Let’s sign together! New Zealand Sign Language Week 2024

Isabel Echeverria 0 Comments

Did you know that every May is a special time in New Zealand? It’s when we celebrate New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week, a fantastic opportunity to honour and recognise the importance of NZSL as one of our country’s official languages alongside te reo Māori.

During NZSL Week, we have the chance to learn about the rich and diverse culture of the Deaf community. It is a time for everyone to come together, break down any barriers that may exist, and make sure everyone feels included and valued.

A fantastic way to engage with NZSL Week is by exploring resources like the official website, where you can learn how to fingerspell your name or basic phrases to use with your family and friends.

Another way to join the celebration is by discovering books and movies that portrait Deaf culture. Check out these titles from our catalogue! There are so many amazing stories out there that can teach about NZSL and what it means to be part of the Deaf community.

So, let’s join hands and hearts in celebrating together! Happy NZSL week everyone!

Picture books

Moses goes to a concert / Millman, Isaac
“Moses and his schoolmates, all deaf, attend a concert where the orchestra’s percussionist is also deaf. Includes illustrations in sign language and a page showing the manual alphabet.” (Catalogue)


Reena’s rainbow / White, Dee
“Reena is deaf and Dog is homeless, but they are also so much more than that. At first Reena and Dog feel like they don’t belong, but when they form a unique bond with each other, and become friends with the hearing children in the park, they discover that everyone is different and special in their own way.” (Catalogue)

True stories

Listen : how Evelyn Glennie, a deaf girl, changed percussion / Stocker, Shannon
“A nonfiction picture book biography celebrating Evelyn Glennie, a deaf woman, who became the first full-time solo percussionist in the world”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Helen Keller / Sánchez Vegara, Ma Isabel
“Little Helen was eager to learn about the world. After falling ill during childhood, she became deaf and blind. When Anne Sullivan, a teacher, came into her life, Helen learned how to communicate in different ways. She became the first deaf-blind person to earn a college degree and toured the world advocating for the rights of disabled people.” — Back cover.” (Catalogue)

Ninita’s big world : the true story of a deaf pygmy marmoset / Marsh, Sarah Glenn
“The heart-tugging true story of how YouTube star Ninita–a deaf, orphaned pygmy marmoset (the smallest type of monkey) –found family, friendship, and a forever home! Illustrated in full colour”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

Comics, manga and graphic novels

The Baby-sitters Club [12] : Jessi’s secret language : a graphic novel / Chau, Chan (Children eBook Libby)
“Jessi recently moved to Stoneybrook and is one of the newest members of The Baby-sitters Club. She’s getting ready to start regularly sitting for the BSC’s newest charge, Matt Braddock. Matt has been deaf since birth and uses sign language to communicate, so Jessi has to use it, too. It’s a secret language! Soon all the neighbourhood kids want to learn how to sign, which keeps the BSC busy.” (Catalogue)

El Deafo : superpowered edition / Bell, Cece
“Starting a new school is scary, even more so with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest. At her old school, everyone in Cece’s class was deaf. Here she is different. She is sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom. This is power, maybe even superpower. Cece is on her way to becoming El Deafo, listener for all. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

A silent voice : complete collector’s edition. 1 / Ōima, Yoshitoki
“Shoya is a bully. When Shoko, a girl who can’t hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favourite target, and Shoya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children’s cruelty goes too far. Shoko is forced to leave the school, and Shoya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shoya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?” (Catalogue)

Chapter books

Hello, universe / Kelly, Erin Entrada
“Virgil feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia is deaf, smart, and loves everything about nature. Kaori is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so that he can concentrate on basketball. They aren’t friends. But when Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well, Kaori, Gen, and Valencia begin a quest to find the missing Virgil.” (Catalogue)

Wonderstruck : a novel in words and pictures / Selznick, Brian
“Having lost his mother and his hearing in a short time, twelve-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to seek the father he never knew in New York City, and meets there Rose, who is also longing for something missing from her life. Ben’s story is told in words; Rose’s in pictures.” (Catalogue)


