Getting Crafty: Arts and Crafts Books From Our eLibrary

If you’re anything like me and my sister you will be reaching for the arts and crafts supplies to get you through these next few weeks. Of course, it can be hard to get started on a project, or think up an idea all by yourself which is where the library comes in. We have loads of great crafting books online you can check out and help you get creative and pass the time throughout the lockdown.

Origami activities for children / Araki, Chiyo
Want to get creative but don’t have many craft supplies around the house? Then origami would be perfect! Learn how to make boats, flowers, pumpkins and more out of just a square of paper. Each project comes with step by step instructions and all are graded so you can start off simply and progress to more difficult designs as you improve your origami skills. Have fun keeping your hands busy and decorating your room with some wonderful paper creations.

Life hacks for kids / Keller, Sunny
Who doesn’t love a fun life hack? Sunny Heller will take you through her favourite hacks from her youtube channel and teach you exactly how she makes them. Feel like creating your own bowling alley at home? Or maybe some duct-tape earrings or even a new cat toy for your kitty? Sunny can help you make all this and more with this wonderfully colourful and fun craft book.

20 ways to draw a tree and 44 other nifty things from nature / Renouf, Eloise

Incredible Dinosaurs / McCurry, Kristen

Itching to draw and paint but can’t quite decide what you should create? Then the library can help you figure out your style and help perfect your pictures. These are just two books from our elibrary that are designed to teach you how to draw certain things and inspire you to create your own amazing landscapes, dinosaurs and more!

These are just a few of the books we have available in our elibrary so if they’re not quite right for you feel free to check out the rest of our collection.

One thing to remember is that it might be hard to get a hold of all the supplies needed for some of these projects because most shops are closed and we can’t leave our houses much. It might be best to talk to your Mum or Dad about what you have available when you’re picking your projects and using some kiwi ingenuity by swapping out things you can’t get with similar bits and pieces around your home.

I hope these books can inspire you and help you get crafty over the next few weeks!

9 New Non Fiction: The Wonderful Worlds of Disney and Star Wars.

NEWS ALERT! Star Wars and Disney’s Polynesian Princess, Moana has taken over this blog post and… the junior non fiction collection! But hold the press, there’s another Disney (Latina) princess in town and amongst the junior non fiction collection in the guise of Elena of Avalor! – Another strong willed, caring, brave and determined princess and a long awaited role model for young girls! Also included are some trailers to movies that will be released later in the year.

Check out the following books and as always, Enjoy!:

image courtesy of syndeticsMoana: The Essential Guide.

Read this book and find out everything you need to know about the newest Disney heroine, Moana, and her companion, hero and trickster of Polynesian mythology Maui, on their incredible journey across the South Pacific. Discover the beautiful locations of Oceania, including breathtaking underworlds along with frightening sea creatures! This book is packed with stunning information and images of Moana’s quest and provides a fascinating, in-depth look at the most thrilling moments from the movie. Overall, I think this book serves as a wonderful companion alongside the movie. It is also a great learning tool to help young girls begin their path to finding themselves, as well as becoming emerging and strong leaders.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe World of Moana: A Guide to Motunui and Beyond.

Journey to the world of Moana where you will view lush tropical islands, encounter enormous sea creatures and read stories of legendary folklore. These are all part of an ancient Pacific world that is home to Moana. Explore Matunui, meet the people, learn the customs, and more in this official guide to Moana’s world.

image courtesy of syndeticsMoana Hairstyles and Looks.

Dive into the wonderfull rich and beautiful culture of Moana’s world, to recreate Moana’s style and look. You will find instructions for hairstyles and accessory crafts related to the Disney film. Hairstyles are shown in detail and photograhed on real-life girls.

image courtesy of syndeticsLearn to draw Disney Moana.

Presents step-by-step instructions for drawing characters from the movie Moana, including Moana, Maui, and other favorite characters.

image courtesy of syndeticsElena of Avalor: The Essential Guide.

Tagline from the TV Series: “Becoming a leader will be her greatest adventure.

