Lo & Behold! New Kids Items in the Collection

If you’re looking for something new to read, we’ve got you covered!  From exciting adventures to books to give you something to think about, we’ve got new titles across all of our kid’s collections.  Check out these to start with!

Picture Books

A bed of stars / Love, Jessica
Going to bed each night can be dark and scary. The night sky stretches out endlessly, making one sensitive child feel small in comparison. So Dad comes up with a plan: a night of camping out in the desert. After sunset, when the young thinker feels tiny against the vast sky, Dad knows just what to ask-and just what to say-to soothe away fears. From acclaimed author-illustrator Jessica Love comes a story of small moments between father and child that affirms the comfort of finding one’s place in the world.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The blue-footed booby / Biddulph, Rob
“Let’s follow the footprints! Let’s hunt for some clues! Left footprint! Right footprint! No time to lose! As everybody knows, Red-Footed Boobies are fabulous bakers. But when Desmond’s frangipane tart goes missing amidst a flurry of footprints, the Blue-Footed Booby becomes the chief suspect. But all is not as it seems…” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Nooo! Not the dentist / Blake, Stephanie
“Simon gets a sore tooth so needs to take his first trip to the dentist. The night before the appointment, Simon’s friend Ferdinand makes the most of the chance to show he knows more. Ferdinand uses his full imagination to describe the graphic horrors of the dentist’s chair. “I will NEVER go to the dentist!” yells Simon. But his mother takes no notice. When Simon is eventually persuaded onto the dentist chair, insisting his name is “Poo Bum”, he finds a remarkably patient dentist and an experience he wasn’t expecting… ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Comic Books

Lo & behold / Mass, Wendy
“Can a virtual reality headset help change the way twelve-year-old Addie looks at things? With her life recently turned upside down, 12-year-old Addie is uncomfortable in her own skin until the world of virtual reality sparks her imagination and leads to an exciting new project, a new friend, and to reconnecting with who she’s always been.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

 

Adventuregame comics. 1, Leviathan / Shiga, Jason
“A “choose your own story” graphic novel. Leviathan is set in a medieval coastal village, where residents live in fear of a giant sea creature. Your goal as a reader is simple: defeat the Leviathan! As you wander through the open world, the town’s backstory is revealed. You can attempt to visit the library to try and learn why the Leviathan destroyed it years ago. You can stop by the castle to discover the town was once riddled with crime and theft–and how that’s stopped as the Leviathan will wreak havoc on the town for the smallest misdeeds. If you’re lucky, you may find your way to the old wizard who may possess the one thing that could keep the Leviathan at bay. But not everything is as it appears in this village. Can you discover the secrets and stop the Leviathan before it’s too late?” (Catalogue)

Four eyes / Ogle, Rex
“When Rex finds out he needs glasses, he’s beyond miserable. Dealing with the bullies at school, his family being broke, and an embarrassing lack of friends, he has way too much on his plate already.  A humorous and heartwarming middle-grade graphic memoir about fitting in, facing bullies and finding the right pair of glasses.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Chapter Books

The sideways orbit of Evie Hart / Kamaleddine, Samera
“Evie Hart likes rules. A lot. But as she embarks on her very last year of primary school, it feels like all the rules around her are being broken. When Evie’s class starts learning about the Earth’s place in the universe, it makes Evie think about her own place in the world and where she belongs. Which has her more worried than ever. When your mum writes a horoscope page for a living, it’s hard not to think about what the future holds. Especially when she and the only dad Evie has ever known are acting like they’re on different planets. But the more Evie learns about the sky and the stars, the more she learns that changes in the world can’t always be controlled. And maybe that’s not a bad thing.” (Catalogue)

A child like you / Robert, Na’íma bint
“Somewhere, out there, In the wide, wide world, a child like you is Watching…” Four brave children watch, listen, search, and feel, as they experience the inequalities, dangers and injustices of life in our world. Inspired by real-life activists and campaigners Greta Thunberg, Yusra Mardini, Marley Dias and Iqbal Masih, each of these children is filled with courage, determination and hope. They campaign to help save the planet, show that refugees can contribute and show leadership in sport in their new land, they build a library of 1000 books depicting black girls, they speak out against the outrage of child slavery. Lyrical and powerful, this book is a passionate call to children everywhere to speak their truth and stand up for a better world.” (Catalogue)