You don’t know everything, Jilly P / Gino, Alex
“When her new baby sister is born deaf, Jilly makes an online connection with a fellow fantasy fan, who happens to be black and deaf, and begins to learn about the many obstacles that exist in the world for people who are different from her.” — (Source of summary not specified)” (Catalogue)

Show me a sign / LeZotte, Ann Clare
“Mary Lambert has always felt safe and protected on her beloved island of Martha’s Vineyard. Her great-great-grandfather was an early English settler and the first deaf islander. Now, in 1805, over a hundred years later, many people there — including Mary — are deaf, and nearly everyone can communicate in sign language. Mary has never felt isolated. She is proud of her lineage. But recent events have delivered winds of change. (Written by a deaf author and based upon a true story.)” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Te Ara Pukapuka Children’s Walk at Central Park

Merritt 0 Comments

Te Ara Pukapuka has now landed at Central Park, Brooklyn, with a brand new pukapuka carefully selected for this location! We previously let you know that Central Park was the location for the next installation of Te Ara Pukapuka, but we didn’t tell you which pukapuka you’d be reading as you follow the path through the park!

Now that it’s there and ready to read, we can make the announcement!

The first board with the title "you have found Te Ara Pukapuka" written on it and the cover of Pakupaku Pīwakawaka

Our Te Ara Pukapuka welcome page

Wellington City Libraries and the Wellington City Parks, Sport & Recreation team have partnered with author Marion Day and the Upstream: Friends of Central Park environmental group to bring Pakupaku Pīwakawaka by author Marion Day and illustrator Anna Evans to Central Park. This wonderful pukapuka is available to borrow from our libraries, to buy from all good bookstores and Marion Day’s website, and of course, to read as you wander along the trails at Central Park! Each page you find will direct you towards the next as you stroll through the park.

Te Ara Pukapuka Central Park begins (and ends!) at the main entrance to Central Park on Brooklyn Road – right by the bus stop. You can find the entrance here on Google Maps. Following the story through the park will take you into the bush, near the stream, and up past the playground and excellent flying fox. The trail is nice and wide and is suitable if you have a stroller or are a confident wheelchair user – there is a steep-ish downhill section!

A Te Ara Pukapuka board with the playground behind it

Pause at the playground halfway through your Central Park Te Ara Pukapuka journey!

Pakupaku Pīwakawaka tells the story of a fantail who is tasked with keeping harmful creatures out of Tane’s forest. This pukapuka also briefly introduces us to a pīwakawaka who looks a little different to the grey, black, and brown fantails that we usually see around Wellington. When we asked Upstream if there were any creatures or critters they’d like to see featured in a book at Central Park, they let us know that there are many fantails who live in the park, and they’ve also started seeing black fantails around too.

A black fantail perching on a branch side-on

A black morph fantail. Will you spot one at Central Park?
Image: 341885505by Alan Bell on iNaturalist, licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

There are two colourations (or morphs) of Pīwakawaka, the pied morph (grey, black, and brown), and the black morph. It’s very rare to find a North Island fantail that isn’t the pied morph, and only around 5% of South Island Fantails are black morphs. This makes it pretty exciting to find black Pīwakawaka in Central Park right here in Wellington!

Ngā mihi to everyone who helped bring Pakupaku Pīwakawaka to Central Park, and we hope you enjoy reading it as you wander the trails.

Tūhono 2024: A librarian’s guide to crafting your poem

Yani Widjaja 0 Comments

If you haven’t heard already, it’s only a few days until May 12th when Tūhono submissions close, and we still want your poems!

Tūhono is Wellington City Libraries’ annual poetry journal for kids and teens. You can find more info about how to submit, as well as this year’s theme, here.

Poetry can be a daunting form of writing for anyone, but it needn’t be! The library has lots of cool books with some great examples and techniques for crafting your own poem. You may think that your poem needs to be incredibly wise or complex, but as poet Carol Ann Duffy once said:

You can find poetry in your everyday life, your memory, in what people say on the bus, in the news, or just what’s in your heart.

