentaries Tales from Te Papa, and includes a DVD of the complete series – with a bonus 20 episodes

 

Best Junior Fiction:

My Brother’s War by David Hill

It’s New Zealand, 1914, and the biggest war the world has known has just broken out in Europe. William eagerly enlists for the army but his younger brother, Edmund, is a conscientious objector and refuses to fight. While William trains to be a soldier, Edmund is arrested. Both brothers will end up on the bloody battlefields of France, but their journeys there are very different. And what they experience at the front line will challenge the beliefs that led them there

 

 

Honour award, Junior Fiction:

The Queen and the Nobody Boy: A Tale of Fontania series by Barbara Else

Hodie is the unpaid odd-job boy at the Grand Palace in the Kingdom of Fontania. Fed-up, he decides to leave and better himself. The young Queen, 12-year-old Sibilla, is fed-up too. Sick of gossip about her lack of magical ability, she decides to run away with Hodie, whether he likes it or not.

Sequel to The Travelling Restaurant

 

 

Best Picture Book:

Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy & Gavin Bishop

Absentminded Mister Whistler always has a song in his head and a dance in his feet. In a rush to catch the train, he is so distracted he loses his ticket. Is it in the bottom pockets of his big coat or the top pockets of his jacket? Perhaps he slipped it into his waistcoat. Where is Mister Whistler’s ticket?

 

 

 

Best First Book:

Reach by Hugh Brown

Young Adult Fiction.

Will Clark thinks he’s a socially inept bookworm who just happens to enjoy cross-country running and taekwondo. But then his mother returns after a five year absence overseas, and he has his first full contact taekwondo fight, and the gorgeous comic-reading Conway Jones asks if she can be his maths tutor… Will must reassess himself, and his past, as he reaches towards a new future and lets his dreams take flight.

 

 

Best Young Adult Fiction and New Zealand Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year:

Into the River by Ted Dawe

When Te Arepa Santos is dragged into the river by a giant eel, something happens that will change the course of his whole life. The boy who struggles to the bank is not the same one who plunged in, moments earlier. He has brushed against the spirit world, and there is a price to be paid; an utu to be exacted. Years later, far from the protection of whanau and ancestral land he finds new enemies. This time, with no-one to save him, there is a decision to be made.. he can wait on the bank, or leap forward into the river

 

 

 

Children’s Choice Award:

Melu by Kyle Mewburn, Ali Teo & John O’Reilly,

Melu has always been different. While the other mules stubbornly clip-clop around the sun-baked hills, Melu dreams of swimming in the glittering green sea below. But it will take more than stubborness for Melu to reach the glittering green sea.

 

This is the award that you got to vote for. Did you vote for Melu?

 

 

NZ Post Book Awards: Non-Fiction

Here are the list on Non-Fiction finalists for the New Zealand post Children’s Book Awards:

100 Amazing Tales From Aotearoa by Simon Morton & Riria Hotere

Based on the TVNZ television series “Tales from Te Papa” and contains 2 DVDs including the original TV series. Find out about quirky NZ stories featuring some strange and precious artifacts.

 

 

 

 

Kiwi: the real story by by Annemarie Florian & Heather Hunt

With lots of illustrations a bold rhythmic verse describes the North Island brown kiwi in action in the bush, and a non-fiction narrative provides readers with added insight into kiwi biology and behaviour

 

 

 

 

Taketakerau, The Millennium Tree by Marnie Anstis, Patricia Howitt & Kelly Spencer

The story of a child who listens to Koro and Grandma as they weave a tale about the life and times of the ancient pūriri tree Taketakerau, the settlement and development of New Zealand, and world events that happened over the last 2000 years

 

 

 

 

At the Beach: Explore & discover the New Zealand seashore by Ned Barraud & Gillian Candler

Find out all about the New Zealand seashore in this amazing new book with fantastic illustrations. The book includes a removable, waterproof, quick-reference guide to common seashore animals

 

 

 

 

From these 4 great books a winner will be announced on June 24th. You can vote for a winner too – in the Children’s Choice Award (and you’ll go in the draw to win $500 of book vouchers for you and your school).

 

NZ Post Book Awards: Junior Fiction

Here are the shortlisted books for the Junior Fiction category of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards:

 

The ACB with Honora Lee by Kate De Goldi & Gregory O’Brien

Perry’s mother and father are busy people … they’re impatient, they’re tired, they get cross easily. And they think that only children, like Perry, should be kept busy. On Saturday mornings Perry and her father visit her gran, Honora Lee, at the Santa Lucia rest home, but Gran never remembers them. ‘Who is that man?’ Honora Lee asks when Perry’s father leaves the room. After movement class is abruptly cancelled, Perry is allowed to go to Santa Lucia on Thursday afternoons. She discovers her Gran has an unconventional interest in the alphabet, so Perry decides to make an alphabet book with the help of Honora and the others. Soon everyone is interested in Perry’s book project.

 

The Queen and the Nobody Boy (A Tale of Fontania) by Barbara Else

Hodie is the unpaid odd-job boy at the Grand Palace in the Kingdom of Fontania. Fed-up, he decides to leave and better himself. The young Queen, 12-year-old Sibilla, is fed-up too. Sick of gossip about her lack of magical ability, she decides to run away with Hodie, whether he likes it or not.

This is the sequel to The Travelling Restaurant.

 

 

My Brother’s War by David Hill

It’s New Zealand, 1914, and the biggest war the world has known has just broken out in Europe. William eagerly enlists for the army but his younger brother, Edmund, is a conscientious objector and refuses to fight. While William trains to be a soldier, Edmund is arrested. Both brothers will end up on the bloody battlefields of France, but their journeys there are very different. And what they experience at the front line will challenge the beliefs that led them there.

