The 2011 New Zealand Post Children's Book Award Finalists were announced last month. To see many of the finalist books have a look at the display in the library, or for more information you can visit the NZ Booksellers webpage here.

As in previous years children can vote for their favourite book in the Children's Choice Award and go into a draw to win $500.00 in book vouchers. You can vote either online here or by filling out an entry form - these are available in the school library as well as other libraries and many bookshops.  Voting closes at 5pm on 29th April 2011.

If you do vote please remember to put St.Brendan's as your school so we can go into the draw for prizes too.

On the New Books Display this week

Picture Book:

• "Hello Beaky" by Jez ALBOROUGH
• "Willbee the Bumblebee" by Craig SMITH

Mature Picture Book:

• "Asterix at the Olympic Games" by Rene GOSCINNY

  Fiction:

• "Dustbin Cat" by Ingrid LEE
• "Water Fight Frenzy" by Felice ARENA

Senior Fiction:

• "The Merlin Conspiracy" by Diana Wynne JONES

Non-Fiction:

• "Special Forces" by Jim BRUSH (Action Force series)
• "The Top Ten Leaders that Changed the World"  by Anita GANERI

Diana Wynne Jones

The fourth in a series of posts about popular children's authors and their books.

Diana Wynne Jones was born in London in August 1934.  Her family moved around a lot, finally settling in rural England. Neglected by their parents, she and her sisters, Isobel and Ursula, lived in a shack away from the main house. They ran wild, washed seldom and grew very close. Diana and her sisters were deprived of a good, steady supply of books by their father, 'who could beat Scrooge in a meanness contest'. So, armed with a vivid imagination and an insatiable quest for good books to read, she decided that she would have to write them herself.  Her first book was published in 1970 and her first children's book Wilkin's Tooth was published in 1973. Since then she has written some 40 science fiction and fantasy books, and is one of Britain's most respected fantasy writers. Diana's most popular books are the Chrestomanci series: Charmed Life, The Magicians of Caprona, The Lives of Christopher Chant, Conrad's Fate, Mixed Magics and Stealer of Souls, which take place in a magical chain of different worlds. Her book Howl's Moving Castle was released as an animated movie in 2004.

Books by Diana Wynne Jones we have in our library: Wilkin's Tooth, Howl's Moving Castle, Castle in the Air, The Power of Three, Stealer of Souls, Conrad's Fate, The Magicians of Caprona, The Game, The Merlin Conspiracy.

Upper Hutt Library currently holds copies of about 20 books written by Diana Wynne Jones, also a copy of the animated DVD of  Howl's Moving Castle.

The above information about Diana Wynne Jones was adapted from here and here, you can also find more information about Diana and her books here.

On the New Books Display this week

Picture Book:

• "Atchoo! The Complete Guide to Good Manners" by Mij KELLY
• "Quaky Cat" by Diana NOONAN (Proceeds from the sale of this book are donated towards the Christchurch Earthquake recovery - see here for more information)

Mature Picture Book:

• "Lest We Forget" by Feana TU'AKOI

  Fiction:

• "The Hatchling" by Kathryn LASKY (Guardians of Ga'Hoole series)
• "The Peculiar Pumpkin Thief" by Geronimo Stilton (Geronimo Stilton series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Conspiracy 365 - November" by Gabrielle LORD (Conspiracy 365 series)

Non-Fiction:

• "Inside Sport : Rugby" by Clive GIFFORD
  
• "Leprechaun Ice Cream - Magical Tales by Kiwi Kids"

Happy St.Patrick's Day

ST PATRICK´S DAY on PhotoPeach



I found a link to this video at a blog by  Ian McLean - here.

Asterix

One in a series of posts about children's classic books available for borrowing from our school library.

The Asterix books are a popular series of comic books which follow the exploits of a village of ancient Gauls as they resist Roman occupation.  Asterix, along with his friend Obelix have many adventures, some in and around their village but other stories see them traveling to various countries around the world.

Asterix,  written by  Rene Goscinny and illustrated by Albert Uderzo, began as a comic strip in the first issue of the french magazine Pilote in 1959.  The first Asterix book Asterix the Gaul was published in 1961, followed by one or two books each year until 1976.  In 1977 Rene Goscinny died suddenly and from then on Albert Uderzo continued the adventures of Asterix alone.  Currently there are 34 Asterix books (you can see them all here) the last was published in 2009 to celebrate Asterix and Obelix's 50th Birthday.   

