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History is a beautiful clusterfudge of odd characters, wacky narratives, and an unusual number of poisonings. As such, it’s only natural for historical events to provide a rich source of inspiration to writers who frankly can’t be having it with the modern day (that’s a general assumption, but I have faith – at least once a day I get angry at either a microwave or a traffic light so why wouldn’t other people have had it with our technological trappings as well?).

Enter: The Historical Retelling!

I know it sounds a little dry and dusty, but I can promise you that the books listed below are absolutely fat with intrigue, heart-racing romance, murderous intent, poison, old gods, and… cake? Have I piqued your interest yet?

If so, read on for more…

Gwen & Art are not in love / Croucher, Lex
“Gwen, the quick-witted Princess of England, and Arthur, future lord and general gadabout, have been betrothed since birth. Unfortunately, the only thing they can agree on is that they hate each other. When Gwen catches Art kissing a boy and Art discovers where Gwen hides her diary (complete with racy entries about Bridget Leclair, the kingdom’s only female knight), they become reluctant allies.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

My contrary Mary / Hand, Cynthia
“Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and … queens? Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is a shapeshifter in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head–or a tail.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Cake eater / Dahlin, Allyson
“3070. Marie Antoinette has arrived in the Franc Kingdom to marry the prince, secure an alliance, and rake in likes from her fans. Versailles is not the perfect palace Marie has seen on The Apps: her life is a maze of pointless rules, and the court watches her every move for mistakes.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Anatomy : a love story / Schwartz, Dana
“Hazel Sinnett is a medical student in 19th century Scotland who, after being kicked out because of her gender, works with new attractive acquaintance Jack Currer to procure dead bodies to study, but they soon discover secrets buried in the heart of Edinburgh society.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The black kids / Hammonds Reed, Christina
“Ashley Bennett and her friends are living the charmed life. It’s the end of high school and […] they can already feel the sunny days and endless possibilities of summer. But everything changes one afternoon in April, when four police officers are acquitted after beating a black man named Rodney King half to death. Suddenly, Ashley’s not just one of the girls. She’s one of the black kids.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Alex & Eliza : a love story / De la Cruz, Melissa
“1777. Albany, New York. As battle cries of the American Revolution echo in the distance, servants flutter about preparing for one of New York society’s biggest events: the Schuylers’ grand ball. […] And when Alex and Eliza meet that fateful night, so begins an epic love story that would forever change the course of American history.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Pride and premeditation / Price, Tirzah
“Seventeen-year-old aspiring lawyer Lizzie Bennet seeks to solve a murder before her rival Mr. Darcy beats her to it.” (Catalogue)
My Lady Jane / Hand, Cynthia
“Edward is the King of England. He’s also dying, which is inconvenient, as he’s only sixteen and he’d rather be planning his first kiss than who will inherit his crown. Jane, Edward’s cousin, is far more interested in books than romance. Unfortunately, Edward has arranged to marry her off to Gifford secure the line of succession. And Gifford is, well, a horse.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Blood countess / Popović, Lana
“1570s Hungary. Anna Darvulia is working as a scullery maid for the Countess Elizabeth Báthory. When Elizabeth takes a liking to Anna […] Anna falls completely under the Countess’s spell– and the Countess takes full advantage. Isolated from her former friends, family, and fiancé, Anna realizes she is not a friend but a prisoner of the increasingly cruel Elizabeth. Then come the murders, and Anna knows it’s only a matter of time before the Blood Countess turns on her, too.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Lovely war / Berry, Julie
“In the perilous days of World Wars I and II, the gods hold the fates — and the hearts — of four mortals in their hands. They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. […] Their story, as told by goddess Aphrodite to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it’s no match for the transcendent power of Love.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

