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April School Holidays: Te Ao Kararehe | The World of Animals!

Stephen Clothier

The April school holidays are just one-and-a-half short weeks away! This year, Wellington City Libraries is inviting you to enter Te Ao Kararehe: The World of Animals with us all the way through the holidays, from the 8th to the 23rd of April.

Have you ever thought that perhaps you might like to meet a llama at the library? What about a penguin? What if we asked you to design your own animals — would they have claws and scales, or bright purple fur? Is it possible to use LEGO® to build a realistic habitat for a mythological beast? How good would a walking, talking animal be at playing D&D? Whatever your interests, something wild, mysterious, fascinating or exciting awaits you in Te Ao Kararehe: The World of Animals. Visit this page to see the whole calendar, or read on to find out more about what’s happening at your local library or community centre these holidays!

What awaits you in the wilds of Te Ao Kararehe?


Animal Antics Musical Storytime

Join us for these animal-themed storytimes where your multi-talented librarians will incorporate many different musical instruments into their storytelling! Stick around when the stories and songs are done to get up-close and personal to learn about the instruments you heard.

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

Baby Rock and Rhyme: Cubs ‘n’ Bubs Special Edition!

Come on down to the library for these fun and free sessions for parents and carers to interact with their babies through songs and stories — this time with a special animal-themed twist! Rhyme, rhythm, repetition and music are the building blocks of language for babies. Stick around afterwards to chat with our librarians and meet other new parents in your community!

Recommended for pēpī aged 0-2 with their caregivers, but older siblings are also most welcome.

Be Ready In An Emergency! (For Kids)

Learn what to do in an emergency like an earthquake or tsunami with an expert from the Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office (WREMO)! This is an interactive group activity for children aged 5-12. Registrations are required — to book your spot, talk to a librarian or phone Karori Library on 476 8413.

Children’s Librarian’s note: How is this event related to animals, you ask? Well, have you ever heard of ‘turtling’ during an emergency? Okay, okay, the link is fragile at best, we just wanted the opportunity to have our friends at WREMO come for a visit!

The Bad Smell Hotel: Book Launch and Celebration

Karori Library and The Cuba Press warmly invite you to the book launch of The Bad Smell Hotel, by father-daughter duo Rajorshi Chakraborti and Leela (age 11)!

The duo came up with the idea of the book during the 2020 lockdown, and their story is set in the not-too-distant future, where society is contending with mysterious bouts of uncontrollable farting! The forthcoming book is marvellously illustrated by Dan Mills.

Join us at the library for this very special celebration where you can meet the authors and find out more about the wonderful worlds they have created together!

Coastal Ecology LEGO® Laboratory

Ahoy, kids and whānau! Come join the team from the Wellington University Coastal Ecology Lab to learn incredible facts about your local marine ecosystem: from coral and fishes, all the way to mighty sharks! Kids then can build their very own sea critter or underwater habitat with our LEGO® collection! The most creative design will win a prize, and all models will be displayed at Island Bay Library, along with descriptions written by their creators.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Create-a-Critter Flipbooks

For our event today, tamariki will create a booklet made of pages cut into thirds, each featuring pictures of different animal body parts that they have drawn or found in magazines. As the pages flip around, the body parts will combine in ways both abstract and hilarious!

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Create Cuddly Creatures

Bring your old socks along to the library and transform them into a fuzy friend! We’ll provide the thread, needles, and extra accessories for your creature creation, as well as guidance from an expert librarian. Just make sure you’ve washed your socks, it may be difficult to give them a bath afterwards!

Recommended for tamariki and rangatahi aged 8+ with their caregivers.

Critter Creation: Recycled Art

Join us at Newlands Community Centre to turn junk into art! Bring along your own recycling stash to add to our supply, and create the critter of your dreams. Build a lion, a lemur, a llama, or something wild from your imagination!

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Cuddly Toy Animal Sleepover!

