Top 5 reasons why 'What I did' by Christopher Wakling is the most disturbing book I've read all year

List by Tosca

Sadly there are no light savers in this story. It is all real. It is about a terrible thing which happens to me. But watch out because the thing you think is the terrible thing isn't really it. Other things come later and they're worse. I'm not going to tell you what they are yet because now isn't the time. That is called suspension.
I also have to warn you that nobody is bad or good here, or rather everyone is a bit bad and a bit good and the bad and good moluscules get mixed up against each other and produce terrible chemical reactions.
Did you know cheetahs cannot retract their claws?
Here is the real beginning."
- Billy Wright in What I did by Christopher Wakling

Tuesday of Christmas weekend was my 'reading' day. I had gone home the Friday beforehand with a huge stack of DVDs and fiction/nonfiction/graphic novels to get through. In my usual fashion I left the books until my last day of the four day weekend and, really, had no clue what I would be getting when reading Wakling's What I did.

Mr. Wright gets the fright of his life when 6 year old Billy runs out into traffic. Angry, concerned and relieved he smacks his son. Hard. A passerby who tried to intervene (and is told to get lost) later calls social services. The fallout is beyond anything Billy and his parents could ever have imagined.

Wakling's What I did is very well-written, hugely topical, greatly interesting and wholly disturbing. Truly. Not because it's a terrible book. In fact, far from it. It's disturbing because the whole time you're wanting adults to ask the RIGHT questions, you're wanting Billy's dad to stop being so close mouthed and speak up, you're wanting Billy's grandma to JUST BE QUIET, you're wanting Billy to stop being so charming and scatter brained (he's 6, I know, I know) and see what social services are getting at, you're wanting social services to stop being so dense and you're wanting Billy's mum to...do something useful (I'm not sure what, she seemed quite spineless) and OH! The frustration just goes on. But never, at any time, is my frustration about the way the book is written or the way everything is handled. Although at times it's very amusing (Billy's rather unusual view of adults and his world around him is informed by nature documentaries), it's not an 'enjoyable' read. And by 'enjoyable' I mean that it's not the kind of book that leaves you with a happy feeling. And maybe that's a part of why I found it so disturbing. Some people will liken What I did to Australian book The slap by Christos Tsialkos but I can't because I haven't read it yet. I have it on request at the moment, but I do wonder if I should have left it for a few weeks so that I won't always have that thought in the back of my mind. If you've read The slap and this one, do let me know! So, long story short - which I could've done in the first place, right? - I really, really (can't stress *really* enough) think this is a darn good read. It's also disturbing. And here's why...

Top 5 Team Chest romance covers I saw in Acquisitions

List by Tosca

"She was carrying two coffees and a donut bag, and right then and there, he fell in love."
- from Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis (you *have* to check out the cover for this back, it's total Team Back AND he has a dog - awww!)

One lighthearted post for today coming up. The subject of today's post? Team Chest - romance novel covers that are all about the chest, and nothing but the chest. I wanted to see what new books had come in recently so hotfooted it down to parley with our Acquisitions staff a little ways down the road, and came away with a head full of titles to search for back at my desk. 5 of which make this list. The things I do for your entertainment, people! So...when can I do this again?

Top 5 for Friday - 5 events you shouldn't miss in November

The What's On e-newsletter arrived in my Inbox this week and it has a number of events that shouldn't be missed. Here are a selection:

1. Deer, Pigs and a little bit of Bull. Whangaparaoa Library. Saturday 5 November @ 2.00pm. Come along and enjoy a warm beverage as local author Graeme Mackie discusses his latest book. "Tall tales of diggers, drivers, hunters and fishermen. Yarns about pigs, dogs and rifles, about horses and men. And after every adventure, there's plenty of cold beer to wet the whistle". The vast majority of the tales within are based on factual events.