Move over, Moana, there’s a new Disney Princess in town! Meet the caring and brave Princess Elena and everyone she loves in this fantastic essential guide. In this guide, you will learn about Avalor’s lively music and fascinating folklore. You will also get the chance to unleash your adventurous spirit and explore the kingdom of Avalor. Overall another fantastic book and great learning tool that will help young girls begin their path to finding themselves, as well as becoming emerging and strong leaders.

image courtesy of syndeticsCars 3 : the essential guide.

Describes the memorable and ever-popular characters, including race car Lightning McQueen, plus key locations, themes, and iconic moments from the movie.

Check out the trailer below:

For an extra treat, check out the trailer for upcoming Disney/Pixar, Coco. Despite his family’s generations-old ban on music, young Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead. After meeting a charming trickster named Hector the two new friends embark on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel’s family history.

image courtesy of syndeticsStar Wars: Character Encyclopedia.

Go on a journey through the Star Wars galaxy, and learn all about its brave heroes and deadly villains. Meet a host of loathsome creatures, weird aliens, and loyal droids from the Star Wars saga.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsStar Wars: the Visual Dictionary.

Presents the Star Wars line of LEGO action figures and playsets, detailing a history of the toy line and how each playset connects to the events in the Star Wars films.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsStar Wars: Complete Vehicles.

For any fan who wants to explore the inner workings of the spaceships and vehicles of all six Star Wars movies, comes this fascinating expanded edition of a fan favourite, now with new cross-section artworks and a wealth of new photos.

 

Check out the trailer for Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

 

8 New Non Fiction to step into spring with.

Hey kids. Winter is nearly at an end. Come on down to your local library to check out the latest new non fiction to step into spring with!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsCoding Projects in Python.

A fantastic resource that provides simple steps on how to write in code in the popular programming language, Python that will kick start your coding journey where you can improve your programming skills and learn to create, remix and customise your own projects.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsDinosaurs.

A lively introduction to the mighty beasts that once ruled the world, where children can lift the flaps to learn about what life was like back then. Young readers will be amazed as they find out how dinosaurs hunted and defended themselves, the ways in which the landscape continued to change, which dinosaurs made the best mothers, and much, much more. This book features over 30 sturdy flaps to lift.

image courtesy of syndeticsPokemon deluxe essential handbook : the need-to-know stats and facts on over 700 Pokemon.

This book shares facts on over seven hundred Pokemon and includes information on the new Kalos characters and the Mega Evolved Pokémon.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMoana: The Essential Guide.

Read this book and find out everything you need to know about the newest Disney heroine, Moana, and her hero Maui, on their incredible journey across the South Pacific. Discover the beautiful locations of Oceania, including breathtaking underworlds along with frightening sea creatures! This book is packed with stunning information and  images of Moana’s quest and provides a fascinating, in-depth look at the most thrilling moments from the movie. Overall, I think this book is amazing and serves as a wonderful companion alongside the movie. It is also a great learning tool to help young girls begin their path to finding themselves and becoming strong and emerging leaders.

image courtsy of syndeticsThe Travel Book.

It’s never too early to plan your O.E. This book will certainly help you on your way to help you plan your trip by making sure you are aware of every country in the world and help you get ideas on what places you would like to visit. You will also find out information about thousands of amazing facts on wildlife, how people live, sports, food, festivals and a wide range of other quirky insights on every page. Every single country gets its own dedicated page, and a mix of wow photography and beautiful illustrations brings each land to life. For readers aged 8 years and up.

image courtesy fo sydneticsHow to be good at Math.

This book offers illustrated, step-by-step explanations of mathematical concepts needed for ages seven to eleven, and grades two to five.– Source other than Library of Congress.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsJason and the Argonauts.

“The story of Jason and the Argonauts is one of the earliest recorded Greek myths. Here, master artist Robert Byrd has created a striking telling of the legend for a new generation of readers. Complete with explanatory notes and illustrated back matter, Jason and the Argonauts traces each step of our hero’s journey, from the Golden Fleece’s origin story and Jason’s childhood to his triumphant return with the prize and eventual death. Deftly designed to accommodate glorious large pictures and captioned insets, the book is not only a great story, but a wealth of information about ancient Greece”–Publisher.

image courtesy of sydneticsStar Wars: Drawing Manual.

