Summer reading programme

This is the last posting on our library blog for the year 2010.

The summer reading programme entitled 'Don't monkey around' is based on an animal/ jungle theme and is aimed at 5 to 12 year olds. Registration opens on Monday 13th December 2010. Come and collect some information and enrol your children on a fun reading programme filled with activities.

The staff at Matamata Public Library wish all our patrons a happy and joyful christmas and we look forward to re-connecting via the blog in 2011.

The white woman on the green bicycle by Monique Roffey

Monique Roffey was born in Trinidad in the 1960’s and spent her first 13 year’s living in Portof Spain before moving to England. She has received most of her formal education from the UK and recently received a doctorate from Lancaster University, in creative writing. She has been a journalist, travelled the Middle East extensively, worked for Amnesty International and taught english. Monique describes herself as having unruly hair and being ‘curmudgeonly when not being impulsive.’ Her first novel ‘Sun dog’ was published in 2002.

The inspiration for her book originally came from her mother who in the 1950’s left the UK by boat with her green Raleigh bicycle and two suitcases for Trinidad. She told Monique how she used to cycle round wearing her shorts drawing attention to herself. People used to say: “Oh you are the woman on the green bicycle”. Monique took this idea and mixed it with the political history of Trinidad to produce a novel spanning a 50 year period. Events such as the rise in popularity of Eric Williams and the People’s National Movement [PNM], independence of Trinidad and Tobago and civil unrest in the 1970’s are woven into the plot. The novel’s main themes are colonialism, love, hate, resentment and anger.
The two protagonists, George and Sabine, arrive in Trinidad on a three year working contract at a time the country is going through change. Sabine hates the place whilst George loves it. Sabine adapts to life in Trinidad but at a cost to their relationship. Whilst I found I was not completely absorbed by the characters the novel did leave me with a sense of sadness and wondering about life.

Discover poetry

Underneath the abject willow,
Lover, sulk no more;
Act from though should quickly follow:
What is thinking for?
Your unique and moping station
Proves you cold;
Stand up and fold your map of desolation.


Bells that toll across the meadows
From the sombre spire,
Toll for those unloving shadows
Love does not require.
All that lives may love; why longer
Bow to loss
With warm arms across?
Strike and you shall conquer.


Geese in flocks above you flying
Their direction know:
Brooks beneath the thin ice flowing
To their oceans go;
Coldest love will warm to action,
Walk then, come,
No longer numb, Into your satisfaction.


March 1936.

Discover Auden.

Toddler Time

On Thursday we gave a big warm welcome to Hinuera and Te Poi play centres. It was fantastic to see so many bright, enthusiastic and cheery people.Children and adults came along dresed-up as either their favourite book character or animal. We had such a variety with the 'cat in the hat', princesses, jockey, pirates, a bunny, butterfly, miss Muffet and the Fat Controller.

Songs, stories and action rhymes reflected the theme and everyone had great fun.

Toddler Time sessions are held each week @ 11am on a Thursday for anyone wishing to come along. Reading is a fundamental skill which everyone must have, so why not start at an early age by coming along and help develop those life-time reading habits.

Elegy directed by Isabel Coixet

The word elegy means: a mournful poem or song, a lament for the dead. This is a beautiful art film based on the Pulitzer Prize-winner novel 'The dying animal' by Philip Roth. What starts out as desire, possession and lust turns into a most unlikely love story. A New York college professor who fills his time with art, music and literature becomes captivated by the beauty of a young college student. Not only is she physically beautiful but her heart and mind match. Elegy charts their intimate relationship and their transformation as people as their love develops, a love which is incapable of being erased. ' Beauty is what you see, love is what you don't see coming'.
Why the title? I think the end of the film explains this rather well.

Winnie the witch

The original author of Winnie the witch was Valerie Thomas, an Australian teacher who has travelled most of the world on a broomstick. She too has a black cat just like Wilbur. Korky Paul is the illustarator, born in Zimbabwe, studied fine arts and now lives in Oxford, England. Laura Owen is the present author of Winnie and has managed rather well to capture and maintain the humour started by Valerie 20 years ago.
'Winnie's Book Day' is a must read for all book and library lovers. It's funny and zany whilst promoting books. It is book week and the story teller is unable to turn-up at school.Winnie has been asked to read to the 'little extraordinaries' instead. Of course Winnie can not read but that does not stop her using books and her magic wand to entertain the little extraordinaries.
Abracadabra see what you will find.

October 2010

Hi there to our regular readers and to those who have just discovered us. For the regulars, you will have noticed that there were no entries for the month of September. It was a busy month. The APNK [ Aotearoa people's network] has now been installed in the library which means the public has free use of the internet and a wealth of educational data bases as well as access to a variety of programmes: come and make a film, use skype, view your photos and much more. Come and explore the available resources.

Toddler time will recommence on Thursday 14th October {first thursday of the new term} with some new songs, stories and rhymes. Alison is away for this first week so it will be Elaine taking the session. Tell your friends and come along for half an hour of fun.

The first book club evening for October met today and people appear to be enjoying this. A small entusiastic bunch get together once a fortnight to talk about books. Anyone is welcome to come along and join in.

NZ Post Book Award winners for 2010.

