Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays

This picture is from HERE

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

End of Year 2014 - Update

(Updated every day or so until 18 December 2014)

Wow your overdue books are coming back to the library even quicker than last year! Congratulations to Room 6A, who were the first class with all student library books returned and also to Room 1, who were the second. Well done.

The library stocktake is now almost complete. We again have a number of books that are missing - they are not in the library and they are not on issue. We'd love to have these books back again, so if you find any hiding behind shelves or under the furniture, at school or at home, please hurry them along back to the library before the holidays.

End of Year Reminder 2014

This image is from HERE.

Lost Library Book - Cartoon

Peanuts comic, Charlie Brown, Charles Schulz  (This image from HERE)

Getting Ready for End of Year 2014

Image from My Cute Graphics

The Christmas School Holidays are not far away now, but before they arrive there are some important tasks to get done. In the library we are preparing for our annual end of year stocktake.
All library books are due back before this Friday, 5th December. You can help out by returning all your library books to the library "As Soon As Possible" and before the end of this week please. I wonder if it will be your class that's first to return all their library books this year?

If you find any other school books

such as journals, junior reading books

and class books lying around at home

 please return these to school too.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Competitions - and the Winners are...

Image from HERE

CONGRATULATIONS TO...

Nathaniel, Room 4

Kaitlin, Room 10

Maxx, Room 10

Bella S, Room 10

James F, Room 8

Charlie, Room 8

Libby, Room 6B

Who all received prize packs today (a book & Diary of a Wimpy Kid badges, bookmarks, stickers and/or pens) for their entries in the two Diary of a Wimpy Kid competitions which ran in our library recently. Well done to all of you and thanks for taking part in the competitions.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "How Santa Really Works" by Alan SNOW
• "Mr. Men : A Christmas Carol" by Adam & Roger HARGREAVES
• "The Nativity"  Illustrated by Julie VIVAS
• "The Santa Trap"   by Jonathan EMMETT; illustrated by Poly BERNATENE

Fiction Book:

• "Magic Reindeer : A Christmas Wish" by Sue BENTLEY (Magic Reindeer series)
• "Little Chef, Big Curse" by Tilney COTTON

Senior Fiction

• "The Screaming Staircase" by Jonathan STROUD (Lockwood & Co series)

 Non-Fiction:

• "Tongan For Kids" by Jahri JAH JAH
• "The Curioseum : Collected Stories of the Odd and Marvellous" edited by Adrienne JANSEN

Any Books Under Your Bed?

Image from HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Little Miss Christmas" by Roger & Adam HARGREAVES
• "Mr. Christmas" by Roger HARGREAVES
• "I Am Not A Worm!" by Scott TULLOCH

Fiction Book:

• "Diary of a Wimpy Kid : The Long Haul" by Jeff KINNEY (Diary of a Wimpy Kid series)
• "Warriors: Tigerstar & Sasha - Escape from the Forest" by Erin HUNTER & Dan JOLLEY (Warriors - Graphic Novel series)

Senior Fiction

• "Just a Dog" by Michael Gerard BAUER
• "Against the Spin" by Michael PANKRIDGE (The Legends series)

 Non-Fiction:

• "Apes and Monkeys" by Barbra TAYLOR (Discover Science series)
• "Things to Make and Do For Christmas" by Fiona WATT (Usborne Activities series)

Coming Soon ... More Books to Film

Paddington - due in cinemas just before the end of term 4, and the summer holidays.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day - due in cinemas early December.




AND for the older readers ... and possibly much older viewers ...

Hunger Games : Mockingjay - Part 1 - due in cinemas this month, only a week to go!

