25 March is Good Friday. In New Zealand both the Friday (Good Friday) and the Monday of Easter are statutory public holidays, so libraries will be closed. But Saturday and Sunday aren't public holidays - so libraries will be open - except Linwood Library at Eastgate which will be closed on Easter Sunday.
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Pirates
by Camilla De la Bédoyère
Combines full-colour illustrations, historical information and tales from today's headlines in a latest entry in the popular reference series that profiles infamous historical and fictional pirates and their swashbuckling adventures.
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| Some kind of courage by Dan GemeinhartJoseph Johnson and his half-wild pony Sarah have been companions for years -- in fact, she's the only family Joseph has left. So when his greedy guardian sells Sarah, Joseph runs away to follow her trail. As he makes his way through the wilderness of 1890s Washington State, Joseph finds a friend in Ah-Kee, an abandoned Chinese boy. Even without a shared language, the boys bond as they hop steam trains, fend off bears, tumble down river rapids, and face tough decisions about their shared journey. If you like historical fiction that's both thrilling and heart-twisting, don't miss this "riveting tale of grit and grief" (School Library Journal). |
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A tale of highly unusual magic
by Lisa Papademetriou
Two girls on opposite sides of the planet connect through a mysterious book, whose phantom narrator guides them into spinning a story about the past that will affect their futures.
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A journey through space
by Steve Parker
Have you ever wondered what's in space? Take a journey through the solar system and beyond to discover the secrets of our amazing universe.
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| Pugs of the frozen north by Philip Reeve; illustrated by Sarah McIntyreAn epic battle between sweater-wearing pugs and a giant kraken is just one of the giggle-worthy events you'll find in this cartoon-illustrated romp from the Not-So-Impossible Tales series. The Great Northern Race offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance for sled teams to race toward the North Pole, where the winners can claim the prize: one wish from the secretive Snowfather. Hoping that the wish can save her sick grandfather, Sika and her friend Shen enter the race. In order to win, they'll have to brave obstacles like trolls, were-snowmen, and noodle-eating yetis (not to mention the kraken), and they'll have to do it with an unusual sled team: 66 googly-eyed pugs. |
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Anna and the swallow man
by Gavriel Savit
Left alone when her intellectual father is arrested by the Germans during World War II, Anna, a child growing up in occupied Kraków, Poland, finds shelter with a talented illusionist who hides a sinister nature.
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Stick Dog tries to take the donuts
by Tom Watson
Hoping to snatch some breakfast treats for his hungry pals, Stick Dog endeavours to stop a moving truck, outfox a man on a telephone pole, calm down a very caffeinated Karen, and manage a confrontation between his friend Poo-Poo and a squirrel.
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"Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid." ~ from Lynda Mullaly Hunt's Fish in a Tree
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| The night gardener by Jonathan AuxierDespite rumours that the place is haunted, newly orphaned siblings Molly and Kip have little choice but to accept jobs at the run-down Windsor family estate. What they find at the eerie manor house is curious indeed: the family is pale and secretive, mysterious footprints appear in the night, and a giant, menacing tree grows inside the house, granting wishes to the inhabitants…at a terrible price. Filled with well-drawn characters and spooky, shivery thrills, The Night Gardener is "a tale that will keep readers glued to the page" (Booklist). |
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The cats of Tanglewood Forest
by Charles De Lint
Exploring the Tanglewood Forest while harbouring a belief in its magic and fairies, Lillian is transformed into a kitten by protective forest cats and embarks on a perilous adventure along with Old Mother Possum, the fearsome Bear People and other fabled creatures.
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| The 13-storey treehouse by Andy Griffiths; illustrated by Terry DentonAndy and Terry live in the world's most awesome treehouse: it's got a secret lab, a marshmallow machine, and a shark tank. They'd have it made, except that they're way behind on a book that's due to their publisher. But how can they get any work done when they've got to deal with catapulting monkeys, bubbles filled with burp gas, and a sea monster disguised as a mermaid? With off-the-wall humor and energetic, cartoony illustrations, The 13-Storey Treehouse is "anarchic absurdity at its best" (Publishers Weekly) -- and a sure-fire hit with fans of Jeff Kinney's Wimpy Kid. |
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| Fish in a tree by Lynda Mullaly HuntAlly has gone to seven different schools in seven years, and so far none of her teachers have figured out her secret. Her talents for math, art, and troublemaking help her hide the fact that whenever she tries to read, the letters look scrambled and impossible to understand. Ally is certain that she's just stupid, but her new substitute teacher, Mr. Daniels, isn't fooled. He suggests a different way of learning, but Ally isn't so sure. Could she really be as smart as he thinks she is? If you love Lisa Graff's Absolutely Almost and you want another honest, feel-good school story, you should definitely try this award-winning book. |
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Discovering New Zealand trees
by Sandra Morris
Introducing 20 of our most interesting native trees to young New Zealand naturalists. Each tree is shown in full with individual watercolour illustrations of the leaves, flower parts, seed heads, and any insects, animals and birds that co-exist with or frequent the tree. In addition there are notes and illustrations to depict early Māori and European uses for each tree. Included are kauri, tree ferns, beeches, cabbage tree, nikau, pohutukawa, manuka, kanuka, rewarewa, puriri, kowhai, lancewood, taraire, karaka, tree daisies, kahikatea, rimu, totara, matai, and miro. Children will learn about different types of forest in 'What is a tree?' at the beginning of the book and an index and bibliography complete an effective natural history resource that is sure to be popular with children and teachers alike.
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| Quest for the tree kangaroo: An expedition to the cloud forest of New Guinea by Sy Montgomery; photographs by Nic BishopThe Matschie's tree kangaroo is furry, adorable, and rare. This elusive animal, which has a pouch like a kangaroo but looks more like a bear, lives in the remote cloud forest of Papua New Guinea. In Quest for the Tree Kangaroo, you can follow the intrepid team of scientists who are tracking Matschie's tree kangaroos in the wild. You'll also get a peek at camp life (fending off leeches, bathing in freezing waterfalls) and the local Papuan culture and language. |
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| The secret tree by Natalie Standiford"Minty" Mortimer and her BFF Paz are supposed to spend the summer working on their roller-derby moves (they already have roller-derby names, Minty Fresh and Pax A. Punch). But then Minty discovers a hollow tree stuffed with secrets -- people from her town have poured out their hearts on little slips of paper and left them there -- and Paz starts hanging out with a new group of friends. When Minty begins poking into the mystery of the secrets, she meets Raymond, a peculiar kid who seems to live by himself and may know the Witch Lady who lives in the woods. This mysterious story of friendship, family, and finding your way is a perfect pick for fans of quirky realistic fiction. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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