The award winners were announced on 27th August 2010 and are as follows:

NZ Post Book of the Year Award goes to Judith Binney for 'Encircled Lands.'

The Fiction award was won by Alison Wong for 'As the Earth Turns Silver'.

Brian Turner was the winner of the poetry section with 'Just This'.

The illustrated non- fiction award went to Al Brown for 'Go Fish: Recipes and Stories from the New Zealand Coast. This book also took the people's choice award.

These books are available in the Matamata Piako District libraries. Come in and have a read.

Rug up & Read

This is another new initiative from the public library. It is a winter reading programme aimed at everybody[ there is no age limit!]. The programme is designed to encourage all to read books and write a review on each book read. The reviews go into several draws and the best one wins a prize. The programme is going to run until the end of September so there is plenty of time to rug up with a good book.

Come in to the library and collect a booklet containing all the information and get started.

Book Club

Last friday [6th Aug] a small group of people met in the library to talk about setting up a new book club. The group plan to meet on a fortnightly basis, starting at 6pm, here in the public library.

At the moment there is no prescribed format for the club but two ideas are : bring a book along that has been a particular favourite and everyone read and discussthe same book .

If you are a lover of reading and like talking about books, why not consider this opportunity and get together with some like-minded people.

Contact Susan for further details.

The loblolly boy by James Norcliffe

This book is the winner of this year's junior section of the New Zealand Post book Awards. It is a fantasy set in present day about an unhappy boy who becomes a Loblolly boy: a human who doesn't exist in our world, a sort of ghost who can fly and go unnoticed by other humans. Initially this idea seems attractive and fun but it doesn't take long for the Loblolly boy to feel lonely. A view from a 'special' telescope provides him with images he is unable to explain until, by chance he meets up with a couple of girls who can see him. ' From here the plot twists and turns before ending favourably.
It all sounds very complicated but it is not because the plot is written simply and clearly. It is a book that will stimulate the young reader's mind and leave one wondering.

From an adults perspective the idea that 'the grass is always greener' is not always the case.

Toddler Time

Our first story and music time went well with lots of pre-schoolers, from 18 months to 4+ years, joining in. Elaine read 3 picture book stories which engaged both boys and girls. Alison was her usual enthusiastic self and had every one up and dancing to easy songs. These fun sessions are going to be held every Thursday from 11- 11.30am Please come along and enjoy.

Stories for 6 year olds

We have just had the school holidays and over that time I have been able to explore and read new books with my 6 year old boy. here are some of the ones Samuel has particularly enjoyed.

Zac power [mission series] by H.I. Larry. These are great stories about a secret agent [Zac Power] who works for the Government Investigation Bureau and generally has 24 hours to save the world....... and go to the dentist! A simpler series in the Zac Power collection is the Test Drive series. A 6 year old would be more able to read these himself.

Akimbo and the crocodile man by Alexander McCall-Smith.

Five books make up this series of adventures. Akimbo, the son of a ranger has many experiences helping others with the wild African animals. The stories are gentle but at the same time engaging and quite a change from the fast paced 'fighting' stories.

Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown.

This was the first time reading 'Flat Stanley' and I am not so sure what Samuel's thoughts on the book are but I quite enjoyed it. Stanley became flat when a wardrobe fell on him. Surprisingly, his family accepts this rather well and discovered they can inflate him again using a bicycle pump. The books take you through the adventures Stanley has being flat. A different idea but good fun.

Battle boy- Aztec attack by Charlie Carter & Secret agent Jack Stalwart by Elizabeth Singer Hunt.

These books are variations on a theme: detectives travelling the world saving others from the 'baddies'. They are engaging for 6 year olds and incorporate history and facts relating to the story setting. A good way of learning facts whilst having fun reading a story.

Toddler Time

Toddler Time is fast approaching.

Our first session is this Thursday[ 29th July at 11am]. It promises to be fun with Alison and Elaine reading stories, singing and introducing hand rhymes. Participation is the key, so come along, join in the fun and explore new stories.

Nick

Classic cars and The shed.

We have two new magazines on our shelves

New Zealand Classic Car has many articles about cars. It has an abundance of photographs. It is not only aimed at the classic car enthusiast but also anyone interested in cars. The latest issue provides a list of car museums for you to visit. It is truly colourful and worth a read.

The Shed is a wide reaching magazine which not only has articles teaching you how to build Go Karts and repair chainsaws it also covers ceramics and information about engineering feats such as the jet pack. So all you people who want a project or just tinker enjoy.

Nick

Jeremy Strong

At the age of 3, Jeremy Strong fell out of a first-floor bedroom window- his mother says he has never been the same since! His ambition is to make you laugh- or at least snuffle.

My family first encountered Jeremy Strong stories on the way back from Auckland when my mum put the newly bought ' The Return of the Hundred Mile-An-Hour Dog' on, of which we giggled away to all the way home. Since then we have done many prose readings at school from this book, we have read the others in the series; 'The Hundred Mile-An-Hour dog' and ' WANTED! The Hundred Mile-An-Hour Dog.'
We have also read other funny books (including my favourite Beware! killer tomatoes!)


