Things to Do

Explore and Discover with the City Nature Challenge!

Merritt 0 Comments

Are you fascinated by the small scuttling things you see in rockpools, the native insects hiding in your garden, or the different bushes, weeds, and trees you see while out for a walk around Wellington? Why not finish off the school holidays in true environmental style and take part in the City Nature Challenge!

Heading: Hoake ki te Taiao City nature Challenge, What can you discover around Wellington?" next to stylized images of kereru, wētā, mushrooms, and other native flora and fauna

From Friday 26 April to Monday 29 April cities around the world will be competing in the City Nature Challenge. During the challenge your goal is to search for, report, and log any sightings of wild plants, creatures, or organisms, living or dead, on the land, up the mountains, in the sea — and in your backyard. There’s even been a plea sent out from DOC for people to submit pictures of weeds!

We’re taking part in the City Nature Challenge to record which species are in our city to help study and protect them – or in the case of those weeds DOC is after, to provide information to help us detect new weed infestations early. The more people who take part, the more information we can provide!

It’s super easy to take part – just download the iNaturalist app (free on the app store). Once you’re set up with an iNaturalist account, any observation you make in the Greater Wellington Region during the challenge dates will be automatically added to the challenge. You can find a great guide to getting started and submitting observations here.

If you’d like some inspiration, here are some of the observations that were made last year during the 2023 City Nature Challenge in the Greater Wellington Region.

There are also a number of whānau-friendly Discovery Events being held across the city to encourage people to look more closely at the natural world around them:

Information about these events can also be found over on the Wellington City Nature Challenge webpage, and we also recommend checking out the Te Upoko o te Ika (Wellington Region) project page over on iNaturalist.

If you’d like to head off on your own discovery walk, we highly recommend taking a copy of Giselle Clarkson’s The Observologist along with you. It’s full of interesting facts and useful tips for finding small and fascinating creatures, plants, and fungi in the most unexpected of places.

Here are some books you may find useful as you participate in the City Nature Challenge this weekend:

The observologist / Clarkson, Giselle
“An observologist is someone who makes scientific  expeditions every day, albeit very small ones. They notice interesting details in the world around them. They are expert at finding tiny creatures, plants and fungi. They know that earthworms have bristles, that moths come out in the daytime and how many tentacles a slug has. An observologist knows that there are fascinating things to be found in even the most ordinary places.”–Back cover.

Critters of Aotearoa : 50 bizarre but lovable members of our wildlife community / Toki, Nic
“Slimy, stinky, creepy, crawly and gross, but also a little bit cute! Discover New Zealand’s most curious creatures, from Smeagol the gravel maggot, to the walking worm and the drooping blobfish, with Nicola Toki from the hit Radio New Zealand show ‘Critter of the Week’ as your guide. Featuring 50 illustrated profiles of Aotearoa’s weird and wonderful critters, and an introduction by Jesse Mulligan, this book proves that sometimes nature’s best stories are the ones you have to work a little harder to uncover. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

New Zealand nature heroes / Candler, Gillian
“New Zealand Nature Heroes is designed to inspire and empower New Zealand kids to be naturalists and conservationists. The book features stories of 15 different nature heroes, people, who, in the past, or currently, are working to protect and understand New Zealand’s natural world.”–Publisher’s website.” (Catalogue)

The life-size guide to insects & other land invertebrates of New Zealand / Crowe, Andrew
“Pictorial guide to identifying common insects, spiders and other land invertebrates of New Zealand. Suggested level: primary, intermediate, secondary.” (Catalogue)

The life-size guide to native trees and other common plants of New Zealand’s native forest / Crowe, Andrew
“Identifying native trees and other common plants of New Zealand’s native forest can be fun for all the family with this new pictorial guide. Match leaves, flowers, seeds, berries and bark against beautiful, life-sized photographs for fast, accurate identification. Written by one of New Zealand’s foremost writers on native plants, The Life-Size Guide offers a new opportunity to explore and enjoy the natural world of our native plants.” (Catalogue)

Wildlife of Aotearoa / Bishop, Gavin
“Long before waka touched Aotearoa’s shores, the land of the long white cloud was home to an array of creatures uniquely adapted to its environments and protected by its isolation. Encounter New Zealand’s incredible wildlife in this spectacular visual exploration. Journey through ocean, sky and land to meet a marvellous range of organisms. Discover fascinating facts, and learn how we influence the survival of our living treasures”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

