The Famous Five

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

The Famous Five is one of several popular series of books written by Enid Blyton. There are 21 original Famous Five books which were written between 1942 and 1963. The books are about the many adventures of four children; Julian, Dick, Anne and Georgina (known as George) and their dog Timmy.

"Armed with maps, torches, packets of sandwiches and a plentiful supply of ginger-beer, Julian, Dick, Anne, their tomboy cousin George (Georgina by rights) and Timmy the dog like nothing better than to spend their holidays hiking and biking, camping and exploring by themselves, invariably falling into adventure."

This year is the 70th Anniversary of the Famous Five books and to help celebrate the publishers, Hodder Children's Books, asked five famous illustrators to design new covers for the first five books in the series.

Image from LibraryMice.com HERE

Currently we have 2 books from the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton in the Fiction section of our library. Next term look out for the other three 70th Anniversary Edition titles on the New Books display to add to our collection.

Upper Hutt Library currently holds copies of about 20 Famous Five books by Enid Blyton as well as 2 audio books.

The above information about the Famous Five was adapted from here and here.  If you'd like to find out more about Enid Blyton and her books you can find more here.

Coming Next Term ...

There are no books on the New Books Display this week, but here is a sneak peek of some books to keep a look out for next term:

Some Goosebumps, Horrible Histories and a few more children's classic titles

The last and latest in the Inheritance Cycle by Christopher Paolini

A book about Origami Yoda, and also one about Bear Grylls

And still more from Billie B Brown, Geronimo Stilton and friends and also the My Story series

Hope you have a fun, sunny time over the holidays - see you back at school next term.

P.S. Don't forget to return your overdue books before the end of the week!

Tolkien Week

This week is Tolkien Week.

First celebrated in 1978 by the American Tolkien Society, and observed every year over the week containing 22nd September - known as Hobbit Day.  Why 22nd September?  Because it's the birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins of course!  This year is even more significant it being the 75th Anniversary of the publication of "The Hobbit" by J R R Tolkien. 
Sir Peter Jackson has joined in Tolkien Week this year by releasing a new trailer for the first Hobbit movie due to be released at the end of this year.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "The Pocket Dogs go on Holiday" by Margaret WILD illustrated by Stephen Michael KING
• "Legends of Bikini Bottom" (Spongebob Squarepants series)

Fiction:

• "Dragonbreath : Lair of the Bat Monster" by Ursula VERNON (Dragonbreath series)
• "Five on a Treasure Island" by Enid BLYTON (Famous Five series)
• "Five go off in a Caravan" by Enid BLYTON (Famous Five series)
• "Butterfly Meadow : Mallow's Top Team" by Olivia MOSS (Butterfly Meadow series)

Non-Fiction:

• "The Lego Ideas Book : You Can Build Anything" by Daniel LIPKOWITZ
• "The Small Blacks Annual 2011" by Peter HAROLD

A Magical Location!

It's hard to believe this place really exists. 
It looks like it could be a fictional location from a fantasy novel or fairy tale!


You can find out more about this picture HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Red Plane to the Rescue" by Melissa FIRTH illustrated by Cheryl ORSINI
• "There was an Old Lady who Swallowed Fly Guy" by Tedd ARNOLD

Fiction:

• "Dragonbreath : Attack of the Ninja Frogs" by Ursula VERNON (Dragonbreath series)
• "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson BURNETT
• "Me! (Just Like You Only Better)" by Jim BENTON (Dear Dumb Diary series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Toby Alone" by Timothee de FOMBELLE 
• "The Vitality Code" by Michael OEHLEY 

Non-Fiction:

• "Unravelling the History of Mummies Around the World" by Sylvia BRANZEI

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "My Mum Has X-Ray Vision" by Angela McALLISTER illustrated by Alex T. SMITH
• "Kiwi Mum's" by Yvonne MORRISON illustrated by Ross KINNAIRD

Fiction:

• "Battle of the Mutants : Terraserpix" by Mac PARK (Boy vs Beast series)
• "The Sword in the Stone" by               T.H. WHITE
• "Okay, So Maybe I Do Have Superpowers" by Jim BENTON (Dear Dumb Diary series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Skulduggery Pleasant : Kingdom of the Wicked" by Derek LANDY (Skulduggery Pleasant series)

Non-Fiction:

• "The Story of the All Blacks : Originals & Invincibles" by Kevin BOON
• "The Story of the All Blacks : Lions, Wallabies & Springboks" by Kevin BOON

Father's Day

A video post especially for Father's Day.