What's on this weekend?

Batten down the hatches. The weather which was supposed to be clearing on Sunday is predicted to be continuing throughout the weekend. I'm going to pick up a DVD or two for the weekend. (Children's DVDs and documentary DVDs are just $2 for the week.)

The Auckland Festival has started. Te Radar is the official 'experiential' blogger sharing his views and show reviews. You don't even have to cross the Harbour Bridge this weekend. Circus Oz are performing at the Bruce Mason theatre in Takapuna.

Seaweek 2009 wraps up on Saturday with a beach adventure at Goat Island. Even if you can't make it out this weekend Goat Island is well worth visiting. It's in the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve and is teeming with fish life.

On the other side of Rodney District, Forest and Bird are hosting a visit at Muriwai. View the Muriwai gannets and enjoy walking the Te Henga Walkway.

Be entertained by Max Cryer at Orewa Library

Max Cryer is visiting Orewa Library on Friday 3 April at 1.30pm. Be entertained as he talks about the remarkable stories behind the world's favourite songs from his new book "Love me tender."



In the book, best selling author, broadcaster and entertainer Max Cryer reveals the fascinating stories behind 40 of the world's most popular songs.

With Max's eye for curiosity, surprise and detail he brings to light the origins of classics including 'Blue Moon', 'Twinkle twinkle little star', and 'Now is the Hour'.


Phone 09 426 8249 to book your seat. $5 charge with profits going to Hospice.


Bought to you by Orewa Library, Exisle Publishing and PaperPlus Orewa.



A Rodney Libraries Literary Adventure.

NZ Post Book awards finalists announced

Emerging authors and illustrators battle it out with our long-time writing heroes in the nation’s most prestigious children’s book awards this year.
Announced on Monday, the finalists in the 2009 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults include names loved by generations of Kiwis including Joy Cowley, Maurice Gee and Jack Lasenby. Alongside them are some exciting new talent in New Zealand children’s literature.
"The wide range of themes, places and times represented in this year’s selection are a fantastic snapshot of who we are as Kiwis and as a nation. There are rhyming stories that feature animals; humorous yet thought-provoking contemporary fiction; stories that look forwards as well as backwards, as far back as pre-history; science fiction, fantasy and realism. All these great books offer New Zealand children and young adults a veritable feast of challenging, stimulating and engrossing reading, as well as fresh, new ways of looking at the world" says New Zealand Post Book Awards judges’ convenor, Bill Nagelkerke.
The finalists were selected from more than 130 children’s books published in New Zealand in 2008 and submitted for the awards.
Nagelkerke, a past New Zealand Post finalist and former children’s librarian is joined on the judging panel by children’s editor and career bookseller, Jenni Keestra and children’s literature reviewer and librarian, Rosemary Tisdall. Together they will decide which author will earn the New Zealand Post Book of the Year prize and will choose winners from across the four categories. Winners will be announced on 20 May.

Picture Book
Duck's Stuck! by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Ali Teo and John O'Reilly.
Every Second Friday, by Kiri Lightfoot, illustrated by Ben Galbraith.
Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig, by Diana Neild, illustrated by Philip Webb.
Roadworks, by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson.

Non-fiction
Back and Beyond: New Zealand Painting for the Young and Curious, by Gregory O'Brien.
The Crafting of Narnia: The Art, Creatures, and Weapons from Weta Workshop, by Paul Tobin and Daniel Falconer.
High-Tech Legs, on Everest by Mark Inglis with Sarah Ell
Juicy Writing: Inspiration and Techniques for Young Writers, by Brigid Lowry.
Piano Rock: A 1950s Childhood, by Gavin Bishop.

Junior Fiction
Chicken Feathers, by Joy Cowley, illustrated by David Elliot.
Enemy at the Gate, by Philippa Werry.
Five (and a bit) Days in the Life of Ozzie Kingsford, by Val Bird, illustrated by Rebecca Cundy.
Old Drumble, by Jack Lasenby.
Payback, by Michelle Kelly.

Young Adult Fiction
The 10 pm Question, by Kate de Goldi.
Chronicles of Stone 1, Scorched Bone, by Vincent Ford.
Gool, by Maurice Gee.
Juno of Taris, by Fleur Beale.
The Tomorrow Code, by Brian Falkner.

Scams target you: protect yourself

It's Fraud Awareness Week this week. Their aim is to show us how we can spot scams, protect ourselves from scams, and report a scam to help protect others.

Most scams originate from outside New Zealand and once money is sent overseas it is virtually impossible to recover.

There's a new website ScamWatch which is designed to provide information we need to Protect Yourself from scams so we can recognise a set-up and avoid the hook and the inevitable sting of a scam.
The SCAMwatch Alert section keeps us informed of scams that are out there circulating in the New Zealand community, so we can be aware and prepared for them.

AVOID RIP OFFS. DON’T RESPOND.
Offers that sound too good to be true trick you into giving away your heart, money, or your personal details. They never deliver what you want. Don’t be sucked in. Fight the scammers - don’t respond

All information from the Consumer Affairs Scamwatch website.

Rotary Club of Orewa Annual Book Fair

The Rotary Club of Orewa has their annual book fair from May 22-24 but the club would like people to start donating their old books now. A number of collection points are available throughout Orewa. Money raised supports local community organisations like Plunket, Orewa Sea Scouts, Hibiscus Coast Kindergarten, Police Blue Light ventures and many more.
For information contact Doug Parker ph 09 4270456.

The Rotary clubs around Rodney are great supporters of our children's programmes. Along with Lions clubs in the district they sponsor the Summer Reading Programme and Mayor Penny's Reading Challenge. Both groups work for the good of the community - thanks!