One for all / Lainoff, Lillie
“France, 1655. Tania, the daughter of a retired musketeer, is afflicted with extreme vertigo and subject to frequent falls. When her father is murdered she learns that he has arranged for her to attend Madame de Treville’s newly formed Académie des Mariées in Paris. It is no finishing school: it is an academy for female Musketeers, socialites on the surface but dangerous, well-trained women who wish to protect France from downfall.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Fawkes : a novel / Brandes, Nadine
“Thomas Fawkes is turning to stone, and the only cure to the Stone Plague is to join his father’s plot to assassinate the king of England.”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)
Reputation / Croucher, Lex
“Middle-class Georgiana Ellers has moved to a new town to live with her dreary aunt and uncle. At a particularly dull party, she meets the enigmatic Frances Campbell, a wealthy member of the in-crowd who lives a life Georgiana couldn’t have imagined in her wildest dreams. Lonely and vulnerable, Georgiana falls in with Frances and her unfathomably rich, deeply improper friends.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

And I darken / White, Kiersten
“A girl child is born to Vlad Dracula, in Transylvania, in 1435. Rejected by her father and ignored by her mother, Lada is sent with her younger brother, Radu, to be raised in the Ottoman courts. They meet Mehmed, son of the sultan, and form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point. She will grow up to be Lada Dragwlya, a vicious and brutal princess, destined to rule and destroy her enemies.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The prince and the dressmaker / Wang, Jen
“Paris, at the dawn of the modern age: Prince Sebastian is looking for a bride – or rather, his parents are looking for one for him. Sebastian is too busy hiding his secret life from everyone. At night he puts on daring dresses and takes Paris by storm as the fabulous Lady Crystallia – the hottest fashion icon in the world capital of fashion! Sebastian’s secret weapon (and best friend) is the brilliant dressmaker Frances.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Rejected princesses : tales of history’s boldest heroines, hellions, and heretics / Porath, Jason
“A brazen, uproarious collection of illustrations of tough women both historical and fantastical-too awesome, too fierce, and sometimes too weird. These are not fantasy tales of blushing ingenues and happily-ever-afters. Here are the real unsung women of history, real and from literature, mythology and folklore.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Enchantée / Trelease, Gita
“When smallpox kills her parents, Camille Durbonne must find a way to provide for her brother and sister. Relying on magic, she transforms into ‘the Baroness de la Fontaine’ and is swept up into life at the Palace of Versailles. […] But ‘la magie’ has its costs. When a scheming courtier blackmails her, Camille loses control of her secrets. Then revolution erupts, and she must make choices– before Paris burns.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

A million to one / Jaigirdar, Adiba
“Four friends have stolen aboard the Titanic. They’re after the Rubaiyat – a book inlaid with priceless jewels. Josefa is a charismatic thief, Hinnah a daring acrobat, Violet an outstanding actress and Emilie a talented artist. It is Josefa’s plan, but she needs all of their skills. Despite their very different backgrounds, in a world of first-class passengers and suspicious crew members, the girls must work together to pull off the heist of their lives.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Myth & Legend in YA Novels!

By Beth

On Thursday, 13 October, 2022

In fantasy, horror and spooky stuff, stuff to read

Throughout history, myths and legends have had a way of cropping up in the literature of the age. One of the biggest, juiciest examples of this these days is the Percy Jackson series, however have you heard of Kiersten White’s The Guinevere Deception? Or David Elliot’s Bull? Rachel Smythe’s Lore Olympus?

These and other myths have reappeared in literature and film for untold generations, and they do so for a reason: because they are relatable, laughable, or just entertainingly chaotic. Myths, legends, and folklore are particularly enduring because each time an ancient tale is retold, it is shaped and coloured by the context of its retelling – how cool is that??

So today seems like a perfect day for me to introduce you to some of the Arthurian, Anient Greek myth, and fairytale inspired gems in our collection (and yes, this post may have been inspired by a binge-watch of Marvel’s Moonknight over the weekend).

via GIPHY

Arthurian Legend

Hopefully, most of you will be familiar with the legends surrounding King Arthur, Queen Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table, but if you’re not, then here’s the gist of it! Good ol’ Arthur pulled a sword named Excalibur from a stone and was crowned the King of Albion (ye olde Great Britain). Alongside Queen Guinevere, he went on to establish the Order of the Round Table (a group of knights founded on the ideals of chivalry, justice, and equality). However, woe struck Camelot when Guinevere and Lancelot du Lac (one of Arthur’s finest and most trusted knights) fell in love. Things went downhill from there. Also, there was a wizard!