2. A home-grown cook: the Dame Alison Holst Story. At Orewa, St Heliers and Auckland Central Libraries. Spend some time with Alison Holst, New Zealand's groundbreaker in the culinary world as she tours Auckland and talks about her new memoir. "Dame Alison Holst holds more titles than her damehood suggests: she's been invariably described as 'Mother of the Nation', 'Queen of the Kitchen' and 'a groundbreaker in the culinary world'. In the sixties, Dame Alison singlehandedly changed the way women prepared food for their families with her legendary television programme 'Here's How'. She went on to become a prodigious fund-raiser for Plunkett, the chocolate-coated voice of radio, author of a hundred bestselling cookbooks, a successful business brand, as well as our favourite promoter of New Zealand products overseas. In A Home-grown Cook, Alison Holst's fascinating memoir unfolds with the characteristic charm and calm spirit that is so familiar to us all. From a modest upbringing in Dunedin to becoming one of our most endearing Kiwi icons, A Home-gown Cook brilliantly captures Dame Alison's distinctive voice on every page."



3. Bargain Book Sale. Central City Library. 21 - 27 November. Get books, CDs, magazines and kids books at amazing prices at the biannual bargain book sale with many items at $1 each. It's on for a week unless stocks get depleted before then (unlikely as I have seen the number of boxes stored in the basement).



4. An hour with Erica James. Takapuna Library. Tuesday 8 November @ 6.00pm. Presented by the Library and Hachette New Zealand, you are invited to hear much-loved international writer Erica James talk about her latest book The Real Katie Lavender. "Katie Lavender has always thought she was pretty unshockable, until a year after her mother's death she receives a letter from a solicitor telling her that the man she thought was her father, in fact wasn't. Her real father, a man named Stirling Nightingale, has for years been building a trust fund for her. And now she's of an age to collect it."



5. Unlock the Past - A tour of the Central City Family Research Centre. Two dates available. Don't miss this chance to listen to top family history speakers Chris Paton, Rosemary Kopittke, Shauna Hicks, Perry McIntyre and Richard Reid. Then our very own Seonaid Lewis will take you on a tour of the Research Centre which holds one of the most comprehensive family history collections in the Southern Hemisphere. Bookings essential.

Of course these aren't the only things happening in Libraries around Auckland in November. So either check out our Events Listing on the website or sign up for our What's On E-newsletter to stay up to date. There will be heaps happening in the libraries over summer, so now is a really good time subscribe.

Top 5 for Friday - ALL BLACK

There is a gentleman up at one of our northern libraries who is steadily working through the biographies of some of our best rugby players. I know this because I was serving him one day and he started to try and explain who T.P. McLean was. However country girl and rugby nut that I am, I was way ahead of him and we ended up talking tours and teams from the 1970's (when you got up in the middle of the night for a special broadcast long after the Goodnight Kiwi had gone to bed) right through to the present day.

So in honour of said gentleman and all those other rugby officianado's out there (both existing and newly converted), today's Top 5 honours some of our best to pull on the ALL BLACK jersey.

1. George Nepia. There are a number of biographies about this great player. I, George Nepia has been revised several times with the latest being a 2002 edition.


2. Colin Meads. aka Pinetree (or Sir Pinetree). More than an autobiography. Colin Meads is considered to be one of the greatest rugby players in New Zealand. Here, he dips back into his playing career and offers comparisons with the modern game. It becomes a social commentary - how professionalism has changed the face of rugby forever. And how the modern player has taken up the challenge


3. Stu Wilson and Bernie Fraser. aka Ebony and Ivory. So often it is not just great players but great partnerships that we remember. After Bryan Williams and before Jeff Wilson came this mischevous duo of Wellington wingers.


4. Jonah Lomu. You almost don't need to add his surname. And we couldn't have a Top 5 list without him on it.


5. And finally the man who we hope on Sunday will be lifting the Webb Ellis Trophy aloft... Richie McCaw. From the front flap: a tribute to a modern-day rugby great charts the career of the proud Canterbury and Crusaders star who first burst into the national rugby consciousness in 2001 when he helped his province to an NPC championship. Soon after, he was making his All Blacks debut in Dublin, beginning a test career that will ultimately culminate at the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand.

There are so many I could have put on this list, it was hard to stop at 5. If you want to read up on some of the others do a subject search for Rugby Union football players -- New Zealand -- Biography. Or if you want to read about Tours, statistics and everything else to do with the All Blacks here is another link.