The Hobbit - Battle of the Five Armies - due in cinemas mid December.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "How to Catch a Monster" by Christina BOLLENBACH
• "Hero of the Hill" by Joy COWLEY; illustrated by Philip WEBB

Fiction Book:

• "Don't Look Now - Book 1" by Paul JENNINGS; illustrated by Andrew WELDON (Don't Look Now series)
• "Ava Anne Appleton : Accidental Adventurer" by Wendy HARMER (Ava Anne Appleton series)
• "The Surprise Attack of Jabba the Puppett" by Tom ANGLEBERGER (Origami Yoda series)

Senior Fiction

• "Feed" by M.J. HOWES

 Non-Fiction:

• "Fantastic Frogs" by Penelope ARLON (Scholastic Reader series)
• "Scooby-Doo! A to Z Ultimate Joke Book" by Howie DEWIN and others

Mrs Keane recommends ...

Picture Books:

A Bad Kitty Christmas by Nick Bruel

Henry's Map
by David Elliot

Seesaw Po
by Kyle Mewburn &
illustrated by Katz Cowley

Library Lion
by Michelle Knudsen & illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "That's Mine" by Michel Van ZEVEREN
• "Oku Tae Maori = My Maori Colours" by Tracey DUNCAN

Fiction Book:

• "Dragon Boogie" by Erik CRADDOCK (Stone Rabbit series)
• "Cosmic" by Frank Cottrell BOYCE
• "Spooky House" by Sally RIPPIN (Billie B Mystery series)

Senior Fiction

• "The Year of Big Dreams" by Karen McCOMBIE

 Non-Fiction:

• "Nana, Poppa and Tetchy Tui" by Ann SERGEANT
• "Nana's and Poppa's Bucket List" by Ann SERGEANT

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Competitions

Image from HERE

From Monday we'll have two Diary of a Wimpy Kid competitions running in the library.

1. Design a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book cover
2. Diary of a Wimpy Kid Trivia Quiz

The competitions will run until the end of morning tea on Friday, 14th 21st  November. 

Entry forms & competition details available in the library.

Please make sure you put your name and room number on your form(s) and give them to Mrs Keane no later than the end of morning tea break on Friday, 14th 21st November 2014.

PRIZES to be won!

Please note: These competitions are open to students of  St Brendan's School (Heretaunga) only.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "The Tiger who was Angry" by Rachel ELLIOT; illustrated by John BENDALL-BRUNELLO

Fiction Book:

• "Double Trouble : Prank Alert" by Fiona REGAN (Double Trouble series)
• "Double Trouble : Midnight Mayhem" by Fiona REGAN (Double Trouble series)
• "Undead Pets : Goldfish from Beyond the Grave" by Sam HAY (Undead Pets series)
• "Emily Feather and the Enchanted Door" by Holly WEBB (Emily Feather series)

Senior Fiction

• "Monkey Boy" by Donovan BIXLEY

 Non-Fiction:

• "Titanic : Disaster at Sea" by Sean CALLERY (Scholastic Reader series)
• "Reptiles" by Belinda WEBER (Discover Science series)

Browsing Book:

• "Mind-Boggling Lateral Thinking Puzzles" Lucy Dear (editor)

Coming Soon ... Diary of a Wimpy Kid Lunchtime Activities

Image via www.penguin.co.nz

The latest in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, The Long Haul, is due out in bookstores on Wednesday, 5th November 2014. 

To help you all prepare for this new addition to the series we'll have Diary of a Wimpy Kid activities in the library at lunchtime on Thursday, 30th October and Tuesday, 4th November. 

Come along and join in the fun!

We'll also be running a competition, or maybe two - check the blog again next week for details.

On the New Books Display this Week

Junior Browsing Book:

• "The Usborne Big Book of Big Trains" by Megan CULLIS

Fiction Book:

• "EJ Spy School : The Test" by Susannah McFARLANE (EJ12 Spy School series)
• "EJ Spy School : The Race" by Susannah McFARLANE (EJ12 Spy School series)
• "The Extincts" by Veronica COSSANTELI
• "Night of the Living Dust Bunnies " by Erik CRADDOCK  (Stone Rabbit series)

Senior Fiction

• "The Earthsea Quartet" by Ursula LE GUIN

 Non-Fiction:

• "Flight of the Honey Bee" by Raymond HUBER; illustrated by Brian LOVELOCK
• "Ponies" by Laura MARSH (National Geographic KIDS series)
• "Vile Victorians" by Terry DEARY (Horrible Histories series)

