“During a service at Yorke’s Cathedral, a young boy bursts in, declaring that his sister has been kidnapped. Soon Rose finds herself tangled up in a mystery involving fake antiques, a maodorous factory and a secret society of chimney sweeps. Tea is brewing and so is murder…” – back cover.
“There’s a strange magic to London parks. When the sun sets and the gates are closed, tiny winged creatures come to life. The only way to meet them is to become one. And if you become one, there’s no way back. Rowan cries herself to sleep in Hyde Park and wakes up ten centimetres tall, with tiny oak-leaf wings. She’s about to go on an adventure in the hidden world of fairies and foxes. But Rowan’s quest will be perilous, with fearsome enemies at her heels. If she wants to get home, she’ll need to find the courage she never knew she had, and discover powers she’d never even imagined …” — Back cover.
If it were up to Mattie Markham, there would be a law that said your family wasn’t allowed to move in the middle of the school year. After all, sixth grade is hard enough without wondering if you’ll be able to make new friends or worrying that the kids in Pennsylvania won’t like your North Carolina accent. But when Mattie meets her next-door neighbor and classmate, she begins to think maybe she was silly to fear being the “new girl.” Agnes is like no one Mattie has ever met — she’s curious, hilarious, smart, and makes up the best games. If winter break is anything to go by, the rest of the school year should be a breeze. Only it isn’t, because when vacation ends and school starts, Mattie realizes something: At school Agnes is known as the weird girl who no one likes. All Mattie wants is to fit in (okay, and maybe be a little popular too), but is that worth ending her friendship with Agnes?
Roald Dahl Day strikes again on September 13th, marking 101 years since his birth! So let’s celebrate!
How to celebrate?
Read about his remarkable life. Read Boy, that presents humorous anecdotes from the author’s childhood which includes summer vacations in Norway and an English boarding school, and Going Solo, that tells the story of his adventures as an adult, first in Africa, then learning to be a wartime fighter pilot and discover what led him to becoming the world famous author that he is known as today.
Visit the Roald Dahl website, where you will find information about Roald Dahl as well as activities, games and quizzes.
Check out the blog post on 11 ways to celebrate Roald Dahl Day. Ideas include spotting a Roald Dahl character in LEGO and uncovering a Roald Dahl emoji.
Download your Roald Dahl Day 2017 party pack, whether you’re celebrating at the library, at home, in school or out and about.
Get crafty and whip up a delicious feast inspired from Roald Dahl’s novel. For more ideas, click here.
From 7th September, Roald’s last story, Billy and the Minpins, will be available in a brand new edition, illustrated for the last time by Quentin Blake.
Read and relive your favourite Roald Dahl stories. Wellington City Libraries holds a huge array of Roald Dahl books, including The BFG, Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and movies for your reading pleasure. Also check out this previous blog post for ideas on what are great Roald Dahl movies to watch.
New Roald Dahl books just added to the library collection include: Rhyme Stew, a series of plays adapted from Dahl’s popular stories which include The Twits, The BFG and James and the Giant and much more!
So who doesn’t love an anthology! They take a heap of comics, join them up and place them carefully between a cover that creates one bumper book. The Smurf Anthologies are great because you get to see a story through. Also it looks like you’re reading a lot!
Did you know the original name for Smurfs was Les Schtroumpfs! Pierre Culliford, more famously known as Peyo came up with the name as a nonsense word. Les Schtroumpfs were originally encountered in a Peyo comic “Johan et Pirlouit” take a look at the these Peyo creations. Of course you can always take more comics out of the library… Peyo is also the author of Benny Breakiron =)
Do you want to become the expert on Diary of a Wimpy kid? Right here, you can find quizzes, crosswords and activities all based on Greg Heffley! (Find out the answers first and then impress your friends =) It’s not cheating – it’s research!)
So how are the other favourites looking? Fun, dramatic fantasy and clever detecting all play a part in this May list.
So… library borrowers are big fans of Snoopy and Charlie Brown!
Did you know that there is a museum dedicated to Charles M. Schulz the Charlie Brown creator! Snoopy was based on his childhood pet dog Spike. At the museum there is a mural showing the way Spike became the Snoopy character we all recognise today.
