February 2012

Welcome back to a new school year . . . . it’s a very exciting time as we are very close to the opening of our fantastic new Library. Everything is in the final stages, with shelving going up ready for the “big book move”. There has been a tremendous amount of work, by a large number of people to get the building to this stage and I am really looking forward to welcoming classes to the Library in the near future. I though you might like to see a few photos of the initial chaos . . .

Will update you all again on progress soon . . .

KEEP ON READING!!!!!!

Welcome back to school and a new year of reading.

You are very welcome at the Library before school, at break, at lunchtime and after school. You may also come during the day, with your teacher’s permission – as long as you do not disturb any class using their Library time.

Just a reminder that books are issued for two weeks and may [if not on reserve for another borrower] be renewed, once only, for a further two weeks.

Years 0 and 1 may borrow 2 books

Years 2 to 6 may borrow 3 book

Years 7 and 8 may borrow 5 books

Please remember to take only as many books as you know you can read in the two week issue period.

We are at the moment trialling for our Year 7 and 8 Kid’s Lit Quiz teams – the final trial is on Wednesday 9 February at 12.40 in 8B. The two teams will be announced very soon after this. GOOD LUCK TO ALL TRIALLISTS.

Have a great Year. I look forward to seeing you all in the Library often!!!!!

The weather has not been the best . . . so it’s a perfect time to cuddle up in front of the heater with one of the new books from your library.

In the Non-fiction area, for those who love to indulge in science experiments, we have a new book by Ruben Meerman, ‘a surfer with a physics degree’ and who ‘performs hundreds of science shows in schools around Australia every year. 40 DIY science gizmos allows you to use ‘stuff that’s lying around the house . . . to make Mexican Jumping Beans, a Lava Lamp, code breakers, gliders, juggling balls and heaps more’

In the Black Dots area we have the start of a new adventure series that will appeal to readers of Zac Power. It is by Charlie Carter and about Battle Boy with the first two titles being Open fire and Red Devil, down. Eleven year-old Napoleon Augustus Smythe, Battle Boy 005, travels through time to observe famous battles. The publisher says the series is ‘gripping, dramatic and completely engrossing’ and will be enjoyed by ‘anyone interested in battles, history, time travel, adventure, great stories, gadgets galore…’.

For fans of the Horrid Henry series by Francesca Simon we have two new titles – Horrid Henry’s revenge and Horrid Henry wakes the dead. Each book contains four short stories about ‘everyone’s favourite awful child’.

A new New Zealand series by, the New Zealand Post Book Award winning, author of the ever popular Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! and Old Hu-Hu, Kyle Mewburn, is Pop Hooper’s perfect pets. In book one, Scruffy old cat, Lily believes that if only she ‘could find a perfect kitten. She wouldn’t be lonely any more. So when Pop Hooper gives her a smelly, scruffy cat to take care of for a night she is horrified. Surely everyone will laugh at her now . . . won’t they?’ In the second book Funny little dog, ‘Flyn’s idea of a perfect pet is a fierce guard dog. He would call the dog Chomper, and use him to scare off the bullies. But all Pop Hooper has to offer is a silly, round lapdog called Pumpkin, There’s no way Pumpkin could protect Flyn . . . or is there?’

For the older reader, in the Fiction section we have ‘a howlingly hairy adventure’ by Di Toft. ‘When Nat Carver takes home a strange and smelly mutt, his life is changed forever. Woody is the last of his kind, a Wolven, though only to exist in legend. The Nat discovers Woody has escaped from a top-secret science project – and some very bad guys are after him’. The holographic cover, alone, is well worth taking a look at.

From the creator of Horrible Histories, Terry Deary, we have the first in a new series – Master Crook’s Crime Academy. In book one, Burglary for beginners, ‘Smiff Smith is enrolling at the world’ sfirst crime academy. He knows his life will never be the same again, but he has no idea the adventures that lie in store – or the danger he’s about to face’.