The wide cast of monarchs, monsters, and knights featured in the Arthurian canon means that authors have had no shortage of inspiration. Books in our collection shine a spotlight on everyone from Guinevere and Arthur themselves, to the wizard (Merlin), to the Lady of Shalott and the many knights of the round table:

The Guinevere deception / White, Kiersten
“Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. The catch? Guinevere’s real name– and her true identity– is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free. But when your whole existence is a lie, how can you trust even yourself? — adapted from jacket” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Here lies Arthur / Reeve, Philip
“Gwyna is just a small girl when she is bound in service to Myrddin the bard – a traveller and spinner of tales. Without Gwyna, Myrddin will not be able to work the most glorious transformation of all – and turn the leader of a raggle-taggle war-band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time.” (Catalogue)

Avalon High / Cabot, Meg
“Having moved to Annapolis, Maryland, with her medievalist parents, high school junior Ellie enrolls at Avalon High School where several students may or may not be reincarnations of King Arthur and his court.” (Catalogue)

The seeing stone / Crossley-Holland, Kevin
“In late twelfth-century England, a thirteen-year-old boy named Arthur recounts how Merlin gives him a magical seeing stone which shows him images of the legendary King Arthur, the events of whose life seem to have many parallels to his own.” (Catalogue)

Ancient Greek Mythology

Have any of you ever seen Disney’s Hercules (1997)? It’s a wholesome story; the gods are sparkly and functional and family-oriented, Hercules is a kind-hearted himbo, and all is right with the world.

Dear reader, you have never heard such a LIE.

If you want to get closer to the core of Ancient Greek mythology, think Disney’s Hercules meets George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, but with a good deal more witch-vibes and homoeroticism.

As you can imagine, this means a WEALTH of inspiration, so here are a few of the top picks from our collection:

Starcrossed / Angelini, Josephine
“When shy sixteen-year-old Helen Hamilton starts having vivid dreams about three ancient, hideous women and suddenly tries to kill a new student at her Nantucket high school, she discovers that she is playing out some version of an old tale involving Helen of Troy, the Three Furies, and a mythic battle.” (Catalogue)

Bull : a novel / Elliott, David
“New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers re-evaluating one of history’s most infamous monsters. — Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Lore / Bracken, Alexandra
“Every seven years there is a hunt offering mortal descendants of gods the opportunity to claim their divinity by killing any of nine immortals made mortal for one night. Lore Perseous has no desire to participate in the Agon, embittered because her family was killed by a rival who then ascended to godhood. When a childhood friend asks her to help, and a wounded god offers an alliance, Lore overlooks the steep cost of this decision in exchange for vengeance.” (Catalogue)

Fairytales

Characters like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty have been fan-favourites since long before Disney got their greedy little paws on them, with the oldest stories dating back to the 6^th century BC. While these tales were often more gruesome or disturbing than their glossy animated counterparts, there were a few lighter retellings – special mention to the story of Rhodopis, a courtesan in Ancient Egypt whose shoe is stolen by an eagle. The eagle then conveniently plops the shoe down on the lap of the Egyptian king, who – entranced by the shoe and the opportunity for a truly original meet-cute – searches until he finds Rhodopis. Marriage ensues. Should Tinder fail, I’m sure there’s a pigeon bored enough to steal one of your shoes and deliver it to your one true love.

All the great fairytales have been through countless iterations since their invention, but allow me to introduce you to the tip of the retellings iceberg:

Cinder / Meyer, Marissa
“A forbidden romance. A deadly plague. Earth’s fate hinges on one girl …CINDER, a gifted mechanic in New Beijing, is also a cyborg. She’s reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s sudden illness. But when her life becomes entwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she finds herself at the centre of a violent struggle between the desires of an evil queen – and a dangerous temptation. ” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The wrath & the dawn / Ahdieh, Renée
“In this reimagining of The Arabian Nights, Shahrzad plans to avenge the death of her dearest friend by volunteering to marry the murderous boy-king of Khorasan, but discovers not all is as it seems within the palace.” (Catalogue)

