Dare to Explore - Our People

Auckland is made up of people from all over the world. As part of Dare to Explore we have invited you to check out books by New Zealand authors as well as books about people from other countries. Here are a few ideas we have found about people and places from other cultures.

If you lived here: Houses of the world by Giles Laroche. Hot off the press is this lovely non-fiction picture book with collage style illustrations of houses from right around the world. Houses can be caves chiseled into the hills or built from earth and cow dung. We find out where they are located, who lives in them, when they first (or last) were built and a fascinating fact about all of them. You can catch fish from your bedroom in palafitos, live in one house with dozens of other families or need to have a good sense of direction as in some places all the houses look alike, and they are all white. Treehouses are even included. A fascinating read.

Little kitchen around the world By Sabrina Parrini. “Delicious international recipes that kids can really make” shouts the byline on this book. So, as international cooking is one of the challenges in Dare to Explore… Our People, I thought I would try out a couple of the recipes from this recent release. After all, if I can make it, then a kid will definitely be able to. It is really well set out for a recipe book, and appropriate to it’s target audience with each recipe have a flag for the country it is from, a rating on it’s ease and the number of servings… plus a photo of what the end product should look like (absolutely vital in my experience even if it leads to disappointment when I look at my results). I also like that as well as a list of ingredients, a list of equipment is provided with each recipe. A perfect read for the young chef.

For you are a Kenyan Child By Kelly Cunnane and Ana Juan. Experience a day in the life of a young Kenyan boy. Who, although he wakes to a rooster instead of an alarm clock and eats bugs instead of an apple for a snack, isn’t so much different to you when his mother gives him a chore to do. There is just so much going on in his village it is easy to get distracted. It’s vibrant, colourful and interesting. Read about a boy like you (or your brother) in another part of the world.

The Little Refugee By Anh Do and Suzanne Doh. The picture book version of the memoir Australia’s Happiest Refugee, this is both the story of another culture and a survival story. The sepia tones of the old life in Vietnam and as the family try to escape to another country give way to the colour of life in a new land, not always easy, but perhaps it will be all right in the end. Poignant, well told for the audience and with great illustrations from Bruce Whatley to compliment the story.

To explore the peoples and cultures, and find reading from picture books to chapter books by Kiwi authors and about New Zealand people, go to the Dare to Explore...Our People page on our website.

Dare to Explore Booklists - Pirates, Mermaids and Go Aqua

One of the challenges in the Go Aqua set is to read a Pirate or a Mermaid book. Luckily we have heaps here at the libraries, as well as lots of other books about the sea and water sports.

Pirate Underpants! By Tom Easton and Matt Buckingham. One of the books from the Poor Pirates start reading series.
Captain Flint is in a bad mood. His ship (The Stuck Pig) is too slow to catch any ships because it sails are full of holes. He comes up with a plan that gives him patched up sails but leaves his crew in their underpants. But are they fast enough to catch up with the treasure on the Spanish Galleon. A lively funny tale for first readers.

The fierce little woman and the wicked pirate by Joy Cowley was one of my favourite picture books from last year when the original 1984 story was reissued with wonderful new illustrations. The little woman is fierce and fiesty and the pirate is wicked. But he does need something from the little woman. A true kiwi classic.

The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson is a forever favourite and has been adapted many times. So the story of a little mermaid who is prepared to give up life under the sea for the love of a prince on land is often available in different formats (picture book, children's fiction, fairy tale anthology and DVD) in the library.

The Deep End by Ursula Dubosarsky and Mitch Vane. One of the Aussie Nibbles readers
I can still vaguely remember learning to swim at school. Although we had a deep end, we could still touch the bottom and stand up in it. I’m sure if we had a deep end over my head when I was learning to swim, that I would be just a little bit scared about jumping in. Read how Becky overcomes her fear and her pride when she achieves her goal. Although not strictly a mermaid book, learning to swim is the first step to finding your inner-mermaid. This is an easy to read first chapter book with simple text and illustrations, well spaced out to help the new reader.

Check out the Dare to Explore... Go Aqua pages on our website for some more things to do in the water this summer (we didn't include things to do out in the rain - but why not put on your gumboots and raincoat, take mum and dad and go splash in some puddles) and check out our Dare to Explore Booklists for more ideas of water books to read.

