Friday, December 16, 2016

Monday, December 12, 2016

End of Year 2016 - Update

(Updated every day or so until 16 December 2016)
Your last remaining overdue books are coming back to the library a few per day. Congratulations to Room 5 who were the first class with all student library books returned, closely followed by Room 2.   Well done!

The library stocktake has now been completed. 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 drop them back to the library before the holidays.


Monday, November 28, 2016

Getting Ready for End of Year 2016

Image from HERE
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 Friday, 2nd 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.

Will your class will be first to return all their library books this year?


If you have any other school books such as journals, junior reading books and class books lying around at home  now is a good time to return these to school too.


Monday, November 21, 2016

On the New Books Display this Week

Fiction Book:
  • "Barking Mad" by Tom E. MOFFATT
  • "Freak Street : Meet the Vampiresons" by R.L. STINE  (Freak Street series
  • "Amber the Orange Fairy" by Daisy MEADOWS (Rainbow Magic series)
  • "Ella and Olivia : Merry Christmas Stories" by Yvette POSHOGLIAN (Ella and Olivia series
Senior Fiction:
  • "Drama" by Raina TELGEMEIER

Non- Fiction:
  • "Hearing" by Sally HEWITT (Science in Action series
  • "Sight" by Sally HEWITT (Science in Action series

Thursday, November 17, 2016

A Busy Lunchtime

Quite an obstacle course to move around in here at lunchtime today. It must have been cold and wet outside! 



Monday, November 14, 2016

On the New Books Display this Week

Picture Book:
  • "Ranger The Kaimanawa Stallion" by Kelly WILSON; illustrated by Jenny COOPER
Fiction Book:
  • "Star Wars : Jedi Academy - A New Class" by Jarret J. KROSOCZKA (Star Wars: Jedi Academy series)
  • "Ella Diaries : Operation Merry Christmas" by Meredith COSTAIN (Ella Diaries series)
  • "Diary of A Wimpy Kid : Old School" by Jeff KINNEY  (Diary of a Wimpy Kid series
  • "Welcome to Camp Nightmare" by R.L. STINE  (Goosebumps series
  • "Edge of Extinction" by Laura MARTIN

Non- Fiction:
  • "The Vicious Vikings" by Terry DEARY; illustrated by Martin BROWN
  • "Christmas Jokes" by Toby REYNOLDS ; illustrated by Andrew PINDER

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Monday, November 7, 2016

On the New Books Display this Week

Image via New Zealand Book Awards Trust
Picture Book:
  • "Buzz Boy and Fly Guy" by Tedd ARNOLD
Fiction Book:
  • "Wheelnuts! : Rainforest Rumble" by KNIFE &PACKER (Wheelnuts! series)
  • "Jacky Ha-Ha" by James PATTERSON
  • "Magic Molly : The Witch's Kitten & The Wish Puppy" by Holly WEBB  (Magic Molly series
Senior Fiction:
  • "Battlesaurus : Rampage at Waterloo" by Brian FALKNER

        Non- Fiction:
        • "What's Up With Bridget's Mum? : Medi Kidz Explain Breast Cancer" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO
        • "What's Up With Paulina? : Medi Kidz Explain Food Allergy" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO
        • "First to the Top : Sir Edmund Hillary's Amazing Everest Adventure" by David HILL ; illustrated by Phoebe MORRIS




        Monday, October 31, 2016

        On the New Books Display this Week

        Picture Book:
        • "Warning!" by Tim WARNES
        Fiction Book:
        • "Ava Anne Appleton : Catching a Wave" by Wendy HARMER (Ava Anne Appleton series)
        • "Ice Beast" by Mac PARK (Boy vs Beast series)
        • "The Hour of Magic" by Geronim STILTON (The Kingdom of Fantasy series)
        • "Troy Trailblazer and the Horde Queen" by Robert DEAS (The Phoenix Presents series)
        Senior Fiction:
        • "Smile" by Raima TELGEMEIER

              Non- Fiction:
              • "Fatal Forces" by Nick ARNOLD (Horrible Histories series)
              • "Guinness World Records 2016 : Gamer's Edition" by Guinness World Records



              Thursday, October 27, 2016

              Books to Movies - Mortal Engines

              This from Stuff.co.nz on Tuesday.....


