The Nanny Piggins’ guide to conquering Christmas, R.A. Spratt
this book is filled with HILARIOUS stories and DELICIOUS recipe’s and tips for christmas!
Age 7+
5 stars
Reviewed by Jennifer from Brooklyn and , 11 years old
christmas
Kids’ Club Review by Grace: Princess Posey and the Christmas magic
Princess Posey and the Christmas magic, Stephanie Greene ; illustrated by Stephanie Roth Sisson
This book was about a litte girl wanting a magic wand for christmas. I enjoyed this book because it was funny.
4 stars
Reviewed by Grace from Cummings Park and Ngaio School , 8 years old
So many Christmas books and movies that you’ll love!
Christmas is coming to the Capital and to the library! Why not get into the Christmas spirit and check out the amazing Christmas themed books and DVDs we have in our collection in between Christmas shopping and life! The countdown to Christmas and the end of 2019 is on!
Check out the following:
What’s Christmas? Find out with…
Learn what Christmas is, and how it is celebrated. Learn about the religion of Christianity, and what Christmas means to its followers.
Learn about prayers and carols, Santa Claus and his reindeer, and traditional decorations and gifts. Also learn about festive Christmas foods and traditions of giving to charity at Christmas.
Some handy ideas for Christmas Crafts:
Need some ideas on making Christmas cards, decoration and gifts? Why not check out books such as:
100 things to recycle and make.
Provides step-by-step, illustrated instructions for crafts made with everyday materials, including egg cartons, sticks, and cardboard tubes.
From baking Christmas pudding sweets to creating hand-printed angels. These projects include how to make a pop-up polar bear card, a snowman paper chain or glittery decorations. Two pages of stickers are included and each project is accompanied by simple step-by-step instructions and an illustration or photograph of the final creation.
This book explores the festival of Christmas and the story behind it and features six simple origami projects for your own festive fun! The book shows how people around the world celebrate Christmas both in church and at home. Attractively designed, its simple text and wonderful full-colour photos make this an essential book for children celebrating or learning about the festival. The origami activities are accessible to all and are explained with step-by-step illustrations. Your fantastic creations can be used as decorations for the festival, for presents, to impress your teacher for a Christmas school project or simply to wow your friends!
Read stories about Christmas or Christmas themed:
Picture Books:
With all the excitement of Christmas approaching, it’s no surprise that Marley, the loveable pup with a nose for trouble, wants to get in on the action. Anticipating his very first snowfall and Santa’s arrival, Marley jumps in to help his family every way he can. But Marley, being Marley, always ends up on the wrong side of right.
From Cameron Williams and Matthew Martin comes a hilarious and energetic story about the worst Christmas present ever.
How the Grinch stole Christmas!
When the grumpy Grinch tries to steal Christmas from the citizens of Who-ville, he realises there’s more to it than presents and tinsel!
When Simon sees a competition in the newspaper for the best decorated Christmas house, he is keen to enter it. His mother says she can’t afford expensive lights and decorations. So Simon decides to decorate their caravan in his own way.
Late one Christmas Eve, a boy boards a mysterious train that waits for him- the Polar Express bound for the North Pole. When he arrives, Santa offers him any gift he desires. The boy modestly asks for one bell from the reindeer’s harness. It turns out to be a very special gift, for only believers in Santa can hear it ring.Liam Neeson’s gravitas lends the story just the right sense of magic and possibility in the book and CD edition.
There are just a few days to go before Christmas, and everyone’s busy putting up decorations, preparing food and getting ready for the big day. Then comes the shock news – Santa’s cancelled Christmas. Santa had so many disasters last year that he can’t face it again, and he’s quit. The elves try everything, but they can’t get him to change his mind. In this Aotearoa Christmas picture book, the kids come up with a clever plan and amazing gadgets to get Christmas back on and Santa back in the sleigh delivering presents.