Reading is Important

Image from HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Dangerous!" by Tim WARNES
• "The Lamb who came for Dinner" by Steve SMALLMAN; illustrated by Joelle DREIDEMY

Fiction Book:

• "The Monster Story-Teller" by Jacqueline WILSON; illustrated by Nick SHARRATT
• "Strawberry Thief" by Sally RIPPIN (Billie B Mysteries series)
• "Undead Pets : Night of the Howling Hound " by Sam HAY (Undead Pets series)

Senior Fiction

• "Dizzy" by Cathy CASSIDY

 Non-Fiction:

• "Minecraft : Construction Handbook" by Matthew NEEDLER & others (Minecraft Handbook series)
• "Minecraft : Combat Handbook" by Stephanie MILTON & others (Minecraft Handbook series)

Jennifer Lawrence reading Harry Potter

I found this image HERE

Mrs Keane recommends ...

Senior Fiction:

City of Bones (Mortal Instruments series) by Cassandra Clare 

(Horror/Fantasy/Supernatural):

Clary witnesses a murder at the all-ages nightclub Pandemonium. The perpetrators seem invisible to everyone else and the body vanishes into thin air. She has witnessed a clash between ancient enemies, between a demon and Shadowhunters, and now her life will never be the same.

Tomorrow When the War Began (Tomorrow series) by John Marsden 

(War/Survival):

Ellie and her friends head off for a week camping in the Australian bush, none of them suspecting that when they return their homes will be empty and their families imprisoned by hostile invaders. They have three choices: surrender, run back into the wilderness and hide or fight to save their families and their way of life.

Claws by Mike & Rachel Grinti (Fantasy):

Emma's sister is lost to the fairies, her parents have spent all their money following any lead to find her. Now forced to live in the least desirable part of town, her parents still desperate to find her sister, Emma meets Jack, a down on his luck cat who says he knows exactly how Emma can find her sister and reunite her family.

Freedom Merchants by Sherryl Jordan (Historical/Adventure):

Liam lives in a small Irish village. It's 1615 and like many coastal villages of the time they live in fear of slave raids by Barbary Coast pirates. When his brother is taken in a raid Liam hopes that with the help of local monks they can bargain for the return of the villagers. But first they must cross the treacherous, pirate infested waters before they can begin their search.

Maleficent Seven (Skulduggery Pleasant spin-off) by Derek Landy 

(Fantasy/Action/Horror):

Not for the faint hearted this is Tanith Low at her best, and worst! Tanith is desperate for Darquesse to win the coming battle and bring an end to the world. With a hand picked team she sets out to collect the four God-killer weapons together and aid her cause, but she doesn't have it all her own way as another team, the good guys, are out to find them first.

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Bidibidi" by Gavin BISHOP
• "Jewels for a Princess" by Ruth HOMBERG

Fiction Book:

• "Eric Vale, Super Male" by Michael Gerard BAUER
• "Pony Stories" by Jan ASTLEY and others
• "Warriors : Warriors Return" by Erin HUNTER, Dan JOLLY; illustrated by James L. BARRY (Warriors - Graphic Novel series)

Senior Fiction

• "Sorrowline" by Niel BUSHNELL  (Timesmith Chronicles series)

 Non-Fiction:

• "The Life Cycle of the Frog" by Betty BROWNLIE
• "My Little Book of Space" by Peter GREGO

Library Cake

Image from HERE

It seems like such a shame to ruin this wonderful cake by cutting into it!

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Tortoise and the Hair" by P. CRUMBLE; illustrated by Louis SHEA
• "Pig the Pug" by Aaron BLABEY

Fiction Book:

• "The Princess and the Foal" by Stacey GREGG
• "The Journey Through Time" by Geronimo STILTON (Geronimo Stilton series)
• "Claws of the Crocodile" by Bear GRYLLS (Mission Survival series)

Senior Fiction

• "H.I.V.E. Dreadnought" by Mark WALDEN (H.I.V.E. series)

 Non-Fiction:

• "The Rat and the Octopus" by Jill MACGREGOR (Children of the Pacific series)
• "The Solar System" by Charles HOPE (Going Supernova series)

Roald Dahl Day 2014

Happy Roald Dahl Day

Here's a short video where you can to take a look behind the scenes on how the Penguin Roald Dahl audio books were made.



