interesting facts

Your one stop monster encyclopedia has arrived at Wellington City Libraries! Featured is everything you have every wanted to know about monsters. Read and get the information about monsters you may know, like dragons and serpents, some featured in mythology like the Scylla, Cyclops and Cerberus, the three headed dog. You will even read about mixed up monsters (human/monster hybrids) like the minotaur and the chimera. Overall an amazing book. Great to use if you are studying the mythology of monsters and beasts.

Warning: This book contains some seriously scary monsters! Do not read before bed or when the wind is howling outside.

Let’s rock! : science adventures with Rudie the origami dinosaur.

Ready to rock with Rudie the oragami dinosaur? Let her take you on a journey back to the prehistoric ages and discover how sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks are formed. Complete with pictures and easy to understand facts, Let’s Rock is the sort of book that makes the average rock look cool. As an added bonus, you will also find a craft activity enclosed on how to make an origami T.Rex. A science and craft book in all one. You can’t beat that?

Zombies and Electricity.

Doing a science project on electricity? Like graphic novels? Ready for another two for one deal? Check out Zombies and Electricity. In cartoon and graphic novel format, uses zombies to explain the science of electricity. What’s even more amazing I read an article recently that zombies are becoming a new tool to teach kids about science and mathmatics. (See FACT down below) This is the sort of book that makes science interesting and explain how electricity works the the simplest way possible. Great for ages 9 to 12 years.

FACT: Zombies are becoming a new tool to teach kids about science and mathmatics. The loss of coordination in the zombie/undead display is a prime example of damage caused to the nuclei, which is at the base of the forebrain known as the basal ganglia.

TIPS FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS (AND LIBRARIANS): To teach kids about the regions of the brain that handle problem solving and impulse control, tell them zombies have highly compromised frontal lobes. If you want to explain the cerebellum to kids, tell them zombies must have damage to that area because they can’t walk well.

The Unsolved Mystery of Bigfoot.

We all know the story of Bigfoot… or do we? In many areas of North America, people have claimed to see a Bigfoot in the woods. Read this book allows you to explore the unsolved mysteries that have fascinated people for years. You will also learn why some people believe the legend is real and why other don’t. Are they real? Are they fake? You be the judge.

Big Cats.

The information and pictures contained in this book shows without question that big cats are some of the world’s most agile, powerful and beautiful animals. Explore grasslands prowled by hunting lions, get close to quarrelling cheetahs, playful leopard cubs and powerful jaguars, and discover all the amazing big cats that live around the world. I thought this book was fantastic. You will learn everything you need to know about big cats including how big cats hunt, their habitat, anatomy, breeding and how to save their amazing species from extinction.

FACT: Pet cats belong to the same family as wild cats. Cats lived with people 5,000 years ago. They guarded stored of food from mice. Now cats are our companions.

Monsters University.

Seen the movie? Now read and enjoy this fantastic photo-filled movie book. Relive the story of the lovable monsters from Monsters Inc., (and before ‘Boo’.) Mike Wazowski and James P. “Sulley” Sullivan. We know them as an inseparable pair now, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met, they couldn’t stand each other. This unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley became the monster world’s greatest scare team. So join Mike and Sulley on their journey at Monsters University and meet their frightening professors, talented opponents and quirky new friends.

New Non Fiction: Skills that every kid should know.

Katie18 March, 2013

Move over wikihow, Wellington City Libraries has a new range of junior non fiction that provides you information where you can learn skills on the following:

How to use an iPad.

My iPad for Kids.

No doubt, the iPad is a great device… and toy. There has never been a a consumer device like the iPad that kids (and adults) are instantly and universally embraced. However, even such a device like the iPad that could use some modifications and adjustments that could make it even more kid friendly. My iPad for Kids is here to help kids, parents (and you!) get the most out of your iPad2, iPad 3rd or 4th generation, or iPad mini running iOS 6. Using full-colour, step-by-step tasks, My iPad for Kids provides step-by-step instructions on various topics which includes iPad setup, customization, syncing accessing the Internet, applications and learning how to use your iPad for home, school, and just for fun! Best for ages 12 years and over.

