fiction

NZ Post Book Awards

admin

The shortlist for the annual New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards have been announced.

The awards nominate the best NZ children’s books that have been published in the last year in 4 categories – Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Non-Fiction and Teen.

During the NZ Post Book Awards festival week, which is June 17th – June 24th, there will be fun events and the winners of each category will be announced. Watch this space for more info.

The best thing is that you get to vote for one of the winners! Every year children can vote for their favourite book from any of the categories. The Children’s Choice Award is the one that all the authors and illustrators want to win, and you could win too! By voting you could win $500 of book vouchers for yourself and for your school – cool! Get voting!

 

We’ll be profiling the shortlist here on the blog so you can find out about all these super cool books and get your hands on them.

Top 10 fiction for March

admin

Here are the most popular children’s fiction books for March. How many have you read?

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

2. Conspiracy 365 series by Gabrielle Lord

3. Dirty Bertie by Alan MacDonald

4. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling (HP is still popular!)

5. Where’s Wally series by Martin Handford

6. Captain Underpants and the Big Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy (part 1 and 2) by Dav Pilkey

7. Judy Moody and Stink series by Megan McDonald

8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

9. Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl
10. Ruby Redfort by Lauren Child

 

 

 

 

The Unicorn Riders

debbie

Do you like reading fabulous fantasy adventure books then check out this great series called The Unicorn Riders.

The Unicorn Riders live in a magical but dangerous kingdom called Avamay. There are four riders and they are each assigned to a Unicorn that is as unique as they are.

First there is Willow who rides Obecky a beautiful unicorn who has a black opal horn and has the gifts of healing and strength.

Then there is Ellabeth who rides Fayza who is very fast and can light the dark with her golden magic.

Next is Quin who rides Ula. These two can speak to each other using mind-messages and Ula can also sense danger.

Last there is Krystal who rides Estrella. Estrella has the gift of enchantment.

Working together these four ride as one to protect the people of Avamay with all their courage and skill.

I wish I had a unicorn!

 

Top 10: Fiction for February

admin

Super-dooper February fiction! Here are the Top 10 fiction books:

  1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
  2. Dirty Bertie series by Alan MacDonald
  3. Conspiracy 365 series by Gabrielle Lord
  4. The Girl in Blue by Margaret Beames (NZ Author!)
  5. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
  6. Where’s Wally? series by Martin Handford
  7. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling
  8. Puzzle Pirates by Susannah Leigh
  9. Captain Underpants and the Big, Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy by Dav Pilkey
  10. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J. K. Rowling

Top Ten Fiction

admin

Here are the most popular books for January 2013, based on the number of times they have been borrowed. Which ones have you read?

1. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

2. Dirty Bertie by Alan MacDonald

3. Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford

4. Captain Underpants and the Big Bad Battle of the Bionic Booger Boy by Dav Pilkey

5. Ruby Redfort by Lauren Child

6. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days by Jeff Kinney

8. Judy Moody and Stink by Megan McDonald

9. Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord

10. Puzzle Adventure Omnibus

New Year’s Fiction !

wcl staff

 The council of Mirrors by Michael Buckley

Sabrina, Daphne, and the rest of the Grimms – except for Granny Relda, whose body has been hijacked by the Master – fight for the freedom of Ferryport Landing in the series’ grand finale. As war rips the town apart, Sabrina consults a team of magic mirrors, who prophesy that the only way the good guys will win is if she leads the army. Sabrina has always wanted to be taken seriously, and now she controls the fate of all the Everafters, the very people who have made her life so difficult since she and Daphne arrived in Ferryport Landing.

Will they listen to a Grimm? And can she really save them?

Check out this ninth and final book in the Sisters Grimm series!

 

The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A pilot forced to land in the Sahara meets a little prince. The wise and enchanting stories the prince tells of his own planet with its three volcanoes and a haughty flower are unforgettable.

The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. Both moral fable and spiritual autobiography, this new edition will leave you breathless !

 

The door in the tree, by William Corlett

It is spring and William, Mary and Alice Constant have returned to Golden House for the Easter holidays, anxious to see if the magic will work again. When they are drawn to the Magician’s hideout, through a door in a tree, they learn that the secret to magic is believing ; and through believing they can enter the magic and continue their great task.

Perfect book for every magical fantasy lover!

 

Captain Awesome and the new kid, by Stan Kirby

Captain Awesome and Nacho Cheese Man are up to their old tricks… saving the universe through the defeat of one bad guy at a time. From Mr. Drools to Dr. Spinach, evil doesn’t stand a chance in Sunnyview!