So if you’ve been thinking of submitting a poem but aren’t sure where to start, this blog post aims to help you do just that! Read on to dive into the world of children’s poetry. ✨

Poetry forms

A good starting point for any poem is a bit of structure i.e. choosing a form. Of course, you can write a poem that doesn’t follow any traditional form conventions, but forms provide a great framework for your ideas to really shine! Take for example, shape poems. Shape poems are poems that are written in the shape of their subject matter. Considering that this year’s theme is hope/tūmanako, this might be a perfect form to help you visualise what hope means for you. You might like to ask yourself, what would hope look like as an object, an animal, or an icon? If you can format it how wish it to appear in the book, then we can publish it, so let your imagination run wild. 🙂

If you’re thinking of creating a shape poem, a good book to check out is Apes to Zebras: an A to Z of shape poems:

Apes to zebras : an A-Z of shape poems / Brownlee, Liz
“This gorgeous collection of animal poems from Roger Stevens, Liz Brownlee and Sue Hardy-Dawson will entrance and delight in equal measure. Featuring a full alphabet of animals, birds, and insects, with the odd extinct or imaginary creature thrown in, these beautiful shape poems are a perfect way to introduce children to poetry. Some funny, some serious, there is something here for everyone.” (Catalogue)

This book has beautiful poems in the shape of different animals, with great examples of how creative wordplay can be in shape poem form.

Of course, there are alternative forms that also deserve your consideration!

A comprehensive guide to forms for kids would be A Kick in the Head created by Paul B. Janeczko and Chris Raschka.


A kick in the head

This book covers 29 different forms through dazzlingly illustrated poems. You’ll learn about everything from villanelles to double dactyls, as well as what makes their structure unique. The picture book style also makes this more enticing for younger readers.


Another unique poetry compilation is Skinny dip, edited by Susan Paris and Kate De Goldi.
Skinny dip : poetry
This compilation is written by NZ poets, and themed around school life, with each section being broken up into the four school terms. Although there aren’t as many forms covered as A Kick in the Head, the poems in this collection are absolutely delightful, and a prime example of how even the most mundane objects can become the subject of fun, quirky and even emotional poems.

 

Other starting points

Okay, so let’s say you’ve chosen a form, you have some ideas about the theme, but you’re not sure how to ACTUALLY put them on paper.

Poetry style inspiration

If you’re looking for inspiration, Out of Wonder is a beautiful celebration of poetry and poets to get your creative juices flowing.
Out of wonder : celebrating poets and poetry / Alexander, Kwame
“Newbery Medalist and a Caldecott Honoree offer a glorious, lyrical ode to poets who have sparked a sense of wonder. Out of gratitude for the poet’s art form, Newbery Award-winning author and poet Kwame Alexander, along with Chris Colderley and Marjory Wentworth, present original poems that pay homage to twenty famed poets who have made the authors’ hearts sing and their minds wonder. Stunning mixed-media images by Ekua Holmes, winner of a Caldecott Honor and a John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award, complete the celebration and invite the reader to listen, wonder, and perhaps even pick up a pen.” (Catalogue)

Each poem is written in the style of a famous poet, highlighting their unique style or ideas that inform their work. As you’re going through this book you could ask yourself, what is different about this poem, compared to the others? What kind of describing words, rhyming words or phrasing was used? Why did I enjoy/not enjoy about how this poem was written? You may like to ask mum, dad or a trusted adult to read through a couple of the poems with you to see what you can find. It can be useful to think about the style, rather than the topic, when reading poetry for inspiration because what the poem is about can vary a lot. And as mentioned, even the most dull topics can be reinvented by good style!