Dress up in your favourite onesie or your PJs, bring a cuddly toy animal, and join us for music, stories and crafts! Those who can bear (geddit?) to may leave their cuddly toy for a special overnight stay in the library — come back in the morning to find out what mischief and hijinks they got up to!

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Kids’ Book Club: Animal Edition!

Join us at Wadestown Library for our monthly Kids’ Book Club, where we’ll be talking about the books we love and enjoying an animal-themed craft activity too!

Recommended for tamariki aged 6-12 with their caregivers.

LEGO® Habitats

Join us for these special variant sessions of our popular Let’s Go LEGO® programme! Tamariki will design and assemble an ideal habitat for their favourite animals, living or imagined. There will be small prizes for the most creative habitats as well as for the most realistic or viable ones! Completed models will be displayed in the library following the event, alongside descriptions written by their creators.

Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Llamas! At the Llibrary

Yes, you heard us — get up close with real-life llamas at your local library! Join us for a special outdoor storytime where your llama-loving librarians will warm you up with some stories, then introduce you to our expert Stephen and a couple of camelids — a llama and an alpaca!

Since these are outdoor events we may have to postpone it if weather is poor on the day. Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for any updates.

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

*Note: The event at Johnsonville Library has been postponed to Thursday, 20 April at 2pm due to wet weather.

Make Your Own Animal Mask

Make your own animal mask at the library! We will provide lots of different mask templates and heaps of craft supplies so that everyone can create their own unique mask to take home. Animal masquerade ball, anyone?

Recommended for tamariki aged 4+ with their caregivers.

Paws and Claws: Pompomania!

This fun craft is no pig-deal! Come on down to He Matapihi Library and we’ll help you make your first pompom animal. Just bring your enthusiasm and can-do attitude — it’s going to be a paw-some time!

Recommended for tamariki aged 7+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required as space is limited, contact the library at 801 4122 to book your place.

The Pet Files: Zine Making

Kia ora kids! Bring in a photo, or draw an illustration, of your whānau pet (or your dream pet!). Then, join in at the library to create your very own fact file zine about your pets, with fun question prompts, and plenty of time to share our favourite pet stories! Once you’re done, you can also choose to have your Pet Files zine catalogued and added to the library collection for your friends and whānau to borrow. Sweet!

Recommended for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers.

Poké Pets Pompomania

Anime lovers unite! We got chu doing something fun these school holidays. Come along to Poké Pets Pompomania to make a Poké animal like no other. Create adorable Poké pet pompoms and their pompom Pokéball containers at the end of the session. We have instruction sheets you can bring home too.

Recommended for tamariki aged 8+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required as space is limited, contact the library at 801 4122 to book your place.

Spanish Language Day | Día del Idioma Español

Join us on the 22nd of April for Spanish Language Day at Karori Library! Whether you are a Spanish speaker, a language aficionado, or just love learning about other cultures, you are welcome at this family-friendly celebration.

At Spanish Language Day at Karori Library you will experience a range of activities in Spanish — storytelling, an art exhibition, crafts, and the launch of our new Spanish-language book collection. ¿Hablas español? Sí!

Te Ao Kararehe Animal Storytime

You think storytimes are just about stories? Not so in Te Ao Kararehe! Journey to the tangled heart of the forest, soar to the greatest heights of the mountains, and dive to the inkiest depths of the ocean in these continent-spanning storytimes like no other. If you’re lucky you may even get to craft a souvenir to take home as a memento of your travels in the World of Animals.

Recommended for tamariki of all ages with their caregivers.

Te Ao Kararehe Family Movies

Looking for a purrr-fect chill activity to do in the library? Why not join us for free movie time! It’s definitely a sloth-mode vibe so don’t forget to bring your favourite animal plushie to snuggle. All movies screened will have an animal theme, and will be rated either G or PG. Registration aren’t required; popcorn and beanbags aplenty will be supplied!