Jeremy Strong uses slap-stick humor meant for a younger audience.
One of our favourite parts in ' The return of the Hundred Mile-An-Hour Dog' is: 'the trouble is, you're looking at streaker the wrong way. You were telling me earlier that Melinda B-O is a bit snooty, but you also said that she was beautiful. So she has a beautiful outside but an ugly inside. Apperearnces can be deceptive. Maybe some things can look ugly from the outside but be beautiful on the inside.
So when the judges at the dog show come along and start examining streaker, what do i do - turn her inside out? Get all her guts out and spread them around and say: "Look! Isn"t it pretty! Sorry about all the blood everywhere, but she has such pretty kidneys!"'

The Crossing

An exciting adventure awaits in 'The Crossing' by Mandy Hager.

A young girl named Maryam has grown up in the village of Onewere, only knowing that one day - when her bloods will come - she will travel across to the Holy City to be able to serve her Lord.

Once at the Holy City Maryam finds that life is not as she was brought up to believe, and that she must try to escape before being killed. But how? Then she meets Joseph; a kind, sweet son of the late Father Joshua (an Apsotle). Can she trust him? Will anyone beleive the truth of the Holy City?

This is the first of 3 books in the Blood of the Lamb trilogy. It is a story about adventure, courage and friendship. I would strongly recommend this book as I could not put it down! The author Mandy Hager won the 2010 New Zealand Childrens Post Book awards for the Teen category.

On beauty by Zadie Smith

This book is a few years old now, a past winner of the Orange Prize and one I took for holiday reading recently.

As I was reading the book I was constantly thinking about the title -"On Beauty" and wondered how such a title could fit the novel.

The story is set in present day, mainly in the USA, in Boston where the Belsey family live. Howard Belsey is a white English academic trying to write a book about Rembrandt and lectures at the elite Wellington University. He is married to Kiki, a black American who works as a nurse. They have 3 children - Jerome who has embraced religion, Zora a forthright ruthless scholar and Levi who talks in gangsta rap and empathises with the Haitian cause. Kiki is very much in love with Howard but the household is not the peaceful haven it should be. Howard is 57 years old, a liberal who is struggling to hold onto what 'used to be'. Howard has had an affair with a family friend, his relationship with his children is strained, he is estranged from his father, he is unable to communicate with his wife without arguing and he is having difficulty writing his book.

The Kipp family on the other hand appear to be the opposite of the Belseys. Sir Montague Kipp, Caribbean born conservative is a rival of Howard Belsey and is to leave England to take up a teaching post at Wellington College. He too is married. Carlene, his wife is suffering from a terminal illness which Montegue and their children are not fully aware of. There are 2 children in the Kipp family: Michael and Victoria .

Carl is a character who comes from the rough side of Boston and is encouraged by Zora to attend the poetry class at Wellington. He is a gifted poet and rapper and has ambition for himself. He represents the tokenism offered by the university.

The 2 families are opposite in that the Belseys feel like a 'real ' family'. Life is not always easy, they have their issues, they hate their father for his actions and Kiki is full of anger. Despite all this however, the family manage to stay together.There is one particular passage in the novel where on a very cold day Jerome, Zora and Levi accidentally meet in the street. They unite and hug letting the wind blow violently round them but unable to part them. They express compassion and unity for each other weaving the fabric of the family deeper.

The Kipps portray a facade that everything is perfect. Montegue Kipp is always the gentleman, smartly dressed, the perfect host, always polite. They have money, a large smartly furnished house and own expensive paintings. Montegue is articulate, successful and is able to gain support of his colleagues at the university. Michael is soon to be married and Victoria is a beautiful, intelligent student at Wellington. Behind all this though lies a lot of evil : Montegue is controlling of his wife and exploits a young black girl. Arguments in the family are hinted at and there is an aura of secrecy. Montegue is sly and manipulative and has outbursts of anger. Michael acts 'superior' and dismissively towards his fiancee. Victoria acts as an evil temptress with no concern towards those she hurts but rage and fury spills out of her when scorned.

The novel has a beautiful ending hitting at reconciliation between Howard and Kiki.

John Glalsworthy [1920] said,"Where beauty is nothing ever runs quite straight", perhaps that is why the book is titled so.

If you are a fan of EM Forster's novel " Howard's End" you will love this: if not, it my be worth getting the book just to admire the dust cover.

JULY'S NEWS

This is the first posting for July as I have been away on holiday. My family and I had a weeks break in Queenstown in minus but refreshing conditions. Since I have been away the library has increased its lending prices: rental fiction is now $2.00, inter-library loans are $8.00 and I am sure there is another increase but it has slipped my mind for the moment!
During the month of July the library staff are hoping to introduce a'toddler time' session on a Thursday morning. Two staff members will be travelling to Morrinsville to observe their implementation of the scheme. Another initiative is the 'Rug-Up-and-Read' programme which is designed to encourage children to read and write a review of their books. We are also wanting to incorporate the ideas of a competition and being photographed with your favourite book.
We hope you all have an increasing pile of books to read and plenty of wood for the fire.
Enjoy the month of July.

NZ Post Book Award Finalists 2010

The full list of these awards are:

Fiction:
As the earth turns silver by Alison Wong.
Limestone by Fiona Farrell.
Living as a moon by Owen Marshall.