How to start your own business.

The Quick Experts Guide to Starting your own business.

You’re never too young to start your own business. Why not start now? Part of the series, Quick Expert’s Guides this book is aimed at ‘tweens’ interested in starting their own business whether it is offering services in tidying up gardens, ironing shirts or even designing your very own social networking site. This book includes features that break down all the technical/scientific/complex aspects of starting your own business , inspirational case studies, activities, the do’s and don’t’s of business management and a final project to test the reader’s new skills. Chapter round-ups also offer tips on key words and phrases as well as boosting self esteem and confidence, in order to walk the walk and talk the talk of a true expert.

The Glamorous Girl’s Book.
Girls, it’s time to get your glam on! This book tells you everything you need to go from being glum to glam! You will learn how to walk in high heels, make your own jewelry box, jazz up a boring hairstyle and accessorize yourself brilliantly. The ideal book for girls that will teach them to be confident, fabulous and gorgeous.

How to speak horse?!

How to Speak Horse.
Yes, believe it or not horses can talk and everyone can learn how to speak horse. But have you ever wondered how horses ‘talk’ to each other?, How do they ‘talk’ to you and how can they ‘talk’ back? This book will show you how. You will learn how horses use body language to communicate, easy groundwork exercises you can do to learn your horse’s body language and how to use your own posture and movement to ask your horse to go forward, stop, turn and follow. Also includes a dictionary of common horse body signals to help get you started. An ideal guide for pony-mad kids that will teach you how to read body language and talk back to your equine friend.

How to know everything!

5,000 Awesome Facts (About Everything.)
For someone who wants to know everything about… everything, this is the book for you. Newly published by National Geographic Kids, this book is bursting with 5.000 awesome facts about everything, including a baby whale gains 200 pounds everyday, snakes use their tongues to help them smell and that the human brain is 78% water. There’s even two pages of facts about peanut butter and a frog that smells like peanut butter!

How to teach, inspire and amuse any boy and girl for hours on end.

This series presents Boys Miscellany and Girls Miscellany, which is full of weird, wacky and wonderful facts that are essential for every boy and girl should know. Boys Miscellany will tell you everything you need to know on how to spot a man-eating shark, a list of superhero sidekicks, details of dangerous dolphins and tales of meat-eating plants. Girls will learn all they need to know in Girls Miscellany. This book will teach, inspire and amuse any girl for hours on end. They will learn interesting facts and information, including the top ten problems for cave girls, superpowers every girl should have, how to confuse a pigeon and which woman has the longest legs in the world.
You will also like The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Daring Book for Girls.

How to get these awesome new books? Pop on down to your local library!

Incy Wincy Spider, Greek Myths and Disgusting Facts.

Katie15 November, 2012

New non-fiction books to get stuck into. Enjoy!

It’s Always Time for a Nursery Rhyme illustrated by Emma Stuart.

‘Hickory Dickory Dock’, ‘Incy Wincy Spider’ and ‘Hey Diddle Diddle.’ You will find all your favorite nursery rhymes in this new and exciting read! Great for preschoolers!

The Adventures of Achilles by Hugh Lupton, Daniel Morden and Carole Henaff.

This book retells the events of the war between Greece and the city of Troy. Achilles is the son of a king and a goddess and also the best warrior in Greece. So when Prince Paris claims Helen from a Greek King, and Troy declares war, everyone knows that Achilles will be vital to the Greek cause. This book also includes bibliographical references and comes complete with two full-length audio CDs. A fantastic book for anyone who is interested and/or studying Greek Mythology.

Pokemon: Guide to Pokemon Legends.

For anyone who is a fan of Pokemon, this is the book to read! From Arceus to Zekrom, fans will discover dozens of the most renowned Pokémon of all time in this guide.

The Word Witch by Margaret Mahy.

Do you know about the Word Witch? Has she cast her spell over you? Her name is Margaret Mahy. These are her spells. This is a fantastic book of poems aimed for children written by Margaret Mahy through the whole of her literary life and acquired from a number of literary sources including Learning Media and Margaret’s own private papers. Also accompanied by CD of poems performed by Margaret Mahy.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Special Edition 2013.