Chapter Books:
A cup, a compass, a key: the magic tree house has brought siblings Annie and Jack to Camelot, where they embark on a mysterious mission to find these enigmatic gifts. In this special hardcover addition to the bestselling Magic Tree House series, the young adventurers must travel to the Otherworld, an “ancient, enchanted land beyond the edge of the Earth, the place where all magic began” to save Camelot from dark wizard Mordred’s evil spell. If they fail, Camelot will be forgotten forever. Fans of the beloved, highly readable series by Mary Pope Osborne will rise to the challenge of this longer, more complex companion to her other titles, which include Earthquake in the Early Morning and Twister on Tuesday. As in every story in the sequence, Jack and Annie bravely plunge into their quest, learning about a culture and time very far removed from their own, and prove once again that children can make a difference.
A Christmas carol by Geronimo Stilton.
Ebenezer Scrooge is a cranky old mouse who is only concerned with his business and making money. Scrooge thinks Christmas is just a waste of time. But on the night of Christmas Eve, he is visited by three ghosts who take him on a journey through his past, present, and future. His experience could change him forever and teach him the true meaning of Christmas!
The Christmasaurus and the Winter Witch.
One year has passed since William Trundle’s incredible adventure with the most extraordinary dinosaur: the Christmasaurus. Now, William is swept back to the magical North Pole, where he meets a mysterious witch – whose power to control time allows Santa Claus to make the long journey all around the world every Christmas Eve. And when they learn that the fate of Christmas itself hangs in the balance, William and the Christmasaurus must work with the Winter Witch to protect it.
Quentin Blake’s A Christmas carol.
A beautiful edition of the timeless Christmas classic. A Christmas Carol is the book that defines the Christmas spirit. Ebenezer Scrooge, a mean-spirited miser, is visited by three ghosts one Christmas Eve. The ghosts show Scrooge the true value of Christmas: charity, good humour and love for his fellow man.
Stuck inside? Try some Christmas movies:
When the McCallisters went on holiday they forgot eight year old Kevin. When two bungling burglars break into the house Kevin outwits them.
A re-telling of the classic tale about a grumpy old creature living in a cave on Mt. Crumpet who can’t stand to see his neighbors in Whoville enjoying themselves. Things are especially bad at Christmas, when the Whos kick their merriment into high gear with fantastic celebrations. This year, the Grinch decides to dress up like Santa Claus on Christmas Eve and steal all the Christmas gifts and decorations so the Whos can’t enjoy the season. What he finds, however, is that Christmas in Whoville is much more than gifts and decorations, it’s a time to celebrate love and friendship.
Santa Claus does not exist. Or does he? For one doubting boy (voice of Daryl Sabara and Tom Hanks), an astonishing event occurs. Late on Christmas Eve night, he lies in bed hoping to hear the sound of reindeer bells from Santa’s sleigh. When to his surprise, a steam engine’s roar and whistle can be heard outside his window. The conductor (voice of Tom Hanks) invites him on board to take an extraordinary journey to the North Pole with many other pajama-clad children. There, he receives an extraordinary gift only those who still believe in Santa can experience.
When an evil spirit known as Pitch lays down the gauntlet to take over the world, the immortal Guardians must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs, and imagination of children all over the world.
Olaf teams up with Sven on a merry mission. It’s the first holiday season since the gates re-opened and Anna and Elsa host a celebration for all of Arendelle. When the townspeople unexpectedly leave early to enjoy their individual holiday customs, the sisters realise they have no family traditions of their own. So, Olaf sets out to comb the kingdom to bring home the best traditions and save this first Christmas for his friends.
Check out the movie trailer for Frozen II!
Not Christmas, but just as amazing and new to the Childrens DVD collection is…
The Lion King is finally at WCL! Why rent the DVD… rent the original film this Christmas and relive the class tale 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!!!
And coming soon to movie theaters…
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. It will be the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and the ninth and final episode of the main Star Wars film franchise.
“The saga comes to an end”… on December 19th 2019, and from the looks of this trailer, they definitely saved the best for last.