Dare to Explore - Survival Stories

My introduction to survival stories came many (many) years ago when a teacher at primary school used to read to us from chapter books every day. There are a couple I remember vividly. One of them was the Newbery Honor Book My side of the mountain by Jean Craighead George. I am not sure exactly what it was that attracted me to the book as a child. Perhaps the running away from the City and the independence of striking out on his own. Perhaps it was the interaction with nature because I was an outdoors farm girl. It could have been the pull of having an eagle for a pet and companion. It almost certainly wasn’t (at that time) that Sam spent a lot of time reading up and storing knowledge so that he could undertake this adventure at his local library. Maybe it was just a great children’s adventure story about a boy escaping and looking after himself – something a lot of children can probably relate to as a dream.

My side of the mountain hasn’t dated much since it was first published in 1959. The same can be said for a more modern survival story Hatchet by Gary Paulsen which was first published in 1987 and which quickly became a favourite, a classic (and also a Newbery Honor Book. Brian’s arrival is slightly more violent and unexpected than Sam’s, the result of a plane crash. And he spends less time in the wilderness but that doesn’t detract from the struggle and the adventure. As he struggles to find anything edible by the side of a lake in which the plane landed, you can almost taste the juice of the berries he finally finds and gorges himself on. You can almost smell the spray of the skunk he disturbs in his cave one night and feel the jabs of the porcupine quills as they stab your leg. This is children’s writing at it’s best for both boys and girls.

Hot off the press is an epic survival story The Winter Pony by Iain Lawrence. Based on the true story of the race to the South Pole, this book tells the adventure as seen through the eyes of James (or Jimmy) Pigg, one of the twenty ponies chosen to go on the expedition. The hardship of the life in Russia, gives way to the unsettling roll of the an ocean voyage and the piercing cold of the Antarctic for this pony. There are “storms at sea, killer whales and calving glaciers, crushing ice and gaping crevasses, frostbite and hunger and blinding blizzards”. It’s a fantastic and well researched story.

Another new book on Scott's Antarctic Expedition is the non-fiction No Return: Captain Scott’s Race to the Pole By Peter Gouldthorpe. This recent release is a superb addition to the resources that tell the story of the Antarctic Expeditions over 100 years ago. Told as a narrative with incredibly detailed illustrations to support the story, the information is naturally absorbed as you read. For those that know the story, this is a great retelling. For those that are new to the adventures of Scott and the men who perished with him on his adventure, this is a fantastic introduction and highly recommended.

The Little Refugee is Anh Do’s memoir The Happiest Refugee told in picture book form. Life in Vietnam was tough, made even more so by the war that came. So Anh Do’s family risk everything by buying an old wooden fishing boat and trying to escape to another country. And even when they finally arrived in Australia, things weren’t always easy. The sepia pencil illustrations of the struggle give way to colour in the new land as the family struggle to see if everything will turn out all right in the end.

Summer Reading for Children - How you can help

We have designed Dare to Explore - Auckland Libraries Summer Reading Adventure with both children and their parents or caregivers in mind. One of the things that we want to do is help you to help them. And to make it FUN. So here are some tips for the adults about our new summer reading programme.

We have designed Dare to Explore to be as flexible as possible, fitting in with whatever you have planned for the holidays. The Auckland Libraries Summer Reading Adventure runs right through the holidays, and your child can complete as much or as little as they want. It can be done at home, while on holiday, by visiting the library, on the Internet and with friends. You can visit other libraries around Auckland in person, or drop by our website to carry out the online activities and challenges.

Dare to Explore aims to:
* maintain or improve reading skills over the summer holidays

* increase your child's love of books and reading

* help create confident and comfortable library users

* provide a fun adventure that helps children get the most out of the holidays

The key to any visit to the library is that if you can't find what you are looking for, just ask. That's why the librarians are there. Librarians do more than just check out books. We might not know every book in the library, but we can certainly help recommend some and help you find what you are looking for.

We have taken top picks from all of the children's librarians around Auckland to point you at some fantastic new books (and some old favourites). Each of the challenge sets comes with a booklist, and you will find more suggestions here in the Booklists section.

But it's not just about books... we also have collections of music CDs, DVDs, puzzles, games and magazines, as well as a whole world of digital resources for us to help you explore.