 

 

Red Rocks by Rachael King

While holidaying at his father’s house, Jake explores Wellington’s wild south coast, with its high cliffs, biting winds, and its fierce seals. When he stumbles upon a perfectly preserved sealskin, hidden in a crevice at Red Rocks, he’s compelled to take it home and hide it under his bed, setting off a chain of events that threatens to destroy his family. Red Rocks takes the Celtic myth of the selkies, or seal people, and transplants it into the New Zealand landscape, throwing an ordinary boy into an adventure tinged with magic

 

 

Uncle Trev and His Whistling Bull by Jack Lasenby

More humorous stories of life on the farm with Uncle Trev and his family set in New Zealand during the 1930’s.

There are many other Uncle Trev books. Why not try the first book called ‘Uncle Trev‘ or Uncle Trev and the Treaty of Waitangi, or  Uncle Trev’s Teeth and Other Stories?

 

 

 

From these 5 great books a winner will be announced on June 24th. You can vote for a winner too – in the Children’s Choice Award (and you’ll go in the draw to win $500 of book vouchers for you and your school).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NZ Post Book Awards: Picture Books

Here is the shortlist for the Picture Books category of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards:

A Great Cake by Tina Matthews

Harvey wants to bake a great cake, but doesn’t have all the ingredients. That doesn’t stop him. Harvey can make cakes from the most amazing things!

 

 

 

 

 

Melu by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Ali Teo & John O’Reilly

Melu has always been different. While the other mules stubbornly clip-clop around the sun-baked hills, Melu dreams of swimming in the glittering green sea below. But it will take more than stubborness for Melu to reach the glittering green sea.

 

 

 

 

Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy, Illustrated by Gavin Bishop

Absentminded Mister Whistler always has a song in his head and a dance in his feet. In a rush to catch the train, he is so distracted he loses his ticket. Is it in the bottom pockets of his big coat or the top pockets of his jacket? Perhaps he slipped it into his waistcoat. Where is Mister Whistler’s ticket?

 

 

 

Mr Bear Branches and the Cloud Conundrum by Terri-Rose Baynton

Lintfrey Longfellow would love nothing more than to sit among the clouds… But sadly, clouds just aren’t made for sitting on. Can Mr Bear Branches find a solution to Lintfrey’s cloud conundrum

 

 

Remember that November by Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Lindy Fisher

It’s almost Guy Fawkes Night, and at the school speech competition Andy talks about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot. The children cheer excitedly, thinking Andy will win the contest. But then, Aroha gets up, wearing a white feather in her hair, and tells the story of another fifth of November – the invasion of Parihaka in 1881

 

Also published in te Reo as Maumahara ki tērā Nōema

 

From these 5 great books a winner will be announced on June 24th. You can vote for a winner too – in the Children’s Choice Award (and you’ll go in the draw to win $500 of book vouchers for you and your school).

Spectacular New Fiction!!!!

Judy Moody and Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt by Megan McDonald.

Avast, ye scum buckets and swashbuckling buccaneers! Come on board and plunder with the best of Judy Moody and Stink’s newest adventures.  The Moody  family drops anchor on ” Artichoke” Island ; yes you heard me correctly, Artichoke Island. Here they are greeted by the mysterious Cap’n Weevil, a one-eyed pirate with a scaggley beard and of course a treasure map! Ooooooooha!! Stinky and Judy start an exciting adventure to find the missing gold!!!! Check it out at your local library!!!!!

 

 

 The Haunted School by Deborah Abela.

This spine-tingling adventure will raise the hairs on your arms!!!! Angeline and Edgar have to go to their senior school sleepover, but Angeline is dreading having to talk to the other kids. The night goes wrong when a ghost appears in the dormitory where they are camped out. Their classmates are terrified – and Principal Primm is not happy! With the aid of Ghost Club, Angeline and Edgar must find out who the ghost is so they can help her.

 

 

Dragon Breath No Such Thing as Ghosts by Ursala Vernon.

Not only must Danny and Wendell trick-or-treat with skeptical classmate Christiana, school bully Big Eddy dares them to enter a haunted house on Halloween night, where they may have to sacrifice their candy to a ghost.Will Danny DragonBreath stand tall in the face of danger or cower in the corner eating candy ? Be brave and read this super read!!!!

 

 

 

The Spindlers by Lauren Oliver.

Hands up if you love  rats; if so check this awesome book out! Accompanied by an eccentric, human-sized rat, Liza embarks on a perilous quest through an underground realm to save her brother Patrick, whose soul has been stolen by the evilest of creatures–the spider-like spindlers. Both riveting and bewitching this is the book for  you !!!!!!

 

 

Om Shanti Babe by Helen Limon.

Winner of the 2011 Frances Lincoln Diverse Voices award this amazingly well written book is both  laugh- out-loud- funny and a real roller-coaster of discovery.Cass is on buying trip to India with her mother who owns a fair-trade craft shop in London. Although Cass has been looking forward to the trip, she finds that nothing is as she expected. First Cass discovers her mother is romantically involved with an Indian man, then she’s involved in a stand-off with fashion-mad Priyanka, and finally she finds out that her mother’s business is on the rocks. When pop idol Jonny Gold arrives in Kerala to film a music video, Cass is caught up with a mystery, new friendships and a race to save the mangrove swamps.

 

 

 Utterly Me  Clarice Bean by  Lauren Child.

An utterly fantastic book!  I utterly think you should utterly read it!!  Mrs Wilberton wants Clarice Bean and his classmates to write a book project which sounds UTTERLY dreary.Until Clarice finds out there is an ACTUAL prize. Utterly fantastic!!!!!