Upper Hutt Library Quiz 2013

Last Wednesday two teams of Year 7 & 8 students competed at the Upper Hutt Library NZ Post Children's Book Awards Quiz.  Our Teams were:

St Brendan's A - Mitchell, Lachlan, Jed & Josh and

St Brendan's B - Thomas, Tre, Alex & Andriel

They competed against teams of Yr7-8 and Yr9-10 students from other local intermediate and secondary schools hoping to finish in the top three and win book vouchers for the school. Questions once again covered a range of topics - this year including brainteasers, national flags, NZ town icons, books and general knowledge. You could get an idea of how the teams were going by comparing the number of cheers versus the number of groans there were as the answers to a round of questions were read out!  While our teams didn't make the major placings they acquitted themselves well and enjoyed the experience and both earned $10 book vouchers for the school.  Well done teams!

Picking up tips from Quiz Master Danny.

Teachers and librarians attending with the teams also took part in the quiz and our team - which included Miss McCombs & myself from St Brendan's as well as others from Heretaunga College, Upper Hutt College, Fergusson Intermediate and Upper Valley Middle School - once again finished ahead of the team of librarians from Upper Hutt Library. (I'm sure it made no difference at all that we had more team members!)

NZ Post Children's Book Awards 2013 - Winners

Picture Book Winner:

Mister Whistler by Margaret Mahy &
Gavin Bishop

Junior Fiction Winner:

My Brother's War
by David Hill

Non-fiction Winner:

100 Amazing Tales from Aotearoa
by Simon Morton & Riria Hotere

Children's Choice Winner:

Melu by Kyle Mewburn,
Ali Teo & John O'Reilly

The Young Adult Fiction winner and NZ Post Margaret Mahy Book of the Year is:  Into the River by Ted Dawe.

Images via Booksellers NZ

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Zou and the Box of Kisses" by Michel GAY

Mature Picture Book:

• "The Hobbit - Graphic Novel" by J.R.R. TOLKIEN and others

Fiction:

• "Paws, Claws and Frilly Draws" by Sarah HORNE (Molly & Mimi series)
• "Ghost Pirate Treasure" by Geronimo STILTON (Geronimo Stilton series)
• "Run for the Hills, Geronimo" by Geronimo STILTON (Geronimo Stilton series)
• "Bad Kitty Meets the Baby" by Nick BRUEL (Bad Kitty series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Artemis Fowl - Graphic Novel" by Eion COLFER and others (Artemis Fowl series)

Non-fiction:

• "Mini Beasts" by Anita GANERI (Kingfisher Readers series)
• "Titanic" by Simon ADAMS (DK Eyewitness series)

NZ Post Children's Book Awards 2013 - Finalists Visit

Image via Booksellers NZ

On Tuesday St Brendan's year 6 students were treated to a visit by author Gillian Candler and illustrator Ned Barraud as part of the NZ Post Children's Book Awards festival activities. Their book, At the Beach : Explore & Discover the New Zealand Seashore is a finalist in the Non-fiction section of this years awards. Gillian explained about how she came up with the idea for the book and some of the steps they took to decide which animals and plants to include, and which to leave out. Ned showed us one of his original drawings and we saw how and heard about why it changed to the illustration that finally appeared in the book. The students asked some great questions and really enjoyed the visit. We wish Gillian and Ned luck for the NZ Post Children's Book Awards ceremony next week.

Photo by Mrs Lilley

Thanks to Danny at Upper Hutt Library for organizing this visit.

St Brendan's Book Day 2013

WOW! I can't believe it's a whole week since Book Day. 

Friday, 14th June saw St Brendan's invaded by Book & Movie Characters. We had Hungry Caterpillars, Wallys, Witches, Skulduggerys, Skeletons, Zombies, Harry Potters, Three Little Pigs, Ballerinas, a Lion (from in the Meadow), A Cat in the Hat or two, Things 1 to 4, Red Riding Hood, Pippi Long Stocking, a Clown, a Gruffalo, Darth Vader and Gandalf to name just a few.

To check out what went on and see some photos head on over to the Senior Syndicate blog HERE.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Percy by the Roadside" by Michelle OSMENT; Illustrated by SUNSET
• "Three by the Sea" by Mini GREY

Fiction:

• "The Avengers : Thor and Captain America" by Paul TOBIN
• "How to Seize an Dragon's Jewel" by Cressida COWELL (How to Train your Dragon series)
• "Billie B Brown : The Big Sister" by Sally RIPPIN (Billie B Brown series)
• "Billie B Brown : The Birthday Mix-up" by Sally RIPPIN (Billie B Brown series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief - Graphic Novel" by Rick RIORDAN (Percy Jackson and the Olympians series)

Non-fiction:

• "Kelea's Clothes" by Jill McGREGOR (Children of the Pacific series)
• "A Nest of Pigs" by Jill McGREGOR (Children of the Pacific series)

Happy Birthday

Hooray!  St Brendan's School Library Blog is THREE Years Old Today.

Image from ClipArtQueen HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "In the Lion" by James FOLEY
• "Splish, Splash, Splat!" by Rob SCOTTON

Fiction:

• "The Dragon Prophecy" by Geronimo STILTON (Geronimo Stilton series)
• "The Enormous Crocodile " by Roald DAHL
• "Who Could That Be At This Hour?" by Lemony SNICKET (All The Wrong Questions series)

Senior Fiction:

• "Vampirates : Demons of the Ocean" by Justin SOMPER (Vampirates series)

Non-fiction:

• "Fun to Draw Cool Robots " by Robert AINSWORTH
• "Ripley's Believe It Or Not : Special Edition 2013"

Little Free Libraries

This picture is from HERE.

The Little Free Library idea started in the United States a few years ago and has spread rapidly. Little Free libraries can now be found all over the United States and in other countries throughout the world. The idea is that if you take a book, you leave a book.

You can see pictures of other Little Free Libraries HERE and HERE. 

You can find out more about the Little Free Library idea HERE or visit the Little Free Library website.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Yuck! That's Not a Monster!" by Angela McALLISTER, illustrated by Alison EDGSON
• "Buzz & Poppy and the Talent Quest" by Jim MORA, illustrated by Brett CHAMBERS

Fiction:

• "The Dragonfly Pool" by Eva IBBOTSON
• "Freak Street : Meet the Supersons" by KNIFE & PACKER (Freak Street series)
• "Elephant Alert" by Jackie FRENCH (Animal Rescue series)
• "Gorilla Alert" by Jackie FRENCH (Animal Rescue series)

Senior Fiction:

• "The Enchanted Flute" by James NORCLIFFE

Non-fiction:

• "WOW! Science" by Clive GIFFORD (WOW! series)
• "The Junior Cook" Family Circle Step-by Step