To get into the spirit of a Kiwi Christmas, relive the magic of Kiwi Christmas song, Summer Wonderland so you can sing along and take part in the festive cheer while strolling through a summer wonderland. To recap, Summer Wonderland is a Kiwi spin on a much beloved classic Christmas carol Winter Wonderland, with a lyrical twist for the Southern Hemisphere and recorded for Air New Zealand. This Christmas carol really showcases and beautifully captures the spirit and essence of a Kiwi Christmas of tucking into ham and pavlova, playing cricket, mozzie spray and tan marks. Check it out!
On behalf of the staff at Wellington City Libraries, we would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
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
A Very Welly Christmas 2019!
Tis the season for festive fun… and it’s all free in Lambton Quay!
A Very Welly Christmas comes to town… again during the weekend and is jam packed full of Christmas cheer and fun for the whole family!
What is A Very Welly Christmas? It is an annual 2 day Christmas festival in the Wellington CBD. Each day starts with Santa’s Arrival a short walking parade, so you can still line the footpaths and wave to Santa – just like the old days!
This year is will be held on:
Saturday 23 November, 12 noon–6pm
Sunday 24 November, 12 noon–5pm
and followed by…
Carols in Midland Park – Saturday 23 November, 6pm–8pm
Click here to find out more about the history of the event.
Click here for the schedule of events.
Click here to find out how to get there.
While you’re in town that weekend, why don’t you call into Arapaki Manners Library and He Matapihi Molesworth Library and borrow a book or two… or a dozen. 😉
Arapaki Manners Library will be open Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am until 5pm and He Matapihi will be open from 9am until 1pm on Saturday and closed on Sunday.
Kids’ Club Review by Aadarsh: Father Christmas and me
Father Christmas and me, Matt Haig ; with illustrations by Chris Mould
This book is about a human girl called Amelia. Her mother died when she was little and was left alone. Amelia had once saved christmas so she was allowed to stay in Elfhelm.
My favourite character is Amelia because one of the elves in Elfhelm started to make a newspaper that said bad things about humans but Amelia still stayed strong. My favourite part of the book is where the easter bunny’s and the elves made up their friendship. I recommend this book to children who are 7-9. I give this book a rating of 5 out of 5.
5 stars
Reviewed by Aadarsh from Johnsonville and Churton Park School , 8 years old
Kids’ Club Review by Anna: One Christmas wish
One Christmas wish, Katherine Rundell ; illustrated by Emily Sutton
This book is about a boy called Theo on Christmas Eve. He is left with a babysitter. Theo opens a box of decorations and they all come alive. Theo’s adventures begin. I loved this story. We read it at school and my entire class was so quiet as we wanted to know how it ended. It was full of magic and Christmas cheer. I loved it.
5 stars
Reviewed by Anna from Karori and Karori Normal School , 9 years old
More! Top 5 must-see Christmas DVDs for Children
It’s coming close to Christmas Day, have you picked up a Christmas themed DVD to watch during the holiday season? Check this weeks (and final) Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs blog post for the year!
1) My Little Pony : A very Minty Christmas.
For all you Little Pony fans, check out their Christmas themed movie. The “Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane” is an important part of Ponyville – it’s the beacon that shows Santa Claus the way to the town during the holiady rounds each year. But when Minty accidentally breaks it, Minty is determined to do anything tov save Christmas, and together with all of her friends, they discover that Christmas can come any way.
It looks like Santa (Jim Broadbent) has got himself in a bit of a pickle when he crashes his sleigh in a garden shed, his reindeer are found running loose through the streets of London, and to top things off he is wanted by the police! Desperate to return to Lapland in time for Christmas, Santa asks Tom (Kit Connor) and his dad Steve (Rafe Spall) for help. Overall, a hilarious and heartwarming Christmas adventure for the whole family.
3) Barbie. A Perfect Christmas.