Another quirky  book by Australian Paul Collins, is The slightly skewed life of Toby Chrysler. ‘Toby (known as Milo) Chrysler’s mum is missing. So is his friend Ginger’s dad. They have some clues – a red shoe, a plan, and some map coordinates – but how will they help them find their parents? And why is everyone looking for Milo?’ This book has one of the catchiest starts ever. Who could resist reading on from ‘It wasn’t even five o’clock and Milo had already murdered Mrs Appleby. Twice.’

Recommended by The Children’s Bookshop is The Thornthwaite inheritance by Gareth P. Jones, a delightfully twisted tale about thirteen-year-old twins, Lorelli and Ovid, who are the heirs to a vast fortune. The story involves murderous sibling rivalry, killer bees, unhinged bicycle seats, an overdue library book and a chilling secret.

And final words from Ms. K. . . . . 

  KEEP WARM! – KEEP READING!

We now have the eighth and final book in the Children of the Red King series by Jenny Nimmo. It is called Charlie Bone and the Red Knight. In this book ‘Charlie and the Children of the Red King must call upon all of their strength to defeat the darkness and finally learn the fate of Charlie’s family, the evil intentions of the Bloors, what has become of Septimus Bloor’s will, and the destiny of the Red King’s heirs’.

One of Ms. K’s favourite authors, Michael Morpurgo, has written Running wild. ‘For Will, and his mother, going to Indonesia isn’t just a holiday. It’s a chance to put things behind them. And to begin with, it seems just what they both needed. But then the tsunami comes crashing in and Oona, the elephant Will is riding on the beach, begins to run. Except that when the tsunami is gone, Oona keeps on running. . .

The boy in the dress by David Walliams is about Dennis who lives in a boring house in a boring street in a boring town, and he doesn’t have much to look forward to. But what he does have is dreams and once he starts to follow them, things will never be the same again.

As a baby, Bod escapes a murderer intent on killing his entire family, he finds safety and security in the local graveyard. Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him in this dark novel, The graveyard book written by Newbery medal winning author Neil Gaiman and illustrated by Chris Riddell.

A set of four books about Shredderman, called Secret identity, Attack of the tagger, Meet the gecko, and Enemy spy. In thes books fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity – Shredderman. He uses this to expose the vandal who is spray-painting graffiti all over Cedar Valley help a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing a basketball final game and realizes, when he witnesses a serious crime, that he may not always be able to hide behind his Shredderman identity.

New in the SENIOR FICTION [for Year 8’s only], a trilogy again donated, by a 2009 leaver is The chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever: Book one – Lord Foul’s Bane; Book two – The power that preserves; Book three – The Illearth War. This saga of an outcast who finds himself in a strange alternate world, where he is believed to be the reincarnation of its greatest hero is written by Stephen R. Donaldson.

More new books next time . . .

This is going to be a great year for your Library as we are well into the planning of a new Library building and I will give you updates of any news during the year. Don’t forget to tell us any great ideas you might have to make the new Library a thrilling place to be.

While we ‘soldier on’ in our usual Library area . . . just a reminder that the Library is open at all times the School building is open and you may come at any time [with your teacher’s permission] during the school day. Each class has a Library time allocated to them and if you are in the Library during another Class’s time please remember that the students in that Class are the Librarian’s first priority and, if you need a lot of help finding items, you may need to come back at a later time.

We will also be looking for reliable and accurate people, in Years 6 to 8 to become School Librarians at lunchtimes. So, if you enjoy reading and helping other people and are willing to commit to one lunch time per week in the Library, keep an eye out for ‘Help Wanted’ notices.

The Kid’s Lit Quiz will again take place this term and we will be looking for our best ‘bookworms’ to be part of two teams of four, made up from Years 7 and 8 boys. Watch out for announcements of trials for the teams.

That’s all from me now  . . . the next Blogs will introduce some of the great new titles heading Wellesley Library shelves and your enjoyment.

Year One enjoying a story read by Mrs Norton.

James with new, library toy Yertle the Turtle.

Harry with his picture activity from the story Tadpole trouble by Frances Bacon.