You can find out more about Roald Dahl on the Roald Dahl Day 2013 blog post

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Princess Hearts" by Jennifer Liberts WEINBERG; illustrated by Francesco LEGRAMANDI
• "Footsteps Through the Fog" by Margaret MAHY; illustrated by Gavin BISHOP

Fiction Book:

• "Astronaut Academy : Re-Entry" by Dave ROMAN (Astronaut Academy series)
• "Warriors : The Rise of Scourge" by Erin HUNTER & Dan JOLLY (Warriors - Graphic Novel series)
• "When Did You See Her Last?" by Lemony SNICKET (All the Wrong Questions series)

Senior Fiction

• "Naveed" by John HEFFERNAN (Through My Eyes series)

 Non-Fiction:

• "Minecraft : Beginner's Handbook" by Stephanie MILTON, Paul SOARES & Jordan MARON (Minecraft Handbook series)
• "Minecraft : Redstone Handbook" by Nick FARWELL (Minecraft Handbook series)

My Friend Lucy - 365 Picture Books

A picture book a day for a year. If you, or someone you know, likes picture books this is a great place for you to visit. New books and old favourites you can find them at My Friend Lucy HERE.

Visit MyFriendLucy HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "The Classic Tales of Brer Rabbit" collected by Joel Chandler HARRIS; illustrated by Don DAILY
• "Herbert : The Brave Sea Dog" by Robyn BELTON

Fiction Book:

• "Demon Dentist" by David WALLIAMS
• "Freak Street : Meet the Piratesons" by KNIFE & PACKER (Freak Street series)
• "Rebecca and the Queen of Nations" by Deborah BURNSIDE (New Zealand Girl series)
• "Hene and the Burning Harbour" by Paula MORRIS (New Zealand Girl series)

Senior Fiction

• "Canterbury Quake : Christchurch, 2010-11" by Desna WALLACE (My New Zealand Story series)
• "Harbour Bridge : Auckland, 1958-59" by Phillippa WERRY (My New Zealand Story series)

 Non-Fiction:

• "How Dinosaurs Really Work!" by Alan SNOW

Derek Landy is coming to New Zealand - Again!

Fans of Derek Landy and Skulduggery Pleasant will be pleased to hear that Derek is coming back to New Zealand later this year. Those in the Wellington region have the chance to see him on Friday, 3rd October at 5.30pm at Scots College. Tickets cost $10 per child/adult or $33 for a copy of The Dying of the Light + a ticket. 

All profits to Save the Children.

To book contact:
The Children's Bookshop
Shop 26 Kilbirnie Plaza
Kilbirnie
Wellington
Ph: 04 387 3905
email: books@thechildrensbookshop.co.nz

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Happy Birthday, Princess" by Jennifer Liberts WEINBERG
• "Trains" by Catherine FOREMAN

Fiction Book:

• "Gobbolino the Witch's Cat" by Ursula Moray WILLIAMS
• "Queen of the Universe" by Libby GLEESON (SOLO series)
• "The Secret of the Fairies" by Thea STILTON (Thea Stilton series)
• "Superhero Stampede" by Erik CRADDOCK (Stone Rabbit series)

Senior Fiction

• "Amazing Agent Jennifer - Omnibus" by Nunzio DeFILIPPIS & Christina WEIR; illustrated by Kriss SISON

Non-fiction:

• "The Kingfisher Football Encyclopedia" by Clive GIFFORD

Storylines Free Family Days 2014

Do you need something fun and free to do this weekend?

When:       Sunday, 24 August, 10am-3pm 

Where:      Michael Fowler Centre, Wellington.