Technicolour Furbearers

Welcome to the world of the technicolour furbearers, where nothing is as it seems! At this fun workshop, tamariki will select a pre-prepared model of a fur-coated animal, and decorate their chosen critter with lush paint, shiny gems, colourful fabric, and funky textures.

Recommended for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers. Registrations are required.

Under the Sea: Animal CRAFTivity

Whale hello there! Celebrate your school holiday weekend at He Matapihi Library as we create some fun under-the-sea crafts together. Perfect for all ages and stages!

The Wolves of Welton: An Introduction to D&D

Join us for an introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons — no prior RPG experience required. We’ll provide the Dungeon Master, dice, books, pack of ravenous wolves, gear, and knowledge — all you need is enthusiasm!

This session is intended to introduce brand new and novice players to Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop roleplaying games, learning from our experienced librarians in a beginner-friendly environment. Intermediate or experienced players might find this one-shot too simplistic and undemanding.

Recommended for tamariki aged 8-12. Registrations are required: sign up below!

Using your library – from home!

Merritt

With our libraries closed while Wellington is at Alert Level 4 we thought it would be a good idea remind you about all the ways you can still use your library from the comfort and safety of your own home – we’ve got you covered!

We have so many really cool resources available in our eLibrary! If you want to have a browse yourself you can check our our Kids’ Guide or have a look through what’s available on our Kids’ Home Page, or just read on…

Stories and Storytimes

If you’re after a book to read, look no further than Borrowbox or Libby. These apps are both free to download – just log in with your library card number and PIN and you’re away! These two have plenty of eBooks and eAudiobooks to keep you occupied on a rainy day at home.

If you’d rather listen to someone read you a story we’ve got more options for you! You can listen to great stories being read aloud by Australian and New Zealand storytellers through the Story Box Library, or you can try out something interactive with the TumbleBook Library. It’s the same deal with these – just log on with your library card!

We also have a whole lot of virtual storytimes from our own librarians available through our Facebook page. Check out the Virtual Storytime and Bedtime Storytime playlists for some great stories we recorded last year.

Things to do

If you’re after a challenge, read through our collection of Family Lockdown Challenges! These are full of exciting activities and ideas for you to do while at home. If you do any of the challenges (particularly the Book Domino Challenge!) be sure to tag us in any photos or videos you take on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Our Kids’ Club Book Reviews are still up and running, so you can start earning prizes by writing book reviews! We’ve got a great post here with some tips about how to write a fantastic review. When our libraries are open again you can come on in and collect a plethora of prizes – how cool is that?!

If you’re missing Baby Rock ‘n’ Rhyme or CRAFTerschool go check out the Johnsonville and Tawa Library Facebook pages! If you go through the Videos tab on each page you can easily find the recorded Baby Rock ‘n’ Rhyme sessions from last year, as well as some wonderful craft tutorials.

How adorable are these hedgehogs – and you could make one yourself!

Movies and TV

If there’s someone in your household with an adult library card they’ll be able to access our online streaming services – we have two! Beamafilm and Kanopy are both free to use.

Kia kaha, stay safe, and we look forward to seeing you again in person on the other side.

April School Holidays: General Nerdery!

Stephen Clothier

The April school holidays are only two weeks away! This year, Wellington City Libraries is inviting you to join us for General Nerdery all through the holiday period, from the 17th of April to the 2nd of May.

Everyone has something they’re nerdy about, our librarians included. For some, it’s tech-y stuff like robots and VR that get them going; for others, it might be comic books or movies; some of the more adventurous among us don armour, shield and sword for fantasy adventures in games like Dungeons and Dragons. Whatever you get nerdy about, there’s something for you at your local library during the April school holidays! If you’re a bit older, don’t worry — there’s plenty on for teens too. Click here for the lowdown on what’s on for teens! If you want to see the entire event calendar, click here. If you’re a kid — read on!