We have a number of Asterix titles available for borrowing in the Mature Picture books, also a compendium with three stories in the Fiction section.  Upper Hutt Public Library has many Asterix books available in the Comics section, and a movie in the Children's DVD section.

You can find out more about Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo here.

The above information has been adapted from here and here.

On the New Books Display this week

Picture Book:

• "Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam" by Juliette MacIVER
• "It's a Book" by Lane SMITH

Fiction:

• "Dear Hound" by Jill MURPHY
• "Zac Power : Poison Island" by H. I. LARRY (Zac Power series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Angel Cake" by Cathy CASSIDY
• "Artemis Fowl" by Eion COLFER  (Artemis Fowl series)

Non Fiction:

• "How Maui Slowed the Sun" by Peter GOSSAGE
• "Scholastic Book of World Records 2010" by Jenifer MORSE

New Zealand Book Month 2011

From the 1st to the 31st of March New Zealand Book Month celebrates books and reading and encourages all Kiwis, young and old, to get involved.  This year as part of  Book Month, four million $5.00 book vouchers are being distributed all over New Zealand - you should have received one each to take home from school last week.

The vouchers are only valid until the end of March 2011 so remember to use yours before then.

Take a look at the display of books by New Zealand authors in the library.

You can find a list of favourite children's books on the New Zealand Book Month website here,  you can also find more information about New Zealand Book Month here.

Upper Hutt Public Library has special New Zealand Book Month events planned - see the details here.

On the New Books Display this week

Picture Book:

• "Zog" by Julia DONALDSON
• "Daisy's Maze" by Kyle MEWBURN

Fiction:

• "Shine" by Kate MARYON
• "The Mysterious Howling" by Maryrose WOOD (The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series)
• "Singing Sensation" by Geronimo STILTON (Geronimo Stilton series) 

Senior Fiction:

• "In the Shadow of the Palace" by Judith SIMPSON (Princess of Pushkar series)

Non Fiction:

• "Armed Services" by Jim BRUSH (Action Force series)
• "101 Spooky Halloween Jokes" by Melvin BERGER

Most Popular in 2010

The most popular books in St Brendan's School Library in 2010 were:

1st     Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

2nd    Geronimo Stilton series by Geronimo Stilton

3rd    The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith

4th=   Sleep-overs by Jacqueline Wilson and
         Thea Stilton series by Thea Stilton

5th    The Blind Fairy by Brigitte Schar  

6th=   Freak Street series by Knife & Packer and 
         Guinness World Records 2006

7th=   Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! by Kyle Mewburn and

         The Little Mermaid adapted by Michael
         Teitlebaum and Upstart magazine

8th=   Aladdin adapted by Karen Kreider;
         Alice the Fairy by David Shannon; 
         Captain Crabclaw’s Crew by Frances Watts;  Cookie by Jacqueline Wilson;

         Creep Street by John Marsden;  Dear Miss by Amy Husband;

         Litterbug Doug by Ellie Bethel;  Little Pip and the Rainbow Wish 
         by Elizabeth Baguley;  Milo and the Mysterious Island by Marcus Pfister; 
         Pearlie and Sapphire by Wendy Harmer;  The Maze Of Bones by Rick Riordan
        (39 Clues series); The Woeful Second World War (Horrible Histories series); 
        The Worlds Funniest School Jokes;  Tyrannosaurus Drip by Julia Donaldson;

        Zac Power series by H I Larry

If you have any questions about these books, leave me a comment (see below) or come and visit me in the library - usually open at lunchtimes Monday-Thursday.

On the New Books Display this week

Picture Book:

• "Little Red and the Cunning Kuri" by Chris GURNEY
• "Reach for the Stars" by Serge BLOCH

Fiction:

• "Wizard of Rondo" by Emily RHODDA (Rondo series)
• "On the Ball" by Suzannah McFARLANE (EJ12 series)
• "A Crack in the Sky" by Kyle MEWBURN 

Senior Fiction:

• "Phoenix Files - Arrival" by Chris MORPHEW (Phoenix Files series)

Non Fiction:

• "Top 10 Scientific Discoveries that Changed the World" by Chris OXLADE
• "Blast! Pat Hanly the Painter and his Protests" by Trish GRIBBEN