new zealand authors

Top 10 children’s non-fiction for May

Dusty

There’s a varied set of popular facts whisking out the library door for autumn time reading. World War One fascination has continued from the ANZAC centenary with some great books.  Philippa Werry, a NZ Post book awards Children’s finalist has created a great store of facts and stories surrounding ANZAC day in her book and her blog.  Star wars and minecraft still have a special place in the Top 10 – of course they do

1.  Minecraft, by Stephanie Milton

2.  Star Wars, by David West Reynolds

3.  Minecraft hacks master builder, by Megan Miller

4.  The LEGO ideas book, by Daniel Lipkowitz

5.   Star Wars character encyclopedia, by Simon Beecroft

6.  Minecraft,  by Nick Farwell

7.  Anzac Day, by Philippa Werry

8.  World War I, by Simon Adams

9.  Marvel super hero character encyclopedia, by Scott Peterson

10. See inside the First World War, by Rob Lloyd Jones

You won’t want to miss ComicFest

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Last year it was amazing, and this year’s ComicFest is going to be even better! 4 days of comic mayhem – you won’t want to miss this.

You can find the entire programme here. But here’s a breakdown of the stuff happening for children and teens:

 

Wednesday 29th of April

6 – 8.00 | Free mystery Comic film!
Come along to our mystery comic-themed film at the Central library. We guarantee comic satisfaction and prizes at this once only ComicFest screening. Seating is limited to 50 only, so contact us at the Central library to book seats or email enquiries@wcl.govt.nz! (For Teens +)

 

Friday 1st of May

5 – 6.30 | Digital comics workshop with Tim Gibson
Tim Gibson is known as a digital pioneer in NZ comic’s circles with his successful ‘Moths City’ title performing well on international website Comixology. Join Tim for an hour and a half of insight into the planning, creation and distribution of a comic using current digital tools and insider tricks of the trade. For all ages and bring your tablet and stylus if you can!

(Sponsored by NZ Comic Con)

 

Saturday 2nd of May

Free comic book day -all day
Grab your free comics from our stands, buy from the great folk at Graphic comic store and chat comics with our librarians. Dress as your favourite comic character and win prizes! Have a go at creating and drawing a Manga character and enter the Make a Manga competition (Sponsored by GRAPHIC comics)

10 – 11.30 | Comics 101 workshop with Sarah Laing
Sarah Laing (Let Me be Frank, cartoonist and novelist) has unique insight into what is required to make successful prose, comics and cartoons. Bring pen and papers along as Sarah imparts tips on the important relation between pictures and words, the value of honest drawing, emotion and story-telling. All ages. (Sponsored by NZ book council)

11.30 – 12.00 | Cosplay competition
Winners will be announced for the best ComicFest costume! Prizes for all categories, including children, teens, and adults. (Sponsored by Unity books)

12 – 1.00 | ‘Tintin – the journey from comic to film’
Let Tintin and Weta Workshop lead conceptual designer, Chris Guise take you through the process of transforming a much-loved comic into the successful film version of, ‘The adventures of Tintin – the secret of the Unicorn.’ Chris will guide you through this multi-media journey with slides and videos and don’t forget to have your questions ready for Q&A.

2.00 – 2.15 | Comicfest announces winners for the Manga drawing competition
Don’t forget your free comics posters courtesy of GRAPHIC comic store!

 

All events are free and bookings are not required. Seating at space at events is available on a first come – first served basis.

Looking for a good book to read? LIANZA Children and Teens book award finalists announced.

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Each year LIANZA Children’s and Young Adults Book Awards picks the best that has been published in New Zealand or by a New Zealander.

Did you know, as part of the LIANZA book awards, you can earn Hell Pizza for reading? Pick up a pizza wheel from your local library and ask the librarian to tell you how it works.

Recently the award finalists have been announced for each category, and here they are:

Russell Clarke Award (for Illustration)

  1. Marmaduke Duck on the Wide Blue Seas by Juliette MacIver and Sarah Davis – Scholastic
  2. Jim’s Letters by Glyn Harper and Jenny Cooper – Penguin Random House
  3. Have you seen a monster? by Raymond McGrath – Penguin Random House
  4. So Many Wonderfuls by Tina Matthews – Walker Books
  5. Mrs Mo’s Monster by Paul Beavis – Gecko Press

 

LIANZA Young Adult Fiction Award

  1. I am Rebecca by Fleur Beale – Penguin Random House
  2. The Red Suitcase by Jill Harris – Makaro Press
  3. Singing Home the Whale by Mandy Hager – Penguin Random House
  4. Recon Team Angel: Vengeance by Brian Falkner – Walker Books
  5. Night Vision by Ella West – Allen and Unwin

 

Elsie Lock Award (for Non-Fiction)

  1. The Book of Hat by Harriet Rowland – Makaro Press
  2. A New Zealand Nature Journal by Sandra Morris – Walker Books
  3. Maori Art for Kids by Julie Noanoa and Norm Heke – Potton and Burton Publishing
  4. Mōtītī Blue and the Oil Spill: A Story from the Rena Disaster by Debbie McCauley – Mauao Publishing
  5. New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame: 25 Kiwi Champions by Maria Gill and Marco Ivancic – New Holland