              The above image is a screenshot from Stuff.co.nz HERE where you can also read the full article.


              Tuesday, October 25, 2016

              On the New Books Display this Week

              Picture Book:
              • "Fuzzy Doodle" by Melinda SZYMANIK;  illustrated by Donovan BIXLEY
              Fiction Book:
              • "Droid Tales - Episodes I-III" by Michael PRICE & adapted by Kate HOWARD (LEGO Star Wars series)
              • "Alice-Miranda in the Alps" by Jacqueline HARVEY (Alice-Miranda series)
              • "Confessions of an Imaginary Friend" by Michelle CUEVAS 
              • "Scream : The Spider Army" by Jack HEATH (Scream series)
              Senior Fiction:
              • "All Fall Down" by Ally CARTER (Embassy Row series)

                    Non- Fiction:
                    • "What's Up With John? : Medi Kidz Explain Scoliosis" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO
                    • "What's Up With Richard? : Medi Kidz Explain Leukaemia" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO

                    Wednesday, October 19, 2016

                    A Discount Haircut for Reading Aloud

                    In the news in the US this week is a Barbershop giving their child customers a discount haircut if they read aloud while having their hair cut. The barbershop found out about it happening in other places in the US before they started the scheme themselves. This sounds like a great idea, I wonder if we can convince barbers and hairdressers in NZ to do this?

                               Image & more information from HERE

                    Monday, October 17, 2016

                    On the New Books Display this Week

                    Picture Book:
                    • "Mine!" by Jerome KEANE;  illustrated by Susana DeDIOS
                    Fiction Book:
                    • "The Pirates of Pangaea : Book 1" by Daniel HARTWELL & Neill CAMERON (Pirates of Pangaea series)
                    • "Pearlie and the Imperial Princess" by Wendy HARMER (Pearlie series)
                    • "The 78-Storey Treehouse" by Andy GRIFFITHS (Treehouse series)
                    • "The Rescue Princesses : The Snow Jewel" by Paula HARRISON (Rescue Princesses series)
                    • "Space Jackers" by Huw POWELL

                        Non- Fiction:
                        • "Monster Dinosaurs" by David BURNIE
                        • "50 Things You Should Know About the Human Body" by Angela ROYSTON



                        Wednesday, October 12, 2016

                        Skulduggery Pleasant - New Series in 2017

                        Image from HERE
                        Well, it turns out that Derek Landy wasn't finished with Skulduggery Pleasant after all. He is currently writing a new series, as yet un-named, which features both Skulduggery and Valkyrie but also a new hero named Omen Darkly. 
                        Next year marks the 10th Anniversary of the release of the first Skulduggery Pleasant book and apparently the whole of the first series will be re-released with new covers in early 2017. The new series will be released later in the year. As Derek apptly put it on his blog....

                        "It's gonna be fun. Well, it's gonna be fun for US. 
                        For you it's going to be torture."


                        You can find out more and keep up-to-date with developments on Derek Landy's blog HERE or on the Skulduggery Pleasant website HERE

                        Monday, October 10, 2016

                        On the New Books Display this Week

                        Picture Book:
                        • "The Green Bath" by Margaret MAHY;  illustrated by Steven KELLOGG
                        Fiction Book:
                        • "Frankie Potts and the Bikini Burglar" by Juliet JACKA (Frankie Potts series)
                        • "Tom Gates : Super Good Skills (Almost...)" by Liz PICHON (Tom GATES series)
                        • "Ghost Works : The Grave of Gasper Weavell & The Haunted Hoader" by James LEE (Ghost Works series)
                        Senior Fiction:
                        • "Brave Company" by David HILL

                            Non- Fiction:
                            • "The Ultimate Book of Randomly Awesome Facts" by Karen HOOD & Penelope ARLON
                            • "50 Things You Should Know About the Human Body" by Angela ROYSTON