The Star Wars drawing book that no Star Wars fan should be without. Learn to draw the iconic starships, droids, and speeders of the Star Wars saga, including the X-wing, Millennium Falcon, Star Destroyer, TIE Interceptor, Slave I, BB-8, AT-AT and more. Follow clear, step-by-step instructions to complete 15 stunning projects from a galaxy, far, far away. Each drawing sits on a perspective grid that will help you to see what your drawings will look like as three-dimensional objects. The grid consists of a vanishing point with perspective lines leading away from it. Star rankings are also provided to indicate the difficulty level of each drawing. There are hours of entertainment for Star Wars fans young and old. Look out for Star Wars: Dot to Dot; Star Wars: Art Therapy Colouring Book; Star Wars: Doodles; Star Wars: Galaxy of Colouring; and, Star Wars: Colouring by Numbers.

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

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 couldnt 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.

What to do when it’s wet outside

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

You won’t want to miss ComicFest

Last year it was amazing, and this year’s ComicFest is going to be even better! 4 days of comic mayhem – you won’t want to miss this.

You can find the entire programme here. But here’s a breakdown of the stuff happening for children and teens:

 

Wednesday 29th of April

6 – 8.00 | Free mystery Comic film!
Come along to our mystery comic-themed film at the Central library. We guarantee comic satisfaction and prizes at this once only ComicFest screening. Seating is limited to 50 only, so contact us at the Central library to book seats or email enquiries@wcl.govt.nz! (For Teens +)

 

Friday 1st of May

5 – 6.30 | Digital comics workshop with Tim Gibson
Tim Gibson is known as a digital pioneer in NZ comic’s circles with his successful ‘Moths City’ title performing well on international website Comixology. Join Tim for an hour and a half of insight into the planning, creation and distribution of a comic using current digital tools and insider tricks of the trade. For all ages and bring your tablet and stylus if you can!

(Sponsored by NZ Comic Con)

 

Saturday 2nd of May

Free comic book day -all day
Grab your free comics from our stands, buy from the great folk at Graphic comic store and chat comics with our librarians. Dress as your favourite comic character and win prizes! Have a go at creating and drawing a Manga character and enter the Make a Manga competition (Sponsored by GRAPHIC comics)

10 – 11.30 | Comics 101 workshop with Sarah Laing
Sarah Laing (Let Me be Frank, cartoonist and novelist) has unique insight into what is required to make successful prose, comics and cartoons. Bring pen and papers along as Sarah imparts tips on the important relation between pictures and words, the value of honest drawing, emotion and story-telling. All ages. (Sponsored by NZ book council)

11.30 – 12.00 | Cosplay competition
Winners will be announced for the best ComicFest costume! Prizes for all categories, including children, teens, and adults. (Sponsored by Unity books)

12 – 1.00 | ‘Tintin – the journey from comic to film’
Let Tintin and Weta Workshop lead conceptual designer, Chris Guise take you through the process of transforming a much-loved comic into the successful film version of, ‘The adventures of Tintin – the secret of the Unicorn.’ Chris will guide you through this multi-media journey with slides and videos and don’t forget to have your questions ready for Q&A.

2.00 – 2.15 | Comicfest announces winners for the Manga drawing competition
Don’t forget your free comics posters courtesy of GRAPHIC comic store!

 

All events are free and bookings are not required. Seating at space at events is available on a first come – first served basis.

Crafty Kyle Competition Winners!

The Crafty Kyle Competition is now over. The participants had to come up with a new imaginary story by Kyle Mewburn and design a book cover for it. We got heaps of entries… Well done everyone!

The winners of the Crafty Kyle Competition have now been announced.

Amelia Major won the 5 to 7 years old category. Well done for such a poetic and light-hearted drawing…

Amelia Major

Katie Chu-Fong won the 8 to 10 years old category. Very colourful and dynamic scene that you created for the “Vegetable Choir”.

katie Chu-Fong

The champion of the 11 to 13 years old category is Matthew Yang. The character Andy looks so fun and real in his cardboard boxes castle!

matthew Yang

The winners will be collecting their library prizes this week. Books signed by Kyle Mewburn will be one of the treats in the prize pack! Maybe your drawings will inspire Kyle Mewburn for one of his future books…