On Tūmanako/Hope

If you are wanting more help in thinking about hope/tūmanako though, you should definitely check out The Book of Hopes, which is a compilation of small poems, illustrations, stories and non-fiction writing all about hope in its many forms.
The book of hopes
“In difficult times, what children really need is hope. And in that spirit, Katherine Rundell emailed some of the children’s writers and artists whose work she loved most. I asked them to write something very short, fiction or non-fiction, or draw something that would make the children reading it feel like possibility-ists: something that would make them laugh or wonder or snort or smile. This collection, packed with short stories, poems and pictures from the very best children’s authors and illustrators, aims to provide just that. Within its pages you’ll find animal friends from insects to elephants, high-flying grandmas, a homesick sprite, the tooth fairy, and even extra-terrestrial life.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Exercise based

Getting into the nuts and bolts of things, if you’re looking for practical, exercise based activities then look no further than Poetry Prompts by Joseph Coelho.

Poetry prompts : all sorts of ways to start a poem / Coelho, Joseph

This book walks you through 41 poetry prompts, from themes, to creative writing techniques, to exercises engaging your 5 senses. With every prompt there’s also a “poetry power up” option if you want to take the prompt even further! Look out for prompts like number 6, 16 and 20, which cover onomatopoeia, metaphors, and personification. These are tried and true writing techniques which all the best poets use, you may have even learnt these in school already! Overall, this book could be a great option if you’re not sure how to express an idea in your poem, or you need a little pizazz to shake up what you’ve already written.

Te Reo Māori

Finally, you may have noticed that we are accepting submissions in English and te reo Māori. If you’re considering writing in or incorporating te reo, Rhyme & reo: aeiou, could be a perfect companion to your poetry writing depending on your existing fluency. In this book, author Jessica Ngatai breaks down each of the vowel sounds in poetic form, making it easier to come up with your own reo rhymes, and learn some new kupu!

Rhyme & reo : aeiou : a fun way to learn Māori vowel sounds / Ngatai, Jessica
“This book is an educational resource to help teachers, parents, whānau and children build confidence to use and enjoy te reo. Illustrated and featuring quirky Kiwi poems, weaving reo through the English text, with explanatory notes on the pronunciation of the vowel sounds appearing on a side-bar on each page”–Publisher information. Includes notes for parents and teachers.” (Catalogue)

Other useful books

The books mentioned are by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully they give you something to chew on. If all else fails, this Michael Rosen handbook is a great resource for any budding poet:What is poetry? : the essential guide to reading & writing poems / Rosen, Michael
“Over many years as a working poet, Michael Rosen has thought a great deal about what poems are, what they can do and the pleasure that comes from writing and reading poetry. In this invaluable handbook, he shares this knowledge and experience in book form for the very first time. Starting with a detailed analysis of a number of classic poems, he offers a real writer’s guide to writing and performing poems, as well as a wealth of technical information and tips. He then takes a fascinating look at a selection of his own poems and explains how and why he wrote them. Complete with an appendix of poets and useful websites, and beautifully illustrated by award-winning artist Jill Calder, this is the only guide to poetry children and teachers will ever need.” (Catalogue)

And if you’re looking for some other introductory poetry collections, check out these two below:

Beastly verse
“This is an anthology of 16 animal poems for children, illustrated by the graphic artist JooHee Yoon. Authors include well-known poets such as Lewis Carroll, D. H. Lawrence and Laura E. Richards.” (Adapted from catalogue)
A treasury of NZ poems for children
“Poems by all the big names in both children’s and adult writing, from Margaret Mahy and Hone Tuwhare to Denis Glover as well as some fresh new poets”–Publisher’s information.” (Catalogue)


Poetry need not be archaic, stiff and boring. If nothing else, we hope these recommendations and tips inspire you to experiment, play and explore with language! Have fun with your creations! We look forward to seeing your hope/tūmanako poems. 🙂

Te Ara Pukapuka is coming to Central Park!

Merritt 0 Comments

So far Te Ara Pukapuka has travelled around the city from Churchill Park in Seatoun, to Khandallah Park, to Kilbirnie Park, to Waihinahina Park in Newlands, to Karori Park, to the latest installment which will be arriving at Central Park on May 11!