Poetry:
Just this by Brian Turner.
The lustre jug by Bernadette Hall.
The tram conductor's blue cap by Michael Harlow.

General Non-Fiction
Aphrodite's Island by Anne Salmond.
Beyond the battlefield: New Zealand and its allies, 1939-1945 by General Hensley.
Cone ten down: studio pottery in New Zealand, 1945-1980 by Moyra Elliott and Damien Skinner.
Encircled lands: Te Urewera, 1820-1921 by Judith Binney.
The invention of New Zealand art and national identity, 1930-1970 by Francis Pond.

Illustated Non-Fiction:
Art at Te Papa edited by William McAloon.
Go fish: recipes and stories from the New Zealand coast by Al Brown.
Maori architecture:from fale to wharenui and beyond by Deidre Brown.
Marti Freelander by Leonard Bell.
Mr Kusich: the art of transformation by Alan Wright and Edward Hanfling.
The winners will be announced on August 27th 2010.

The New Zealand Society of Authors Best First Book Award winners are:
Anna Taylor for Relief [fiction].
Selina Tusitala Marsh for Fast talking PI[poetry].
Pip Desmond for A true story of women and gangs [Non-Fiction].

Anna Taylor and her book 'Relief'

Scanning the web this morning looking for the results of the finalists for the NZ Post book awards, I spied the name Anna Taylor: winner of the 2010 NZSA Hubert Church Best First Book Award for Fiction. I first discovered Anna Taylor last year through the Auckland Readers and Writers fest' and bought her book as soon after it was published. Relief is a collection of short stories which are simply written, showing rather than telling a story, thus allowing the mind to form its images of life and reality. The structure also mirrors the process of the thinking human mind. An idea is announced, expanded and reflected back on, after another idea is introduced. In her story 'Michael's fasting for christmas' Anna introduces the protagonist, through the eyes of Amy, as a health freak who is always on some sort of cleansing diet and infers that this is going to cause problems for the family on Christmas day: a day which HAS to be enjoyed, come what may. The main scene is crafted so well I am sure we could all relate to some aspect, even if it is just wearing the paper party hats. This ridiculousness of Christmas is juxtaposed by the weighty issue of death and the story ends leaving the reader reflecting on life.

There are 11 short stories in total, all beautifully crafted, demonstrating real-life situations with warmth and understanding and sometimes suspense: 'The Beekeeper' is based on a life event experienced by her mother.

Anna was born in 1982 and lives in Wellington. She completed the MA in creative writing at Victoria University in 2006.

A 'must read' book.

We're going on a bear hunt

This is a fabulous picture book which can be enjoyed by both children and adults. The story is written in such a way that the reader ends up developing a fun repetitive chant which becomes interspersed with glorious onomatopoeia. The text outlines the adventure a father and his children

have and the surprised discovery of a bear!

My copy of this book is held together with sellotape and 10 years on, my girls can still chant the story with such joy!

We're going on a bear hunt.

We're going to catch a big one................

National Book Awards

Over the course of the year there have been some changes made to the Montana NZ book Awards. The sponsor for the event has changed with New Zealand Post taking over the main sponsorship. The awards are divided into four categories with 4 books-written by New Zealand authors- nominated in each section: Poetry, Fiction, Illustrated non-fiction and General Non-Fiction. There will be more judges on the panel, 'A book of the year' will be chosen from the finalists and there will be an opportunity for the readers to cast their vote with the 'Readers' Choice Award'.
On Tuesday 22nd June the finalists for the 2010 NZ Post book Awards will be announced........ Watch this space!

The Orange Prize

I believe there is a degree of serendipity in one's life. Have you ever had the experience of thinking about a person who you haven't seen for awhile only to find they are contacting you or you bump into them in the street.
Just the other day I found myself wondering about the Montana NZ book Awards: not one to ignore my intuition I looked up the website. What luck! The finalists for the 4 categories are to be announced on Tuesday [22nd June]. Great: I can put that news onto our blog; yes up-to-date information; in fact 1 step ahead; just how I like it!
From that site the name 'Barbara Kingsolver' caught my eye. I knew of her having heard her latest book being reviewed on National radio some time ago and I remember thinking it would be worth a read. Barbara Kingsolver has just won this year's Orange Prize with her book "The Lacuna": A novel set in the USA and Mexico which explores the themes of art and politics.
My thought processes then directed me towards researching what exactly the Orange Prize is.

It is an annual award which acknowledges a female fiction novelist and a new female writer from any part of the world. The inaugural prize went to a UK novelist, Helen Dunmore in 1996. Since then women from the USA, Canada and Africa have enriched the literary scene with novels from around the globe. The prize originated because it was generally felt by publishers, journalists, booksellers, librarians and reviewers, both male and female, that female authors were over-looked by major literary prizes. Kate Mosse is one of the co- founder members and the present director of the literary Orange Prize.
I feel particularly excited about my discovery and I encourage others to view the Orange Prize site if only to browse through the author list in search of a quality book. Looking over the past winners I have picked out a couple of authors : the 2004 winner, Andrea Levy and the 2007 recipient, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie . Both of these writers' have novels in our public library along with many other authors whose names I found printed on the website.
I hope serendipity graces your day.