For more information about the Wellington Family Day see HERE

For information about Family Day's in other parts of the country see HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "All the Dear Little Animals" by        Ulf NILSSON; illustrated by          Eva ERIKSSON
• "Horton Hatches the Egg" by           Dr Seuss

Fiction Book:

• "Playground Detectives" by Sally RIPPIN (Billie B Mystery series)
• "The Trouble with Chickens" by Doreen CRONIN (JJ Tully Mystery series)
• "Undead Pets : Revenge of the Phantom Furball" by Sam HAY (Undead Pets series)
• "Zac's Space Race" by H.I. LARRY (Zac Power Test Drive series)
• "Zac's High Dive" by H.I. LARRY (Zac Power Test Drive series)

Senior Fiction

• "City of Bones" by Cassandra CLARE (Mortal Instruments series)

Non-fiction:

• "I am a Doctor" by Deborah CHANCELLOR (Caring For Us series)

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "The Cat in the Hat comes Back"             by Dr SEUSS
• "Big Blue Train" by Julia JARMAN; illustrated by Adrian REYNOLDS

Fiction Book:

• "Stories of Giants" by Christopher RAWSON
• "Blood Ties" by Garth NIX & Sean WILLIAMS (Spirit Animals series)
• "B C Mambo" by Erik CRADDOCK (Stone Rabbit series)

Senior Fiction

• "The House of Hades" by Rick RIORDAN (Heroes of Olympus series)

Non-fiction:

• "Cool City" by Sean KENNEY
• "Magnets" by Steve PARKER

Book Fair 2014 - Update

St Brendan's Book Fair is over again for another year. A BIG Thank You to everyone who came along and supported our major library "fundraiser". It was one of our most successful Book Fairs with the value of sales this year earning us 36 free new books for our library collection. A BIG Thank you also to the families who purchased a "Red Dot" book for donation to the library - keep a look out for them in the library later this term, they'll all have special Book Fair 2014 Donation book plates inside!

For everyone waiting on book orders from the Scholastic Book Fair warehouse, unfortunately these didn't arrive today as hoped. Fingers crossed that they will all be on their way home with you after school tomorrow.

Book Fair 2014

St Brendan's Book Fair will be open before and after school next week.
It will also be open late during Student Conferences on Monday and Tuesday.  

       Opening Hours:
        Mon 28th July     2.40pm-8.00pm(approx.)
        Tues 29th July    8.40am-9.15am
                         and    2.40pm-5.00pm(approx.)
        Wed 30th July    8.40am-9.15am
                         and    2.40pm-3.15pm
        Thur 31st July    8.40am-9.15am
                         and    2.40pm-3.15pm
        Fri 1st August    8.40am-9.15am

        Hope to see you there.

Look out for the Book Fair brochure coming home soon. It showcases just a few of the hundreds of books on display and available for purchase in the library - next week only. 

Remember all purchases from the Book Fair help to earn free books for our school library.

Quiz - Fairies in Fiction

Photograph: Moviestore/REX ; via The Guardian.com HERE

So you like stories about fairies and you think you know quite a lot about them.....then take the 'Fairies in Fiction' Quiz set by Michelle Harrison for The Guardian HERE, and find out if you really do know as much about fairies as you think you do?

Book Benches & Quiz

Fifty Book Benches have been scattered around London in the United Kingdom in a project by the National Literary Trust to celebrate London's literary heritage and encourage reading. 

"The 50 benches are dedicated to books, characters and authors: from Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Hercules Poirot to Peter Pan, The Gruffalo and Paddington Bear. " The Guardian.com

The many 'Things' of Dr Seuss, as painted by Sarah Jane Richards.
Photograph: Chris O’Donovan for the National Literacy Trust’Image via The Guardian.com HERE

Take the QUIZ and see if you can name the books that 10 of the Book Benches are dedicated to HERE.

The benches will be on display until mid September, then they will be auctioned in early October to raise funds for the National Literary Trust.

Make sure you take the QUIZ BEFORE you have a look at the list of all 50 Book Benches HERE. They truly are amazing!