For the Autumn 2024 installment at Central Park we have a brand new pukapuka that has been carefully chosen for this location. Wellington City Libraries and Wellington City Parks, Sport & Recreation got in touch with Upstream: Friends of Central Park and asked them if there were any particular themes, any critters or creatures that lived around the park that they’d like to see featured in the selected book. We received their list, and we think that the book we’ve chosen aligns very nicely with their suggestions.

The chosen book features a creature that can be frequently seen at Central Park. In the book, this creature has a very important mission, keeping harmful creatures out of Tane’s forest, and we also get to learn some information about this creature too.

But we’re not telling you what it is yet! Keep an eye out right here on the Kids’ Blog and we’ll reveal the selected pukapuka, along with some photos of the installation process, once it’s up and ready to be read over at Central Park. Who knows, if you get in early you might get to the park and find the book before we announce it!

A book cover with a question amrk on it

What book will you find at Central Park?

But what is Te Ara Pukapuka?

Te Ara Pukapuka is a children’s walk where you get to read a wonderful pukapuka as you get out and explore nature. The first page of the story will be displayed at the start of the track, then as you follow the path along you also read a story.

Each pukapuka selected for Te Ara Pukapuka is by a New Zealand author, and we match the subject matter of the book to the natural surroundings in each park.

While you’re pondering which book we’ve selected for Te Ara Pukapuka at Central Park, why not check out some of the pukapuka featured in previous installations around the city?

The taniwha of Wellington Harbour / Wairama, Moira
“Retelling of the legend of how Wellington Harbour was created. In ancient times in Aotearoa, there was a beautiful lake in which there dwelt two monstrous taniwha. Their names were Whataitai and Ngake. Whataitai and Ngake are two taniwha living in a beautiful lake, however when Ngake gets bored and decides to break free into the ocean his actions have far reaching consequences and help shape the landscape of our capital city. Suggested level: junior, primary.” (Catalogue)

Watch out, snail / Hay, Gay
“In the New Zealand bush, a native Powelliphanta Snail must escape from a variety of predators, including a possum, a hedgehog and a wild pig. Includes factual information on Powelliphanta and New Zealand wildlife, and an English-to-Maori glossary. Suggested level: junior.” (Catalogue)

The promise of Puanga : a story for Matariki / Wadsworth, Kirsty
“There is a bright new star in the winter sky — Puanga, cousin to the Matariki sisters. Each year, she appears to the people of Aotearoa, a special sign (for those unable to see Matariki) that winter and the Māori new year are coming. With themes of friendship, family, Māori tradition and the empowerment of young women”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Flit the Fantail and the flying flop / Merewether, Katherine Q.
“‘Flit the baby fantail is not allowed to fly. “Stay here, little Flit. Your wings are not strong enough for flying,” say Ma and Pa Fantail. “Stay safe inside the nest.” But Flit is bored. And hungry. A tasty mozzie lures him out of his nest. “I CAN fly,” he calls, before he hits the ground with a THUD. How will he get back to his nest? Join Flit and his friends, Kiki the kaka, rascally robins Bit and Bob, Keri the kiwi and wise old Ruru as they exercise some teamwork. Can they figure out a way to help Flit back to his nest safely before Ma and Pa return?”–Publisher information.” (Catalogue)

Tama and the taniwha / Koster, Melanie
“Don’t put your puku in the water! The taniwha will get you! Tama’s big sisters to scare him. Is he brave enough to dive into the lake? And will a glittery, flashy-splashy taniwha get him?”–Back cover” (Catalogue)

WHODUNNIT? At Wellington City SPYbraries – School Holidays Wrap-Up

Merritt 2 Comments

The school holidays have come to end, term two is upon us, and we hope you had as much fun as we did over the holidays solving mysteries, decoding clues, crafting investigator kits, and generally getting involved in all things sneaky and SPYbrarian.