24 hours on the kiwi seashore / Torckler, Gillian
“Describes each four hour period along the coastline, and provides information about the birds, fish and sea creatures that feature in each time period.” (Catalogue)

New Zealand’s backyard beasts / Barraud, Ned
“In the garden, creeping along branches, hiding under stones or flitting from flower to flower, a whole universe of creatures is waiting to be discovered. In New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts, children (and adults) can learn to identify some of the creatures most commonly found in the backyard. Explore bees and wasps, beetles, butterflies, and moths (insects), centipedes and millipedes (myriapods), spiders (arachnids), snails and slugs (crustaceans) and more. From the simply curious to the budding entomologist, New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts will please and inform all age groups about the fascinating creatures found in the back garden.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The Fish Doorbell – Help a Fish on the Other Side of the World!

Merritt 0 Comments

What is the Fish Doorbell?

The Fish Doorbell (or visdeurbel in Dutch) is exactly what it sounds like – a doorbell for fish!

The Vecht, a branch of the river Rhine, flows through Utrecht.  As it goes through the city, the Vecht passes through the Weerdsluis lock – a lock is a bit like a gate that’s been engineered to help boats travel along rivers or canals uphill. If you’d like to know a bit more about locks, we recommend heading over to the Encyclopedia Britannica. To access this article on Britannica, just sign in with your library card barcode number and 4-digit pin.

At this time of year when it’s spring in the northern hemisphere, the Weerdluis lock isn’t opened very often for boats to pass through. This is also the time of year when fish swim up the Vecht, looking for a place to lay their eggs. When the lock is kept shut for longer periods of time, groups of fish have to wait for the lock to open, making them easy prey for predators like grebes and cormorants.

What did the people of Utrecht do to fix this problem? They created the fish doorbell!A fish swimming on the right, on the left is a rock with a doorbell on it.

An underwater camera was set up, and anyone anywhere in the world can watch the livestream. When someone watching sees a fish in the livestream, they press the digital fish doorbell. When enough people watching the livestream all ring the doorbell at the same time, the lock operator is sent a signal to open the lock and let the fish through. And the lock operators keep records of the nicest fish photos and release a weekly Fish Doorbell News Report too!

The fish doorbell is live throughout spring in Utrecht, and mid-April is a popular time for fish to be queuing at the gate. Why don’t you join in and help out a fish on the other side of the world?

The livestream can be watched below on Youtube or over on the Visdeurbel website. If you’re watching on Youtube you’ll have to go over to the Visdeurbel website if you need to ring the doorbell!

If you’d like to read about different fish and animal migration while watching the livestream, we’ve put together some books for you.

Wildlife of Aotearoa / Bishop, Gavin
“Long before waka touched Aotearoa’s shores, the land of the long white cloud was home to an array of creatures uniquely adapted to its environments and protected by its isolation. Encounter New Zealand’s incredible wildlife in this spectacular visual exploration. Journey through ocean, sky and land to meet a marvellous range of organisms. Discover fascinating facts, and learn how we influence the survival of our living treasures”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)
All about New Zealand’s freshwater wildlife / Gunson, Dave
“Introduces a variety of plants and animals that are commonly found in New Zealand’s freshwater streams and rivers. Describes characteristics and where each species can be found. Suggested level: junior, primary, intermediate.” (Catalogue)
Good jump, little carp : a Chinese myth retold in English and Chinese / Jin, Bo
“A long time ago, in a remote river, there lived a happy little carp who had many good friends and played games with them every day. One day, his friend tadpole grows up into a frog and leaves for the outside world. The little carp becomes very curious. What does the outside world look like? Dad says that only fish who swim across eighty-one rivers to the Yellow River, and jump over the Dragon Gate, can leave the water and reach the outside world. But his mother says that fish can never leave the water. However, the little carp is determined to find the Dragon Gate. The little carp keeps swimming and swimming. When the little carp finally reaches the Yellow River, will he be able to jump over the high Dragon Gate?” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Freshwater fishes / McEwan, Amber
“Introduces the physical characteristics, habitat and behaviour of different species of New Zealand freshwater fishes.” (Catalogue)
A fish out of water / Palmer, Helen
A young boy gets his first pet fish, but forgets the instructions he was given at the pet shop and feeds his fish more than just a spot. When his fish starts growing, and growing, and GROWING it takes even the police and a fire engine to help manage this fish out of water!
Atlas of amazing migrations / Sewell, Matt
“Matt Sewell is back with a sumptuous celebration of our planet’s most extreme journeys, showcasing the most amazing mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and insects that battle through the Earth’s toughest conditions in order to survive. Follow flocks of arctic terns on their annual 40,000-kilometre journey between the Earth’s poles. Join the monarch butterflies on their famous pilgrimage from Canada to Mexico. Awe at wildebeest, humpback whales, salmon, dragonflies, and more. Find out how they navigate themselves on their impressive journeys – chemicals, the sun and or the Earth’s magnetic field.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The Maketū whitebait / Werohia
Whitey, Tere and Freddy are three whitebait friends from Maketū. Freddy suddenly disappears and finds he is inside a slippery, slimy, slithery eel. Without hesitation, Whitey swims into the eel to save his friend. Tere tries desperately to distract the eel from juicing his friends up. How can they possibly escape such an awesome foe? (Adapted from Catalogue)