So all that's left is to stand up and shout - GO THE ALL BLACKS! Finish the job boys.

Top 5 for Friday - Christian Fiction

Today's Top 5 post comes to you courtesy of one of my Auckland Libraries colleagues, Rachel. It's always great to have a new voice on the board, because sometimes I think you must get sick of the sound of mine. Even though I try to vary and mix up my already somewhat eclectic tastes, it's always nice to get another opinion. What I like about this post is that it addresses some misconceptions, and that it recommends authors rather than titles. Thanks Rachel.

I’m assuming that if you are reading this post, you are interested in at least trying Christian Fiction. When I was younger, I never read this genre thinking that it was going to be happy, sappy and that everything was going to work out because they prayed about it. I have been pleasantly surprised by many books that I have since read. Here are some of my favourite authors in this growing genre -

Deeanne Gist – She is a favourite because she doesn’t stick to the usual formula ie girl in early twenties bemoaning that the guy is never going to come along. Yes, they are still romances (historical ones at that) but the characters don’t often fit the mould!

Ted Dekker – If you are a fan of sci-fi or Frank Perretti, this is someone you might want to try. My favourite series would be the circle trilogy but all of them are great!

Trish Perry – Her characters have real problems and while you can guess how the book is going to end – it’s fun getting to it!

Erynn Mangum – I love her main characters! They are quirky but very loveable.

Sarah Sundin – She has written a WW2 series which deals with some difficult issues.

Lastly, an author who I’ve just discovered…Margaret Brownley – also someone who doesn’t use traditional characters in her books. I found them fun!

Top 5 for Friday - Go the Warriors

There can be only one topic on the Top 5 today and although it involves an oval ball, it does not centre around the world tournament currently taking place in New Zealand. Today's Top 5 is in celebration of the New Zealand Vodafone Warriors taking on the Manly Sea Eagles in the NRL Grand Final on Sunday. To top it off, the curtain raiser is between the Vodafone Junior Warriors and the North Queensland Cowboys, as well as the NSW Cup Grand Final between the Auckland Vulcans and the Canterbury Bulldogs. So here are a sprinkling to get you in the modd for Sunday.

1. Warrior nation : a celebration of 15 years of the Warriors / John Matheson. Going back to where it all began and tracing the highs (and lows) in the history of the Warriors. Original interviews, along with accounts from former players, coaches and CEOs, make Warrior nation a compelling read for any New Zealand sports fan as the fortunes of the club's 15-year history are spun together for the first time." -- Front flap.


2. The mighty Warriors [DVD videorecording] : [New Zealand's sporting heroes]. if you prefer your history visual, check this out. The Warriors hold the unique position of being the only NRL club to represent an entire country. The Warriors are recognised as future Premier contenders by everyone who sees them play. A profile of this powerhouse League performer, and players past and present, whose massive strength on the field contribute to the bone-crunching mix called the mighty Warriors! - catalogue summary. I particular like the bit about being "future Premier contenders".


3. The Players. When it came to picking a biography of one of the current or past Warriors (or any Kiwi league hero), I just couldn't do it. There are just too many quality bio's out there. In no particular order, here are a few I have either read or considered in the past. Tawerau Nikau (inspirational), Steve Price (leader), Stacey Jones (sparkling), Dean Bell, Ruben Wiki, Monty Betham....


4. The Kiwis : 100 years of international rugby league / John Coffey and Bernie Wood. Anecdotes, history, photographs, statistics. It's all here in one volume.


5. What a ride, mate! : the life and times of the Mad Butcher / Peter Leitch with Phil Gifford. Pride of place in today's Top 5 has to go to Sir Peter Leitch. Peter Leitch, aka the mad Butcher, is a legend in his own lifetime, a larger than life character who left school at 15 and went on to build a nationwide chain of successful butcher shops and a reputation as a foul mouthed league supporter with a heart of gold. They broke the mould after they made this one.

Go the Warriors - Keep the Faith!!

Top 5 for Friday - Women Stand Up.