 

Esther Glenn Award (for Junior Fiction)

  1. Monkey Boy by Donovan Bixley – Scholastic
  2. The Volume of Possible Endings (A Tale of Fontania) by Barbara Else – Gecko
  3. Conrad Cooper’s Last Stand by Leonie Agnew – Penguin
  4. Trouble in Time by Adele Broadbent – Scholastic
  5. Letterbox Cat by Paula Green – Scholastic

 

Te Kura Ponamu Award (Te Reo publications)

  1. Nga Kī by Sacha Cotter, Josh Morgan and Kawata Teepa – Huia
  2. Hui E! by various authors – Huia
  3. Tūtewehi by Fred Te Maro – Huia
  4. Kimihia by Te Mihinga Komene and Scott Pearson – Huia
  5. An early Te Reo Reading Book Series by Carolyn Collis – Summer Rose Books

 

The judges will pick one winner for each category. The winning titles will be announced on 15th June 2015.

Crafty Kyle Competition Winners!

wcl staff

The Crafty Kyle Competition is now over. The participants had to come up with a new imaginary story by Kyle Mewburn and design a book cover for it. We got heaps of entries… Well done everyone!

The winners of the Crafty Kyle Competition have now been announced.

Amelia Major won the 5 to 7 years old category. Well done for such a poetic and light-hearted drawing…

Amelia Major

Katie Chu-Fong won the 8 to 10 years old category. Very colourful and dynamic scene that you created for the “Vegetable Choir”.

katie Chu-Fong

The champion of the 11 to 13 years old category is Matthew Yang. The character Andy looks so fun and real in his cardboard boxes castle!

matthew Yang

The winners will be collecting their library prizes this week. Books signed by Kyle Mewburn will be one of the treats in the prize pack! Maybe your drawings will inspire Kyle Mewburn for one of his future books…

New Non Fiction: Art splash, Poetry in motion and a special Disney Princess surprise!

Katie

New Art Books from Usborne!

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Usborne Introduction to Art.

Prepare to be dazzled and amazed when you read all about Western painting. From Ancient Egyptian tomb decorations to modern art, your head will explode from all overload of knowledge!

To accompany this book, read:

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsThe Usborne Book of Art.

This will overload your brain with even more knowledge about anything and everything to do with art. This fascinating book covers it all – from Ancient Egyptian tomb decorations to great masters of European painting right up to the present day.

 

 

 

image courtesy of syndeticsFrogs are funny! : the most sensational, inspirational, celebrational, muppetational, Muppets joke book ever!

Frogs are funny. Yep, that book definitely spells that out. For all you Muppet fans, check out this new amazing book that if full of laugh out loud jokes from all the Muppet Movies and shows. Readers beware, hilarity will ensue!

 

 

 

A Treasury of NZ Poems for children.image courtesy of syndetics

Who would have thought poetry could be beautiful? This book is certainly living proof and is busting with wonderful NZ poems by writers, such as James K. Baxter, Margaret Mahy and Kyle Meburn, that will make you laugh, cry, jiggle and ponder. A treasury of NZ poems for children makes poetry sing for a new generation.

 

 

 

 

Saved the best for last…

Girls and boys…be prepared to discover your inner (Disney) Princess!

image courtesy of syndeticsDisney Princess: Enchanted Character Guide.

What girl doesn’t dream of being a Disney Princess? Once upon a time I was one of those girls. (Ok, every now and again I still dream) Well girls, your dreams are about to come true. Check out this newly updated Disney Princess: Enchanted Character Guide and prepare to be transported into the enchanting world of Disney princesses where dreams really do come true. This book helps you discover the magical and enchanting world of Disney princesses. You can get to know each beautiful Princess and read their magical story, meet their best friends and worst enemies, plus find out fascinating facts about your favourite Disney Princess. From Snow White and The Little Mermaid to Sleeping Beauty and Merida. After reading this book, I swear I had been transported back to my childhood. Princesses, glitter, this is a book that every girl will love and perhaps may have to fight and claw their way to ensure they get their hands on this precious treasure.

 

Also take the time to rediscover… Princess : The Essential Guide (Revised editon). and Princess : The Essential Guide!

The Hot Spot Poetry Tour is coming to Wellington

admin

Hot Spot 2Here’s and event you won’t want to miss! This children’s poetry tour is visiting Wellington in October and will feature local authors, children and schools, alongside well-known New Zealand children’s poet Paula Green.

Details:

Saturday 18th October, 10.30am

Kilbirnie Children’s Bookshop

Free!

 

Follow the latest news about the tour at Paula Green’s Poetry Box webpage.

 

Letterbox Cat & Other Poems is Paula Green’s latest book. It’s full of fantastic and funny poems, grab it from your local library today.