Also available in Te Reo Māori

Draw Along with Paul Beavis at Karori Library!

Stephen Clothier 0 Comments

Learn from the master himself!

During the April school holidays, we are lucky to be hosting superstar author and illustrator Paul Beavis (Nee Naw, There Was an Odd Farmer Who Swallowed a Fly, Ring Ting Tūī) for a fantastic workshop at Te Māhanga Karori Library.

Come along to Karori Library at 2pm on Friday the 26th of April to meet Paul, learn all about how a picture book gets made, and draw along with him to pick up some new skills from the master. Who knows, you might even be inspired to start writing your own picture book!

Space is limited, so registrations are required — sign up here. This workshop is suitable for tamariki aged 6+ with their caregivers.


To get you excited, here are some of our favourite books from Paul’s catalogue, all available to reserve from the library:

Mrs. Mo’s monster / Beavis, Paul
“A monster with a one-track mind meets his match in an elderly lady called Mrs. Mo. With Mrs. Mo’s help, the monster is surprised to discover that he can do more than he ever thought, but that’s not the only surprise Mrs. Mo has in store”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Hello World / Beavis, Paul
“Monster is bored, but Mr. and Mrs. Mo are too busy to play. Monster decides to go off on an adventure.” (Catalogue)

Nee Naw the little fire engine / Yipadee, Deano
“The sing-along story of Nee Naw the Little Fire Engine is now available in a new board book edition! Granny’s in trouble – her house is on fire and she is trapped! The two big engines go roaring off to help but both suffer misfortune on the way to Granny’s place. Time for Nee Naw to step up and show what he can do! “–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Stink-o-saurus / Yipadee, Deano
“Stan was a rare dinosaur, a one of a kind. Most from their front, HIS roar came from his BEHIND! Youll split your pants laughing at Stan, the worlds only STINK-O-SAURUS. But can his stinky antics save the day and keep Tommy T-Rex far away?” (Catalogue)

There was an odd farmer who swallowed a fly / Millett, Peter
“Peek through the holes in the pages to see what the odd farmer swallows in this favourite nursery rhyme with a pitch-perfect Kiwi twist!”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Become an expert joke-teller / Moffatt, Tom
“Tired of no-one laughing at your jokes? You don’t have to be. Joke-telling is a skill, like playing the piano or juggling live hedgehogs. This book teaches you that skill with easy-to-follow instructions and simple exercises”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Take me to your leader / Agnew, Leonie
“Eleven-year-old Lucas has got a new worry to add to his long, long list – his rural school is on the Ministry of Education’s list for closure. What’s his mum going to do if he and his sister have to start travelling to a school an hour or two away? […] He and his friends come up with a mad idea to revive their town and save their school –they stage an alien encounter. […] Before Lucas knows it, he’s lost control of his plot, and a chain of unpredictable (and often hilarious) events that follow are quickly turning to chaos!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Ring Ting Tūī / Roo, Elena de
“The familiar antics of one of New Zealand’s favourite native birds have been captured by award-winning picture book creators Elena de Roo and Paul Beavis. SQUAWK! Things are getting loud! The kowhai branch is bending … what a sticky tūī crowd! Have the tūī slurped too much kowhai nectar to make an escape? Bursting with fun – and nectar! – this melodious tūī story will have children and adults joining in with the tūī sounds until they too fall to the ground, just like the crowd of too many tūī. Elena de Roo’s sparse use of clever text and impeccable rhythm is combined with Paul Beavis’s artwork that oozes with character, creating a special picture book fit for a clutch of chaotic tūī, and finished off with ten fascinating tūī facts.” (Catalogue)

Find out more about Paul, and keep up to date with his releases at his website: Paul Beavis – Author and Illustrator

School Holidays: WHODUNNIT? at Wellington City SPYbraries

Merritt 0 Comments

From the 13th to the 28th of April, we invite you to join us for WHODUNNIT? at Wellington City SPYbraries and enter a world of detectives, spies, espionage, and mystery.