Nothing is stranger that the truth! Can you believe hair that measures more than 20 feet long?, An ocean that turned into a giant bubble bath?, or a tongue so long that it can reach someone’s eyeball? you find all these bizarre facts, stories, and photographs featuring strange creatures, people, places, and adventures from around the world in the new Ripley’s Believe It or Not Special Edition 2013.

New Back to School Non Fiction.

Katie25 October, 2012

Guinness World Records 2013.

Who is smaller – the new shortest man or the heaviest newborn baby? What weighs more – the largest donkey or the heaviest hot dog? The latest Guinness World records is now available with the answers to those questions and contains lots more of amazing facts and world records. You can also download the FREE Augmented Reality app to see records come to life in amazing 3D. Guinness World Records 2013 is truly a fantastic read.

Train your Brain to be a Maths Genius.

This book is great for anyone who finds Maths a struggle. This book is full of problems, puzzles and fun activites that will boost your brain cells and improve your Maths skills. As a bonus, you will also find information on some of the greatest maths minds in history, from Greek Gods, such as Archimedes, to world War II code-breaker Alan Turning.

The Weird Series by Erin Frankel and Paula Heaphy:

If you are being bullied, know someone who is being bullied or if YOU are the bully, these are the books to read. The WEIRD series consists of three books called WEIRD, DARE and TOUGH which are stories of bullying told from all perspectives: the target, the bystander and the child doing the bullying. The weird series is part of Bully Free Kids – Free Spirit Publishing’s bullying prevention resources just for kids. An excellent resource for children, parents and teachers with information on how to recognize the signs of bullying, how to prevent bullying and positive messages to build your confidence.

Weird Science Mad Marvels from the Way-Out World! by Matt Lake and Randy Fairbanks.

Ever wanted to know what’s WEIRD about science? Ever wanted information on two-headed cows, animals with ears on their knees, frogs falling from the sky and scientists from planet Venus? You will find all the answers and more in this amazing book that takes kids on a scientific ride to the wacky side. From Zany Zoology to Medical Mishaps, the creators of Weird U.S., scout out wonders, but mostly of the astonishing or gross out sort facts from all scientific fields. You will also learn find out all about Crazy Chemistry, Freaky Physics, Mysterious Phenomena and much, much more.

School holidays and time to be creative again!

wcl staff25 June, 2012

Bedroom Makeover

This book shows you how to make your bedroom brighter, cosier and comfier. I love bunting and cushions and this book shows you how to make funky cushion covers and bright bunting easily. A very fun book with lots of ideas. Other books in this series to look out for are, Customise Your Clothes, Accessories for All, Cards, and Wrap and Tags.

How To Make a Planet

Obviously get your parents’ permission before you start build ing a planet in your bedroom. But once you have their go ahead read this fascinating book to learn all the things you need to know about forming a planet and taking care of it. PS, You may not be finished your project by the end of the school holidays.

Space!

If you don’t have time to make your own planet then check this book out and enjoy doing some simple space experiments. Great for all ages for learning the basics of how space works.

Fun To Draw Funny Characters

With time on your hands you can get this book out and improve your drawing and cartooning skills no matter what your skill level. 16 fun characters, 20 faces and endless funny situations are all awaiting your pen and paper.

Describing Words

Try your hand at writing these holidays. Need some coaching with your grammar? Then this new series will be fantastic for you. Other books in this series cover Punctuation, Doing Words and Grouping Words.

Stay

If the circus is in town these holidays head along there. You may see dogs performing like the ones in this lovely book. If you are a dog lover then you will really enjoy reading about the ten stray dogs that were given a home in a circus and trained up to be ultimate performers.

Children’s Chocolate Cookbook

Not only crammed full of scrumptious recipes but containing the history of chocolate and how it is made. YUM!

Oh Boy!

Kick back and enjoy this unofficial biography of Justin Bieber. Crammed full of photos, of course, read and find out all those little things you always wanted to know about this successful idol.