Child wearing denim dungarees and a makeshift visor with a cardboard jetpack standing next to a cardboard robot, surrounded by images of planets, aliens, and stars. Text: "Join us this school holidays for General Nerdery, 17 April to 2 May"

Join us for nerdy events you can really sink your teeth into!

Board Game Builders

Whether you’ve been dreaming up your own version of Snakes and Ladders, or have a whole new tabletop game world in mind, this event is for you! Join us at Te Awe Library to learn about how your can use our special templates to build your own custom board game that you can then take home and play with your friends and family! All materials will be supplied.

Board Games Builders is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Friday 23 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

City Nature Challenge: Wellington Bioblitz!

Throughout the holidays, people from all over the world are participating in the City Nature Challenge! Wellington is teeming with wildlife, from the mountains to the sea. You can get involved in the City Nature Challenge Wellington Bioblitz using the iNaturalist app — just take a picture of a plant or animal you find and upload it to the app! Click here to join in on the fun, and don’t forget to pick up a special City Nature Challenge activity sheet from your local library during the holidays.

Crazy Collages

Have you ever looked at an old book or magazine and thought, “This would really look a lot better if I tore it apart and made it into art?” We have, too! Come along to Te Awe Library and join our librarians in repurposing some old magazines into beautiful works of art that you can be proud of.

Crazy Collages is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Wednesday 28 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

El’s Party!

To celebrate the end of the school holidays, you are invited to a special party right here in the library! Do you want to play party games? Do you enjoy dance and song? Then grab your brown-up, bring them to Te Awe Library, and be prepared to have entirely too much fun with El, our very own party librarian!

El’s Party is perfect for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Thursday 29 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Embroider Your Own Patch

Join us at Johnsonville Library during the school holidays to learn how to embroider your own patch that you can sew onto your clothes, schoolbag, or jacket! Wear your nerdy finery with pride and chill with like-minded folks in the library while picking up a new skill. Materials will be provided, and registrations are not required.

Embroider Your Own Patch is suitable for children aged 9+ with their caregivers.

  • Johnsonville Library, Tuesday 20 April, 2.00 – 5.00pm
  • Johnsonville Library, Tuesday 27 April, 2.00 – 5.00pm

Experience VR

Virtual reality (VR) offers us a new and exciting way to learn about and experience the world around us. From 3D painting and virtual sculpting to exploring some of the world’s most extreme locations, this is your opportunity to experience VR from the safety and comfort of your local library.

Experience VR! is suitable for children aged 9+ accompanied by their caregivers, and teens of all ages.

  • Karori Library, Tuesday 20 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm
  • Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library, Thursday 29 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Family Movie Afternoon

Bring a cushion and a bottle of water and relax at our FREE, fun family movie afternoons — popcorn will be supplied! All movies chosen will have a G rating, and are suitable for families with young children. Contact the host library to find out which movies are screening!

Family Movie Afternoons are suitable for children of all ages with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Monday 19 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Karori Library, Wednesday 28 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Te Awe Library, Friday 30 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Fort Night

Fancy yourself a builder, engineer, architect, or artist? Join us at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library to put your skills to the test by helping us turn the library’s children’s and teens sections into a magnificent, interconnected box fort! Drop in and have a go, or stay for the whole time and watch your masterpiece take shape, from foundation to parapet.

Fort Night is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers, and teens of all ages.

  • Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Thursday 22 April, 4.00 – 6.00pm
  • Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library, Thursday 29 April, 4.00 – 6.00pm

LEGO® Time

Come down to the library and get creative in these free-build sessions with our extensive LEGO® collections. Builders of all ages and experience levels are welcome to get stuck in.

LEGO® Time is suitable for children aged 5+ and their caregivers, and everyone is welcome.