                            Monday, September 19, 2016

                            On the New Books Display this Week

                            Picture Book:
                            • "The Mystery Box & Finnigan Flynn" by Lucy DAVEY;  illustrated by Cat CHAPMAN
                            Fiction Book:
                            • "Bunny vs Monkey : Book 1 - Year One : January-June" by Jamie SMART (Bunny vs Monkey series)
                            • "Ella Diaries : Worst Camp Ever" by Meredith COSTAIN (Ella Diaries series)
                            • "Rock Beast" by Mac PARK (Boy vs Beast series)
                            • "Shockwave" by Jack HEATH (Countdown to Danger series)
                            • "Sisters" by Raina TELGEMEIER
                            Senior Fiction:
                            • "Cool Nukes" by Des HUNT

                                Non- Fiction:
                                • "The Beginners Guide to Adventure Sport in New Zealand" by Steve GURNEY

                                Tuesday, September 13, 2016

                                Happy 100th Birthday Roald Dahl

                                To help celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Roald Dahl's birth TIME is holding a vote for the most popular Roald Dahl book.  

                                To vote for your favourite click on the image below or click HERE.



                                Monday, September 12, 2016

                                On the New Books Display this Week

                                Picture Book:
                                • "The Cat Want's Custard" by P. CRUMBLE;  illustrated by Lucinda GIFFORD
                                Fiction Book:
                                • "The Bad Guys : Episode 2 - Mission Unpluckable" by Aaron BLABEY (The Bad Guys series)
                                • "Ella and Olivia : Zoo Rescue" by Yvette POSHOGLIAN (Ella and Olivia series)
                                • "Frankie Potts and the Sparkplug Mysteries" by Juliet JACKA (Frankie Potts series)
                                • "Tom Gates : Top of the Class (nearly)" by Liz PICHON (Tom Gates series)
                                Senior Fiction:
                                • "Pompeii" by Sue REID (My Story series)

                                    Non- Fiction:
                                    • "What's Up With Ella? MediKidz Explain Type 1 Diabetes" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO (MediKidz series
                                    • "What's Up With Max? MediKidz Explain Asthma" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO (MediKidz series
                                    • "What's Up With Wendy? MediKidz Explain Epilepsy" by Kim CHILMAN-BLAIR & John TADDEO (MediKidz series




                                    Thursday, September 8, 2016

                                    International Literacy Day 2016

                                    To help celebrate International Literacy Day today here's an Infographic from Scholastic which shows four ways we can help kids become Lifelong Reader's.

                                    Infographic from Scholastic.com HERE

                                    Monday, September 5, 2016

                                    On the New Books Display this Week

                                    Picture Book:
                                    • "The Croco Dolly" by Martin McKENNA
                                    • "The Other Brother" by Stephanie THATCHER
                                    Fiction Book:
                                    • "Tiny Timmy : Living the Dream" by Tim CAHILL (Tiny Timmy series)
                                    • "Captain Underpants and the Sensational Saga of Sir Stinks-A-Lot" by Dav PILKEY (Captain Underpants series)
                                    • "400 Minutes of Danger" by Jack HEATH
                                    • "Ella Diaries : Pony School Showdown" by Meredith COSTAIN (Ella Diaries series)
                                    Senior Fiction:
                                    • "Sunken Forest" by Des HUNT

                                        Non- Fiction:
                                        • "Get Coding!" by David WHITNEY

                                        Wednesday, August 31, 2016

                                        Read Alikes

                                        Do you have a favourite author or book? Do you want to read something else like it? Take a look at the "Book Sites Worth a Look" list of links down the right hand side of the blog for some sites you can look at for ideas on what to read next...

                                        Here's a new addition I've added to the list today...



                                        Monday, August 29, 2016

                                        On the New Books Display this Week


                                        Picture Book:
                                        • "Pig the Fibber" by Aaron BLABEY
                                        Fiction Book:
                                        • "Zombified! : Infected" by C.M. GRAY (Zombified! series)
                                        • "Zombified! : Outbreak" by C.M. GRAY (Zombified! series)
                                        • "Ella and Olivia : Hair Disaster" by Yvette POSHOGLIAN (Ella and Olivia series)
                                        • "Tiny Timmy : Makes the Grade" by Tim CAHILL (Tiny Timmy series)
                                        • "The World's Worst Children" by David WALLIAMS

                                            Non- Fiction:
                                            • "The Football Encylopedia" by Cive GIFFORD 
                                            • "Anzac Heroes" by Maria GILL; illustrated by Marco IVANCIC

                                            Thursday, August 25, 2016

                                            New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 - Children's Choice - WINNERS

                                            Thousands New Zealand children and young adults have had their say by voting for their favourite book or books in the Children's Choice Awards.