What would a comic character of your pet look like? Let us know in the comments below =)
This is a blog post that pays tribute to popular fairy tale, Beauty and The Beast. Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins (The Young American and Marine Tales).
The story that a young woman named Beauty, who offers herself in exchange for her father, who has been imprisoned by the Beast, after stealing a rose from the beast’s garden, which was intended for Beauty as a gift. She discovers that her captor is an enchanted prince in disguise, who must find true love, despite his ugliness, to revert back to his former self. The question is can Beauty look beyond the beast’s ugly exterior and find true beauty within his heart?
Check out other versions and retellings of this classic fairy tale that the library holds:
Beauty and the Beast is a perfect introduction to this classic fairytale. Push, pull, and turn mechanisms bring the story to life and introduce all the main characters: Beauty, her father, and of course the Beast! This well-loved fairytale is beautifully imagined for a new generation by children’s illustrator Dan Taylor.
A captivating retelling of the nation’s favourite fairy tale, from the nation’s favourite storyteller, Michael Morpurgo. After encountering a fearsome beast at a mysterious palace, down-on-his-luck merchant Marco is forced to make a promise in exchange for his life: he must persuade one of his three daughters to return to the palace in his place – but she must come of her own free will. Beautiful, kind-hearted Belle agrees at once to return to the palace, and there she and the Beast exist companionably, with the Beast asking of Belle the same question at the end of each day: “Dearest Belle, will you marry me?” After a return home to consult with her father, Belle resolves to follow her heart and return to the Beast, but her plans are thwarted by the trickery of her jealous sisters. When, at last, Belle is able to find her way back to the palace, she finds her beloved Beast lying as still as death on the ground. As Belle’s tears fall on his face, the Beast is transformed into a handsome prince the ancient spell upon him broken by Belle’s tears of true love.
Presents an adaptation of the classic Beauty and the Beast fairy tale from the perspective of the cursed prince who is transformed from a beloved and jovial ruler into a reclusive and bitter monster in search of true love.
Love to watch stories? Now we have Walt Disney’s Animated classic of Beauty and the Beast available on DVD at your local library!
A Walt Disney movie about a tough no nonsense heroine, named Belle (French word for Beauty), who offers herself in exchange for her father, who has been imprisoned by the Beast, and discovers that her captor is an enchanted prince in disguise. While the situation is anything than ideal, this Beauty and the Beast must learn, in a very Pride and Prejudice-like way to overcome their pride and stubbornness, in the hopes of falling in love and breaking the beast’s enchantment. This film is beautifully constructed and made! Filled with lots of quirky characters, in the form of Lumiere (a candle stick), Cogsworth (a cynical clock), Mrs Potts (a mother-hen teapot) and many musical numbers. A film that the entire family can enjoy – especially on a Saturday night!
Belle (Emma Watson), a bright, beautiful and independent young woman, is taken prisoner by a beast (Dan Stevens) in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the beast’s hideous exterior, recognising the kind heart and soul of the true prince that hides on the inside.
This film is beautifully constructed and made! Overall it was an interesting revamp of the original animated 1992 classic. Filled with the same musical numbers and dance sequences, there a few twists, turns and few surprises during the film. Sorry, no spoilers in this review. The ballroom scene where Belle and the beast are dancing is fantastic. Belle’s dress and the dance moves – WOW, could possibly put the previous Disney Princess, Cinderella to shame!
All the characters had a part to play, had more depth, personality and beautifully showcased their uniqueness on screen. Even actor, Luke Evans did a very good job at playing arrogant, vain and sadistic baddie, Gaston, who foolishly hopes to win Belle’s hand, who in turn politely, but firmly rejects him! He didn’t have a bad singing voice either.
The characters: Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs Potts were wonderful and entertaining. I particularly loved Lumiere’s number “Be Our Guest”, beautifully sung by Ewen McGregor.
Dan Stevens is phenomenal (and perhaps a tad bad tempered) as the beast. I always cracked up over his dry sense of humour. Overall he did the character of the beast justice to its original predecessor. I found there was more depth to the characters: Belle and the beast, and perhaps more of a back story as to how their background, experiences and personalities shaped the people that they came to be. I think in a sense these two are portrayed as mirror images of each other and have great, not to mention a unique chemistry.