  • Te Awe Library, Sunday 18 April, 11.00am – 12.00pm
  • Te Awe Library, Thursday 22 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Te Awe Library, Tuesday 27 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm
  • Te Awe Library, Sunday 2 May, 11.00am – 12.00pm

Let’s Go LEGO®

Let’s build — let’s explore — let’s create! Come along to your local library to create your LEGO® masterpiece. At Let’s Go LEGO® your brickish nerdery will be put to the test as you work your way through our special themed challenges.

Let’s Go LEGO® is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Karori Library, Saturday 17 April, 2.00 – 3.00pm
  • Newtown Library, Monday 19 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm
  • Brooklyn Library, Tuesday 20 April, 2 – 3:30pm
  • Miramar Library, Thursday 22 April, 3.30 – 4.30pm

Plus, come along for a special ‘under the sea’ themed LEGO® building session at Wadestown Library:

  • Wadestown Library, Wednesday 21 April, 3.00 – 5.00pm

Meet the Robots

Ever wondered what goes on inside the mind of a robot? Join us at Te Awe Library to meet some of our resident library robots, find out how they work, and then try your hand at programming them! No prior coding knowledge is required.

Meet the Robots is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Wednesday 21 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Myths and Music

The magic of storytelling takes many forms, and myths and legends in many parts of the world have often been told through music. Join our librarians for a musical journey through Celtic and Maori mythology — and be prepared to make some noise of your own!

Myths and Music is suitable for children of all ages with their caregivers.

  • Johnsonville Library, Friday 23 April, 3.00 – 4.00pm
  • Johnsonville Library, Friday 30 April, 3.00 – 4.00pm

Nature Heroes: Board Game Creation Workshop

Johnsonville Library is excited to work with VIVITA Aotearoa to bring this VIVISTOP Mini pop-up programme to the library. During this 5-day workshop, you will learn about the concepts of design thinking, engage in creative problem solving, learn to use software and hardware and other tools in the library’s Tūhura HIVE Makerspace, and then apply these lessons to the creation of a board game centred around the theme of conservation.

This workshop is FREE. Space is limited to 15 participants. Click here to register. Nature Heroes: Board Game Creation Workshop is suitable for young creators aged 9-15.

  • Johnsonville Library, Tuesday 27 April to Saturday 1 May inclusive, 10.00am – 12.00pm

Paper Plane Cloudracers

Join us at Te Awe Library to bring your aeronautic dreams to life as paper planes! Learn new designs, construct your plane, then see how your design fares against our librarians in the paper plane aviation race of the century. All materials will be supplied.

Paper Plane Cloudracers is suitable for children aged 5+ with their caregivers.

  • Te Awe Library, Tuesday 20 April, 2.00 – 3.30pm

Family Lockdown Challenge: Kanopy Kids!

Stephen Clothier

So, in our last editions of the Family Lockdown Challenge, we’ve covered everything from reading and writing to building and doing. But did you know that the library is also your hub for movies and TV?

Enter Kanopy Kids. (Please note that logging in to Kanopy Kids requires an adult library membership. Click here if you do not have a current adult membership). Kanopy Kids is the library’s online streaming platform for kids’ movies, TV shows, animated storytimes, and more. The best part? It’s all free, and you have unlimited watch time. On the adult version of Kanopy, you get 6 watch credits a month, but on Kanopy Kids, it’s all movies, all the time.

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to watch a movie or an animated storytime on Kanopy Kids as a family, and then create a response to it. You could draw a picture, write a review, reenact your favourite scene, do a fact file on your favourite character — the world is your oyster! We’d love to see what you come up with, so please get in touch with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to show off your creative skills!

Explore and enjoy!

5 New Non Fiction to read this summer.

Katie

Hey kids! Check out the latest new non fiction at Wellington City Libraries. Check out books about the wonderful world of ballet, the Harry Potter universe, yummy easy peasy recipes and so much more.

Enjoy!

image courteesy of syndeticsThe Magical World of Ballet.