 

Old Hu-Hu by Churton Park school

wcl staff

Everyone is sad when Old Hu-Hu dies, but little Hu-Hu-Tu is the saddest of all. Sad and confused. Where has Old Hu-Hu gone? Why isn’t he here? Hu-Hu-Tu asks his friends, but their answers are strange and confusing.  Hu-Hu-Tu is alone and inconsolable. But as the sun dawns on a new day, Hu-Hu-Tu reaches an understanding about Old Hu-Hu’s death. Hu-Hu-Tu realises he must live life to the fullest, just as Old-Hu-Hu would have wanted him to do.

Right now you can find Hu-Hu-Tu  all set for  a new adventure at Johnsonville Library. He has been crafted by students at Churton Park school. Check out Hu-Hu’s enormous eyes and long antennae , he looks just as though he has stepped out of the book – but in giant size!

by Fiona Markwell

Image courtesy of SyndeticsOld Hu-Hu

Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!

wcl staff

KISS KISS! on the right cheek, KISS KISS! on the left cheek…. YUCK! YUCK! cries Andy who just can’t escape Auntie Elsie’s sloppy kisses fast enough. Andy hides from Aunty Elsie in the most ingenious places, but Aunty Elsie always finds him, and delivers another two fat, sloppy smooches every time.

But one day, Auntie Elsie doesn’t visit. Andy realizes that perhaps the sloppy smackers weren’t quite so bad after all…

Come and see Newtown School’s brilliant 3D sculpture of Andy and Auntie Elsie at Miramar Library, where it will be on display until August 21st. They are part of Wellington City Libraries “Books Go Arty With Kyle Mewburn” children’s sculpture exhibition. The amazing Newtown School sculptors have smothered Andy and Auntie Elsie in bright red sloppy kisses. They have used papier mache, cardboard tubes, bamboo garden sticks and many more to show the warm and special relationship between the two.

by Fiona Markwell

  kiss kiss yuck yuck

Kyle Mewburn at Central Library

wcl staff

Check out the photos of last week amazing event “Books Go Arty” at Central Library. Kyle Mewburn came all the way from Central Otago last Tuesday and Wednesday to meet the classes who had created sculptures based on his books. Classes from Karori Normal, Clifton Terrace, Newtown and Mount Cook had the chance to meet Kyle Mewburn, ask him lots of questions and play a Scavenger Hunt game. The sculptures based on Blue Gnu, Dinosaur rescue, Duck is stuck, Chick is sick, A crack in the sky, Melu, Kiss Kiss Yuck Yuck were honored by their creators…

Picture 105 Picture 056Picture 068Picture 064

The School Holidays are here!

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Check out these great ideas for FREE things to do at your local Wellington City Library…

Poster Small

 

Paint like Michelangelo!

Have a go at painting like a renaissance artist during the holidays. Don’t forget to wear your old clothes. (Free and perfect for 7-12 year olds)

Central Library: Wednesday 9th July, 11am – 12noon

Island Bay Community Centre: Tuesday 15th July, 10.30am – 11.30am

Karori Library: Wednesday 16th July, 11am – 12noon

Miramar Library: Thursday 17th July, 11am – 12noon

Johnsonville Library: Thursday 17th July, 11am – 12noon

 

 

IMG_7347Books Go Arty, with Kyle Mewburn

Check out the amazing sculptures on show at the Central Library during the school holidays. Each sculpture is based on a book by Kyle Mewburn and created by a primary or intermediate school class from a Wellington City School. Take part in the scavenger hunt, and gran an entry form for the Crafty Kyle Competition. More info here. (Exhibition is free and open to view at the Central Library during opening hours).

Central Library: All day, every day

 

 

 

Gamesfest Evenings at Central Library

Every Wednesday evening at the Central Library there will be a variety of games set up at the central Library for everyone and anyone to play. To grab some family and friends and come along for some warm wintery indoor fun. Aim for a Scrabble high score, or show your hand in your favourite card game! (Free, all ages, games available 5.30pm – 7.30pm)

Central Library: Every Wednesday 5.30 – 7.30pm

 

 

Mini Wormfarms at Karori Library

You’re invited to join in this fun session on worms and all the good work they do for us and our planet. Together we’ll take a closeup look at how worms can turn our food scraps into useful compost, and learn how to build our very own mini-worm farm. So come along and get friendly with worms!

Registration required: Please phone Karori Library or inquire at the front desk.

Cost: Free. Koha to the Trust is appreciated.

Karori Library: Thursday 17th July 6.30 – 7.30pm

 

 

A5 Flyer ENGLISH frontKōhunga Kōrero – Whāngaia tō Tama Toa ki te pānui pukapuka

Pakiwaitara, rotarota, waiata hoki i te reo Māori mō ngā kōhungahunga.

Get your superhero hooked on stories! Storytimes in te reo Māori

Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: Monday 14th July, 10.30am

Johnsonville Library: Tuesday 15th July, 2pm

 

 

 

Preschool Storytime and Baby Rock & Rhyme

These popular programmes for under 5s will continue to run during the school holidays. Check out the event calendar or ask at your local library for dates at times.

 

Check out the Library event calendar, or Kids’ What’s On web page for more information.