Top 10 Children’s non-fiction January 2017

Ocean dwelling creatures and literature make the grade this month.  The clever people at Te Papa can take you on a virtual journey to the deepest depths, the Abyssopelagic zone, this is even deeper than where they believe the colossal squid had it’s hunting grounds.
Anyone braved the sea out there this summer? Let us know in the comments if you found any cool sea creatures in your ocean exploring =)

  1. Minecraft annual 2017, by Stephanie Milton
  2. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and J. K. Rowling
  3. Minecraft : Redstone Handbook, by Nick Farwell
  4. Supershark and other creatures of the deep, by Derek Harvey
  5. The LEGO ideas book, by Daniel Lipkowitz
  6. Small scenes from a big galaxy, by Vesa Lehtimäki
  7. Minecraft hacks master builder, by Megan Miller
  8. Pokémon gotta catch ’em all, published by Scholastic
  9. Minecraft, by Matthew Needler and Phil Southam
  10. Picturepedia, edited by Ann Baggaley

Top 10 children’s non-fiction for December 2016

This month’s Top 10 has so many great books in it!  The new Annual a group of New Zealand writers, illustrators, musicians and poets have come together, sourced by Kate deGoldi and Kate Paris from Gecko Press.

Lego and Minecrafters have the virtual and real life block worlds covered and beautiful photos from Vesa  Lehtimäki show off the lego model world.

Maori myths and legends illustrator and author Peter Gossage, died this year, so it’s a fitting tribute that his books should still be so popular with younger readers.  His iconic images live on in the books he created.  His illustrations were also part of animated versions, here for your viewing pleasure.

 

Here’s your Top 10 for December: 

1. LEGO, by Daniel Lipkowitz

2. Hacks for Minecrafters, by Megan Miller

3. Harry Potter and the cursed child, by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and J. K. Rowling

4. Minecraft : Redstone Handbook, by Nick Farwell

5. Star Wars character encyclopedia, by Simon Beecroft and Pablo Hidalgo

6. Minecraft. Construction Handbook, by Matthew Needler

7. Small scenes from a big galaxy, by Vesa  Lehtimaki

8. Pokemon gotta catch ’em all! published by Scholastic

9. Annual edited by Kate de Goldi and Susan Paris

10. Maui and other Maori legends, by Peter Gossage

 

Fun Kids’ Fiction: Springtime Reading!

Spring is here, and some sunny days have started happening! YAY! The perfect weather to relax and lose yourself in one of these fantastic new kids fiction books which can now be found at your local library.

 

Quest for JusticeImage courtesy of Syndetics by Sean Fay Wolfe

New players join the game Minecraft every day. But dark forces are at work on the Elementia server, and when Stan, Kat, and Charlie arrive on the scene, they quickly find themselves in peril. The King has passed a law banishing all lower-level players from the server by the next Proclamation Day. Anyone who tries to help the noobs will be silenced. With the natural forces of the game closing in anf the King’s deadline approaching, Stan, Kat, and Charlie must work together to unravel the mysteries of Elementia and lead the battle for justice.

 

 

Dragonfly SongImage courtesy of Syndetics by Wendy Orr

The little girl found under a bush has no name and cannot speak. Is she a miracle child who escaped the raiders, or is she a bad-luck child, the one who called the Bull King’s ship to the island? No one sees the mama-stone around her neck, with the sign of the dragonfly. And only Luki, in training to leap the bulls, knows that she charmed the viper who would have killed him. When the girl turns twelve, she discovers her name – Aissa – and she knows that her one chance to live freely is to become a bull dancer, and be taken away to the island of the Bull King.

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsGorilla Dawn by Gill Lewis

The thrilling, heartbreaking, and inspirational new story from award-winning storyteller Gill Lewis. Deep in the heart of the African jungle, a baby gorilla is captured by a group of rebel soldiers. Imara and Bobo are two children also imprisoned in the rebels’ camp. When they learn that the gorilla is destined to be sold into captivity, they swear to return it to the wild before it’s too late. But the consequences of getting caught are too terrible to think about. Will the bond between the gorilla and the children give them the courage they need to escape?

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsWilf the Mighty Worrier is King of the Jungle  by Georgia Pritchett

Things Wilf was worried about before: 1) Fish sucking his toes when he goes for a paddle 2) Garden gnomes coming to life 3) Losing his ‘How to Stop Worrying’ leaflet. Things Wilf is worried about now: 1) Alan coming on holiday with him 2) Alan raising an army of terrifying animals in his quest for world domination 3) Being the only person who can stop Alan. As usual.

 

 

Image courtesy of SyndeticsThe Hundred-Mile-An-Hour Dog, Master of Disguise by Jeremy Strong

Streaker, the fastest dog in the world, is on the run again!  There’s a mysterious pet-napper at large, Dad wants to send Streaker to behaviour boot camp and Trevor and Tina think they can save her with hair extensions and dye! No wonder Streaker’s desperate to escape!