We have a whole range of exciting activities planned for you – race against the clock to solve a mystery, search through your local library – sorry, SPYbrary – to solve the mystery of the Golden Tickets, create your own kit of spy gadgets, or put together a tricksy maze using our LEGO® sets – there’s something for everyone!

Wellington City Libraries will also be welcoming two authors into our spaces over the April holidays.

Avril McDonald will be joining us in seven of our libraries for several storytimes throughout the first week of the holidays as she celebrates the launch of her latest book The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus and of the Empowering Brave Voices campaign. For more information about these events, check out this blog post.

Paul Beavis will be leading a fantastic workshop at Te Māhanga | Karori Library in the second week of the holidays where tamariki will get to learn about how a picture book is made and learn some illustration tips and tricks from the master. To find out more about this event, check out this blog post.

If you’re a bit older (ages 12-19) head over to our Teen Blog to learn about our online challenge for teens!

​Visit this page to see the whole calendar, or read on to find out more about what’s coming up at your local library or community centre!

 

Whodunnit? Puzzle Room Challenge

Race the timer to solve a mystery!Three red question marks on a black background

Work your way as a team through a series of hands-on and brain-teasing puzzles to solve the mystery, accuse the correct suspect, and save the day!

Recommended for tamariki aged 7-13 with their caregivers.

Find out how to register for a 30-minute slot with the links below.

Incognito Investigator Kit

Are you a super spy in the making?black and white images of a mask and cardboard magnifying glass and binoculars

Come along to the library to craft your very own spy-kit. Make and decorate your very own binoculars, magnifying glass, mask, or spy-dentification card.

For tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Join us at two of our libraries for a special detective-themed storytime, followed by the chance to create something to add to your investigator kit.

Where in the Library is Carmen Sandiego?

1985 – the year of the release of the original Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego? on floppy disk!an early-stly computer with three red question marks above it, over a background of green binary code

Enter a virtual time machine at the library and learn how to enable our modern computers to run video games from the ‘80s and early ‘90s using emulation software, and experience the classic sleuthing game from 1985 in its original form.

For ages 10+ with their caregivers, if under 14. Laptops will be provided.

Registrations are required as spaces are limited. Find out how to register using the links below.

Golden Ticket Quest

Join us at the library for a thrilling detective adventure!A beaver holding a pencil looks at a board explaining the pigpen code, under a pair of glowing golden tickets

Decode cryptic clues, uncover mysterious messages, and work together in teams to find golden tickets hidden within the library. Can your team find all the tickets before your time runs out?

For ages 8+ with their caregivers.

To register for a librarian-led team experience, visit the link below. Otherwise just drop into your local library, ask the librarian at the desk for the first clue, and head off on your own adventure amongst the shelves!

Let’s go LEGO®: Spy Edition

Come down to the library and test your hand at LEGO® mazes and blind builds!A scene of LEGO minifigs - a detective holds a magnifying glass as a robber climbs the side of a building behind her

Put your creative skills to the test as you design and build your masterpiece using our LEGO® collections.
Recommended for tamariki aged 5+ with their caregivers.

Or join us at Tawa Community Centre for a session of Let’s Go LEGO®: Gadget Edition and combine LEGO® building with some of our spy-gadgets.

Mystery Movie

Join us at the SPYbrary for a casual film viewing of a *mysterious* nature.A giraffe wearing sunglasses and a whale with a false moustache stand in front of a beam of light cast by a camera

What movie are we showing? Who knows?! – we’re not allowed to tell! (But if you call and ask we will let you know!)
Will it be good? – Absolutely! Well, we think so anyway.

All movies screened are rated G or PG.

Tech Time: Gadget Fun

Come along for a hands-on experience with our library spy-gadgets!robotic bee-bots next to a magnifying glass

Try out our robots, and other devices and have the freedom to experiment with them in a (reasonably) free-play environment.

Registrations are required as spaces are limited. Find out how to register using the link below.

Throwback Gaming Afternoon

Experience retro gaming at the library!

Whether you’re joining us for an afternoon of nostalgia, or to experience new (old) video games, there’s something for everyone. We have a variety of consoles from several decades for you to try out.

This event is for ages 10+ (with no upper age limit!), and registrations are required. Find out how to register using the links below.