A spindle splintered / Harrow, Alix E
“When she was young, an industrial accident left Zinnia with a rare condition. Not much is known about her illness, just that no-one has lived past twenty-one. Her best friend Charm is intent on making Zinnia’s last birthday special with a full sleeping beauty experience, complete with a tower and a spinning wheel. But when Zinnia pricks her finger, something strange and unexpected happens, and she finds herself falling through worlds, with another sleeping beauty, just as desperate to escape her fate”– Provided by publisher.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

To kill a kingdom / Christo, Alexandra
“Princess Lira is siren royalty and the most lethal of them all. When a twist of fate forces her to kill one of her own, the Sea Queen transforms Lira a human as punishment. Robbed of her song, Lira has until the winter solstice to deliver Prince Elian’s heart to the Sea Queen or remain a human forever. Hunting sirens is Prince Elian’s calling. When he rescues a drowning woman in the ocean, she promises to help him find the key to destroying all of sirenkind for good– but can he trust her?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The Wellington Comic Lover’s Guide to… The Mighty Thor

By Gus

On Tuesday, 11 October, 2022

In art and stuff, comics and graphic novels, stuff to read

Welcome to the Wellington Comic Lover’s (WCL) Guide, where we take you through the Wellington City Libraries’ collection of a comic book character.
This post is about the god (and mortal) who hold the hammer Mjolnir and are worthy of the power of Thor!

(via GIPHY)

Who is The Mighty Thor?

After being humbled by his father, Thor the Norse God of Thunder returns to Earth as a superhero. Using an enchanted hammer that only he is worthy to wield, he protects Midgard and fights alongside the Avengers as the Mighty Thor!

Later, when Thor becomes unworthy of using his hammer, Doctor Jane Foster takes it up in his place as her own version of Thor.

Classic Thor

Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Volume 1 (only on Libby)

Marvel Masterworks: The Avengers Volume 2 (only on Libby)

Marvel-verse: Thor (a collection of stories from across Thor’s publishing history)

Thor : the mighty avenger / Langridge, Roger

Secret invasion : Thor / Fraction, Matt

Thor : wolves of the north

Thor : the deviants saga / Rodi, Robert

Thor of the realms (a collection of stories set across each of the Nine Realms)

Straczynski/Fraction run (2007-2012)

The defining aspect of this run is bringing Thor and Asgard back down to Earth – literally, as the home of the Norse gods appears hovering over the ordinary town of Broxton, Oklahoma. This era ends with Norman Osborn’s invasion of this floating city in Brian Michael Bendis and Oliver Coipel’s Siege.

Thor. [Vol. 3] / Straczynski, J. Michael

Astonishing Thor / Rodi, Robert

Thor : the World Eaters / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor [1] / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor [2] / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor [3] / Fraction, Matt

The mighty Thor : journey into mystery : everything burns / Fraction, Matt

Siege / Bendis, Brian Michael

Avengers : prime / Bendis, Brian Michael

Marvel NOW! – Thor, God of Thunder meets the God Butcher

Beginning in 2012 with the Marvel NOW! relaunch, Thor: God of Thunder by Jason Aaron and artist Esad Ribic introduces Gorr the God Butcher, a vengeful alien who wants to destroy every god across time and space. To stop him, Thor teams up with his younger self from his Viking days and an older, surlier All-Father Thor from the future.

Thor, God of Thunder [1] : the God Butcher / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor, God of Thunder [2] : Godbomb / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor, God of Thunder [1] and [2] are also collected together as Thor : the saga of Gorr the God Butcher

Thor, God of Thunder [3] : the accursed / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor, God of Thunder [4] : the last days of Midgard / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Jane Foster becomes Thor

During the Original Sin storyline, Thor learns a devastating truth that causes him to become unworthy of wielding Mjolnir. The hammer goes to Doctor Jane Foster, Thor’s ex-girlfriend, and she headlines a new series as The Mighty Thor. Meanwhile, Odinson wanders the cosmos trying to find a new hammer (and reason to be worthy) as The Unworthy Thor.