The circle breakers / Agbabi, Patience
“Elle and her friends are back! This time, they’ll be leaping to the past, the present and the future to safeguard the secret of The Gift and destroy The Vicious Circle. Fourteen-year-old Elle and her friends are going to a not-to-be-missed funfair. But a ride on the Ghost Train takes them further than they ever imagined. They end up in 1880, face-to-face with criminal mastermind, The Grandfather! To Elle’s surprise, he needs her help. Someone has threatened to reveal The Gift to the media. If that happens, everyone will know that Leaplings can leap through time; no Leapling will be safe. Meanwhile, Millennia’s power at the head of The Vicious Circle grows. Will Elle work for a villain to save her secret community? Can she and The Infinites crush The Vicious Circle for good?” (Catalogue)

Junior Non Fiction

Timelines of everything : from woolly mammoths to world wars
“From dinosaurs and Vikings to the history of robots and espionage, discover incredible world history in this lavish collection of timelines. Jam-packed with surprising facts and amazing details, such as the most bloodthirsty pirate of all time and the first crime to be solved by studying fingerprints, Timelines of Everything will take you on a whirlwind journey through an illustrated history of time, from the Big Bang to the modern world. More than 120 timelines give you all the general knowledge you need – and even some surprising trivia you don’t!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

What machines do / Allan, John
“Digging, ploughing, baking, flying. Explore the exciting World of Machines! Learn what different machines do and how they work. Discover which machines build houses, and which ones are blasted into space. Bright illustrations and informative text show a wide variety of machines. Perfect for little engineers who like to see what machines do and how they work. A colourful children’s book depicting various types of everyday machinery and what they do.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Any body : a comic compendium of important facts & feelings about our bodies / Gathen, Katharine von der
“We live in our bodies for life, so it’s a good idea to understand them. Any Body looks from the outside and the inside, answering questions about our bodies and how we feel about them. It looks at how our bodies change and how we can change our bodies. It includes interesting facts about skin, hair, and body functions alongside the questions that may affect us from puberty and beyond – gender identity, beauty, self-confidence, how other people react and relate to us, and how they make us feel. This compendium allows us to get to know and feel at home in our bodies – and have a giggle about them too.” (Catalogue)

Wonderfully wired brains / Gooding, Louise
“We all have a brain. It carries our opinions, personalities, likes and dislikes, and tells us what to do, and what not to. There isn’t one brain in the world that is exactly the same as another! The differences in our brains should be understood and celebrated. This inclusive book will introduce children to the world of neurodiversity and encourages them to embrace their differences. (Adapted from Catalogue)

For more new books in the collection, go to:

What’s new & Popular / July 2023 (wcl.govt.nz)

Get your tech on with Techweek 2022!

Techweek is back! It runs from 16th to 22nd May 2022 nationwide!
image courtesy of techweek


What is Techweek?

Techweek is a nationwide series of events, showcasing and celebrating New Zealand innovation. Techweek has a mixture of live, virtual and hybrid events, both physical and virtual, that can be attended and enjoyed from anywhere in the world!

The theme for Techweek 2022 is “connect for a better tomorrow.”

For more information about Techweek and what events are on, visit the website.

Some highlights you might like to explore include a talk with Dr Michelle Dickinson, the Founder of Nanogirl Labs, about STEM in Schools, and an introductory Scratch coding virtual project with Code Club Aotearoa.

In the mean time, if you want information on the latest technology and innovations, why not check out the following books in the library collection?!

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsSTEAM jobs for gamers.

Do you love playing video games? Did you know you can get a job helping to create one? There are more jobs for those who love gaming than you probably ever realized. From animators to script writers, readers will learn about various STEM and STEAM gaming jobs and what it takes to get one– Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe zoom, fly, bolt, blast steam handbook : build 18 innovative projects with brain power.

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.

image courtesy of syndeticsSelf-driving cars : the new way forward.

“Author Fallon presents a history of how the technology used in self-driving cars has developed, identifies recent technological gains, and surveys recent controversies surrounding the potential mass adoption of self-driving cars.”–Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsSTEAM lab for kids : 52 creative hands-on projects using science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

“The creative projects in STEAM Lab for Kids are designed to demonstrate that there’s math and science to be found in great art! From rubber bands to edible stained glass, young engineers and artists alike will find inspiration in these 52 art-forward labs.” — Back cover. Also available as an eBook.


image courtesy of syndeticsVirtual reality.