Now for some new additions to the library this month.

For fans of the Jiggy McCue series we have some new books about this luckless  schoolboy. In Neville the devil  ‘when Jiggy, Pete and Angie end up on a dodgy holiday, Jiggy has a feeling they’re in for a bad time. He’s not wrong! An old enemy is back and this time he’s more devilish than ever . . . ‘   In Ryan’s brain ‘when Jiggy accidentally knocks his archenemy unconscious, he hopes his troubles are over. No such luck. Bryan Ryan’s body may be out of action, but his brain has a mind of it’s own – and it’s out for revenge!’ In The iron, the switch and the broom cupboard [in Ms K’s opinion the a very clever title] ‘Jiggy only jumped into the school broom cupboard for two minutes to avoid a teacher. So when he emerges from his hasty hiding spot into a  parallel universe, he’s not impressed! and there’s not a lion or a  witch in sight . . . ‘ And finally in One for all and all for lunch we have a collection of five stories in which ‘Jiggy, Angie and Pete – the 21st century’s Three Musketeers – all tell their own tales, as does Jiggy’s insane cat, Stallone!’ All these titles are great for a laugh!

For mystery fans we have two new titles, one by a British and the other by an Australian author. The first, The London Eye mystery by Siobhan Dowd, sees n Aunt Gloria’s son, Salim, mysteriously disappear from a sealed pod on the London Eye. Brother and sister team, Ted and Kat, follow a trail of clues across London to try and locate their cousin. The second, The billionaire’s curse, is book one of a new trilogy. ‘Gerald has just become the richest 13-year-old on the planet. The world’s most valuable diamond has been stolen, and it seems there has been a murder. Now Gerald’s life is in danger . . .’ 

We have just purchased a new copy of a modern classic The turbulent term of  Tyle Tiler.  ‘Where very best friends, Tyke Tiler and Danny Price are, there is usually trouble – stolen money, a sheep’s skeleton, fights in class – and it’s mostly trouble that Tyke has to sort out. Their last term at the Cricklepit School is full of the usual fun and madness, but then Tyke learns that there is more at stake. Is it possible to help the helpless Danny? And what final surprise does Tyke have in store?’

New in the Black dot section is a collaboration between Bruce Whatley and Rosie Smith. Danny da Vinci; the flying machine of Lombardy sees ‘Danny and his best friend Mick Angelo as apprentices in an art studio run by Danny’s Uncle Leo. When the Duke of Milan issues a challenge to build a flying machine, Danny and Mick, with more than a little bit of help from Lisa, set to work . . .’

In the picture books Daniel Postgate [author] and Nick Price [illustrator] have  combined in a fun book about  a boy and his pet monster, The Snagglegrollop, who ‘is very hard work and very messy, but soon teaches everybody that pets can be truly special . . .’

Our new Library display is Perfidious Pirates [if you don’t know what perfidious  means, look it up in the dictionary at Dewey number 423].  We have many pirate books in the library but I will mention two new ones. In the fiction section Scrimshaw by Nazam Anhar in which ‘Nathan has joined his father for his first-ever voyage by sea – sailing to explore the wilds of the Amazon. But they have not been at sea for long before they are ambushed by pirates. Nathan is taken hostage by the infamous Captain Graham and given a terrible ultimatum: join the murderous pirate crew or face execution. A fast-paced, gripping story with a courageous protagonist!’ And in the Puzzle Books Box, The lost treasure of Captain Blood, a pirate puzzle adventure, by Jonathan Stroud, in which you ‘join Mam Spamme, her son Sam, Black Dog and the Rat Crew aboard the Spotted Dog in their quest to win a great fortune’.

Bye for now . . . . KEEP READING till next time . . . Ms K.

Welcome back to school. I hope you had a great holiday and remembered to keep reading, a great way to travel to exotic places and even out of this world, while not even leaving your sofa [or bed] . . .

Here are a few new items, added to the library, that you might like to check out this . . .

