NZ Bookshop Day is being held on Saturday 27 October. 60 bookshops across New Zealand will be celebrating with displays and events. Grab a friend or your family and give your brain some love. Reading grows stronger people. Reading can act as a balm for busy brains, a world of imagination, or satisfy a mind thirsty for knowledge.
Let nature in, strengthen your wellbeing – Mā te taiao kia whakapakari tōu oranga!
This is the theme for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week. Research has shown that our well being is improved when we experience and get involved with nature. The Mental Health Foundation has listed Five Ways to Well Being in nature. The library has books on display that support these five recommendations. In addition, nature has been brought inside. An experiential display of flora and a zen garden offers students the opportunity to smell herbs, feel the varied textures of pine cones, shells, bark, sand, driftwood, and conifer. At certain times of the day you can hear birdsong. Tastings of kawakawa tea have been enjoyed as well.
2018 marks the 125th anniversary of women’s suffrage in New Zealand. On 19 September 1893 the Electoral Act 1893 was passed, giving all women in New Zealand the right to vote. We can be thankful for the courage and tenacity of the women and men of that time who fought hard for this right. Particularly when it was voiced that women were better off not "meddling in masculine concerns of which they are properly ignorant". You can view the full notice here.
The short video below gives a fascinating historical account of the global suffrage movement.
Ilena had the pleasure of reading her poem on National Poetry Day, joined by other notable NZ poets at Unity Books in Wellington. Find out where Ilena's inspiration for her poem came from at NZPoetryShelf The calibre of writing is tremendous, go to School Poetry Award to read the poetry of the other nine finalists.
Rupi Kaur has created two poetry collections, the first one is Milk and Honey and the second The sun and her flowers. She is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. This is quite an achievement for a poet. Listen to her interview with Jimmy Fallon and the reading of her poem Timeless. If you enjoy her poetry, both these books are available in the library.
A story about family, loyalty, kindness and bravery, set against an all-too-possible future where climate change has forever changed the way we live. (Allen&Unwin) Read an excerpt of the story which sets the scene. Need more convincing then read this review. Shortlisted for the 2018 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Dawn Raid
Use of image by SLANZA Publisher Permissions
Like many 13-year-old girls, Sofia's main worries are how she can earn enough pocket money to buy the groovy go-go boots that are all the rage, and if she will die of embarrassment giving a speech she has to do for school! It comes as a surprise to Sofia and her family when her big brother, Lenny, talks about protests, overstayers and injustices against Pacific Islanders. (Back cover)
Read an excerpt here. Then read the book and learn about this appalling period in New Zealand's history.
Shortlisted for the 2018 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Michael's payback prank on sworn enemy, Angus, backfires and he finds himself in the school production as a tree. When he overhears a kidnapping plot that suggests Angus is the target, Michael and his friends set out to solve the kidnap mystery.
Read the review here and you will want to read this book. Read an excerpt from How to stop a kidnap
Shortlisted for the 2018 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