8 New Children’s Non Fiction to read during August – Part Two.

Impress your friends and teachers further by surprising them with some amazing new facts about animals, world history, science and Minecraft.

Stumped on where you’re going to find these facts? From these amazing 8 new books the library has just purchased.

Get your hands on them before someone else does.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMy first book about our world.

Read this book and find all you need to know about the wonders that take place in our world, like what makes it rain, where do penguins live and how many oceans there are. You will learn fantastic things about our world and at the same have fun doing the quizzes and puzzles enclosed in this book.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMinecraft : redstone and transportation.

Learn how to use redstone to build advanced Minecraft structures such as automated doors and powered mine carts.

 

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsCars, trucks and trains.

Have you ever wondered why and how the car was invented? From steam cars and trains to experiments with rocket powered and flying cars, It’ll Never Work: Cars, Trucks and Trains explores the history and development of vehicles that have led to the comforts of modern passenger transport that we know today. Each title in this exciting, high-interest series looks at a different area of technology and engineering and reveals the pioneering ideas and scientific thinking that enabled its development, as well as exposing those that proved to be a dead end. Each spread examines a particular example in depth, bringing in other similar ideas where relevant, and revealing that experimentation and failure often pave the way to technology success.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsDK findout! Animals.

DK findout! Animals is full of interesting facts about the animal kingdom. With beautiful photography, lively illustrations, and key curriculum information, the DK findout! series will satisfy any child who is eager to learn and acquire facts – and keep them coming back for more! It is packed with up-to-date information, fun quizzes and incredible images of mammals, birds, fish, & reptiles. Discover what makes up a bird, how animals use camouflage to hide, and which animal spends the longest time in bed.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMinecraft Beginner’s Guide.

Minecraft is more than a simple video game. It is also a creative tool that allows players to build and explore their own virtual worlds. A bit of a novice when it comes to Minecraft? Have no fear, this book will bring you up to speed on everything you need to know about Minecraft.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsDK findout! Dinosaurs.

DK findout! Dinosaurs is full of dinosaur facts supported by beautiful photography, lively illustrations, and key curriculum information. It is packed with up-to-date information, quizzes, fun facts and incredible images of all their favourite dinosaurs. Discover how fossils are formed, find out which was the biggest dinosaur, and what was the size of a cat. DK findout! Dinosaurs will let children uncover the ancient animals of our planet.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Usborne Medieval World.

A lavishly illustrated guide to the medieval world, covering the years 500 to 1500 and following events worldwide including the Crusades, Marco Polo’s travels to China, the Maya, Aztecs and Samurai, as well as medieval knights and explorers.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHome lab : exciting experiments for budding scientists.

Want to unleash your inner mad scientist.? Homelab can help you with that.  This book will how you how to create fantastic projects, ideal from science fairs using everyday materials that you can find in your own home. Great for science projects and homework.

 

 

Top 10 Children’s non-fiction July 2016

Minecraft domination! This game has taken over the top ten this month!

Other popular books from the libraries’ non-fiction collections covered Arabic language and Matariki. We’ve been having some great clear skies in the evening, giving you a chance to spy out the constellations in our winter sky.

Arabic language books are part of the foreign language collection in the Children’s non-fiction.  There are stories in different languages from around the world as well as dictionaries and books that help with learning a new language.

You don’t have to travel far to use other languages as we are lucky to have people from many different countries living in Wellington.  Great phrases to have handy are “hello and goodbye, please and thankyou”.  Did you know that New Zealand has three official languages? Te Reo. English and Sign Language.

How many languages can you say  these words in? Let us know in the comments.

Ka kite!

 

Here’s your Top 10 for July 2016:

1. The LEGO ideas book, by Daniel Lipkowitz

2. Minecraft: beginner’s handbook, by Stephanie Milton, Paul Soares, Jordan Maron and Joe Bolder

3. Star Wars, David West Reynolds

4. Star Wars character encyclopedia, by Simon Beecroft

5. Minecraft: redstone handbook, by Nick Farwell

6. Minecraft hacks master builder, by Megan Miller

7. LEGO play book, by Daniel Lipkowitz

8. Hacks for Minecrafters, by Megan Miller

9. Minecraft, by Matthew Needler and Phil Southam

10. Cool creations in 35 pieces, by Sean Kinney

Top 10 Children’s Non-Fiction for June 2016

There are some great illustrations in Under earth; under water.  Explore the world beneath your feet or kayak! Under the earth there are root systems, pipes for water, electricity and the internet, insect and animal burrows and more!

Books on cats and dogs were runners up to the Top 10.  Who has a favourite pet at home? Maybe you have something other than a cat or a dog? Who has the strangest pet out there? Brothers or sisters aren’t classified as pets!