                                            The Children's Choice Winners are: 


                                            Picture Book
                                            "The House on the Hill" by 
                                            Kyle Mewburn & Sarah Davis

                                            Junior Fiction
                                            "The Girl Who Rode the Wind"
                                             by Stacy Gregg

                                            Non-fiction

                                            "First to the Top"  by
                                            David Hill & Phoebe Morris

                                            Young Adult    "Stray" by Rachel Craw

                                            Te Reo Maori Award    "Te Hua Tutahi a Kuwi" by Kat Merewether; translated by Pania Papa


                                            You can find the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 - Judges Choice Finalsts list HERE and the winners chosen by the judges HERE.

                                            Monday, August 22, 2016

                                            On the New Books Display this Week

                                            Picture Book:
                                            • "The Cow Tripped Over the Moon" by Tony WILSON;  illustrated by Laura WOOD
                                            Fiction Book:
                                            • "Battle Files : Air" by Mac PARK (Boy vs Beast series)
                                            • "Ella and Olivia : Spelling Superstar" by Yvette POSHOGLIAN (Ella and Olivia series)
                                            • "EJ Shines" by Susannah McFARLANE (EJ 12 Girl Hero series)
                                            • "Bullet Train" by Jack HEATH (Countdown to Danger series)
                                            Senior Fiction:

                                            • "War Horse" by Michael MORPURGO

                                                Non- Fiction:
                                                • "Wild About Animals" edited by Debz HOBB-WYATT 
                                                • "How to Build a Human Body" by Tom JACKSON

                                                Thursday, August 18, 2016

                                                Book Fair 2016 - 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. Sales this year earned us an amazing 40 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 on the library “New Book Display” later this term, they'll all have special Book Fair 2016 Donation book plates inside!

                                                Tuesday, August 16, 2016

                                                Brick Flicks - for LEGO addicts in Upper Hutt




                                                LEGO Minecraft Masterclass  25 Sept 2016 (bookings required) more info...

                                                LEGO Built Environment Masterclass  25 Sept 2016 (bookings required) more info...

                                                The LEGO Movie 2 Oct 2016 (bookings recommended) more info...

                                                BRICKON 2016: 8 & 9 Oct 2016 more info...



                                                Friday, July 29, 2016

                                                Coming Soon .... Book Fair 2016

                                                 

                                                Where: In the Library


                                                When: Opens Week 3, Term 3


                                                St Brendan's Book Fair 2016 will be open before and after school on weekdays between the afternoon of Monday, 8th August and the morning of Friday,12th August. Check back here soon for more information about Book Fair opening hours. All purchases from the Book Fair help to earn free books for our school library.

                                                Looking forward to seeing you there.

                                                Monday, July 25, 2016

                                                On the New Books Display this Week

                                                Picture Book:
                                                • "The House on the Hill" by Kyle MEWBURN;  illustrated by Sarah DAVIS
                                                • "The Day the Crayons Came Home" by Drew DAYWALT;  illustrated by  Oliver JEFFERS
                                                Fiction Book:
                                                • "The Bad Guys : Episode 3 - The Furball Strikes Back" by Aaron BLABEY  (Bad Guys series)
                                                • "Doctor Who : Heroes and Monsters Collection" by various authors

                                                    Non- Fiction:
                                                    • "The Beginner's Guide to Netball " by Maria TUTAIA
                                                    • "50 Things You Should Know About the First World War" by Jim ELDRIDGE (50 Things You Should Know series)
                                                    • "50 Things You Should Know About the Second World War" by Simon ADAMS (50 Things You Should Know series)

                                                    Thursday, July 21, 2016

                                                    New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 - Children's Choice - VOTING


                                                    Have you voted for your favourite yet?  
                                                    No?!  Do it now...