Experience VR

Virtual reality (VR) offers us a new and exciting way to learn about and experience the world around us. From 3D painting and virtual sculpting to problem-solving with robots and exploring some of the world’s most extreme locations, this is your opportunity to experience VR from the safety and comfort of the Island Bay Community Centre.

This event is suitable for rangatahi aged 10+. Space is limited, so registrations are required — visit the link below to register.

Mystery Board Games

Channel your inner Sherlock and solve mysteries and uncover secrets!

Bring your friends along and make some new ones at our casual mystery-themed board game session.
Choose from a selection of our board games, or bring your own to share.

For ages 5+. Those under 14 will need to be accompanied by a caregiver.

Empowering Brave Voices with author Avril McDonald

Merritt 0 Comments

Over the April school holidays, Wellington City Libraries will be welcoming author Avril McDonald into our libraries for several storytimes as she celebrates the launch of her latest book The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus and the Empowering Brave Voices campaign.

Both book and campaign launch on the 9th of April. They are here to teach children an important message: to seek out a trusted adult until they find one who believes them and will act on their behalf to keep them safe.

Avril’s Feel Brave series tell stories that help children manage their tough emotions and deal with BIG feelings. Avril is an Ambassador for the Life Education Trust, who use her books in many of their programmes. To learn more about the Feel Brave series, you can check out Avril’s website.

The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus: Storytelling and Songs with Author Avril McDonald

book cover - the wolf and the hocus pocusAvril’s 45-minute storytelling sessions will be full of stories, songs, and well-being exercises for children. Joined by the Feel Brave puppets, Avril will read The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus – and other stories! – and give the tamariki attending some simple strategies to deal with BIG feelings.

After the storytime, tamariki will have the chance to purchase their own copy of The Wolf and the Hocus Pocus and have it signed.

Recommended for ages 4-7 with their caregivers.

If you’d like to check out Avril’s books before attending one of her storytelling sessions, here are a few we recommend.

The purrfect pawse : a little book to help children pause, stretch and be grateful / McDonald, Avril
“In The Purrfect Pawse: A little book to help children pause, stretch and be grateful, Avril McDonald returns with some of the colourful, lovable characters from her Feel Brave series to help nurture young children’s physical and mental well-being through a combination of activity and poetry. The Purrfect Pawse uses rhythm, rhyme and ……” (Catalogue)

The wolf’s colourful coat / McDonald, Avril
“Wolfgang loves his new colourful winter coat but when some nasty creatures make fun of it, he is upset by what they say and stops wearing it. Spider helps Wolfgang be brave enough to tell someone big that he trusts and he learns that things aren’t always as they seem. Ages 0+” (Catalogue)

The wolf and the baby dragon / McDonald, Avril
“When Wolfgang and his friends learn about a cave where a baby dragon has hatched in a nest they quickly run off to find it. But sadly Wolfgang gets left behind. His bag is full of heavy worries that are making him slow and he just can’t let go of them. When Wolfgang trips and falls, Spider shows him how to take a rest from his worries for a while and that if he can share them, they will be easier to manage.” (Catalogue)

The wolf was not sleeping / McDonald, Avril
“This heartwarming bedtime story was specially written to soothe the anxiety of children whose parents work as first responders and to encourage conversations which help them manage trauma. Wolfgang’s dad works as a helper: when the wolves sound the alarm, he has to leave to help the other creatures in the forest. Each night Wolfgang worries about what might happen if his dad gets the call. His worries are so bad that they keep him awake, and he is falling asleep in the daytime instead! An ideal bedtime read for young children whose parents are first responders, whether they be firefighters, police officers, ambulance crew, coastguards, or work in any other roles within stressful environments. Part of Avril McDonald’s Feel Brave series – little stories about big feelings.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Kaupapa Moana – Seaweek 2024

Merritt 0 Comments

Seaweek 2024 has just started! Seaweek is New Zealand’s national week for celebrating the sea, and this year it runs from the 2nd to the 10th of March.

Or come and check out the fantastic Seaweek displays in our libraries!

Here in Aotearoa we are surrounded by the sea, so it’s no surprise that our moana is something many of us feel a strong connection to. Every year, Seaweek hopes to inspire us all to engage with nature, explore the ocean, and develop this sense of connection with our environment and the sea. Seaweek is an opportunity to get involved in a community beach clean-up, visit a marine education centre, or just learn more about the oceans around us and what live in them.