The reading order for this period is as follows:

Original sin : Thor & Loki : the tenth realm / Aaron, Jason

Original sin. Who shot the Watcher? / Aaron, Jason (only on Libby)

Thor : the goddess of thunder / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor [2] : who holds the hammer? / Aaron, Jason

Secret wars / Hickman, Jonathan

The mighty Thor [1] : thunder in her veins / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The mighty Thor [2] : Lords of Midgard / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor : the goddess of thunder, [2], and The mighty Thor [1] and [2] are also collected together as Jane Foster : the saga of the mighty Thor

The mighty Thor [3] : the Asgard/Shi’ar war / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The unworthy Thor / Aaron, Jason

The mighty Thor [4] : the war Thor / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The Mighty Thor [5] : the death of the Mighty Thor / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Unworthy Thor and The Mighty Thor [4] and [5] are also collected as Thor : the complete collection. Volume 4

The War of the Realms

Jason Aaron’s last Thor series has Thor Odinson reclaim Mjolnir, while his enemies from across the Nine Realms band together to invade Midgard and take over Earth. This results in the crossover series The War of the Realms.

Thor [1] : God of Thunder reborn / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

Thor [2] : road to war of the realms / Aaron, Jason (also on Libby)

The war of the realms / Aaron, Jason

Thor [3] : war’s end / Aaron, Jason

King Thor / Aaron, Jason

Thor [1], [2], [3] and King Thor are also collected as Thor : Volume 5

Jane Foster, Valkyrie

After her tenure as Goddess of Thunder, Jane Foster gains a new weapon in Undrjarn the All-Weapon and becomes Valkyrie, leading souls to the afterlife while balancing her career as a doctor.

Valkyrie : Jane Foster [1] : the sacred and the profane / Ewing, Al (also on Libby)

Valkyrie : Jane Foster [2] : / Ewing, Al (also on Libby)

King in black : return of the Valkyries / Aaron, Jason

The mighty Valkyries : all Hel let loose

Jane Foster & the Mighty Thor / Grønbekk, Torunn

A variant of Valkyrie based off Tessa Thompson’s performance in the MCU Thor films is a member of the Exiles, a multiverse-hopping team of heroes.

Exiles [1] : test of time / Ahmed, Saladin

Exiles. Vol. 2, The trial of the Exiles / Ahmed, Saladin

Donny Cates run

Venom scribe Donny Cates is the most recent Thor writer; his series so far explores Thor’s new duties as All-Father of Asgard in Odin’s absence.

Thor [1] : the devourer king / Cates, Donny

Thor [2] : prey / Cates, Donny

Thor [3] : revelations / Cates, Donny

Thor [4] : God of Hammers / Cates, Donny

Thor [5] : the legacy of Thanos / Ewing, Al

Thor [6] : blood of the fathers / Grønbekk, Torunn

Beta Ray Bill

Did you know that an alien was once worthy of wielding Thor’s hammer? Beta Ray Bill from the planet Korbin got a hold of Mjolnir while Thor was inspecting his crashed spaceship, and Bill briefly took on the role of God of Thunder. Bill became an ally to Thor, and was eventually given his own Asgardian hammer named Stormbreaker.

Thor : Ragnaroks / Oeming, Michael Avon

Beta Ray Bill : godhunter / Gillen, Kieron

Beta Ray Bill : argent star / Johnson, Daniel Warren

Marvellous Books to Make You Cry

By Beth

On Wednesday, 19 January, 2022

In real life, real problems, stuff to read, troubled teens trying to put their past behind them

Today we’re here to celebrate a truly undervalued batch of books. We librarians can spend days waxing poetic over our collections of thrilling mysteries, sublime fantasies and illuminative non-fiction, but today I am here to advocate the unique pleasures of a book-induced sob-fest.

Book Cry (noun): The cathartic experience of weeping, wailing, bawling, blubbering, sobbing and/or crying over a book.