Calling all budding ballet and dancer enthusiasts! Check out The Magical World of Ballet! A beautiful book that showcases gives a unique insight into this beautiful art form, seen through the eyes of The Royal Ballet. A must read book for anyone interested in ballet and dancing.


image courtesy of sydneticsHarry Potter & Fantastic Beasts: A Spellbinding Guide to the Films.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is coming to theater’s November 16, 2018! Explore the new film series and it’s connections to Harry Potter with this beautiful handbook! Ages 8+


image courtesy of sydneticsEasy Peasy!: Real Cooking for Kids.

Easy peasy real cooking indeed! Check out this amazing cookbook where Mary Contini and Pru Irvine provide over 60 recipes guaranteed to tickle the tastebuds, featuring a huge range of mouth watering recipes, including a selection from other countries, not just Britain. My personal favourites, found this book, include green pea hummus, cool as cucumber salad, and ‘shrooms on toast. Hmmm, is it lunch time yet? A librarian’s choice all the way!


image courtesy of sydneticsJapanese Picture Dictionary.

Want to learn a language in the new year, Check out this Japanese Picture Dictionary. This dictionary contains more than 1,500 Japanese words and phrases you need to know, organised into 38 themes that range from “nice to meet you” to ‘At the market.” Another librarian’s choice all the way!


image courtesy of sydneticsAn anthology of intriguing animals.

Check out this amazing anthology of intriguing animals. Filled with amazing facts and eye catching illustrations about animals, including firm favourites such as dolphins, tigers and butterflies as well more unusual animals such as walrus, lemur and peacock. Highly recommended.

4 New Non Fiction… and movie trailers just in time for the new year… and summer!

Katie

Hey Kids! Christmas and the end of 2018 is just around the corner. Check out the latest new non fiction books about upcoming movies and books that will get your unleash your inner builder and engineer.

Enjoy!

image courtesy of sydneticsTransformers Robots in Disguise: Where Crown City comes to life.

Bumblebee and his team have come to Earth to recapture escaped Decepticons from a prison ship that’s crashed.

Check out the trailer to the latest “Transformers” movie, Bumblebee.

 


image courtesy of syndeticsSpiderman into the Spider-verse.

“There’s a new Spider-Man on the block! Meet Miles Morales, a teenage Spider-Man with super powers as spectacular as his predecessor Peter Parker! Discover everything you ever wanted to know about his astonishing costume, loyal allies and frightening enemies. Find out about his amazing origin story and his fiercest clashes as you learn how he juggles high school life with his status as a Super Hero. Marvel Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse: The Official Guide will cover all of the movie’s memorable characters, plus key locations, themes and fun facts from the movie in DK’s lively and informative non-fiction style.” — ONIX annotation.

Check out the trailer to Spider Man : Into the Spider Verse.



IMAGE COURTESY OF SYNDETICSDC Absolutely Everything you need to know.

Provides a guide to the superheroes and archvillains of the DC universe, featuring such characters as Superman, Batman, Cyborg, Darkseid, Brainiac, John Constantine, and the Joker.

The infographic design of each spectacularly illustrated, double-page feature gives readers a totally new slant on the DC Comics Universe and its super-powered heroes and villains, fantastic weapons, futuristic technology, strange planets, exotic places, and alternate worlds. The punchy, accessible text incorporates key data, fun facts, lists, quotes, and amazing stats, spanning 80 years of DC Comics Super Hero thrills.Information is presented in exciting box styles and illustrated with DC Comics artwork. Themed boxes capture the essence of characters or topics by pinpointing their most unforgettable aspects.

Discover Superman’s strangest powers and Batman’s top death-defying escapes! Find out who wins when Wonder Woman and Cheetah go head to head. Check out The Joker’s best and worst days! Learn the greatest secrets of Aquaman’s undersea kingdom Atlantis! Explore the darkest corners of Arkham Asylum and Apokolips!

