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.