If you’re looking for Seaweek activities in Wellington, there are a few events you might be interested in this Saturday the 9th of March. You can celebrate Seaweek at Te Papa and drop in to design your own deep sea fish and go all the way underwater in a Virtual Reality Submarine, or you could visit the Victoria University Coastal Ecology Lab Open Day and explore their interactive touch tanks and learn all about marine biology.

A selection of sea-themed booksIf you’d like a sea-themed literary experience, our own Te Awe Library is running a sea-themed Preschool Storytime on Wednesday the 6th of March. Come along and join our most piratical librarian for sea-themed stories, songs, and rhymes!

 

This year, Seaweek’s Ocean Champion Challenge has been refreshed to recognise the variety of actions being taken to protect the ocean and raise awareness. If you know someone who advocates for the ocean through their art, or who collects of contributes data related towards our marine environment, or who uses storytelling to contribute to ocean awareness, education, or conservation, they can be nominated as a Creator, Investigator, or Narrator! You can nominate a friend, or be nominated yourself!

Perhaps you’re keen to investigate Wellington’s beaches and sea life yourself? If you are, here are some books to get you started!

Rock pools : a guide for Kiwi kids / Barraud, Ned
“What New Zealand child is not delighted by a rockpool at low tide, with its colourful, fascinating array of creatures, some still, some flitting about? Rock Pools is a book designed to enhance this experience, with each page presenting an intriguing glimpse into the creatures that inhabit these low-tide wonderlands. All of the common creatures from New Zealand seashore, including crabs, sea anemones, starfish, barnacles and shrimps, and many more, feature in this fantastic book, which cannot help but delight and encourage children to interact with the natural world”–Publisher’s website.” (Catalogue)

Wild Coasts : exploring Aotearoa’s marine reserves / Barraud, Ned
“Aotearoa is renowned for its wild coasts, but after decades of overfishing, many of these marine ecosystems are under serious threat. A crucial response to this has been the creation of 44 marine reserves around our shores, and this book explores six of the most spectacular of these: boat Island, north of Auckland, the Poor Knights Islands, Taputeranga on the south coast of Wellington, Hikurangi at Kaikoura, Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) in Fiordland, and Ulva Island at Stewart Island/Rakiura. Full of fascinating information and wonderful illustrations of the amazing sea life found in the marine reserves, Wild boasts is an inspiring tribute to these safe zones. It will be treasured by all young people who are interested in our marine environment.” (Catalogue)

At the beach : explore & discover the New Zealand seashore / Candler, Gillian
“At the Beach is a delightful introduction to the natural history of the New Zealand seashore. The stage is set with beautiful, factually correct illustrations (including detailed cross-sections) of three familiar habitats – the sandy beach, rockpools and mudflats. Many of the plants and animals that play a part in these rich ecosystems are shown in situ, and readers are directed from there to pages dedicated to detailed coverage of: crabs; sea stars, kina and sea anemones; shellfish; seaweeds, sponges and sandhoppers; fish, jellyfish & shrimps; birds. Aimed at children 5-8 years old, but with appeal for anyone curious about New Zealand’s natural environment, At the Beach is a must for the home, bach, classroom and library. Comes with a removable, waterproof quick-reference guide to common seashore animals.” (Catalogue)

Under the ocean : explore & discover the seas around New Zealand / Candler, Gillian
“Explore the vast ocean, underwater reefs, and the depths of the sea floor and discover some of the creatures that live in the seas around New Zealand… This beautifully illustrated and highly informative book is aimed at children from pre-schoolers up and anyone curious about our ocean and the amazing creatures that live there.”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

The observologist / Clarkson, Giselle
A playful field guide for natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses.

An observologist is someone who makes small scientific expeditions every day, who notices the interesting details in the world around them, and that there are fascinating things to be found in even the most ordinary places.

Above and below : sea and shore / Evans, Harriet
“What wonders wait beneath the waves? Dive in and find out with this beautiful split-page book that celebrates ocean habitats from the sandy shallows to the darkest depths. Turn the page to discover the incredible creatures and plants that lie below the ocean blue. With magnificent mangrove forests, colourful coral reefs and exciting estuaries, there are so many watery worlds to explore.”–Back cover.” (Catalogue)

I wonder why the sea is salty and other questions about the oceans / Ganeri, Anita
“Encounter deep-sea volcanoes, electric fish, fierce pirates, and much more! With over thirty bite-sized questions and answers and hundreds of fun and colorful illustrations, this is the perfect guide to the underwater world.”– Page 4 of cover.” (Catalogue)