Flip through this photo gallery to reflect on some of the nefarious activities and devious crafts that you got up to over the holidays!

  • The Puzzle Room was successfully solved at Cummings Park Library
  • Incognito Kit crafting at Te Awe Library
  • Successful Golden Ticket Quest-ers at Karori Library
  • A mysterious duo join the Bad Guys with their newly crafted investigator gear at Johnsonville Library
  • Detectives work on a clue at the Puzzle Room at Island Bay Community Centre
  • Tamariki investigate retro gaming at Johnsonville Library
  • Beebots navigate a maze at Let’s Go LEGO®: Gadget Edition at Tawa Community Centre
  • Rangatahi explore Virtual Reality at Island Bay Community Centre
  • An Incognito Investigator at Newtown Library
  • Exploring an MS-DOS game at Johnsonville Library
  • Two families work on a Golden Ticket Quest clue at Newtown Library

Wellington City Libraries and Community Centres would like to give massive thanks to authors Avril McDonald and Paul Beavis. Avril visited seven of our libraries in the first week of the holidays, delivering fantastic storytimes in promotion of her new book The wolf and the hocus pocus, and Paul ran a wonderful workshop for older tamariki at Te Māhanga | Karori Library, walking them through the steps involved in creating and illustrating a picture book and getting everyone drawing too!

Have a browse through this photo gallery to see these two authors in action.

  • Avril McDonald (and puppet) at Johnsonville Library
  • Paul Beavis drawing Nee Naw at Karori Library
  • Avril McDonald entertaining the crowd at Miramar Library
  • Paul Beavis and an excited young artist at Karori Library
  • Avril McDonald leading a storytime at Te Awe Library
  • Paul Beavis leads an ilustration workshop at Karori Library
  • Avril McDonald reading at Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library
  • Avril McDonald at Karori Library

We hope you all had a great time in our Libraries and Community Centres over the holidays, but don’t forget! Our holiday events have finished, but that just means a return to our regular term-time programming. Have you been missing CRAFTerschool? Wish you could have attended just one more session of Let’s Go LEGO®? Maybe you’ve been itching to go back to Tinker or Tech Time?

They’re all still running – head on over to our event calendar to see what’s on at your local branch and remember to keep an eye on our Facebook Page and of course our Kids’ Blog to keep up to date on our regular programmes, special events, and holiday happenings.

Fluff, Food, Feelings and Fun Projects: New Kids Books in the Collection

Kath Read 0 Comments

We’ve got lots of gorgeous new books in the collection for kids this month, so many we can’t share them all here!  But we’ve selected a handful we think you might like.  Read about a really fluffy buffalo and a colourful dinosaur; exploring the wilderness or learning about food; time travel or fitting in at school; Ancient Rome or fibre crafts.  Plus lots more!

For more new items in the collection, go to: What’s new / April 2024 (wcl.govt.nz)

Picture Books

Buffalo fluffalo / Kalb, Bess
“Buffalo Fluffalo arrives on the scene puffed up with self-importance. Stomping around and raising billows of dust, Buffalo Fluffalo proclaims his superiority to the other creatures–the ram, the prairie dog, and the crow–who just want to be his friend. So Buffalo Fluffalo, who has had enuffalo, heads off to grumble to himself. Suddenly, a rain shower pours down from the clouds and–what’s this? All of his fluffalo is a soggy mess!” (Adapted from Catalogue)

I love books / Ilustrajo, Mariajo
“It’s the end of term, and a little girl is given the unreasonable task of reading a whole book over the holidays. A whole book? But she HATES books. Luckily her sister takes her to the library and recommends just the thing. Slowly, the little girl is drawn into a world of adventure inside her own imagination, for the very first time.” (Catalogue)

Rainbowsaurus / Antony, Steve
“We’re following a rainbow to find the rainbowsaurus. We’re following a rainbow. Would you like to join us? Celebrate a joyful rainbow of colours with one adventurous family as they set off on a quest to find the Rainbowsaurus. It’s the perfect story of pride and love for families of all shapes and sizes.” (Catalogue)

