Ranger’s Apprentice fans will be pleased to know that they can now read book 8, The kings of Clonmel (by John Flanagan). Reserve it now!
A fantasy/action/historical series set in Medieval times, Ranger’s Apprentice is about Will, a boy who is apprenticed to a mysterious group who act as the “eyes and ears” of the king (they sound kind of like spies, huh?).
For more Ranger’s Apprentice information and maps and things go to the official website.
“‘Little Mabel blew a bubble and it caused a lot of trouble… Such a lot of bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way. For it broke away from Mabel as it bobbed across the table, Where it bobbled over Baby, and it wafted him away.’
“Follow the hilarious efforts of the townsfolk as they chase the baby far across the town in an effort to get him down from the bubble safe and sound.” (Amazon.co.uk)
Make sure you check out Bubble Trouble by master New Zealand story teller Margaret Mahy! With illustrations by Polly Dunbar (Penguin).
The Amazing Mind of Alice Makin by Alan Shea is set in London just after World War II has ended. Alice finds her world dark and dreary, so she escapes into her imagination. When Reggie starts at her school, she’s drawn to him; together with him and her imagination the world becomes an exciting place, but are her imaginings becoming reality?
This is a great new historical book about best friendships, fantasy and reality. Check it out.
Two books that have been enthusiastically recommended to me are The Inventors and sequel The Inventors and the City of Stolen Souls. They are written by British author Alexander Gordon Smith and his kid brother Jamie Webb. They are an exciting read full of action, adventure, fantasy and some science fiction. Two inventive friends win a scholarship to attend an amazing institution run by a famous inventor. All is not what it seems and when they try to leave…
Note: if you have read these books then let us know what you think. If you think they’re fantastic you can nominate them for a Kids’ Choice sticker.
Hi!
Some new books from some of your favourite series have just arrived:
Oath Breaker by Michelle Paver (from the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness). “Torak circled the fire and Thiazzi came after him: slowly, cracking his whip, playing with his prey as a lynz plays with a lemming. Torak was exhausted. He wasn’t going to last much longer.” (Book cover) Sounds like edge of your seat stuff! You’d better read it to find out what happens to Torak.
The Second Siege by Henry H Neff (Book 2 of The Tapestry). “Grave forces are converging to seize control of the Book of Thoth, a hidden artefact whose pages hold the key to creating – or unravelling – the very threads of existence.” (Book cover) If you’re into Harry Potter-type stories you should give The Tapestry a go!
Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke (the conclusion to the Inkheart trilogy). “‘Go back and rid the world of that book. Fill it with words before spring comes, or winter will never end for you. And I will take not only your life for the Adderhead’s but your daughter’s, too, because she helped you bind the book. Do you understand, Bluejay?’ ‘Why two?’ asked Mo hoarsely. ‘How can you ask for two lives in return for one?'” (Book cover). Cornelia Funke fans will be totally excited to see that Inkdeath is available for lending! If you are a fan, check out her website: www.corneliafunkefans.com.
Charlie Bone and the Shadow of Badlock by Jenny Nimmo. “Charlie’s ancestor Otus the giant is in trouble – imprisoned by the evit Count Harken in Badlock and guarded by a troll army. Charlie is sucked into a painting of Badlock to rescue him. Back at school, there is a terrible battle between two of the endowed. Only one will walk away…” (Book cover). Again, if you love Charlie Bone visit the website at www.charlie-bone.com.
By Royal Command by Charlie Higson (Young Bond series). This is the fifth book in the Young Bond series, following James Bond during his school years at Eton College in England. Since 007 is so into gadgets, it’s no surprise that he has a cool website: www.youngbond.com.
If you’ve read one of these books and you think it’s fantastic you can nominate it for a Kids’ Choice sticker by filling in a review for us. We love hearing from you!
Rick Riordan, our favourite author of the fab Percy Jackson series, is getting in on a new cool series: The 39 Clues*. The books are connected to an interactive website where you find clues, solve mysteries and win prizes. The prizes page tells me there’s $100,000 worth of prizes to win in New Zealand alone! That’s a lot!
Mr Riordan’s book, The Maze of Bones, is on the catalogue now. You can reserve it, read it, find the clue and begin the hunt! Cool.
* 39 Clues books by other writers like Gordon Korman and Peter Lerangis will be coming soon too.
We have heaps of alphabet books in the library and some of them are quite cool. Margaret Atwood likes alliteration (using words with the same first letters – like Bashful Bob and Doleful Dorinda, for example), and then there’s my personal favourite at the moment, The Dangerous Alphabet by Neil Gaiman (who wrote The Wolves in the Walls). Neil Gaiman really likes spooky things, so his alphabet books is a bit spooky: S is for skull (and spooky!), H is for “help me!”, F is for fear and E is for evil… and the best thing for slightly older readers is the deliberate mistake that’s in the book; see if you can spot it!
The latest instalment in the life and times of Artemis Fowl – teenage genius, criminal mastermind, and the bane of Holly Short’s life (although what would she do without him?) – Artemis Fowl and the time paradox is here and this time he’s met his match… someone just as clever, just as wicked, just as cunning…
Are you an Artemis Fowl fan? If you are and you’ve read it, let us know what you think.
With it being winter its a nice time to try some cooking! Do you like cooking? What about trying to cook food from different countries? Around the world cookbook by Johnson Dodge has more than fifty international recipes. It tells you a little bit about the country that the recipe comes from also. There’s a recipe for a really yummy Swiss Hot Chocolate drink. The recipes look so yummy! I can’t wait to try some. Look out for the book next time you come to the library or reserve it on the library catalogue. Let me know how your recipes turn out!
Before Green Gables (2008) is the prequel to Anne of Green Gables (1908). A prequel means that the story is set earlier in time than Anne of Green Gables, even though it was written later. This new book is all about Anne Shirley from her birth up until age 11, when she was taken from the ophanage in Nova Scotia to Avonlea Farm on Prince Edward Island by Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert.
When Anne is only a baby, her parents die in an epidemic. For the next 10 years she is without love or a place she can call home. But through it all Anne is feisty and determined – a true red-haired heroine.
Before Green Gables is written by Budge Wilson. She has also written The leaving, and other stories.