Lego Star Wars Character Encyclopedia

Time to get our the lego again these holidays. This encyclopedia will tell you about all the characters you may want to add to your collection.

Click! Click! Click!

Time to get those cameras out these holidays. Have fun fist reading this book and get some great ideas for your magical shots. Also learn how to edit and playaround with your photos.

The Art Treasure Hunt

Fill in a few spare hours browsing through this inspiring book. Wander through famous artworks from around the world. Full of puzzles, games and large pictures. Learning about art was never so much fun. If you aren’t already an art lover, you will be after reading through this book.

No nonsense non-fiction to blow your mind

wcl staff1 June, 2012

Wild Buddies …and Baddies

In this amazing book I learnt that a worm can control the mind of a weta! Read it for yourself and find out all about tuataras that like to snuggle up to seabirds and why keas can be the biggest of all bird bullies.

A Black Hole is Not a Hole

Then what is it? This book has the most amazing space photographs and the text for older readers will totally have you knowing all about black holes by the time you reach the back page. A book full of surprises (because sometimes a black hole is where you least expect it! )

What’s Maths all about?

This is a hugely informative and very funny book about numbers and mathematicians for the older reader. Pages are packed with fun facts and helpful explanations of everything from measurement to probability. Also contains a great internet link for more maths fun.

That’s Life

How did life begin? What’s at the top of the food chain? What are the weirdest life forms on Earth? Find out in this fact-packed, brilliantly illustrated book and put the buzz back into biology.

Lives of the Great Spiritual Leaders

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one” Mother Teresa once said. Jesus challenges us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,” and the Dalai Lama asks us to “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”

Older readers will enjoy learning about the great spiritual leaders of the world in this inspiring book.

The Awesome Book of Unusual Bible Heroes

This book has some seriously weird stories and one chapter even comes with a warning that that only males between the ages of 8 and 12 will truly appreciate its graphic and gruesome details! For some reason the author thinks that girls will probably run screaming from the room when they discover the gory details of the story. Hmmm. Makes me want to get every girl to read it and prove him wrong! Come on girls, don’t let me down now….

The not-for-parents Travel Book

This is your very own Lonely Planet book kids. Find out really cool stuff about every country in the world.

We’ve Got A Job

This is the incredible story of a key piece of civil rights history that I had no idea about. One of the kids tells about their time marching for civil rights in 1963 in Birmingham, Alabama. “When my mother took me to school Monday morning, I went straight though the school. In one door and out the other. There must have been three to four hundred kids leaving the school, headed towards downtown.” These kids were hosed with water canons and arrested for standing up for their rights and the rights of their parents who couldn’t march for fear of losing their jobs. Great book.

Knight

Join a joust, examine armour and discover the long forgotten rules of chivalry all from the comfort of your own home. This is another great Eye Witness book crammed full of information, photographs. Basically everything you ever wanted to know about knights.

Henry Vlll

Good old Henry Vlll. Apparently he was a very clever and fun-loving Tudor king. But he and his wife Catherine did not produce a son. (Pretty essential back in the day.) Henry’s solution is to change the rules of the church so he can divorce and marry again, and again, and again, and again and again. Find out all about this character and his six wives in this excellent little book. Other important people in this Famous People Great Events series are Anne Frank, Queen Elizabeth ll, Elizabeth l, Florence Nightingale, Martin Luther King. And two great events in this series are The Great Fire of London and The Gunpowder Plot.

The Bumper Book of London

London will be in the news a lot soon when it hosts the Olympics, so get to know the place now by reading all about this amazing city in this fact packed book. You too can gasp at London’s smallest dingeon, walk under the Thames (without getting wet), scare yourself silly in the most haunted palace in London and learn a bit of London lingo to chat with with the locals.

Special is the word for this month’s selection of new non-fiction

wcl staff2 November, 2011

Syndetics book cover Special brothers and sisters : stories and tips for siblings of children with a disability or serious illness / edited by Annette Hames and Monica McCaffrey ; illustrated by Brendan McCaffrey.
Is your brother or sister a bit special? You may be able to relate well to the young people in this book who explain in their own words what it’s like to live with their special siblings. Learn how they feel and cope with love, frustration and sadness. Plenty of tips and good questions for you to talk over with your parents, grandparents or teachers.