We have plenty of other tips to help you. Check them out on our Dare to Explore - Encouraging young readers page

School's Out - Dare to Explore

Most schools have now broken up for summer which means there are plenty of kids out there between 5 and 13 who are looking for something to do. Which is where Auckland Libraries come in with Dare to Explore - Auckland Libraries Summer Reading Adventure.

We have already talked about this a bit on our blog. Maybe you have heard something about it through the school newsletter, or seen it advertised. Let me tell you how it works so that you can be as excited about it as we are.

Over the summer holidays we want you to read, read, read and see if you can complete the Dare to Explore... Your Library challenges. We want you to read every day - even if it's just a little bit. You can choose your own books, or you might choose a book from the challenge lists, or get a librarian to help you pick a book. Check out the Your Library challenges in the Guidebook. You will need to complete at least 4 of the challenges to get a stamp in your Passport. The more you can complete, the better - try and become a Trail Blazer! Visit the Dare to Explore... Your Library pages to find more challenges, helpful hints and great book recommendations

When you have completed at least 4 challenges, visit your library and get one of the friendly librarians to stamp your Passport. Don't forget to bring in anything you'd like to show us from your completed challenges - your photos, bookmarks, crafts, reviews and stories and, of course, tell us about the books you have been reading.

When you've finished doing the Your Library challenges, you will receive a certificate and can come along to the Summer Reading celebration event in your area - check the events page on our website for more details.

But wait - there's more.
For those who want more adventure, we have 5 more sets of challenges to choose from:
Dare to Explore... Your Past, Dare to Explore... The Great Outdoors, Dare to Explore... Go Aqua, Dare to Explore... Our People and Dare to Explore... Get Active. Talk to your librarian about which you'd like to try and they will give you the challenge card. Complete at least 4 of the challenges to get another stamp in your Passport; you can try as many as you like - it's up to you!

As well as the challenges, our website provides lots of other ideas and resources, plus details of all the events and activities being run at all of the Auckland Libraries over summer to support the adventure. Why not check it out and join the fun.

Dare to Explore - LIbrarian's choice Booklist #2

As promised yesterday, here are some recommendations for older or more confident readers from our Dare to Explore Website. You can find out more about any of the books from our catalogue. Once again, like all the lists we have put together from Dare to Explore, these are the favourites from librarians across Auckland. Many are part of a series or are written by an author who has produced several different books. So if you can't find the one listed, there might be something else similar for you to read. Just ask the librarian next time you head into the library.

100 cupboards by Nathan D Wilson
After his parents are kidnapped, timid twelve-year-old Henry York leaves his sheltered Boston life and moves to small-town Kansas, where he and his cousin Henrietta discover and explore hidden doors in his attic room that seem to open onto other worlds.

Alabama moon by Watt Key
After the death of his father, ten-year-old Moon leaves their forest shelter home and is sent to an Alabama institution, becoming entangled in the outside world he has never known and making good friends, a relentless enemy, and finally a new life.

Best friends by Jacqueline Wilson
Gemma and Alice, born on the same day, have been devoted friends ever since. Despite Gemma's larger-than-life personality and Alice's quieter character, the two are inseperable - until that is Alice has to move house, all the way to Scotland.

Danny the champion of the world by Roald Dahl
A young English boy describes his relationship with his father and the special adventure they share together.

Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St. John
When orphan Laura goes to live with her uncle in Cornwall, she longs for a life of excitement just like the characters in her favourite detective novels. Life in Cornwall turns out to be full of mysteries, and when Laura finds a message in a bottle she embarks on a quest that will test her detective skills to the limit.

Let me whisper you my story by Moya Simons
Rachel is German and Jewish and living in Leipzig,Germany. Life is good, and revolves around Sabbath meals shared with her happy family. With the outbreak of World War II, their lives are changed. The family are forced to move from their comfortable home into cramped housing, and when the Nazis arrive to finally take the family away they don't know what is to become of them. But Rachel's father gives her instructions that save her life. He also tells her not to speak. Rachel remains quiet for the rest of the war, but what happened to her family? Will Rachel regain her voice now that she really needs it?