Join Barbie and her sisters Skipper, Stacie, and Chelsea as their holiday vacation plans turn into a most unexpected adventure and heartwarming lesson. After a snowstorm diverts their plane, the girls find themselves far from their New York destination and their holiday dreams. Now stranded at a remote inn in the tiny town of Tannenbaum, the sisters are welcomed by new friends and magical experiences.
Young siblings Eric and Pattyare about to take off on a thrilling, and chilling, adventure! After damaging their grandfather’s most treasured possession, a strange clock, they throw the whole world into a crazy time continuum, where Christmas Day is repeated over and over. The only way they can restore order is to travel to the North Pole and repair the clock in Santa’s workshop. With less than a day to go, Eric, Patty, and Grandfather frantically zip off to the frozen wonderland. All they have to do is figure out the complicated solution, carefully mend the clock, and get back home in time to fix Christmas!
“We follow Nicholas, a 7 year old Australian boy on his adventure as he struggles with the ups and downs of being the next Santa Claus. It’s a big responsibility that would scare the bravest boy. Nicholas wants to be the best Santa ever and will learn a few lessons along the way. But Christmas has a way of making even the biggest mishaps alright and thanks to his loving mentors, Santa and Waldorf, Nicholas learns, as we all do, the true meaning of Christmas”–Container.
Check out the trailer for “Mary Poppins Returns“, an all new original musical and sequel, Mary Poppins is back to help the next generation of the Banks family find the joy and wonder missing in their lives following a personal loss. Released on New Year’s Day!
And as a final Christmas gift… Check the official teaser trailer for the live action movie, 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.
On behalf of the Children’s team at Wellington City Libraries, we would love to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year!
Top 5 Must see Christmas DVDs for Children.
Hey Kids!
Here’s another round of “Top 5 Christmas DVDs” for this week!
Enjoy!
A very cute story about two elves and a reindeer that land themselves on the dreaded “Naughty List.” But when the entire the North Pole comes down with food poisoning, they must redeem their Naughty List status by finding a way to save Christmas. This film will make you think again about doing anything naughty during Christmas.
What started as a simple school nativity play turns into a royal fiasco of quarrelling parents and over-excited children, when primary school teacher Paul Maddens boasts that his ex-girlfriend Jennifer, a Hollywood Producer, is coming to see his show with a view to turning it into a film. (Major lie!). Maddens’ only hope is to get back in touch with Jennifer and lure Hollywood to town so that everybody’s Christmas wishes come true.
3) Ice Age : A Mammoth Christmas.
Join Manny, Sid, Diego, Ellie, Peaches and Scat during this holiday season in Ice Age : A Mammoth Christmas. When Sid accidentally destroys Manny’s heirloom Christmas rock and ends up on Santa’s “naughty list,” he leads a hilarious quest to the North Pole to make things right – and ends up making things much worse. Now it’s up to Manny and his prehistoric posse to band together and save Christmas for the entire world! Over 25 minutes of humour, laughter and holiday cheer from start to finish. Anyone who is a fan of the Ice Age movies will love this!
4) Santa Claws : it’s a holiday cat-astrophe!
If you are a cat lover, this is one movie to snuggle up with your kitty and some popcorn to watch! When Santa suffers a major allergic reaction where he can’t fly the sleigh or deliver presents anymore, it’s up to a litter of kittens to deliver the rest of the presents to all the boys and girls before sunrise and save Christmas.
5) The Cat in the Hat knows about Christmas.
‘Twas the day before Christmas and all through the yard the Cat in the Hat and his guests partied hard. When the party was over, and the guests all departed one poor baby reindeer was left broken-hearted! Can the Cat in the Hat, Sally, Nick and the Fish help make come true little Ralph’s Christmas wish? To be with his family, in far-off Freeze-Your-Knees. Will you help see him home? Come be our guests, please!
Check out the trailer for “Elliot the littlest Reindeer“, and another Christmas themed movie to watch on the big screen this holiday season.
When Blitzen announces his retirement on December 21st, a miniature horse has 3 days to fulfill his lifelong dream of earning a spot on Santa’s team at the North Pole try-outs.