The time traveler's wife by Audrey Niffenegger

What a tiresome, tedious read. Bogged down with detail, the novel explores the love affair between Clare and Henry. Henry is chrono-impaired: he travels through time. Unfortunately for Henry he has no control over when or where he travels. He whizzes in to the past in his 30s and meets Clare as a 6 year old or crashes into the future. Not only does poor Henry have to cope with changes in time and place but when he does travel he arrives at his destination without his clothes. However, Henry is such an irritating character it's hard to feel sorry for him In fact it's hard to feel empathy for either of them. If this had been the first book I'd ever read I doubt whether I would have ever read another. It gets a 1 out of 10 from me. The book gained a 1 because it finally ended.
Susan

A New Initiative

Lots of work and planning is going ahead behind the scenes with a new idea for the Matamata library. In July we are hoping to start a 'Toddler Time' reading session for those enthusiastic pre-schoolers who eat books [ metaphorically not literally]. A great way to whet your appetite is to introduce you to the beautiful Gwenda Turner books and one of my favourites is "Pat-A-Cake". Here we are introduced to the delights of mess and baking. Gwenda provides a chocolate cake recipe at the back of the book which is so easy to make and delicious to eat.

Children's literary scene

We are all familiar with the well publised NZ Post book awards but what about the other happening on the children's literary scene? Storylines foundation supports and promotes Children's literature in NZ. Each year it administers numerous awards to NZ authors and illustrators of children's literature. Whilst this may appear to be a bit of a drab subject I feel highlighting other literary achievements is worthwhile as it may be a pointer to a previously unexplored author.
The Gavin Bishop award is one sponsored by the publisher's Random House and is aimed at encouraging the production of a new, exciting picture book from a NZ illustrator. This new award was introduced last year and the inaugral winner being Harriet Bailey .

In 2002 the Joy Cowley Award was established and again is aimed at fostering quality picture books. In 2008, Michelle Osment won the award with "Tiny Miss Dotty and her Dotty Umbrella". A copy of this book can be found in the children's section in the library. This year's winner is Lucy Davey with "The Fidgety Itch". The sponsor of the Joy Cowley award is Scholastics so watch out for the publication in the book club catalogues or our library.

The Storylines Gaylene Gordon award was established in 1999,two years after her premature death due to illness. Gaylene was originally an english and drama teacher. She has written numerous books generally combining the genres of myth, fantasy and sci-fi for children of all ages. This award goes to a work of fiction which has stood the test of time and is still in print. Sheryl Jordan's "Wednesday Wizard" is the recipient of this best loved book awar


The Tom Fitzgibbon award was established by Storylines in 1995 in recognitin of the work Tom had done for children's literature. Tom was the head of the English Department at North Shore Teachers' College and established Children's literature Association of NZ. This award is presented to a NZ author whose audience is in the 8 to 13 age group and who has not previously had a novel published. In 1998 Vince Ford's writing career was launched when he received the award for his novel 2Much 4U. Leonie Agnew is this year's winner and you can read about her if you click here.

The Tessa Duder Award is a new initiative aimed at encouraging unpublished authors in the young-adult fiction category.The inaugral winner will be announced next year, the sponsor is Harper Collins NZ with Storylines as the administrator.

The importance of reading

The New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards are the only popular awards for children’s literature in this country. Each year 5 finalists are selected for each of the different categories - picture book, junior fiction, young adult fiction and non-fiction. A panel of judges read these books and award's a winner for each category. Alongside this the children of NZ are able to cast their vote in the "Children's Choice Award". There are also the NZ Post Book of the Year and The Best First Book which encourage new authors to take part. New Zealand Post has been sponsoring children’s literature for the last 14 years and has given numerous opportunities to a variety of talented authors and illustrators. Each year imaginative, stimulating books are released by the publishers, feeding the young impressionable minds of New Zealand.
We, the people of New Zealand should embrace this event and recognise its importance. Reading is the number one skill everybody must have. It is vitally important to be able to understand the written text, use a wide repertoire of vocabulary and have knowledge of sentence structure and grammar. Reading expands the imagination, stretches the attention span and allows one to escape into a world of fantasy and adventure. Books are great. Books widen the horizons, bring history to life, help us develop hobbies and interests, give knowledge and enrich our lives. Books help give children 'a leg up on the ladder of life'. No-one is ever too old to read and a child is never too old to be read to.
Having scanned the newspaper for the results of this year’s awards, I felt very disappointed that the media was unable to give the event the publicity it deserved. I know I am not always the most observant of people {I have been known to drive into a horse truck} but I truly had difficulty in finding information in the newspapers, particularly the New Zealand Herald.
I wonder if the same treatment would have been given to the All-Blacks or the Silver Ferns……. I think not. So, what does this say about literature and New Zealand?

Elaine Minett.