FICTION :-

  A small free kiss in the dark by Australian author Glenda Millard - [Fiction MIL]. ‘Skip’s an outsider, a quiet observer. He draws pictures to make sense of the world. He’s never fitted in. So he takes to the streets. Life there may be hard, but it’s better than the one he’s left behind, especially when he teams up with Old Billy. Then come the bombs which leave little Max in his care, and also Tia, the sad dancer, with her sweet baby, Sixpence. Scavenging for food, sheltering in an empty fun fair, living on love and imagination . . . how long can Skip’s fragile new family hold out as war grips the city?’ I really found this story thought-provoking.

Found : the Missing – book one by Margaret Peterson Haddix  [Fiction HAD]. ‘Some mysteries don’t sleep until they are solved . . .
It was the notes that started it: ‘You are one of the missing."
Strange that a person can be missing and not even realise it. Adopted kids, Chip and Jonah race to reveal the secrets masking their true identities. The answers lie thirteen years back with an FBI cover-up when an uncharted plane touched down without a pilot, its only passengers: thirty-six babies . . . ‘

And for those who like a bit of humour, combined with some political sarcasm we have The adventures of Nanny Piggins by R. A. Spratt, [Fiction SPR]. ‘When the world’s most glamorous flying pig runs away from the circus to become a nanny, Derrick, Samantha and Michael think they are the luckiest children alive. Who could not fall in love with a nanny whose only job qualifications are her ability to be fired out of a cannon and her tremendous talent for making chocolate cake, sometimes both at the same time?’ Fun for kids and adults alike.

BLACK DOT BOOKS :-

From New Zealander Fleur Beale we have the latest in the series about Quin  Majik. In Quin Majik and the hairy roof rescue, illustrated by Philip Webb, [Black dot BEA], ‘the parents of Tidy Street have decided that Quin Majik is a bad influence, and he may no longer see his friend, Fred Smart. But all this changes when Fred’s dad gets marooned on the roof of the Smart Family home. Quin and Fred are allowed to invent together once more – this time they must create a contraption to bring Mr. Smart safely down to earth.’

Two new books by one of my favourite author and illustrator combinations of Giles Andreae and    Nick Sharratt are about a boy named Billy Bonkers. Each book contains three hilarious stories. In the first book ‘mad stuff happens with Billy . . . whether he’s flying through the air propelled by porridge power, or blasting headfirst into a chocolate-covered planet.’ In book 2 subtitled  More madness, Billy encounters ‘turbo-charged trousers at sports day . . .a monster waterskiing marathon . . . and a plateful of cheesy chips which lead to mayhem’.

PICTURE BOOKS :-

A new title, from the well-loved author/illustrator team of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, is Stick man [picture books D]. Stick Man, his Stick Lady Love and the three Stick Children live in the family tree. It is dangerous being a stick as Stick Man finds out when he encounters numerous troubles, including being being ‘fetched’ by a dog, used in a game of Pooh Sticks, becoming part of a snowman, and many more stick situations, before, with the help of Santa, being reunited with his family,

Just in time for Halloween, we have a batty picture book written and illustrated by American       Brian Lies. Join a group of frisky, fun-loving Bats at the Library as they experience the joys of a night of play, frolic and storytelling, when they find entry via a window has been left ajar. [Picture books L]

NON FICTION :-

We now have the New Zealand edition of The dangerous book for boys  by Conn and Hal Iggulden [Non fiction 790 IGG].                   Adapted from the original English edition, with the addition of New Zealand plants, animals, disasters, triumphs, and heroes, it contains an interesting forward by John Campbell in which he reminisces about his childhood escapades in Days Bay, saying “The summer of my tenth birthday was the happiest time of my childhood. My sole instruction during those holidays was to come home when the street lights came on. We rode our bikes, we played tennis, we  bomb-dived off the wharf . . . and then, as the sun cast long shadows across the harbour, we pushed our bikes home again.”  I am sure a lot of our boys can relate to this.