There’s nothing like a good ol’ fashion book cry to ease some tension, which not only helps improve your overall mood, but actually helps detoxify the body! (After, of course, you have recovered from the literary trauma of seeing two beloved characters torn apart.)

via GIPHY

So if your eyeballs feel in need of a good cleaning, read on for a tear-inducing collection of marvellous books to make you cry:

The song of Achilles / Miller, Madeline
“Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. […] Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative connection gives way to a steadfast friendship. […] Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. “–Author website.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

The fault in our stars / Green, John
“Sixteen-year-old Hazel, a stage IV thyroid cancer patient, has accepted her terminal diagnosis until a chance meeting with a boy at cancer support group forces her to reexamine her perspective on love, loss, and life.” (Catalogue)
Bridge to Terabithia / Paterson, Katherine
“[…] When Lesley’s family moves to a rural community, they are regarded with some curiosity – a family with so many books, and no television. Jess Aarons is disturbed by Lesley, who challenges his accepted order of things. Then tragedy strikes.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
All the light we cannot see / Doerr, Anthony
“Marie Laure lives with her father in Paris within walking distance of the Museum of Natural History […] When the Germans occupy Paris, father and daughter flee to Saint-Malo on the Brittany coast […] In another world in Germany, an orphan boy, Werner, grows up with his younger sister, Jutta, both enchanted by a crude radio Werner finds. […] Interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, Doerr illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

All the bright places / Niven, Jennifer
“Told in alternating voices, when Theodore Finch and Violet Markey meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school–both teetering on the edge–it’s the beginning of an unlikely relationship, a journey to discover the “natural wonders” of the state of Indiana, and two teens’ desperate desire to heal and save one another” Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

The memory book / Avery, Lara
“When a rare genetic disorder brings dementia, steals away her memories, and produces physical deterioration, a high school valedictorian with big plans to flee her small town records notes in a journal to her future self, documenting moments great and small.” (Catalogue)
If I stay / Forman, Gayle
“Life is wonderful for seventeen-year-old Mia, a talented cellist with family, friends and boyfriend. But life can change in an instant – a terrible car accident and everything is different.” (Catalogue)

Trigger Warning: Some of these books deal with difficult subjects, such as illness, sexual abuse, and suicide.

If you are struggling with mental health, then you can free call or text 1737 for support from a trained counsellor, or reach out to:

Lifeline
0800 543 354
Free text 4357 (HELP)

Youthline
0800 376 633
Free text 234

Everything Orange!

By Maiph

On Thursday, 23 December, 2021

In stuff to do, stuff to read

All of us will surely know by now that we are in Orange, as we have been at this traffic light level for pretty much all of December so far. I’m sure that as avid library users you will already know all about visiting the library under Orange – wear your mask and scan your vaccine pass or exemption if you’re over twelve – but I feel there is more to be explored around the orangeness of Orange than mere alert levels.

In controversial Orange news, I have learned through this recent Spinoff article that while the Covid Traffic Light system uses the colours Red, Orange, and Green, the official colours of the literal physical traffic lights that are liberally spotted around our country are Red, Green, and Yellow.

Three traffic lights in a row. The left has a green light chosing, the centre has an orange light showing, and the right has a red light showing.

Image: Traffic Signals by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence

Look at these traffic lights! This is an instructional picture from the Waka Kotahi website accompanied by the instructional caption “A yellow signal means the lights will soon turn red”. This is very interesting since it is extremely clear that the coloured circle in the centre traffic light is so obviously orange. Like, they made the picture, if they’re calling it yellow why not make the picture yellow as well?

Anyway, while the certainty that orange is orange and yellow is yellow may be falling out from under our feet, let me return to my original subject of Orange in general.

I think Orange is an excellent colour. It’s such a happy colour, it’s the colour of the sun’s rays shining on the iconic Chelsea Golden Syrup Tin, and it’s great for hi-vis vests if you’re a cyclist, contractor, or builder.

Speaking of Golden Syrup, let me bring your attention to a rather orange book:

Edmonds cookery book.
The Edmonds cookbook is a classic, it fits right in here with that orange cover, and it contains a recipe for a Golden Syrup Steamed Pudding. What’s not to like?!