Ultrawild : an audacious plan to rewild every city on Earth / Mushin, Steve
“Join maverick inventor Steve Mushin as he tackles climate change with an avalanche of mind-bending, scientifically plausible inventions to rewild cities and save the planet. Jump into his brain as he designs habitat-printing robot birds and water-filtering sewer submarines, calculates how far compost cannons can blast seed bombs (over a kilometre), brainstorms biomaterials with scientists and engineers, studies ecosystems, and develops a deadly serious plan for future cities. A tour de force of extreme problem-solving for anyone who loves big ideas.” (Catalogue)

Also available as an ebook.
Hauraki broo / Slade-Robinson, Nikki
“Hauraki Broo, a young Bryde’s Whale, is searching for food but it’s getting harder and harder to find. From award-winning children’s author and illustrator Nikki Slade Robinson comes a beautiful and inspiring tale that addresses the challenges faced by marine life in the Hauraki Gulf, skillfully reminding us of the importance of the conservation of our whole marine environment”– Publisher description.” (Catalogue)

Also available in te reo Māori.

Our blue planet / Stewart-Sharpe, Leisa
“With all its variety, expanse and wonder, discover how much there is to love about Our Blue Planet. Our oceans are home to the greatest diversity of life on Earth and cover 71 percent of the planet. With so much to discover, this book introduces creatures beyond imagination.” — Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Free Puppet Shows and Workshops for the Summer!

Stephen Clothier

This summer, we are lucky to be joined by not one, but two prestigious puppeteering theatre companies — Birdlife Productions and String Bean Puppets — bringing us 8 free shows at our libraries and community centres! Read on to find out more.

Box of Birds! with Birdlife Productions

Peter and his new friends in Box of Birds! Photo: Supplied

The magic begins this week, with the exquisite puppet show Box of Birds from Birdlife Productions. This beautiful show features hand-crafted puppets, interactive songs, and percussion, and tells the story of Peter and his Grandma as they build a nesting box for Ruru – but Peter must learn to be patient and wait to discover who will eventually nest in his ‘box of birds’!

The show lasts for 30 minutes and is perfect for tamariki aged 3-6 with their caregivers, but older and younger siblings are very welcome.

Dates and Locations:

Flutter: Puppet Show and Workshop with String Bean Puppets

Pepe and Titi flying in Flutter! Photo: Dianna Thomson//TAHI Festival 2023

Join Anna Bailey of String Bean Puppets for this mesmerising puppet show and workshop during the holidays! Experience the magic of puppetry in Flutter, an expowering and delightful show for young audiences about a bat who is afraid of the dark making friends with a glowworm who thinks she is a star.

The show is followed by a shadow puppetry workshop where tamariki can explore a world of shadows, learning how to create magical and beautiful shadow puppet creatures using natural materials, as well as building their own upcycled shadow box to take home.

The Flutter puppet show lasts for 40 minutes and is perfect for tamariki aged 4-10 with their caregivers. The shadow puppet workshop last for 45 minutes and is most suitable for tamariki aged 6-10, but younger siblings are welcome to participate with help from their caregivers.

Dates and Locations:

Ngā mihi to the Creative Communities Scheme from Creative NZ for making it possible for us to share these experiences with you for free.

Nau mai — everyone is welcome!

Summer Reading Adventure: Writing remarkable reviews

Merritt

We’re almost halfway through the Summer Reading Adventure! If you haven’t already heard about the Summer Reading Adventure, you can head on over to our previous blog post for heaps more info, or jump straight into our Summer Reading website to sign up!

Through the power of books and imagination, help us transform Wellington into a fantasy wonderland this summer!

One of the activities you can complete as part of the Summer Reading Adventure is writing book reviews. There are five digital badges you can earn for writing reviews, and some of these also come with physical prizes!

There are two different kinds of reviews you can submit, written reviews and picture reviews, and we thought we’d provide you with some tips and tricks for creating an excellent and insightful review.

Tips for writing a book review:

  • Tell us what you thought about the book! We don’t want to just read a description of the plot.
  • Useful questions to ask yourself include
    • How did I feel at the beginning of the book?
    • How did I feel at the end? Was there a change?
    • Who was my favourite/least favourite character? Why?
    • Did this book give me any new ideas? If so, what are they?
    • Who else might like this book? Why?
    • If I had written this book, would I have changed anything about it? What, and why?
  • Be creative! We love to read reviews in the form of poems, short stories, reviews written with emojis.
  • Be careful with the boring things like spelling and punctuation. This isn’t school — you won’t be disqualified if you spell “discombobulated” wrong — but having good spelling and punctuation makes it easier for everyone else to understand what you mean!