But when a new student, Sally Williams, joins Ms. Beasley’s class, the Superhero squad is forced to wonder if she is friend or foe. Eugene also contemplates inviting a new feline friend to join the squad, much to Turbo’s disapproval…

Accessible and enormously appealing for young readers!

 

Zac and the Dream Stealers, by Ross MacKenzie

Footsteps echoed outside in the passage, and someone rapped on the door.

“Come”, Raven ordored, and the door swung open. Zac gasped.

Four figures strode in, all cloaked in black. Their faces were hidden beneath terrifying silver skull masks, and their silver- plated arms crossed their chests. He’d seen an identical figure in his last nightmare!

If you like spooky, creepy, scary books, this one will be perfect for you!

 

Cracking Christmas Fiction!!!

wcl staff

Father Christmas Goes on Holiday by Raymond Briggs.

Check out this fantastically funny  book!!!Father Christmas has had enough of wintery Christmas weather so he is off to find the ideal holiday spot. Father Christmas visits France, Scotland, and Las Vegas while on his annual vacation.

 

 

 

 

 

 Merry Christmas, Geronimo! by Geronimo Stilton.

Geronimo is at it again!After tripping over his tail and winding up in the hospital, then having his mouse house catch on fire, Geronimo is sure he’s destined to have the worst Christmas ever. Will he be able to save Christmas and learn what the celebration is really about? Check this book out and discover  what happens next !!!

 

 

 

 

 

  Astrosaurs Academy: Christmas Crisis! by Steve Cole.

From Christmas cheer to Christmas fear! The cadets are set a Christmas challenge- to make the brightest, biggest festive decorations the Academy’s ever seen. But when Damona takes a giant tree from the Land of Secrets. it’s the beginning of an icy disaster, one that could doom her friends, the Academy and Christmas itself across the galaxy!

 

 

 

 

 

  Spy Dog: Secret Santa by Andrew Cope .

A spy for life not just for Christmas !! Check out this super cool book as Lara the spy dog and her pups Spud and Star are hot on the heels of an evil computer hacker. Stanley Strange plans to hijack Christmas. Can the super spies catch Stanley before he goes crackers and makes an explosive getaway ?

 

 

 

 

 

Tumtum and Nutmeg’s Christmas Adventure! by Emily Bern.

Tumtum and Nutmeg are very busy! They have crackers to stuff, hams to glaze and ants to sugar ! But when the mice discover that Arthur and Lucy may not be getting any presents, they set off on an adventure to the Toy Kingdom to see if the terrifying Baron Toymouse can help. If they can not get any help will the children go without Christmas presents ? Read and find out!

 

 

 

 

Astrosaurs: The Claws of Christmas by Steve Cole. Read by Toby Longworth.

This awesome audio book is alot of fun! Meet Captain Teggs Stegosaur and the crew of the amazing spaceship DSS Sauropod as the astrosaurs fight evil across the galaxy. Teggs and the crew visit the dinosaur Santa himself – Papa Claws. Strange dangers lurk in Papa’s gift factory, and an old enemy is loose. Kick your feet up and listen to this exciting story on Christmas Day!

 

 

 

 

  A Christmas Collection of Classics of Childhood: Volume 3

This audio book will paint a smile on your Chrismassy face! This is a collection of stories centered around Christmas. It includes great stories like ” The Little Match Girl”; “Waldo, Tell Me about Christmas” and my favourite ” Santasaurus” and many many more. Perfect with a cup of chocolaty goodness!!

 

 

 

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

No Christmas is the same without this very cool and scary book. Ebenezer Scrooge is a very mean old man who hates everyone, especially children and his story opens on a Christmas Eve as cold as his heart. That night, he is visited by three ghostly Christmas spirits- Christmases Past, Present and Yet To Come. Each takes him on a heart-stopping journey where he meets people he loved, people he fears and people he will meet soon. The pictures are extremely cool so be brave and grab the book form your local library!

 

New Summer Fiction

wcl staff

Tomato dynamite by Aussie Bites

It looks like a jar of hot tomato pickle, but Jack is sure it has the power to change the world- or at least to help him solve a rather tricky problem!

A new easy to read and entertaining story for young readers…

 

 

Big change for Stuart, by Lissa Evans

Stuart closed his hand over the star, and felt the six prongs dig into his skin. His heart was suddenly thumping; he felt both excited and slightly frightened, and he knew from April’s expression that she felt the same. The hunt for Great-Uncle Tony’s workshop had been a wild and exciting chase, sprinkled with danger and magic and now another quest was beckoning.

But for what? What was the prize this time?

A second exciting adventure for the hero of  “Small Change for Stuart”. Perfect reading for children aged 7-10.

 

 

Junonia, by Kevin Henkes

Returning to the beach cottage – a cottage named Scallop- where she has always celebrated her birthday is a special occasion for Alice Rice.