I think Emma Watson plays Belle as more lady-like in this film. Not as openly stubborn and strong willed as the original Belle, but more quietly assertive and determined. Not to mention she is very polite in standing up to the beast and Gaston.
As always, the story encourages viewers to look beyond the superficial and to be compassionate, curious, humble, and generous. This movie is a must see and has been worth the long wait. A film that the entire family can enjoy on a night out on the town– especially on a Saturday night! 9/10 all the way!
Also check out the trailer and some musical numbers from the film.
Plants vs Zombies has hit the Top 10! If you like the comic do you like the game? Get the background on how the suburbs became the battleground for warring zombies and mutant plant life.
Have you discovered a new comic series in the holidays? Let us know your favourites in the comments =)
Welcome to 2017! A new year and a new start. And so far, it looks very promising at the library with truck loads of new and amazing non fiction where the wonderful world of Harry Potter continues, and collides with an amazing world of fantastic beasts and hidden realms. Further worlds and realms are discovered where imagination takes flight, creativity comes to life, passions are invoked and where heroes, heroines, role models, leaders are discovered.
The Harry Potter film collection continues with the complete guide to Albus Dumbledore. This book holds photographs, memories, and quotes from the eight Harry Potter films featuring Albus Dumbledore, looking the moments that made him a great wizard and Hogwarts headmaster, and how he guided Harry in his adventures.
The spin off of the Harry Potter films comes to life with the release of the magical movie handbook: Fantastic Beasts and where to find them. This book featuring amazing photos and details from the film, this handbook highlights all of your favorite characters, locations, artifacts, spells, and magical moments from the movie.
The wonderful world of William Shakespeare’s plays comes to life in this illustrated volume which features seven classic plays by William Shakespeare, retold by E. Nesbit in plain English – Great for those who aren’t fluent in Shakespeare’s language.
A world of magical, mythical creatures from around the worlds comes to life in this amazing book that details information about giants, trolls, harpies, unicorns, and much, much more!
Take a journey into the Forbidden Realms in this amazing book that provides information on how to best explore the treasure-laden dungeons, mysterious Underchasm, and Icewind Dale.
This guide is a toolkit for kids that teaches them how to think creatively through deductive reasoning, listening skills, and imagination, as well as help kids then have to figure out the answers through detective work and a little creative reasoning.
This book is literally a world of information where essential facts are brought to life by stylish infographics and fascinating commentary! You will discover amazing facts and answers to life’s questions such as How much do clouds weigh? Who invented the pencil? How many ways can you tie a knot?
National Geographic’s has done again with these two new books on heroes, heroines and role models. In The Book of Heroes, read and discover the true stories of superheroes, rebels, world leaders, action heroes, sports legends, and many more daring dudes, all of whom played their part to make their mark, make a contribution, and make the world a better place. While The Book of Heroines covers everything you need to know about female superstars, war heroes, world leaders, gusty gals, and everyday women who changed the world. Both books contain engaging text, high-quality photographs and is a toolkit for every kid with a goal, hope, or dream they want to make a reality.
If you could travel back in time to any point in history, where would you go?
Right back to the Stone age being chased by a saber tooth tiger. Maybe in Ancient Egypt helping build the great pyramids or how about being a Viking sailing on one of their great ships.
What about going the other way – into the future. What do you think our world will be like? Maybe we could be living on Mars!
How do you feel about time travel? Do you think that one day we might be able to travel to any point in time or do you think that’s just weird.
Either way it is fun to read books on time travel and we have heaps of choice for you.
There no doubt in anyone’s mind that J. K. Rowling totally owns the December’s eBook Top 10. The world of Harry Potter continues to inspire new readers, but also people love to re-read these books. Re-visiting the books often reveals passages that were missed the first time round. Or when you read a book at a different age you get new things out of the writing, and J. K. Rowling explores different aspects of her characters as the series expands through the school years.
But wait what is that at the end of the list? Squeaking in at the end… Thea Stilton. The Thea sisters are out to solve the theft of a precious ring on a trip to Russia. A figure skating medal and a good reputation is at stake!
Rubies and Runaways by Janine Beacham
Archie Greene and the Raven’s Spell by D.D Everest
Rowan Oakwing by E.J Clarke
Let’s Pretend We Never Met by Melissa Walker
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