Earlier this week, New Zealand celebrated the 118 years of women having the vote. In 1893 New Zealand was the first country in the world where women won the right to vote in national elections. The suffrage movement was this country’s first truly mass movement – mobilising tens of thousands of New Zealanders with rallies and a series of massive petitions.
The petition was signed by nearly 32,000 New Zealanders. Nearly 24,000 of those signatures have survived on the copy of the petition presented to Parliament. (Ministry of Women's Affairs).

Far be it from me to ignore such a historic event. For today's Top 5 for Friday, here are a selection of books on not just the suffrage movement in New Zealand, but also the place of women in helping to shape our country.

1. Standing in the Sunshine (Sandra Coney). Published to celebrate the centennary of woman achieving the vote in New Zealand, this is my absolute top pick of books if you want to read about the history of our country from a female perspective. This illustrated social history is extremely readable, able to be picked up and put down with short sections and explores all aspects of women's lives from 1893 to 1993, turning up new and unexpected moments in New Zealand women's history. In addition, the Sir George Grey Special Collection at Auckland Central Library holds some of the research notes from the publication. Highly recommended.


2. Kate Sheppard is one of the iconic figures in New Zealand suffrage and Auckland Libraries have a selection of biographies highlighting her life.


3. The Suffrage Trail The description of this book calls it a "Guide to... memorials of our Suffrage Centennial Year- the gardens, the parks, the trees, works of art, sculptures, hangings, murals, paintings, plaques and buildings". In one volume a biography, inventory and travel guide celebrating the women of Aotearoa.


4. Be counted : the diary of Amy Phelps, Dunedin, 1893 (Janine McVeagh). If you are a regular reader of this blog you know that I am a fan of the "My story" series of children's fiction. So it will be no surprise that this turns up on a Top 5 list. Thirteen year old Amy goes to live with her aunt and uncle in Dunedin to be educated. Amy is an aspiring artist and has the opportunity to meet the acclaimed woman artist Frances Hodgkins. In big city Dunedin, Amy finds herself involved with the darker side of life through her friend Mary, who works in a sweatshop then goes missing. Amy also observes her aunt's involvement with the Women's Christian Temperance Union, and the struggle to get women the vote. Another great introduction to an episode from our history for junior readers.


5. Her Story: Women shaping New Zealand History A compilation of the highlights of past issues of the New Zealand Memories magazine.

Celebrations for the anniversary will be held throughout the country. Specifically in our area, Libraries in Waiuku, Whangaparaoa and Warkworth will be hosting displays (assisted by the Ministry of Women's Affairs). Or you can make use of our free Wifi or computer services to check the original petition online to see if there is a family connection. Find out more on these websites

+ Search the petition online at www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/womens-suffrage to see if a relative was a suffragist.

+ Join us on facebook www.facebook.com/NZWomenandtheVote

Have a great weekend everyone. Go the All Blacks.

Top 5 for Friday - This Girl's Guide to Yelling at the TV during the Rugby

I admit it. People around the neighbourhood will probably always know when I am at home and watching a really exciting game of rugby (or netball, or league, or....). A certain amount of shouting goes on and even my poor cats now know that lying on my lap during a game in progress will not get them a relaxing sleep.

As a netball umpire, I will also be the first to admit that it is far easier to umpire (or ref as we are talking rugby) a game from the comfort of your own lounge. However, that doesn't stop me becoming extremely vocal if I think things are going wrong. And I do have quite a few years as a rugby supporter under my belt to back me up. I think I once won a bet in a pub when I named the 1978 Grand Slam All Blacks faster than a certain member of the male gender (remember that was the year when Andy Haden fell... I mean was pushed out of the lineout in Cardiff). So I think I have the right to yell the odd thing at the TV during a game.

To help less experienced readers of this blog, here are a few ideas of books you can pick up at the Library so that you can hold a conversation during a game, get involved in the passion and stamp your feet in the grandstand at the right moments.

1. Rugby Speak: The essential Kiwi guide (Justin Brown). With the help of this book you will be able to yell instructions with the best of them. "Drive", "Support" and "hospital pass" will all be explained, as well as "Smash em" in several different languages.