Billed as a fun mix of reference and nostalgia                    i before e  (except after c) [Non fiction 153 PAR]  by Judy Parkinson covers an assortment of practical aids to memorizing a range of subjects, including spelling, mathematics, history, scientific formulae etc. It uses rules, rhymes, sayings and acronyms that inform and entertain.

Until next time . . . KEEP READING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘Danny Thompson is always getting into trouble and in Dead meat he manages to lose his baby sister, give his mother exactly the wrong present for her fortieth birthday and  something awful happens to his parents’ only wedding photograph. As if that’s not enough, he’s starting to get zits. And for some reason, whenever Mandy Miller looks at him he goes hot and cold . . .

In Dead average,  When he gets the starring role in a TV commercial, because of his “average looks”, Danny is all set to make his fortune. But, of course, something goes embarrassingly, horribly wrong . . .

In Dead worried Danny loses his memory, helps his friend Taffy arrange a haunting and, worst of all, his new dandruff shampoo makes his hair smell like a hospital toilet . . .’

Other books, by this author, that you may enjoy are Camel face, Spacenapped and Sit down Mum, I have something to tell you!

All of the mentioned titles are located at on the [Fiction SIM].

Another new copy of a popular title by one of Australia’s favourite authors, Tim Winton, is called Blueback [Fiction WIN]. ‘Abel Jackson has lived by the sea at Longboat Bay ever since he could remember. He helps his mother each day and loves to dive. One day he meets Blueback, the biggest and most beautiful fish he’s ever seen. When Abel’s mother is approached by developers she decides she must do something to protect their fragile piece of coastline. But can Abel and his mother save Blueback and Longboat Bay in time?

We have also just received two new titles by, popular New Zealand action/adventure writer, Des Hunt.

  In Cry of the Taniwha [Fiction HUN] ‘Matt Logan isn’t looking forward to spending the school holidays with his grandmother and her new husband. He has to fly to Rotorua, where he doesn’t know anybody, and he’s a bit wary of his new step-grandfather. All Matt knows is that he’s Maori and a bus driver. Along with his worries, Matt packs his pride and joy – a homemade metal detector, because, you never know, he might find something interesting. What he finds is Juzza, who lives over the back fence and wants to join a local gang. When the boys unearth a handcuffed skeleton, a chain of events begins to coil around them. Together they are thrown into a deadly search for treasure when the local gang boss decides to exploit their find for himself.’ 

Jelly Mountain [Fiction HUN] is a mysterious place. Its straight sides mean the top has never been explored. Jason and his twin sister are drawn into a ‘mystery that is set to rock the whole world’ when Shawn Morris crash-lands on the top.

And now from the latest edition of Wacky but true magazine here a some ‘cool websites’ you might like to visit:

Comic maker          Seussville           Switcheroo zoo

Good for a laugh are two books about Blacky the farting dog by Australian author Barry Jonsberg. The dog that dumped on my doona [Fiction JON]tells of Marcus who is ‘woken by a dog doing a poo on his bed, he is understandably upset. And Blacky (the dog) has other surprises in store. Soon Marcus and his disruptive friend Dylan are on a mission to rescue God – a sick pygmy bearded dragon – from the local pet shop. But time is running out…
And then there is Rose who thrives on terrorising her little brother. She is the sister from hell, but revenge will be sweet. Or so Marcus thinks.’ In A croc called Capone [Fiction JON] ‘’Blacky the farting dog has a mission that Marcus and Dylan can’t refuse. Trouble is, this mission involves a monstrous saltwater crocodile who would much rather chomp on a human for dinner than have a civilised conversation. Of course, there’s also the small matter of a giant big-game hunter on a collision course with our heroes. And will Marcus be any match for his mean older sister Rose and her light-sabre-wielding best friend Cy Ob Han? ‘

Edward’s eyes by Patricia MacLachlan [Fiction MAC] tells the touching story of Jake who ‘is part of an extraordinary family. He leads a life filled with art, music and hours and days and months of baseball. But the most important person in his life is his brother, Edward. From the moment he was born, Edward had the ability to make anyone laugh and everyone think. During one special year he was the only kid in the neighbourhood who could throw a perfect knuckleball – a pitch you just could not hit. But that same year, Jake learns that there are some things you just can’t hold on to.’ [Ms. K.  had her tissue box handy for this one.]                                                                          A new New Zealand title is Tough enough by Tania Hutley, a story about the perils of peer pressure. ‘How did Matt ever get into this? He never wanted to holiday here and now he’s being dared to confront Guts McGrady and his vicious guard dog, Razor.  All he wanted was to fit in and prove that he’s no wimp. But is he tough enough to face a killer?’