1. LEGO, by Daniel Lipkowitz

2. Minecraft, by Stephanie Milton

3. Star Wars, by David West Reynolds

4. Minecraft, by Nick Farwell

5. Minecraft, by Matthew Needler and Phil Southam

6. Small scenes from a big galaxy, Vesa Lehtimaki

7. Minecraft hacks master builder, by Megan Miller

8. Lego Star Wars in 100 scenes, by Daniel Lipkowitz

9. Minecraft blockopedia, by Alex Wiltshire

10. Under earth; Under Water, by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel  Mizielinska

Top 10 Children’s non-Fiction May 2016

Te Whanganui-a-Tara has hit the top 10! The taniwha legend portrayed by Moira Wairama has a Te Reo version, Ngā taniwha i Te Whanga-nui-a-tara in the library.

These titles are great for looking at your hometown as a site for battling behemoths and using your Māori language, these books come with a CD of the tale inside.

Creators of their own worlds are finding inspiration in both the virtual and physical world.  The creators using Lego and Minecraft are holding the sway of the listings.  Master builder Yvonne Doyle is one of the model builders used by DK publishers in their famous Lego books.

How about your own model building? What have you been inspired to build from your library loans? Let us know in the comments.

Here’s May’s top 10 list:

1.  LEGO, by Daniel Lipkowitz

2.  Minecraft, by Megan Miller

3.  Star Wars, by David West Reynolds

4.  Minecraft, by Stephanie Milton

5.  Star Wars, by Adam Bray

6.  Minecraft, by Nick Farwell

7.  Star Wars character encyclopedia, by Simon Beecroft

8.  Minecraft, by Matthew Needler and Phil Southam

9.  The taniwha of Wellington Harbour, by Moira Wairama

10. Minecraft blockopedia, by Alex Wiltshire

Top 10 Children’s non-fiction for April 2016

Factual folios of fantasy worlds! April’s favourite reads are great ways to spur the imagination.  Building your own kingdom (well shelter for starters) from virtual blocks or using Lego in real life.  Have your library loans inspired you to construct any awesome creations? In Small scenes from a big galaxy, Vesa Lehtimäki brings together Lego and Star Wars with some inspired photography.  Check out his flickr account!

1. LEGO books, by Daniel Lipkowitz
2. Minecraft books, by Megan Miller
3. Minecraft, by Stephanie Milton
4. Star Wars rebels, by Adam Bray
5. Minecraft, by Nick Farwell
6. Star Wars, by David West Reynolds
7. Minecraft, by Matthew Needler and Phil Southam
8. LEGO Star Wars character encyclopedia, by Hannah Dolan
9. Small scenes from a big galaxy, by Vesa Lehtimäki
10. Minecraft blockopedia, by Alex Wiltshire

Top 10 Childrens Non-Fiction March 2016

Lego enthusiasts have used their special library powers to scale the dizzying heights of March’s Top 10.

Did you know we have all sorts of lego in the library? You can borrow one of our Maker kits while visiting your library or use the blocks that we have in the library!  Have you built a Lego model that you’re particularly proud of? Let us know in the comments.

1. LEGO books, by Daniel Lipkowitz

2. Minecraft, by Stephanie Milton and Paul Soares

3. Minecraft books, by Megan Miller

4. Star Wars books, by Adam Bray

5. Lego Star Wars in 100 scenes, by Daniel lipkowitz

6. Minecraft, by Nick Farwell

7. Minecraft, by Matthew Needler and Phil Southam

8. Small scenes from a big galaxy, by Vesa Lehtimaki

9. Minecraft blockopedia, by Alex Wiltshire

10. Star Wars character encyclopedia by Simon Beecroft

Top 10 children’s non-fiction February 2016

Want to make your own book in your very own library? In the world of Minecraft you can! Sugarcane, ink sack and feather/quill, and… tah dah! Minecraft is still 50% of the top ten! Block fans are clearly skilling up! What are your favourite constructions so far? How about a library?   Minecraft is a great entrance to the world of 3D modelling.  The library  some great titles that introduce children to SketchUp freeware, with functions similar to photoshop it builds familiarity with tools for digital imaging.

1. Minecraft : beginner’s handbook, by Stephanie Milton

2. Star Wars : complete vehicles, by David West Reynolds

3. The LEGO ideas book, by Daniel Lipkowitz

4. Minecraft : Redstone handbook, by Nick Farwell

5. Minecraft. Construction handbook, by Matthew Needler

6. Minecraft hacks master builder, by Megan Miller

7. Ripley’s believe it or not! edited by Rosie Alexander

8. Cat, by Juliet Clutton-Brock

9. Star Wars character encyclopedia, by Simon Beecroft

10. The ultimate unofficial encyclopedia for Minecrafters, by Megan Miller