The Blue by Mary McCallum

A novel, based on detailed research, about a small community of whaling families on Arapawa Island in the Tory Channel between 1915 and 1938. The central character is Lilian a young Picton woman who has married an emotionally damaged WW I veteran whose family have farmed and whaled in the island for nearly a century. The parallel tales of other characters are also related and the tales leapfrog from the past to the present and vice versa which can make it a challenge to follow if you are reading it in "bits".
However, I read it in two readings - it is fairly short - which enables more of an immersion and I found it riveting particularly when I could make points of connection. The graphic description of the actual process of whaling and the thoughts and feelings of those involved was interesting from the modern perspective of Greenpeace and Save the Whales. However, as a child growing up on a farm where we slaughtered (the emotive connotations of that word!)and processed our own sheep and cattle I could empathise with the whalers and it emphasised for me how in the western world the majority of the population have become removed from the origin of their food - perhaps more would become vegetarian if they had to kill and process their own meat and fish.
Having recently seen "Home By Christmas" (Gaylene Preston's film) and having had a Grandfather who fought at Gallipoli - and survived - the storyline dealing with Ed and the Friar in Gallipoli had particular poignancy.
I feel Mary McCallum creates in memorable detail the "sense" of the inner thoughts of the people and how this can be quite different from the outer face they - and everyone - puts on to the outside world. Again, I could relate to - and vouch for - the authenticity of her detailed descriptions of Lilian's chooks and vegetable garden.
The version I read has an intriguing, complex cover - contrary to the popular saying this does influence me and I feel it does reflect the qualities of this novel.

2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa

The World Cup in South Africa is only weeks away and the All Whites are going!

Soccer fever is in the air, and for all those fanatics out there the library has an extensive stash of books with over 40 titles related to the subject. If you are wanting facts and information on soccer, visit the 700's section of the non-fiction area. For children we have picture, chapter and teen novels which will interest both boys and girls. Happy browsing and reading.

Not being left out of the game, the library is in the process of purchasing several new titles which have been published in anticipation of the world cup. I will keep you updated when they become available.

In the meantime check these websites to keep you up to date with everything that is going on.

The Official Website. This site has a wealth of information. It also has photos, games and features

The New Zealand Football website focuses on the All Whites and their Road to glory.

News websites are constantly updated with the New Zealand sites such as Stuff and TVNZ concentrating on the All Whites.

For all the England supporters out there I think the BBC is the place to visit.

Go the All Whites.

NEW ZEALAND POST BOOK AWARD WINNERS

Judges 2010
2 Dec 2009
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards Judges Announced

New Zealand’s premier children’s book awards judges are on the hunt for books that inspire a lifelong love of reading.

With more than 130 nominated books to choose from, children’s literature consultant Rosemary Tisdall, writer and reviewer Trevor Agnew, and former journalist, now children’s bookshop co-owner, Ruth McIntyre, have a long summer ahead of them as they select the very best in young reads to compete as finalists in the 2010 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.

Mrs Tisdall, judging panel convenor for the Awards, which are now in their 14th year, says she’ll be looking for fresh ideas, characters who linger and books that leave her thinking long after she has closed it.
"We expect to see some excellent writing from New Zealand’s favourite and established authors, and we hope to discover some wonderful, new talent,” says Mrs Tisdall.

”We are looking to have our imaginations captured by books with a difference, so that the intended audience – the young people of New Zealand and beyond – will have reads that entice, teach, and therefore encourage a lifelong love of reading.”



The winners of the NZPost children's book awards for 2010 are:


Non-Fiction Category: E3 Call Home by Jane Hunt.

Picture Book Category: Old Hu-Hu by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Rachel Driscoll

Te Reo edition: Hu-Hu Koroheke, translated by Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira.

Junior Fiction Caterory : The Loblolly Boy by James Norcliffe

Young Adult Fiction Caterory: The Blood of the Lamb: The Crossing by Mandy Hager

For more in formation about the winners of the Children's Choice Awards click here

BRAINJACK by BRIAN FALKNER

Brian Falkner

Brian was born in Auckland in 1962 and has worked as a radio journalist, radio copywriter, a computer consultant and a graphic designer before embarking on a writing career.

Brian has aimed his novels at the intermediate, young adult male audience with his first novel ,"Henry and the Flea" [2003] centering around a 12 year old boy who wants to play professional rugby league. I have not read the book myself but it has been described as a 'spiffing read'.

In 2004 Brian's next book - "The real Thing" is an action packed novel about the coca-cola industry and what happens when 3 people who know the secret formula for coca-cola are kidnapped. Again the central character is a young boy. "

Super Freak" [2005], follows the story of Jacob John smith, a teenager who can not stay out of trouble.

"Tomorrow Code"[2008], is classed as a young adults book because the protagonists are teenagers. It's an exciting, thought provoking sci-fi book about real science and transmissions through time.

Brian's latest book "Brainjack" has been listed for the 2010 NZ post children's book awards.

Matamata Library are following Brian falkner's blog

To see if Brian is the winner of the young adult fiction section of the NZ post book awards click here

CAPTAIN PUGWASH by JOHN RYAN

Ahoy there me hearties!

Captain Pugwash first set sail over 50 years ago and I can certainly remember, as a child growing up in England watching a 10 minute cartoon of him .

Captain Pugwash is the most unlikely of pirates; he's big, fat, greedy and a total coward. His ship, 'The Black Pig' is crewed by an equally useless bunch of lazy pirates except for Tom , the cabin boy. In the adventures, Pugwash is pursued over the Seven seas by a ruthless villan called Cut-Throat Jake. Jake's attempts to capture Pugwash are always humourously thwarted by the loyal, sharp minded Tom .