These and many more eye-popping revelations and strange, intriguing insights await readers of DC Comics: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know–a book that will inform, delight, and enthrall DC Comics fans of all ages.

Check out the trailer to latest movie from the DC universe, and member of the Justice League: Aquaman.


image courtesy of syndeticsThe Zoom Fly Bolt Blast STEAM Handbook.

Rockport’s creative engineering extraordinaire, Lance Akiyama, returns again with Zoom, Fly Bolt, Blast STEAM Engineer and 18 STEAM approved projects to get kids doing, thinking, and building!– Provided by publisher.

6 New Non Fiction to read in the new year.

Katie

Happy New Year! Welcome to the first junior non fiction blog post of 2018! Featured are books all about science experiments, a follow up of successful women who changed the world and made history, history at its most horrible and entertainment thrown in for good measure.

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndetics365 Weird Wonderful Science Experiments.

Whether you’re making your own slime, rockets, crystals, and hovercrafts or performing magic (science!) tricks and using science to become a secret agent, this book has something for every type of curious kid. Each experiment features safety precautions, materials needed, step-by-step instructions with illustrations, fun facts, and further explorations.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMore girls who rocked the world.

“From the inspiring author of Girls Who Rocked the World comes another comprehensive collection of true, inspiring profiles of successful young women throughout history who made their mark on the world before turning twenty. Young women today crave strong, independent role models to look to for motivation. In the follow-up to the bestseller Girls Who Rocked the World, More Girls Who Rocked the World offers a fun and uplifting collection of influential stories with forty-five more movers and shakers who made a difference before turning twenty. From Annie Oakley and Queen Victoria to Malala Yousafzai and Adele–each with her own incredible story of how she created life-changing opportunities for herself and the world–you’ll get to know these capable queens of empires and courageous icons of entertainment. Also included are profiles of gutsy teenagers who are out there rocking the world right now and personal aspirations from today’s young women”– Provided by publisher. Also check out Girls who rocked the world.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Big Earth Book.

Planet Earth. Four elements. Once incredible story. Get ready for a roller-coaster ride through history, geography, science and more. Take an amazing journey into the planet’s past and discover how four elements — earth, fire, air and water — created the world and everything that exists today. This book combines amazing facts with stunning photography and hand-drawn illustrations to bring our planet and its past to life in an exciting and engaging way.

IMAGE COURTESY OF SYNDETICSF2 Football Academy.

Take your football skills to the next level with the world’s biggest football YouTubers, the F2.F2: Football Academy features the greatest players, the biggest teams, and most jaw-dropping moments from across the football world, and teaches the skills and the tekkers it takes to be the best!Want step-overs like Sanchez? Or a pile-driver like Ibrahimovic? Or quick-feet like Messi? Let the F2 show you how. Filled with tips and hacks, as well as the inside track on your favourite stars: Pogba, Suarez, Aguero and the rest. With a free app that brings the book to life and shows you how to turbo-charge your tekkers, there’s not a moment to lose open, read, learn, download and get out on the pitch and practice. Love, peace and tekkers.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe last Jedi : the visual dictionary.

This book presents a guide to the characters, droids, aliens, and creatures of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” with details on costumes, weapons, and accessories.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHorrible Histories: 25th Anniversary Yearbook.

This is a must-have for all Horrible Histories fans. Packed with foul facts, gory games, dreadful jokes, quick quizzes and putrid puzzles, it’s a yearbook with rat-itude! Discover all the dreadful details about your favourite eras of history from the Rotten Romans, to the Terrible Tudors and the Gorgeous Georgians to the Woeful World Wars. History has never been so horrible!

 

New Non Fiction to begin the new year!

Katie

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.

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsAlbus Dumbledore.

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.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsFantastic beasts and where to find them : magical movie handbook.

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.

 

Shakespeare Retold.

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 Miscellany of Magical Beasts.

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!

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsVolothamp Geddarm’s dungeonology : an epic adventure through the Forgotten Realms.