Who will see the first dolphin this time? The first Pelican? What will have changed? Stayed the same? And will this be the year she finally finds a junonia shell?

Alice’s friends are all returning, too. And she’s certain her parents have the best party planned for her. Alice can’t wait. If Alice is lucky, everything will be absolutely perfect. Will Alice be lucky?

Great book for your summer reading. And don’t forget to look for a rare shell while you will be reading it on the beach!

 

 Paula Danziger’s Amber Brown is tickled pink, by Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy

Amber Brown has lots to be tickled pink about. Her mom and Max are finally getting married. Her friends Brandi and Kelly are invited to the wedding, and her best friend, Justin, and his family are coming all the way from Alabama.

At least, that’s the plan – until Amber’s mom suggests they have a tiny wedding without a party, the search for THE dress is impossible, and Amber’s dad keeps making mean cracks about Max that prove he still needs a few more “dad lessons”. Everyone’s favourite fourth grader suddenly has alot to deal with!

If anyone is up for these challenges, it’s a friendly, creative and colorful story!

 

Butterfly Summer, by Anne-Marie Conway

When Becky finds an old photo in a box under her mum’s bed, everything she thought she knew comes crashing down. The only place she finds comfort is at the Butterfly Garden with her new friend, Rosa May. But with her wild ways, and unpredictable temper, is Rosa May hiding something as well? In the heat of the sun-drenched summer, it seems that Becky is the only one in the dark…

Mesmerizing and mysterious, Butterfly Summer is a haunting tale of intense friendship and dangerous discovery…

 

 

Dragons, Santa’s pants and killer koalas!!

Celeste M

Need something to read when school’s finished for the year? Not to worry – we’ve got you covered! Here are some new books at the library – from the latest Astrosaurs book, to the Dragonology Chronicles and extremely disgusting Andy Griffiths stories!!

Syndetics book coverThe forest of evil, by Steve Cole
Number 19 in the exciting Astrosaurs series!
“Noxia-4 is a farm-planet; a world of plants that feeds billions of hungry dinos. But when the harvest fails and the farmers are attacked, Teggs and the team investigate – and soon learn that the Noxia-4’s dark forests are home to a strange and deadly evil that could destroy them all…” (From the back cover)

 

Syndetics book coverWhere are Santa’s pants? By Richard Merritt.
Oh dear – it must be Christmas! Santa’s lost his pants and desperately needs them back so he can get started delivering presents! Help him find them on every page of this book! A fun puzzle book, sort of like Where’s Wally, but Christmassy.

 

Syndetics book coverThe dragon diary, by Dugald A. Steer
Another book in the Dragonology Chronicles. Are you reading these yet? You’ll enjoy them!
“Fresh from recovering the Dragon’s Eye, apprentice dragonologists Daniel and Beatrice Cook eagerly await the hatching of the dragon’s egg in their care. But just as the shell begins to crack, their mentor, Dr. Ernest Drake, is called off to India to look for their missing parents and tend to the gravely ill naga dragons they’ve left behind. Meanwhile, the siblings receive a tip that the secret to curing dragons may lie in an age-old Dragon Diary, if only they could decipher it!” (We found this review on Amazon.com)

 

Syndetics book coverKiller koalas from outer space, by Andy Griffiths ; illustrations by Terry Denton.
And we saved the best for last!! Do we even need to tell you how awesome Andy Griffiths is? (*Grin*)
“This is a very silly book filled with very bad things. There are bad ideas like eating dead flies, and silly people like the boy who unscrews his head and loses it forever. Then there are very bad things like bloodsucking grannies, rocket-stealing ants and, of course, killer koalas from outer space that come to earth and rip off your face. A collection of stories from The Bad Book and The Very Bad Book that will make your brain EXPLODE!” (We found this review on the Publisher’s website)

Enjoy!!

May the folds be with you!

wcl staff

I have just gotten my hands on a very interesting book entitled The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger. If you liked Captain Underpants and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, then you might like to  check this book out.

The story centres on a finger puppet that was created by Dwight, a not so popular kid in school. The finger puppet was named Origami Yoda and eerily gives out wise and helpful advice, much like its namesake Yoda in the movie Star Wars, to the students of his school.

Tommy decides to question Yoda’s authenticity, and gets the help of his classmates in assembling proof, by way of a case file and interviews ,that would try to solve the mystery of Yoda’s credibility. Along with Harvey, the book’s antagonist, Tommy embarks on his project before he asks Origami Yoda the most important question of all- “Should he ask a particular girl to the dance?”

You might also like to try out doing your own Origami Yoda from the instructions at the back of the book. Happy folding!