Syndetics book cover No return : Captain Scott’s race to the Pole / Peter Gouldthorpe.

Plenty to learn in this great book retelling the dramas of this most special explorer and his race to the South Pole. Did you know for example, that Scott’s photographer, Herbert Ponting was attacked by killer whales and almost eaten! Find out when and why Oates said those most famous words, “I am going outside. I may be some time.”
Syndetics book cover Elephants closeup.

Elephants are just so special! I love them. They are some of the smartest land animals on earth. Lovely photographs help make this a great read for younger readers.

Syndetics book cover How to write and give a speech / by Cecilia Minden and Kate Roth.

It’s that special time of year again, when you have to prepare and deliver a speech to your class. Instead of groaning just check out this book and deliver the best speech ever.

Syndetics book cover Children’s book of baking cakes / Abigail Wheatley ; illustrated by Jessie Eckel ; photography by Howard Allman.

Special occasion coming up? Or maybe just a rainy day. This yummy book is ideal for both. So many different types of mouthwatering cakes it is hard to choose just one to bake. My favourite are the butterfly and bug cakes, closely followed by the miniature cheesecakes.

Syndetics book cover Buried treasures : uncovering secrets of the past / Stéphane Compoint.

What can be more special than buried treasure! In this beautiful book, chock full of amazing photographs are mysterious colossal statues, a mythic bear covered in blue fur, a whole city wiped out by a volcano. From sweltering deserts to the frigid North Pole to an ancient, underwater city, follow scientists as they uncover the secrets of our past.

This month we have a crazy collection of new books full of attitude and facts

wcl staff16 August, 2011

Syndetics book cover But why can’t I? / written by Sue Graves ; illustrated by Desideria Guicciardini.

George thinks rules are silly and refuses to keep them. Find out what happens when his babysitter arrives. Does he change his mind? Syndetics book cover

Not fair, won’t share / written by Sue Graves ; illustrated by Desideria Guicciardini.

Posy, Ben and Alfie have to share playing with a superdooper space station but Posy doesn’t want to share. Do the others get their turn? Read and see.
Syndetics book cover Who feels scared? / written by Sue Graves ; illustrated by Desideria Guicciardini.

Jack is having a sleepover at his house but he and his friends all hear noises and get scared. How does his father come to the rescue?
Syndetics book cover The Masai : tribe of warriors / written and photographed by Jonathan and Angela Scott.

Cattle are the centre of life for the Masai people of Kenya and Tanzania. In the past, young men would raid cattle to prove themselves as warriors and have to kill a lion with only a spear. What do they have to do today? Read this great book to find out and enjoy learning about a totally different culture. Great photos and easy text make this a great read .
Syndetics book cover Footballers / Adam Sutherland.

Did you know that Wesley Sneijder’s coaches blew a whistle and stopped training every time Sneijder touched the ball with his right foot? This was to help him practise with his weaker left foot. Learn heaps more about today’s greatest footballers from around the world in this new book. We also have other titles in this Celebrities Secrets series; Film Stars and Pop Stars are two of them.

Syndetics book cover Musical instruments for children : choosing what’s right for your child / Richard Crozier.
This book is really to help your parents understand why you want to learn a particular instrument, the kettle drum for example. It gives them advice on what really is the best instrument for your personality and all the tips on how to keep you motivated till you’re a world class performer!

Syndetics book cover Anti-terrorism campaigns.

If you’re studying terrorism and are year 8 or older then this book will be a great help. It focuses on USA campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan and is written from the American perspective. Crammed full of facts with lots of maps too. The text is best suited to advanced readers.

Syndetics book cover The AWW cooking school for kids / food Director, Pamela Clark.

Another wonderful book to get you cooking! Mouth watering photos of every recipe and the steps involved make the cooking easy. My favourites are Caramel Banana Tart and Chicken and Mushroom Party Pies. Yum!

Syndetics book cover Spotlight on South Africa / Bobbie Kalman.