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.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe curious guide to things that aren‘t.

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.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsA world of Information.

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?

 

 The Book of Heroes. and The Book of Heroines.

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 Timage courtesy of syndeticshe 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.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndetics

7 New Non Fiction to read during the last days of spring.

Katie

It’s less than three weeks till the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Pop on down to your local library and check out the latest new junior non fiction that will take you on a journey into the wonderful world of animals, fairies, Star Wars and Harry Potter. Enjoy!

 

image courtesy of syndeticsA first book of animals

From blue whales to bumblebee bats and everything in between, A First Book of Animals takes you all over the planet to visit all kinds of different creatures.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsStar Wars: complete locations

Check out this updated, expanded guide to a galaxy far, far away and discover a universe of information of the Star Wars galaxy, which includes brand-new material from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. With eight brand new artworks, and an incredible range of location cross-sections, illustrations, and photographs, Star Wars: Complete Locations is the essential guide for anyone wanting to find their way around the galaxy far, far away.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHarry Potter Cinematic Guide

Prepare to enter the world of Harry Potter by reading this cinematic guide which holds an outstanding collection of photographs and quotes, featuring Harry Potter, describing his life at Hogwarts, his relationships with friends and family, and his battles with Voldemort.

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHermione Granger : cinematic guide

Girl power is rolled into one with The Essential Film Companion for Hermione Granger! Throughout all eight HARRY POTTER films, Hermione shows her wisdom and daring on her adventures with best friends Harry and Ron, secretly brewing Polyjuice Potion, rescuing Sirius Black with a Time-Turner, and creating Dumbledore’s Army. Revisit these moments and more from the girl who proved that Muggle-borns can be the most skilled witches and wizards of all.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsRon Weasley : cinematic guide

Harry Potter’s sidekick, Ron Weasley finally gets his own starring role in his own Essential Film Companion! This collection of photographs and quotes from all eight HARRY POTTER films takes a closer look at Ron’s life, including his time at Hogwarts, family and friends, and dangerous battles against the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

 

 

image courtesy of sydneticsFairy World

Read this book and step inside a world of magic, enchantment and mystery as you enter the realm of the fairies. A great book for girls to enjoy.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsMy first Dog Book

This essential guide covers everything you need to know about caring for your dog and basic training techniques, with easy step-by-step instructions, from sit, down, and stay to walking to heel on the lead.

4 New Non Fiction: Heroes and Wizards vs Zombies and Monsters.

Katie

image courtesy of syndeticsBeastworld: Terrifying Monsters and Mythical Beasts.

Step into a spine-chilling world of terrifying mythical beasts from ancient myths, strange sightings and folklore. Mythical beasts includes Bigfoot, the Loch ness monster and the kraken.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsHarry Potter: The Character Vault.

Unlock new information about your favourite characters from the Harry Potter movies with this book profiling the good, the bad, and everything in between. Concept art, behind-the-scenes imagery, and film stills track everyone from Harry, Hermione and Ron to Dobby, Mad-Eye Moody and Dolores Umbridge, telling their complete stories as they evolve throughout the film series. A must read for all the Harry Potter fans out there.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsZombies: The truth behind history’s terrifying flesh-eaters.

Zombies, are they real or some made up story? Only reading Zombies: The truth behind history’s terrifying flesh-eaters, will allow to separate fact from fiction. This book describes ancient history, medieval lore, and modern portrayals of zombies in today’s popular culture. A must read for anyone who is interested in information about zombies… or who wants to prepare for a zombie apocalypse.

 

image courtesy of syndeticsPaws of Courage: True Tales of Heroic dogs that protect and serve.

Inside each courageous canine beats the heart of a hero. Readers will cheer for the hero dogs featured in this collection, profiled with stunning photos and inspiring tales of bravery, friendship, heroism, and devotion. Great for ages 10 years and over.