The wrong book / Daywalt, Drew
“In this giggle-inducing story, the narrator is WRONG about everything, including that bicycles say cock-a-doodle-doo and firefighters shout Ding Dong! before putting out a fire, until the characters within the book set him straight.” (Catalogue)

Comics

The secret of the ravens / Cacao, Joanna
“Twin siblings Elliot and Liza only have each other. Their parents are gone. Their home was taken, and to survive on their own, they’re forced to scrounge up plastic and metal to trade for coin within an abandoned garbage heap. Desperate to escape the vagabond cycle that they’re trapped in, the answer to their plight seemingly appears when they stumble upon a Raven Quest – magical tasks offered by mysterious message-carrying ravens that when successfully completed, promise the victors coin and untold riches.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Wildful / Kurimoto, Kengo
“Poppy’s mother hasn’t been the same since Gran passed away. She stays inside and watches TV, unable to leave the couch. So maybe that’s why Poppy has started spending more time outside, taking her dog Pepper for walks around the neighborhood. When Pepper leads Poppy through a hole in the fence, she finds a forgotten forest, as well as a new friend named Rob. Rob teaches Poppy that you can find magic in the wilderness – if you know where to look! Poppy looks… and sees flowers opening before her eyes, watches animals slip into their hidden homes, and listens to the sound of water droplets falling gently on puddles, leaves and feathers. She can barely wait to tell Mum about everything she’s seen, and asks her to come see, too – but her mother rarely has the energy to leave the couch.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Tasty : a history of yummy experiments / Elliott, Victoria Grace
“How did cheese happen? Who pickled the first pickle? Have you ever wondered how some of our favorite foods came to be? How was cheese created and who realized it belonged on everything? Was soda always meant to be a drink? A team of whimsical food sprites are excited to show you the yummy history of food experiments from all over the world! Learn about the true stories behind pickles! Get a recipe for how to make your favorite pizza! With a story and recipe for every chapter, this graphic novel will give you something to read and taste.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Amy’s big brother / Jeong, BonHyung
“I’m not her babysitter… Having a little sister isn’t easy – she takes my soda, follows me around, and wants to tag along with me and my friends. Worse, she always gets her way with our parents! Sometimes I wonder if I was adopted just to look after her (I know, it doesn’t make sense). Going to middle school means at least she can’t bother me there. I’ll have plenty of time to practice to become MVP of the basketball team and maybe even… get a girlfriend! I finally managed to ask Hannah out on a date. Now how do I make sure Amy doesn’t follow me and ruin the day?!” (Catalogue)

Chapter Books

These olive trees / Ghanameh, Aya
“It’s 1967 in Nablus, Palestine. Oraib loves the olive trees that grow outside the refugee camp where she lives. Each harvest, she and her mama pick the small fruits and she eagerly stomp stomp stomps on them to release their golden oil. Olives have always tied her family to the land, as Oraib learns from the stories Mama tells of a home before war. But war has come to their door once more, forcing them to flee. Even as her family is uprooted, Oraib makes a solemn promise to her beloved olive trees. She will see to it that their legacy lives on for generations to come.” (Catalogue)

When I feel red / Bailey, Lily
“April has always marched to the beat of her own drum, but would life be easier if she learned to fit in? Now that she’s in Year 8, things have got even worse. She’s much more likely to be trying to rescue an animal in need than worrying about who’s dating who at school, which April just finds BORING. Plus, her lessons feel like they’re in a foreign language, and it suddenly seems impossible to make it through the week without landing in detention. As family worries and classroom romances ramp up, it feels like everyone around her is pulling away — even her best friend Ben. But when the pressure’s on, can she find a way to fit in and still be true to herself?” (Catalogue)