Apartheid is no longer a law in South Africa. Some people have better jobs with more pay but many are still living in shantytowns. This book gives a good overview of the country as it is today, with easy text and lots of great photos. The glossary at the back helps you understand some of the words you may not know. Good for projects. Look out for this SPOTLIGHT series as there are books on lots of countries you may want to study.

Syndetics book cover Life cycles / written by Sally Morgan.

If you want to know all about the life cycle of salmon then this is the book! There is a general section on life cycles covering many insects and animals then the remainder of the book is about the North Atlantic salmon. Wonderful photos and pictures help explain the text.

Syndetics book cover Big book of big animals / Hazel Maskell ; illustrated by Fabiano Fiorin.

Open the huge fold-out pages to see some of the tallest, longest and heaviest animals in the world. Great little facts about each animal add to the interest of this book. Lammergeiers, for example are huge birds of prey that eat bones. They often drop bigger bones onto rocks to shatter them into smaller bite-sized pieces. Who knew?

Syndetics book cover Children of the Dust Bowl : the true story of the school at Weedpatch Camp / Jerry Stanley ; illustrated with photographs.
This book is for older readers. It starts by describing the conditions of the farmers and settlers during the drought of the 1930s. Lots of photos help us understand the desperate conditions that drove them to travel across the country to California. The remainder of the book focuses on the efforts of Leo Hart, who founded Weedpatch School. The children from the dust bowl states, (Okie children) actually helped build it. Throughout are songs and stories from people who survived. They tell of the filth and heat and dust, of the meals of coffee grounds and apple pips, and of the prejudice and poverty encountered in the California promised land. “A powerful account of a desperate time” (Book cover)
Syndetics book cover How to do everything / written by John Woodward ; contributors, Francesca Baines … [et al.] ; illustrated by Tobatron.
How to do, make and explore just about everything! How to Do Everything is a fantastic and unique combination of reference material, fun facts, exciting activities and instructions for life. It covers everything from boiling an egg to making a movie so you’ll never be stuck wondering what to do again! So what are you waiting for? Get Busy! (Book cover)
Syndetics book cover How to beat your dad at chess / Murray Chandler.

This is a chess book for everyone, from eight to eighty, beginner to master. It explains the best ways to beat a stronger opponent by forcing checkmate. So if you want to do the Double Rook Sacrifice or the See-Saw or the Arabian Mate check out this book.

Super human body tricks

debbie5 May, 2011

Most of us are either left or right handed but did you know that you are also left or right eyed? Well believe it or not most humans also have a dominant eye.

If you want to find out which is your dominant eye then this is what you need to do.

Hold your arm up and place your thumb and fingers together to create a hole or circle. (Hold your arm away from your body).

Now look through this hole with both eyes at a small distant object – such as a light switch on the other side of the room. Position your hand so the object is right in the middle of the hole and keep still.

Now close one eye. Did the distant object appear to move? If so, the eye you closed is your dominant eye. If not, your open eye is the dominant eye.

Open both eyes again and realign the hole and this time close the other eye. What happened this time?

You don’t normally notice this preference because your brain usually has no problem combining the separate images from each eye into one useful picture. Sometimes it might pay more attention to one eye, then the other, depending on which is more interesting or important.

Are all right-handed people right eyed?

No, but more people are right handed than left and more people have a dominant right eye too, so most right handed people are right eyed. But there are also lots of people with cross dominance (left eye, right hand and vice versa) but most of the time it makes very little difference.

You can find out lots of stuff about your body in The Surfing Scientist 40 Super Human Body Tricks. All you need is your body, some household items and an appetite for fun.

Wait a minute!

wcl staff22 February, 2011

What can happen in a minute? I can’t think of an answer for that question until I came across this book, Every Minute on Earth. It is truly an astounding book with funny illustrations and even activities for you to do. Bet you didn’t notice that an average person blinks 15 times in a minute. Hard to be a zookeeper when ten adult elephants can produce 500 grams of poo! Yikes! Don’t hold that sneeze because it travels 2.7 kilometres per minute. Bless you! So read this book and be amazed at how much you can squeeze in a minute.

New Non Fiction: The Monster Issue.