These stories are ideal for young readers, especially boys; my 6 year old son giggles away as he devours story after story.

Te Ara- The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

‘Te ara’ in Māori means ‘the pathway’. Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand offers many pathways to understanding New Zealand. When complete, it will be a comprehensive guide to the country’s peoples, natural environment, history, culture, economy, institutions and society.

Te Ara consists of a series of themes, appearing progressively between 2005 and 2013:

• Māori New Zealanders and
• New Zealand Peoples – the arrival and settlement of the people.
• Earth, Sea and Sky – marine life, people and the sea, natural resources, and shaping forces such as geology and climate.
• The Bush – New Zealand’s landforms, fauna and flora.
• The Settled Landscape – farming, rural life, and people’s impact on the land.

To view more click here

Tintin

Thundering Typhoons, Tintin the intrepid reporter characterised by his quiff and faithful dog, Snowy has hit the news recently. The controversy focuses on the earlier Tintin adventures and the issue of racism. Herge, who created Tintin over 60 years ago has expressed his views on this in New Zealand's own elsewhere on-line magazine.

Matamata library has a whole collection of Tintin books and videos. They are well worth reading and as you journey through the adventures you'll meet the idiotic, bowler hatted detectives Thompson and Thomson, the short fused, dipsomaniac called Captain Haddock, the absent minded, short-sighted professor and lots of villans.

For those who are hooked on Tintin, and there is no age restriction, you might like to peruse two very important websites: Tintin and Tintinologist . Both have fantastic images and contain a wealth of information. It helps to be a bit 'nerdy'.

So as Captain Haddock would say, "Thundering Typhoons! Buccaneers! Filibusters!" Happy reading.

NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES

Matamata library has dedicated quite a large area to the newspaper and magazine section. We get the New Zealand Herald, Dominion Post, Waikato Times and Bay of Plenty times delivered on a daily basis. Alongside these are our local papers: The Matamata Chronicle and The Scene and the Piako District Post.
Unfortunately, we do not subscribe to any international newspapers but for all those Brits and interested Kiwis living in the area, you will find links to on-line UK newspapers: Telegraph, Independent and Guardian on our blog site.
For the latest news from the USA, read The Washington Post
Happy reading and searching.

Our magazines cover a range of topics from the National Geographic, NZ House and Garden, The Consumer, New Scientist and many more.. For those with a curious nature and an interest in new music, different travel options and the arts check out Elsewhere, an on-line magazine.

Ordinary Thunderstorms by William Boyd

This novel is a thriller and a great read. It also explores the idea of identity. The main character, Adam Kindred, has returned to England after a failed marriage and a number of years living abroad. While in a cafe after a job interview he strikes up a conversation with Philip Wang. Through a series of events over which Adam has little control, he becomes implicated in Wang's murder.
Adam becomes a fugitive: hunted by the police as a suspect in the murder and by the actual murderer as a possible witness to the crime. Adam chooses to survive by going underground. He becomes one of London's homeless and takes on a series of new identities as he tries to find why Phillip Wang was killed and by whom.
If you enjoyed Restless I think you will enjoy and appreciate this latest novel by William Boyd.

Horrid Henry by Francesca Simon

“Muuuum, Henry’s being mean to me!” “Stop being horrid Henry” said mum as she marched down the hall brandishing a broom. This is a scene from one of my favourite books- Horrid Henry, but it is also the scene that reigns supreme in my home. This boisterous book tells the dramas of a household where Horrid Henry terrorizes his parents, neighbours, school teacher and most of all, his brother Perfect Peter. It is the perfect UN-PC tale of a perfectly horrible child which is just what you need, and to use a cliche ‘A breath of fresh air.’ Packed full of over-confident onomatopoeia's, adorable alliterated names (Moody Margaret, Anxious Andrew etc.) and punchy plot lines Horrid Henry is a real treat and perfect for any occasion.

Shakespeare

As a teenager, had I been given the choice between having my toenails pulled off and studying one of Shakespeare's plays I would have gone with the former. What could be more boring than having to read something that first needed to be translated into present day english before trying to understand its themes, motifs and symbols. Oh so much hard work! And what would Shakespeare know about the 21st century anyway?
Now as an adult I would definitely choose Shakespeare. My interest in his works were kindled several years ago when our eldest daughter and I went to Auckland to see the play "A Winter's Tale."A perfectly executed production brought to life the themes of suspicion, jealousy, obsession to the point of paranoia and eventually self- destruction.
What about, "To be, or not to be: that is the question."
That is the first line of Hamlet's soliloquy which we all know, but do we know what is being implied?Hamlet is a play about uncertainty, death and revenge.
Macbeth's main theme highlights temptation and the evil side of human nature whilst The Merchant of Venice portrays greed and prejudice.
This is a simplistic view of just 4 of Shakespeare's many plays, but what we must remember about these plays is that these themes are eternal. Human nature is eternal and that is why they are so relevant to us today.
Authors and publishers work hard trying to find creative ways to unpick the old language. John Marsden has written a version of Hamlet in novel form aimed at teenagers which I have read and outlines the play superbly. T.K.Roxborough's novel "Banquo's Son" is a sequel to Macbeth again produced to tempt teeenagers. Orchard Books have published a series of Shakespeare's plays aimed at the junior reader and there are even audio study guides are available for your iPod.
I urge you all to try a Shakespeare play at some point in your life; maybe start out with a novel format and then progress on to the 'real' play. It is worth spending time weeding through the language allowing the themes to surface and appreciatie Shakespeares's view of human nature which is eternal and never changes.