The Grimmelings / King, Rachael
“The same evening Josh Underhill went missing, the black horse appeared on the hill above the house. Ella knows that words are powerful. So she should have known better than to utter a wish and a curse on the same day. Who is Gus, the boy with the impish grin, who seems to appear in answer to her wish? And what does the black horse want? When Ella finds that her grandmother’s warnings of creatures that dwell in the lake are more than just stories, she and her pony Magpie are drawn into a dangerous, life-saving mission.” (Catalogue)

Countdown to yesterday / Marr, Shirley
“Since his parents have separated, he’s been living two different lives and neither of them add up to the great one he used to have. During National Science Week, James meets the enigmatic Yan, a girl who looks at the world with x-ray eyes, and discovers that time travel might be possible after all. The two budding scientists’ quest to restore James’s lost past brings them into contact with retro Australian Women’s Weekly birthday cakes, old Commodore computers, chaotic rideshare vehicles of the future, and spacemen. But as they get closer to their goal, James is forced to consider that his favorite moments from his personal history may not be as perfect as he remembers them.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Non-Fiction

Stitch-by-stitch / Bull, Jane
“Stitch by Stitch will make young crafters aged 7-11 become confident at sewing projects, from stitched felt flowers to a cute crocheted bag. They will discover how to knit a simple doll’s scarf and find out how to create a colorful patchwork cushion. Award-winning author Jane Bull combines her unique arty style and excellent instructions to teach children how to knit, sew, crochet, appliqué, embroider, and patchwork.” (Catalogue)

Ancient Romans / Gifford, Clive
“Journey back in time to the stately, splendid and sometimes stinky world of ancient Rome — and decide what you would rather do there. Meet emperors, soldiers, priestesses and everyday Romans, and discover their palaces, jobs, gods and much, much more. Packed with fascinating and hilarious facts.” (Catalogue)

The wonderful wisdom of ants / Bunting, Philip
“There are ten quadrillion ants in the world, and yet I bet you never thought they could teach you anything. But these tiny creatures can do big things when they work together–just like people! With his signature humor and graphic illustrations, Philip Bunting delivers facts, laughs, and heart all in this special book that teaches that the answers to many of life’s biggest questions can be found in your own back yard (once you’re ready to look).” (Adapted from Catalogue)

My book of the elements / Dingle, Adrian
“My Book of the Elements is a wonderful introduction to the periodic table. Covering all the elements, from the unreactive to the radioactive, as well as key science topics, such as states of matter, this visual book is something that every young science enthusiast will want to own.” (Catalogue)

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

Tūhono 2024 Submissions Are Now Open!

Stephen Clothier 0 Comments

The 1st of April has finally arrived, and so we have officially opened submissions for Tūhono 2024, our annual poetry journal for children and teens! This year’s theme is “Tūmanako | Hope” — check out our last blog post for the full details. We are so excited to read your entries this year — just make sure you get them in before the 12th of May! Use the button below to submit your entry.

Submit your poem for Tūhono 2024!

Here’s a wee reminder of the guidelines this year:

  • We want you to write a poem on the theme of “Tūmanako | Hope.” The kupu Māori ‘tūmanako has a wide range of meanings, including the act of hoping or wishing for something to happen, as well as hope as an object — something that you greatly desire, yearn for, or wish to be so. When you are writing your poem, you might like to think about some of the following questions, but as always with Tūhono, there is no one way we expect you to respond to this theme:
    • Act of hoping — how does hope make you feel? What does hope help you to achieve? What does hope mean to you? When you are hoping for something to happen, what thoughts and feelings come into your mind? How does the act of hoping make your body feel?
    • Hope as an object — Do you hope for something tangible, like a new thing to own? What does that thing look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, or feel like? Do you hope for something intangible, like world peace? What does that look like, smell like, taste like, sound like, or feel like? When you have gained (or not) the thing that you have hoped for, what do you think that will feel like?
  • Length: Your poem should not be longer than one A4 page typed, with size 12 font and 1.5 line spacing. Only one poem per person will be accepted.
  • Language: Your poem may be written in English or te reo Māori.
  • Format: Your poem should be submitted as a .doc, .docx, or .txt file.