Pirate diary : the journal of Jake Carpenter by Richard Platt
Starting in 1716, this describes the adventures of nine-year-old Jake. When pirates capture his ship, Jake finds himself embarking on a new life, on the wrong side of the law. He takes part in a treasure raid, encounters a sea monster, endures a terrible storm and learns about the pirate code.

The phantom tollbooth by Norton Juster
A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words and numbers provides a cure for his boredom.

The portal by Andrew Norriss
When your parents disappear it is one of those things that sticks in your mind. Another of those things is the discovery that behind your dad's office door lies an intergalactic portal... When both of these things happen to William Seward and his brother they're left with two questions. What are they going to do now? And where are their parents?

Saffy's angel by Hilary McKay
After learning that she was adopted, thirteen-year-old Saffron's relationship with her eccentric, artistic family changes, until they help her go back to Italy where she was born to find a special momento of her past.

Dare to Explore Booklists - Librarian's choice

As part of Dare to Explore - Auckland Libraries Summer Reading Adventure, we have put together a whole host of booklists to give children (and parents) some reading ideas for summer. From time to time over summer we will be rolling these out on the Blog. The first couple of lists are part of the Dare to Explore... Your Library challenge and are some of our favourites. Librarians across Auckland contributed to these lists and most of these titles came up multiple times. This list is for the younger reader... check back tomorrow for a list of books for the older or more confident readers.

Big bad raps by Tony Mitton
A collection of rap rhyme retellings of fairy tales which include the Beans talk rap, Fol-de-Rol rap, Huff puff houses and Little Red rap.

The boy who cried ninja by Alex Latimer
When Tim is accused of several misdemeanours no-one believes his side of the story. The truth is unbelievable so will he be able to persuade his parents to believe him?

Dear Fairy Godmother by Michael Rosen
Deep in the enchanted forest, the fairy tale creatures all have problems. Luckily they can call on the ultimate agony aunt - Dear Fairy Godmother!

The duck in the gun by Joy Cowley
The general and his men are about to fire on a town they are at war with. But the Gunner has bad news for the General, they can't load the gun as there is a duck nesting inside it.

Friends : Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley
A collection of stories about the friendship between Snake and Lizard. Snake and Lizard run a helping business, Helper and Helper. The daily adventures of this lovable pair continue as they meet a frog without its croak, a nosy porcupine and many other creatures of the desert - even human things. Although Snake and Lizard argue a lot, they remain the best of friends.

Your pal Mo Willems presents Leonardo the terrible monster by Mo Willems
Leonardo is a terrible monster -- he can't seem to frighten anyone. When he discovers the perfect nervous little boy, will he scare the lunch out of him? Or will he think of something better?

The naughty corner by Colin Thompson
Sometimes it gets pretty crowded in the naughty corner ... Babies George and Cleopatra, 14-year-old Peter, 38-year old Brian, Nigel the cat, Credence the dog, and Monique, the yellow bird all of them have spent time in the naughty corner. It's meant to make them think about their behaviour, but they've turned it into a place to have fun.

Press here by Hervé Tullet
Press here. That's right. Just press the yellow dot...and turn the page. This irresistible picture book is ideal for sharing with children and has created a sensation worldwide.

Shark in the park! by Nick Sharratt
Through his telescope a little boy keeps seeing what seems to be a shark in the park, but by turning the page the reader can see and identify the whole object.

Who's in the loo? by Jeanne Willis
Who's in the loo? There's a very long queue. Is it an elephant doing a poo?' If your house has many occupants, then this witty rhyme from the irreverent and observant pen of Jeanne Willis will resonate profoundly. Adrian Reynolds's exuberant illustrations highlight the fun.

If you want to check out all the lists head over to the Dare to Explore pages on our website.

And our Auckland Libraries Facebook page has some photos of the launch event held at Highland Park on Monday.

Dare to Explore STARTS TODAY

Registrations for Dare to Explore - Auckland Libraries Summer Reading Adventure open today. Some people have been extremely quick off the mark and we already have a number of children registered for the challenge.

The beauty of this new programme is that you can register for Dare to Explore at any time throughout the holidays. Just fill in the form on this sign up page, and then come into your local library to pick up your Dare to Explore pack - you're on your way! You can also pop into your library and sign up in person.

When you are signing up, have a look at the Events that are happening in your local library (or if you are going away, see if there is anything happening at a library near you).