“Engaging images accompany information about virtual reality. The combination of high-interest subject matter and light text is intended for students in grades 2 through 7” — Provided by publisher.

image courtesy of syndeticsThe science of medical technology : from humble syringes to life-saving robots.

“This fascinating guide to the ever-growing potential of medical technologies combines fact-packed, easy-to-read text with colourful and quirky illustrations. From an exploration of how new devices are helping to spot early signs of illness to a discussion of how vaccinations have helped to eradicate devastating diseases, it is an eye-opening introduction to the miraculous power of preventative and curative medicine.Each spread has multiple entry points, including an introductory paragraph, illustrations and side panels such as Fascinating Fact, Can You Believe It?, and Try It Yourself, which provide additional information and handy advice.” (Catalogue).

Please search our catalogue for more information about technology here:

How DO Things Work?

Kia ora!  Have you ever looked at a machine and wondered how it works?  Or wondered how things in space work?  What about inside your body?  There are so many questions about the world!

Well, the good news is we have lots of kids books that explain and describe the inner workings of all sorts of interesting topics.  You name it, we’ve got a book to tell you how it works.  To get you started, we’ve selected a few interesting books for you to choose from.  But there are plenty more available to satisfy your curiosity.

Motorbikes / Oxlade, Chris

Find out all of the workings of some of the most amazing motorcycles.  This easy to read book breaks down many of the parts and what they do, with bright, clear illustrations.

What’s inside a black hole? : deep space objects and mysteries / Solway, Andrew

“This astronomy series looks at different aspects of the universe we live in.” (Catalogue)

Inside the bees’ hive / Ang, Karen

“Hundreds of buzzing worker honeybees build a yellow structure called a comb inside a tree trunk. The comb is made up of many small, six-sided rooms that the bees make out of wax. These rooms, called cells, will be used to hold baby bees and sweet, gooey honey. Welcome to the bees’ hive! ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Spacecraft / West, David

“Learn all about spacecraft, from the first space capsules to space planes and space shuttles.  Find out something amazing about each vehicle and then turn the page to see it sliced in two where its innermost secrets will be revealed.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

What’s eating you? : parasites – the inside story / Davies, Nicola

“There is one group of creatures who live on or in the bodies of other animals – in skin, hair, fur, feathers, blood, guts, livers, hearts and lungs. They are parasites. Uncover the secrets of their amazing life-cycles and dare yourself not to scratch or groan as you read.” (Catalogue)

Aircraft / Graham, Ian

Find out how all kinds of aircraft work and how they are laid out inside.  Lots of clear illustrations and information on different types of aircraft.

See inside weather and climate / Daynes, Katie

Filled with facts from how hurricanes and floods happen to how global warming is affecting the Earth’s climates. This is a lift-the-flap book that introduces readers to the science of weather. The work is filled with facts from how hurricanes and floods happen to how global warming is affecting the Earth’s climates.” (Catalogue)

How cities work : explore the city inside, outside and underground / Hancock, James Gulliver

“From the sewers to the skyscrapers, this book takes young readers to the heart of the city.  Get ready to explore the city in a whole new way. This innovative book for younger readers is packed with city facts, loads of flaps to lift, and unfolding pages to see inside buildings and under the streets.  Discover where people live and peek behind closed doors to see what’s going on in houses and apartments, or why not find out about what goes on underneath the streets you walk on every day? (Adapted from Catalogue)

Running the country : a look inside New Zealand’s government / Gill, Maria

“What does the government do to keep New Zealand running smoothly? How does parliament work and what is the job of the MPs? From the Bill of Rights to the way we vote, from parliamentary headquarters to the local council — and everything in between — Maria Gill explains our system of government. You will discover facts about laws, our currency, voting at the elections and the role of the media. There are fascinating profiles of New Zealand leaders, illustrated by cartoonist Malcolm Evans, along with photographs, amazing statistics and useful ‘google this’ Internet links to find out more.” (Catalogue)

The fantastic body : what makes you tick & how you get sick / Bennett, Howard J

“Jam-packed with fun facts, cool diagrams, and gross stories, and written by a successful, practicing pediatrician, this fun and comprehensive reference book with DIY projects is ideal for kids who want to know more about the mysterious stuff going on inside their bodies.” (Catalogue)

How computers work / Hubbard, Ben

“Ever wonder what goes on inside your computer? Take a look into how processors, networks and more are all connected.” (Catalogue)