Tips for creating a picture review:

  • Will you be drawing a picture, or taking a photo of something you’ve created or that reminds you of the book?
    • Tip: Other Summer Reading Adventure participants can see your reviews so if you’re making a video talking about your book and you’re concerned with online privacy, you might want to have the book in front of the camera instead of you.
  • Useful questions to ask yourself include:
    • Was there a character you really liked (or really didn’t like) that you could draw?
    • Was there an important moment in the story? Did you think something different should have happened?
    • Did this book give you any new ideas? How might you show that new idea in a picture?
  • Be creative! Draw something that represents the book, create the characters or an important scene out of LEGO, cook something that the characters ate and take a photo. We love seeing innovative ways of reviewing books!

For inspiration we’ve included a few examples of the excellent reviews that have already been submitted. These reviewers have thought about which parts of the book that made them enjoy it, and hopefully their recommendations will make you want to read these books too!

First off, we have a picture review of Camp by Kayla Miller.

Picture review of Camp. Drawn with coloured felt pens, the left side has pictures the characters Olive and Willow. The right side has a written review.

This vibrant picture review shows us the reviewer’s interpretation of the two main characters. She also explores her two favourite characters and what about those characters she likes.
Picture review by Bea

Here’s a fab review written last summer about Louis Sacher’s There’s a boy in the girl’s bathroom. This reviewer also writes about the characters, but he also writes about what the book made him feel.

This books main characters were Bradley Jeff and Carla. Bradley was a weird kid overall but he changed a lot. At the start Bradley was a big bully but at the end Bradley was still weird but he was also kind. Bradley was super sad when Carla left it made me sad too. This book is my favourite book I have ever read because I was feeling there emotions and it was like I had gotten sucked up into the book. I love this book and want to read it again sometime☺️

Review by Dion

In this review of Which way to anywhere by Cressida Cowell, the reviewer picks out two characteristics that made her really enjoy the book, the teamwork (character interactions!) and the magic throughout the story that.

This is by far one of my favourite books ever. I like how there is a lot of teamwork involved in this adventure and the magic that just spices it up perfectly. My favourite character is definitely puck!

Review by Petra

While you’re writing your reviews, don’t forget to read through other kids’ reviews too — there are thousands and thousands of them and who knows, you may just find a book you’d like to read yourself! Happy reading and reviewing!

The Summer Reading Adventure is Here!

Stephen Clothier

It’s the 1st of December, which in the land of libraries can mean only one thing — the Summer Reading Adventure has officially begun!

Through the power of reading, transform Wellington into a fantasy dreamland! Is that a phoenix soaring above the harbour?

From today until the 31st of January 2024, we’re inviting you on an adventure — an adventure that will take you from the safety and comfort of your bedroom, to locations around the city, into your back yard, down to the local library, into the pages of more than a few books, and back home again in time for tea.

Along the way, you’ll be reading books, drawing pictures and maps, taking videos, completing challenges, getting out into nature, and maybe fighting off the odd monster or two — all in the name of seeing who shall have the honour of being crowned Supreme Champion of Words, Books and Deeds. You’ll also be earning all kinds of awesome prizes for your efforts, from collectible badges to ice-cream vouchers, books, family experiences and much more!

Pick up an Adventurer’s Guide from your local library, or check it out below, to get started — or just head straight to our Summer Reading website! Don’t forget to check out our previous blog post for heaps more info about how you can take part!

Pre-Register now for the Summer Reading Adventure!

Stephen Clothier

Read books, explore the city, win prizes!

The Summer Reading Adventure for Kids runs from 1 December 2023 – 31 January 2024 for children aged 5-13. Read books; write, draw or film reviews; and complete quests to earn all kinds of awesome goodies — and you’ll still be home in time for tea! Adults and teens can also take part in their own Summer Reading Adventures — visit the Summer Reading page on our website for all the info.

Through the power of books and imagination, help us transform Wellington into a fantasy wonderland this summer!

Starting on the 1st of December, you’ll be able to pick up an Adventurer’s Guide from your local library to get started. But you don’t have to wait! Head on over to our Summer Reading Adventure website to pre-register — you’ll get a sneak preview of the quests and activities you’ll be able to do, and you’ll be ready to get started immediately when the 1st of December rolls around.

Read on to find out more!

Continue reading →