                                                    VOTE HERE


                                                    Voting closes at 5.30pm tomorrow Friday, 22nd July 2016 


                                                    Monday, June 27, 2016

                                                    On the New Books Display this Week

                                                    Picture Book:
                                                    • "My Grandpa is a Dinosaur" by Richard FAIRGRAY & Terry JONES; illustrated by  Richard FAIRGRAY
                                                    Fiction Book:
                                                    • "Freak Street : Meet the Spysons" by KNIFE & PACKER  (Freak Street series)
                                                    • "Fantastic Mr Fox" by Roald DAHL

                                                        Non- Fiction:
                                                        • "Kitchen Science Lab for Kids : 52 Family Friendly Experiments from Around the House" by Liz Lee HEINECKE
                                                        • "How to Code : The Grown-Ups Guide - Troubleshooting Handbook for Parents & Teachers" by Max WAINEWRIGHT (How to Code series)
                                                        Reference:
                                                        • "Tangata Whenua : An Illustrated History" by Atholl ANDERSON; Judith BINNEY & Aroha HARRIS

                                                        Friday, June 24, 2016

                                                        New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 - Children's Choice - Non-fiction

                                                        The HELL Children's Choice Non-fiction finalists are:



                                                        Anzac Heroes written by
                                                         Maria Gill & illustrated
                                                        by Marco Ivancic

                                                        First to the Top written
                                                        by David Hill & illustrated
                                                        by Phoebe Morris



                                                        Wild Boy written by
                                                        Brando Yelavich


                                                        To find out more about the books and the authors take a look here.

                                                        See the list of Children's Choice Te Reo Maori and Young Adult finalists here.

                                                        Vote for your favourite book(s) HERE. Voting closes on 22nd July 2016.

                                                        Images via New Zealand Book Awards Trust



                                                        Wednesday, June 22, 2016

                                                        New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 - Children's Choice - Junior Fiction

                                                        The HELL Children's Choice Junior Fiction finalists are:



                                                        The Girl Who Rode the Wind
                                                        written by Stacy Gregg


                                                        Eneny Camp
                                                        written by David Hill
                                                        Cool Nukes
                                                        written by Des Hunt


                                                        To find out more about the books and the authors take a look here.


                                                        Visit the blog again next week for the Children's Choice Non-fiction finalists or if you can't wait till then have a look here for a list of all the finalists.

                                                        Vote for your favourite HERE. Voting closes on 22nd July 2016.

                                                        Images via New Zealand Book Awards Trust



                                                        Monday, June 20, 2016

                                                        On the New Books Display this Week

                                                        Picture Book:
                                                        • "Aliens Love Underpants/Aliens in Underpants Save the World" by Claire FREEDMAN; illustrated by Ben CORT (2 Books in 1)
                                                        Fiction Book:
                                                        • "Ella and Olivia : Flower Power" by Yvette POSHOLGLIAN  (Ella and Olivia series)
                                                        • "Ella and Olivia : Christmas Wonderland" by Yvette POSHOLGLIAN  (Ella and Olivia series)
                                                        • "Johnny Danger : D.I.Y. Spy" by Peter MILLER  (Johnny Danger series)

                                                            Non- Fiction:
                                                              • "Killer Creatures" by Claire FREEDMAN (Navigators series)
                                                              • "How to Code : Book 3 - a Step-by-Step Guide to Computor Coding" by Max WAINEWRIGHT (How to Code series)
                                                              • "How to Code : Book 4 - a Step-by-Step Guide to Computor Coding" by Max WAINEWRIGHT (How to Code series)




                                                              Thursday, June 16, 2016

                                                              New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 - Children's Choice - Picture Books

                                                              The HELL Children's Choice Picture Book finalists are:



                                                              Kuwi's Huhu Hunt written &
                                                              illustrated by Kat Merriweather
                                                              Stripes! No, Spots! written &
                                                               illustrated by Vasanti Unka


                                                              The House on the Hill written by Kyle Mewburn
                                                              & illustrated by Sarah Davis


                                                              To find out more about the books and the authors and illustrators take a look here.

                                                              Visit the blog again next week for the Children's Choice Junior Fiction finalists or if you can't wait till then have a look here for a list of all the finalists.

                                                              Vote for your favourite HERE. Voting closes on 22nd July 2016.

                                                              Images via New Zealand Book Awards Trust