Source: The Guardian.com HERE

Coming Soon .... Book Fair 2014

Where: In the Library

When: Opens Week 2, Term 3

St Brendan's Book Fair 2014 will open after school on Monday, 28th July and be open before and after school until the morning of Friday, 1st August. Check back here early next term for more information about Book Fair opening hours. 

This short video below is from the United Kingdom in early 2013, so the advertised books and prices will differ, but the message is the same :)

All purchases from the Book Fair help to earn free books for our school library.

NZ Post Children's Book Awards 2014 - Winners

Picture Book Winner & 

Margaret Mahy Book of the Year

The Boring Book by Vasanti Unka

Junior Fiction Winner:

Dunger by Joy Cowley

Non-fiction Winner:

The Beginners Guide to Hunting 
and Fishing in New Zealand
by Paul Adamson

Children's Choice Winner:

The Three Bears ... Sort Of 
by Yvonne Morrison &
Donovan Bixley

The Young Adult Fiction winner  is:
Mortal Fire by Elizabeth Knox.

You can see all the winners HERE.

Images via Booksellers NZ

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Dirty Bertie" by David ROBERTS
• "Dr Seuss' A B C" by Dr SEUSS

Fiction Book:

• "Undead Pets : Return of the Hungry Hamster" by Sam HAY (Undead Pets series)
• "Code Breakers" by Sally RIPPIN (A Billie B Mystery)

Senior Fiction

• "The City of Ember - Graphic Novel" by Jeanne DuPRAU; adapted by Dallas MIDDAUGH; illustrated by Niklas ASKER
• "Lost in Babylon" by Peter LERANGIS (Seven Wonders series)

Non-fiction:

• "Koalas : The Real Story" by Dr Mark NORMAN (OZ Animals series)
• "Terrible Trenches" by Terry DEARY; Illustrated by Martin BROWN (Horrible Histories series)

Harry Potter, Hermione and Reading

I found this image at Kerikeri Covertocover blog HERE

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "The Best Mistake Ever! and other stories" by Richard SCARRY
• "Terrific Trains" by Tony MITTON; illustrated by Ant PARKER

Fiction Book:

• "Zac's Double Dare" by H.I. LARRY (Zac Power - Test Drive series)
• "Zac's Quicksand" by H.I. LARRY (Zac Power - Test Drive series)
• "The Worst Witch All at Sea" by Jill MURPHY (Worst Witch series)
• "The 26-Storey Treehouse" by Andy GRIFFITHS (Treehouse series)

Senior Fiction

• "H.I.V.E. : Escape Velocity" by Mark WALDEN (H.I.V.E. series)

Non-fiction:

• "Juggling for the Complete Klutz" by John CASSIDY & B.C. RIMBEAUX
• "Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm" by Nicola BAXTER; illustrated by Cathie SHUTTLEWORTH

Happy Birthday

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

Image from ClipArtQueen.com HERE

Quiz Titles Coming Soon

Last month the St Brendan's Yr 8 quiz team won a $50 book voucher as 3rd prize in the Upper Hutt Library 2014 NZ Post Children's and Young Adults Book Awards Quiz. You can see my earlier blog post about the quiz here. With help from the team members I've chosen three new books for the library: The 26-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths; Lost in Babylon from the Seven Wonders series by Peter Lerangis & The House of Hades from the Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan. 

Keep an eye out for them on the New Books Display in the library soon. 

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:

• "Fix That Truck!" by Michael Anthony STEELE (LEGO City series)
• "A Year On Our Farm" by Penny MATTHEWS; illustrated by Andrew McLEAN

Fiction Book:

• "Judy Moody The Doctor Is In!" by Megan McDONALD (Judy Moody series)
• "It's All Good (In Your Dreams)" by Karen McCOMBIE (Sadie Rocks series)
• "Fantastic Mr Fox" by Roald DAHL

Senior Fiction:

• "The Spooks Destiny" by Joseph DELANEY (Wardstone Chronicles series)

Non-fiction:

• "My Bones" by Sally HEWITT (My Body series)
• "Happy to be Me! : A Kid's Book About Self-Esteem" by Christine ADAMS & Robert BUTCH (Elf-Help Books for Kids series)