2. Having a Ball: A cartoon history of New Zealand rugby (Ian F. Grant). This small volume looks at the All Blacks triumphs and disasters. From our award winning cartoonists the entries are funny, perceptive and often too close to the truth in a way that only these commentators can manage.


3. Four More Years (Graham Hutchins). Rugby World Cup trivia gathered just in time for the latest instalment. Great for the quiz buffs, and like the first entries, easy to pick up and put down.


4. All Blacks Don't Cry (John Kirwan). It's the Japan vs All Blacks game tonight so it is appropriate to include this book by one of our best ever wingers, who is now the coach of the Brave Blossoms (that's the Japanese rugby team). This is not strictly a rugby book but a story of the player's battle with depression and some tips on how he fought it. His earlier autobiography Running on Instinct also touches on this battle but goes into much more detail about his rugby career.


5. The All Blackography: the indispensible guide to every All Black (Ron Palenski editor). From Ali Williams to Zinzan Brooke and everyone inbetween who has worn the Black jersey. Whether it was one game or many, they are all in here from the very beginnings of All Black history.

If you want to hunt out more on All Black history, try a subject search for All Blacks

If you are looking for a biography on a certain player it gets a little more difficult. Try Rugby Union Football Players and then choose your country.

Personally this weekend, I am looking for wins by the All Blacks (of course) and my second team Samoa over Wales. It would be great if Ireland could get up over Australia and I don't think they will be lacking support in the stands - that will be a great game. Have a great and safe weekend everyone.

Bonus Top 5

To make up for my lack of blogging last week, here is a Bonus Top 5 for the day before Friday. This comes to us courtesy of Annie, one of my colleagues in Auckland Central and features a collection of books she ordered and read, that she wouldn't have known about if it hadn't been for our suite of Library Blogs. It's short and sweet. H . e . r . e . ' s .. .. Annie

A top 5 list of books I *had* to request after exploring the Top 5 / Rodney blogs AND/OR compiling Top 5 lists… You know what it's like - you look at one book on the catalogue, which leads you to another title, then another, then… you end up with an exploding request list. These are the top 5 books I ended up requesting after exploring the Top 5 goodies and Rodney blogs, and/or working on top 5 lists for them:

5.
Crap lyrics: a celebration of all the very worst pop lyrics of all time-- ever! by Johnny Sharp.
Tosca sold me on this one. Thanks mate.

4.
A house is a house for me by Mary Ann Hoberman.
Thanks Danielle for the heads-up!

3.
The science of Sherlock Holmes from Baskerville Hall to the Valley of Fear, the real forensics behind the great detective's greatest cases by E.J. Wagner.
Science and Sherlock Holmes. Double win.

2.
Peter Pan's first XI: the extraordinary story of J.M. Barrie's cricket team by Kevin Telfer.
I hadn't read this one, so thanks for the mention, Fiona! I'm glad you enjoyed Penguins stopped play.

1.
Vampire forensics: uncovering the origins of an enduring legend by Mark Collins Jenkins.
I'm sure this one is self-explanatory.

Top 5 for Friday - September is...

It's September! Winter is over and it's time to celebrate in a BIG way as the world comes to New Zealand. Today's Top 5 concentrates on some of the things that are happening in the world of Libraries and the big city of Auckland during September.

1. Blue September. This comes first because this one is personal. Blue September is encouraging us to face up to Prostate Cancer. Here's what the website says. Why blue? It's simple - blue is for boys! Did you know men are twice as likely as women to die from cancers that in many cases can be prevented? Come on guys, it’s time to face facts and get cancer aware. Blue September is a nationwide awareness and fundraising initiative for prostate cancer, supporting the Prostate Cancer Foundation of New Zealand. The campaign seeks to raise funds for prostate cancer research, as well as helping men reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer by encouraging early detection. In Library terms, we can help by providing reading (subject search Prostate Cancer) for those who may have just been diagnosed and want to make sense of the frustrating rounds of tests and doctors (and for their families) or go to one of our Health databases through our Libraries website to get tips on early detection.


