new zealand books

Poppy Power – ANZAC day

wcl staff

ANZAC Day service at the National War Memorial Wellington.This Friday (April 20) is the 90th annual Poppy Day Appeal, and the following Wednesday (April 25) is ANZAC Day. The donations raised from Poppy Day help people and their families who have returned from war. It helps with things like medical bills.

ANZAC Day is a public holiday. It’s a time to remember all New Zealanders who have been killed in war. Some people sleep in on ANZAC Day, and some people get up when it’s still dark to attend a Dawn Service. Wherever you are in New Zealand there will be a dawn service somewhere near you.

A.J. Toledo has written a really interesting book called Wearing the Poppy. She tells the story of ANZAC day through the experiences of 6 members of her family who fought at Gallipoli in WWI. She explains why the red poppy is a symbol of remembrance throughout the world.

NZ Post Children’s Book Awards – Picture Book finalists

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Wow we are so lucky here in good old NZ with the high level of local authors and illustrators that create books that are a joy to read and share. This year’s nominations for the best Picture Books are no exception with a range of books for all reading levels.

My favs of this bunch would have to be Ruth Paul’s newest title Stomp and The Cat’s Pyjamas by Catherine Foreman. Stomp is a fun, follow the leader story great for preschoolers and younger primary aged children and The Cat’s Pyjamas introduces a cat who entertains us with a different pair of pyjamas and dream for each day of the week.

If you’re around the middle primary age or older give Rahui by Chris Szekely (also in Te Reo) and Waiting for Later by Tina Matthews a go. 

For the senior primary/intermediate and teen readers Shaolin Burning by Ant Sang (of Bro Town fame) is a graphic novel with a modern take on kung fu mythology with plenty of Shaolin principles, non-stop action and burning revenge!

Don’t forget to vote for your favourite – you could win!

       

NZ Post Children’s Book Awards – Junior Fiction finalists

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There’s something for everyone is this selection of Junior Fiction finalists, from genetically engineered mutant fly traps (the Flytrap Snaps by Johanna Knox), a boy who wants to be a super hero when he grows up (Super Finn by Leonie Agnew), the quest for the return of magic to the world of fontania (The Travelling Restaurant by Barbara Else), a tale of finding your place in the world (Just Jack by Adele Broadbent) and a sequel to the mysterious Loblolly Boy which was a finalist in the 2010 Junior Fiction category with The Loblolly Boy and the Sorcerer by James Norcliffe.

Pick one off the Library shelf today or place a reserve to get one in your hands soon!

Its not just the authors who get all the winning fun. Vote for your favourite and you could be a winner too!

 

        

NZ Post Children’s Book Awards – Non-Fiction

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Here’s a run-down on the Non-Fiction finalists for The New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards

Nice Day for a War by Chris Slane and Matt Elliot is an engaging and enlightening look at World War 1. With real excerpts from the war diary of Cyril Elliot (Matt Elliott’s grandfather), cartoon strips, authentic pictures of our soldiers and heaps of other interesting information it will capture even the most reluctant war-story reader.

 

 

 

Likewise with Chris Grosz’s, Kimble Bent Malcontent, the story of an American soldier who deserts while stationed in New Zealand during the land wars, and ends up fighting with the Hauhau, a Taranaki tribe of fearsome reputation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Life Cycle of the Tuatara by Betty Brownlie -everything you want to know about Tuatara! It includes interesting facts beautiful pictures of Tuatara in the wild and really easy to follow format that will have you reciting Tuatara facts with ease!

 

 

 

For the budding archaeologists, Digging Up the Past by David Veart will captivate all readers and have you thinking like an archaelogists as it excavates the stories of the past.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lastly, New Zealand Hall of Fame by Maria Gill and Bruce Potter, look at 50 famous New Zealanders and the contributions they have made that warrants their inclusion in this beautifully rendered collection of biographies.

 

Its not just the authors that can win – you can too! Vote for your favourite and you could win yourself and your school some book vouchers. Cool!

New Zealand Post Children’s Book Award Finalists

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NZPBA LOGO medPheww, what a mouthful of a title but don’t let that put you off checking out some of the nominations for the 2012 Children’s Book Awards. With 4 categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction, Young Adult Fiction and Non-fiction, there is a fine selection of books that showcase the talents of our New Zealand authors and illustrators.

You can be in to win as well by voting for your favourite book. Grab a voting form from your school or local library or vote online. This goes into the Children’s Choice Award and enters you into the draw to win $500 worth of books for yourself and your school!

We’ll be writing about the finalist books here. So check back to find out more.

Get reading and get voting! You could find a new favourite book, or pick the winner! The winning books will be announced on May 16th.

The Naughty Kids’ Book of Nature

wcl staff

This book is hard to put down. It is a new New Zealand nature book that details all the animals you might encounter on a road trip from north to south. The Naughty Kids’ Book of Nature does not only focus on our famous animals like the kiwi and tuatara  but also daddy long -legs, rats, possums and worms. I love the colour illustrations and reading about the history of these creatures. You will learn something new for sure. I am not convinced about the title though?  The blurb on the book explains naughty kids want to know about squashed hedgehogs and dead pukeko and see blood and guts . I think anyone will enjoy this, naughty or otherwise.

Legs on Everest

debbie

Have you heard about Mark Inglis?  The man who in 1982 had to spend thirteen and a half days huddled in an ice cave near the summit of Aoraki Mount Cook during a major storm.

The frostbite that he suffered during that time cost him both his legs below the knee but this did not hold him back. After being fitted with new artificial legs he went on to climb the highest mountain in the world – Mt Everest.

High-Tech Legs on Everest is a great story about everything Mark went through to achieve his goals included a day by day account of his climb on Everest with lots of interest bits he found along the way. And let’s not forget about those amazing high-tech legs that got him there.

What’s hapening on Friday?

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Last chance for school holiday fun! More free happenings on Friday 8th October:

Starting at 11am, well-known New Zealand children’s authors will be in your libraries to read and do activities with you. Find out all about writing books at the same time.

Kevin Boon will be at Karori Library (5-10 year olds)

Philippa Werry will be at Brooklyn Library (6-12 year olds)

Find out more information about these cool activities here.

What’s happening on Wednesday?

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More free school holiday happenings on Wednesday 6th October!

Starting at 11am, well-known New Zealand children’s authors will be in your libraries to read and do activities with you. Find out all about writing books at the same time.

Fleur Beale will be the the Wellington Central Library (7-10 year olds)

Kevin Boon will be at Johnsonville Library (5-10 year olds)

Maggie Rainey-Smith will be at Khandallah Library (5-10 year olds)

Find out more information about these cool activities (and what’s happening during the rest of the week) here.