Golden Syrup Steamed Pudding is also a perfect Christmas pudding. Just saying.

In search of other Orange activities to keep you occupied over the summer, I’ve trawled through our vast selection of elibrary resources, but unfortunately not many of them really scream Orange.

We do have a fantastic language-learning service called Mango Languages, a name that just promises orangeness but in actual fact doesn’t deliver much Orange, even in the logo. Still, if you don’t let lack of actual orangeness get in the way of perceived orangeness you could give it a go!

We do have some other actually-orange things in the library that could get you excited…

…while you’re sitting back in the sun, enjoying your Golden Syrup pudding, what better thing to do than get into a good book?

Here’s a selection of books that I’ve grouped together simply based on the orange-ivity of their covers. There’s a wide range of genres here, from New Zealand fiction to romance to classic literature to adventure, but they’re all Orange! Which one are you most interested in?

Is underground / Aiken, Joan
“Bound to keep a promise to her dead uncle, Is travels to the mysterious north country to find two missing boys, one of them a prince, and to discover why so many children in London are disappearing.” (Catalogue)

Felix ever after / Callender, Kacen
“Felix Love has never been in love, painful irony that it is. He desperately wants to know why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. He is proud of his identity, but fears that he’s one marginalization too many– Black, queer, and transgender. When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages, Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. He didn’t count on his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi-love triangle.” ( Adapted from Catalogue)

Also available as an eBook

Perfect on paper / Gonzales, S.
“Seventeen-year-old Darcy Phillips, a bisexual girl who gives anonymous love advice to her classmates, is hired by the “hot” guy at school to help him get his ex back. When Darcy is caught in the act of collecting letters from locker 89– out of which she has been running her advice service– she is blackmailed into becoming his personal dating coach. If word gets out that Darcy is behind the locker, some things she’s not proud of will come to light. What could go wrong?” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Juggling with mandarins / Jones, V. M.
“Thirteen-year-old Pip finds a talent he never dreamed he had, and is determined it will remain one area of his life his domineering dad can’t touch. Somehow, Pip must find the courage to confront his father and claim the right to live his life on his own terms.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

And mandarins are basically smaller superior oranges anyway.

To kill a mockingbird / Lee, Harper
“A young girl growing up in an Alabama town in the 1930s learns of injustice and violence when her father, a widowed lawyer, defends a black man falsely accused of rape.” (Catalogue)

Trash / Mulligan, Andy
“Three friends. Raphael, Gardo and Rat. Living on a heap of trash, a lifetime of sifting rubbish. One day they find something extraordinary – a deadly secret. From that moment they are hunted without mercy. With danger snatching at their heels, the boys are chased from the city’s dirty gutters to its wealthy avenues. But they can’t run for ever. They need a miracle.” (Catalogue)

Nice try, Jane Sinner / Oelke, Lianne
“Jane Sinner, a 17-year-old dropout, sets out to redefine herself through a series of schemes and stunts, including participating in a low-budget reality TV show at her local community college”– Provided by publisher.” (Catalogue)

First test / Pierce, Tamora
“Ten-year-old Keladry of Mindalen, daughter of nobles, serves as a page but must prove herself to the males around her if she is ever to fulfill her dream of becoming a knight.” (Catalogue)

A tyranny of petticoats : 15 stories of belles, bank robbers & other badass girls
“From pirate ships off the coast of the Carolinas to the peace, love, and protests of 1960s Chicago, take a thrill ride through history with American girls charting their own course. They are monsters and mediums, bodyguards and barkeeps, screenwriters and schoolteachers, heiresses and hobos.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Bridge of Clay / Zusak, Markus
“Upon their father’s return, the five Dunbar boys, who have raised themselves since their mother’s death, begin to learn family secrets, including that of fourth brother Clay, who will build a bridge for complex reasons, including his own redemption.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

And if you’ve made it this far, I hope that by now I’ve managed to remove or weaken the exclusive association of Orange with Covid. I’m sure that you’ll be simmering with rage over the officially-yellow traffic lights, off to bake a tasty snack, diving deep into an Orange read, or some other Orange-related activity!

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