Also arrived are a some next parts of popular series .  In the second book in the Nathan Fox adventures by L. Brittney and called Traitor’s gold [Fiction BRI], ‘the fourteen-year-old actor-turned-spy . . . skilled with the sword and fearless on horseback . . . is first choice to intercept a secret shipment of Spanish gold. His team must work with dangerous pirates and ruthless mercenaries to secure the gold – but Nathan soon learns that traitors nearly always come in disguise . . .’                                                                                                       In book three of Mark Walden’s  H.I.V.E. [Higher Institute of Villainous Education] series, called Escape velocity [Fiction WAL], Dr Nero ‘has been captured by the world’s most ruthless security force. It’s up to Otto to save him, but first he must escape Nero’s sinister replacement and H.I.V.E. itself. The Otto faces the ultimate challenge – to break into MI6. Something no villain has ever succeeded in doing.’ A review from the Sunday Express says ‘full of baddies, action and lashings of humour’.                                                                                                              A long awaited sequel to the much-loved Love that dog by Sharon Creech is Hate that cat [Non fiction 821 CRE]. ‘Jack is back at school and thankfully Miss Stretchberry is his teacher again. Jack likes her! But he disagrees with her about one thing . . . cats. Jack hates cats. Or at least he does until he gets to know some kittens and reads some poetry about cats.’

And now, just for fun, some ‘silly’ book titles –                                               At the North Pole by I. C. Blast                                                                       At the South Pole by Ann Tarctic                                                                  The farmer’s wife by Mike Howe                                                                   The tiger’s revenge by Claude Body                                                              The cannibal’s son by Henrietta Mann                                                             On the beach by C. Shaw                                                                                The broken window by Eva Brick                                                                   The insomniac by Eliza Wake                                                                           My life of crime by Robin Banks.

This is the new topic display in the library and to go with it here are some of the books we have about dragons :-

Non-fiction Books

• The discovery of dragons by Graeme Base [398.2 BAS]
• Dragon poems by John Foster [821]
• Mythical beasts by Deidre Headon [398.2 HEA]
• DragonArt by Jessica Peffer [741 PEF]
• Dr. Ernest Drake’s dragonology [398.2 STE]

Picture Books

• Jayne and the dragon by Martin Baynton
• The dragon who couldn’t help breathing fire by Denis Bond     
• Where’s the dragon by Jason Hook                  
• Rascal the dragon series by Paul Jennings
• The dragon’s birthday by Margaret Mahy    
• George and the dragon by Chris Wormell

Yellow Dot Books

• The monster crisp-guzzler by Malorie Blackman
• Tashi by Anna and Barbara Fienberg           
• Dragon boy by Pippa Goodheart

Black Dot Books

• Ferno the fire dragon by Adam Blade              
• Silent knight by Margaret Clark                        
• Star dragon by Douglas Hill                       
• Dragon trouble by Penelope Lively

Fiction Books

• How to train your dragon. . . by Cressida Cowell
• The fire within, Icefire and Fire Star by Chris D’Lacey
• Dragon rider by Cornelia Funke
• The saint of dragons and Samurai by Jason  Hightman                          
• The hunting of the last dragon by Sherryl Jordan
• With my knife, Dragonfox and The red dragon by Andrew Lansdown
• Eragon, Eldest and Brisingr by Christopher Paolini
• Dragonkeeper, Garden of the Purple Dragon and Dragon Moon by Carole Wilkinson