Inside of a dog : what dogs see, smell, and know / Horowitz, Alexandra

“From an animal behaviorist and dog enthusiast comes an adorable guide to understanding how our canine friends see the world. Want to know what dogs are thinking? What they feel, and what they can spell with that great big nose of theirs? Here’s your chance to experience the world nose first, from two feet off the ground. What do dogs know, and how do they think? The answers will surprise and delight you as dog owner and scientist Alexandra Horowitz explains how our four-legged friends perceive their daily worlds, each other, and us. This book is as close as you can get to knowing about dogs without being a dog yourself.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Techweek 2019!

image courtesy of techweek.co.nzTechweek19 is back!… and will run from 20—26 May 2019 nationwide. Techweek simply provides a platform to add voices to a growing conversation on global innovation. The theme for Techweek19 is still ‘innovation that’s good for the world’.

For more information about Tech Week and what events are on, visit the website.

In the mean time, if you’re want information on the latest technology and innovations, why not check out the following books in the library collection.

Enjoy!

image courtesy of syndeticsThe zoom, fly, bolt, blast steam handbook : build 18 innovative projects with brain power.

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.

image courtesy of syndeticsSelf-driving cars : the new way forward.

“Author Fallon presents a history of how the technology used in self-driving cars has developed, identifies recent technological gains, and surveys recent controversies surrounding the potential mass adoption of self-driving cars.”–Provided by publisher.


image courtesy of syndeticsScience lab : fantastic activities for young scientists.

From building a bridge and crafting a catapult to making a marble run and creating a crane, Science Lab is packed with activities that young readers can do at home to explore, discover, and understand the way the world works. It’s perfect for school projects, homework help, and firing up imaginations.


image courtesy of syndeticsStephen Biesty’s Incredible Cross-Sections.

This children’s book explores the innermost workings of some extraordinary buildings and machines. From helicopters to submarines, skyscrapers to coal mines, open up a fascinating world packed with unique and detailed cutaway drawings.

image courtesy of sydneticsTriumphs of technology.

From the power points in our homes to the mobile phones in our pockets, every aspect of our lives involves ingenious inventions of incredible complexity. Learn all about the inventions and advances in technologies that have helped make our lives a lot easier and discover the inventors and great minds who brought us these new machines in STEM-gineers: Triumphs of Technology.

STEAM lab for kids : 52 creative hands-on projects using science, technology, engineering, art, and math.image courtesy of syndetics

“The creative projects in STEAM Lab for Kids are designed to demonstrate that there’s math and science to be found in great art! From rubber bands to edible stained glass, young engineers and artists alike will find inspiration in these 52 art-forward labs.” — Back cover.


image courtesy of syndeticsEngineering.

Showcases engineering feats throughout history from the pyramids of Ancient Egypt to the building of the Golden Gate Bridge. The book also features famous engineers, including the Wright brothers to Gustave Eiffel. Steam engines, rocket technology, bridges, and buildings are all covered here in this exciting book.

Most popular non-fiction books in April

Here are the most popular children’s non-fiction books for April! Grab them from your library NOW!

 

1.   Star Wars by David Reynolds

2.   Ripley’s believe it or not! series by Rosie Alexander

3.   Star Wars character encyclopedia by Simon Beecroft

4.   Pokemon ultimate handbook by Cris Silvestri

5.   Treasury of Greek mythology by Donna Jo Napoli

6.   Cat by Juliet Clutton-Brock

7.   The LEGO book by Daniel Lipkowitz

8.   Wow! dinosaur by Douglas Palmer

9.   The Usborne big book of big machines by Minna Lacey

10.  Treasury of Egyptian mythology by Donna Jo Napoli

 

Top 10 Non-Fiction for October

Impress your friends and family with awesome factoids by checking out October’s most popular non-fiction:

1 Star Wars by David West Reynolds

2 The horrible history of the world by Terry Deary

3 The LEGO book by Daniel Lipkowitz

4 Ripley’s believe it or not! by Rosie Alexander

5 The Usborne big book of big machines by Minna Lacey

6 Big book of papercraft Fiona Watt

7 Amazing giant dinosaurs Marie Greenwood

8 Pokemon ultimate handbook by Cris Silvestri

9 See inside the First World War by Rob Lloyd Jones

10 The girls’ book of crafts & activities by James Mitchem