DVDS

Random is a word that gets used frequently at home by our teenagers. Everything is 'random'. When pressed for a definition and asked how the word 'random' could possibly make any sense in that particular sentence we are flashed a look that says, "get with it".
When describing the DVD section on offer in the library there are 2 words that spring to mind; eclectic is the first and I'm sorry to say the other is random.
This section is not huge but it is very interesting. You can hire anything from DR WHO to the South Pacific, Othello or maybe Rialto style movie like The Visitor. Star Wars, Mrs Potter and My Sister's Keeper can also be found. The list goes on in a 'random' way.
So, if you are looking for something a little off beat, or maybe from yesteryear, try us.......... you never know!!

Jellybean by Tessa Duder

Geraldine's mother plays in the orchestra in a pub to earn extra money but poor old Geraldine is tired of having to fit in with her mothers cello practice and she is very lonley.One day at a rehearsal, Geraldine makes a friend called Gearald. The more she talks to him about the orchestra and being a conductor the more she wants to become one. The chances of her ever becoming a conductor is very low until one night at a preformance of The Nutcracker everything changes..............



I really enjoyed this book because it is a mystery to be solved about who Gearld is and is very intence and makes you want to keep reading on!

Fleur Beale

Fleur Beale has written over 20 novels since starting her writing career in 1980. She is a talented versatile writer and has been nominated on numerous occasions for book awards in both the junior and young adult fiction sections. Her young adult fiction books have a strong appeal to teenagers as she is able to portray her understanding of both male and female through her characters and the themes she writes about. Last year Fleur received the Esther Glen Award for distinguished contribution to children's literature.

To find out more about Fleur Beale click here

Banquo's Son by T.K.Roxborough

Here's another book review taken from the NZpost book awards, young adult section finalists. Banquo's Son has been reviewed by a teenage boy.

A real page turner, keeping you hooked until the very end. Banquo’s son is a great book with something for everyone. Action and adventure from Fleance’s great escape to stunning sword fights. But not without romanic flair or thrills this is definitely a must read. I really enjoyed all the action and how the book never stopped moving.

For more information about the sequel to Macbeth click here

End of the Alphabet by Fleur Beale

Following on from my last posting, this book has been listed as one of the finalists in the young adult fiction section. My 13 year old daughter was happy to write a review for me. How about some comments as to whether you agree with her or not.


End of the alphabet is an adventurous story about a young girl called Ruby, who finds out how to stand up for herself, and how to overcome her ‘embarrassing’ learning disability.

With her family drifting apart, her spoilt brother running away and her friends ignoring her, Ruby decides to get some ‘backbone.’ Read about the exciting life of Ruby Yarrow.

I really enjoyed this book….. So much that I read it twice! It shows that you can stand up for yourself and that people do care.
I hope you enjoy this book as much as I have!

NZ Post Children's Book Awards finalists 2010

The hard work, the reading and the waiting period will soon be over for the finalists of these book awards as all winners will be announced at a ceremony at the Auckland town hall on Wednesday 19th May. Watch this space for the results.

Picture Book Category:

Cowshed Christmas by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop (Random House New Zealand)


Old Hu-Hu by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Rachel Driscoll (Scholastic New Zealand)


Te reo edition: Hū-Hū Koroheke, translated by Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira (Scholastic New Zealand)

Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig Goes to Dad’s Cafe by Diana Neild, illustrated by Philip Webb (Scholastic New Zealand)


The Wonky Donkey by Craig Smith, illustrated by Katz Cowley (Scholastic New Zealand)


The Word Witch by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by David Elliot and edited by Tessa Duder (HarperCollins Publishers)


Non-fiction Category:

Ben & Mark: Boys of the High Country by Christine Fernyhough, and John Bougen (Random House New Zealand)


Dear Alison, edited by Simon Pollard (Penguin NZ)


E3 Call Home by Janet Hunt (Random House New Zealand)


Rangitoto by Maria Gill, illustrated by Heather Arnold (Puffin Books)


Willie Apiata, VC: The Reluctant Hero by Paul Little and John Lockyer (Puffin Books)


Junior Fiction Category:

Cry of the Taniwha by Des Hunt (HarperCollins Publishers)


Friends: Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Gavin Bishop (Gecko Press)


The Loblolly Boy by James Norcliffe (Longacre Press)


My Story: The Mine’s Afire! By Susan Battye and Thelma Eakin (Scholastic New Zealand)


Sting by Raymond Huber (Walker Books)


Young Adult Fiction Category:

Banquo’s Son by T.K. Roxborogh (Penguin NZ)


The Beginner’s Guide to Living by Lia Hills (Text Publishing)


Blood of the Lamb: The Crossing by Mandy Hager (Random House New Zealand)


Brainjack by Brian Falkner (Walker Books)


End of the Alphabet by Fleur Beale (Random House New Zealand)