2. Rugby World Cup 2011. It's hard to ignore so we are not going to. The World's here to play, Auckland is ready and so are the Libraries. From fantastic displays supporting one (or all) of the teams, rugby and other sporting literature and provision of internet services so that visitors can keep in touch with home to lots of friendly welcoming spaces and enthusiastic people, Auckland Libraries are right behind the Rugby World Cup. Check out the special RWC2011 page on our library website for more details of events near you.


3. Comic Book Month. The best of all different activities from previous years from all around Auckland have been combined into one event during September. We give you Top 5s, write-ups, an interview with the award-winning Sheehan Bros, and introduce you to our graphic novel and zine collections. There are also reward cards (with the chance to win some fantastic prizes) special events and storytimes being run in some libraries and our Create a Character competition starts up next week. Watch the website or your local library for more details.


4. Auckland Art Gallery. After nearly four years away, a civic ceremony on Saturday 3 September will officially reinstate the Auckland Art Gallery to its original home on the corner of Kitchener and Wellesley Street... The newly developed Gallery has 7,194 sqm of public space, including four floors, 4,264 sqm of display space, a café, gallery shop, Learning Centre, auditorium and more than 800 artworks on display. Museums and Art Galleries are the cousins of Libraries and visiting this family member (which I am ashamed to say I have never done before) is top of my list to do once netball finishes and I get my weekends back. Which leads me to the last item on today's list.


5. Spring. Yes - Winter is officially over and September marks the beginning of spring. This morning every single member of the netball team I coached remarked on how lovely it was to turn up to 7am practice and for it to be daylight. Time to spring clean, prepare the gardens, start the exercise/diet programme that will have you looking the best you can for the beaches this summer. Or just be able to take your book and coffee (or wine) outside onto the deck to relax and enjoy. (If you hit the link on 'spring' you get a rather eclectic mix of library resources which is the result of a keyword search).

It's a full month and I plan to make the most of it. Have an awesome weekend everyone.

Top 5 for Friday - About to hit the shelves

I have moved desk. I now have a little cubby hole down at Orewa in the Auckland Council Service Centre. There are pro's and con's in this move. I know I will miss my storytime kids and customer interaction. But I now get to travel all over Auckland, visit lots of libraries and meet some of our fantastic librarians. So stay tuned for tales on a wider scale than before from all around the City.

The other positive is that I sit just around the corner from where all the new books come into the library to be processed. So whenever I lack inspiration for something to put on the blog I will just pop next door and see what is about to hit the shelves. Which is just what I have done this week. So in no particular order...

1. Sing no sad songs: Losing a daughter to cancer (Sandra Arnold). I think I will cry when I read this book (which I will, especially after just reading the first few pages). But I think I will also find it uplifting. Sandra is a published author and a wordsmith. This is apparent from the first paragraph of the introduction. On 6 April 2002 my youngest daughter Rebecca died of a rare appendix cancer, at the age of 23. For a whole year afterwards I couldn't say her name and the word 'died' in the same breath. though I am a writer and a teacher of writing, I had no words to describe this cataclysmic event in the life of my family. I could no longer read novels, listen to music, or watch films. I stopped dreaming. It hurt to breathe... Leafing through the pages, passages of poignancy leap out at me. I look forward to reading this book.


2. My Life & other stuff I made up (Tristan Bancks). For something completely different this is ia new children's fiction title. It follows on in the style of Andy Griffiths and Morris Gleitzman with short stories based on the life of Tom. Most girls will probably go 'Yuck!' to and most boys will lap up and laugh over. There is a warning on the story My Nan is tougher that adults should not read it under any circumstances, a random list of nit cures and an indepth investigation of Tom's scab. It think this will quickly make it onto the read aloud lists for many school visits.


3. Off the Wall: The World of WearableArt. If, like me, you keep meaning to but never manage to find the gap in your calendar to get to the annual Wearable Arts shows, then this is a book for you. This is the third edition of the Wearable arts design book and was produced to accompany the national touring exhibition. From the cheeky to the surreal and using everything from recycled cricket pads and human hair to used tea bags and bones (not all in the same costume), this is a great book to browse or inspire.


4. Homemade: Over 700 everyday items that are easy to make and will save you money (Reader's Digest). And who doesn't want to save money? There is the added bonus that by using this book you will also avoid artificial ingredients and produce less waste. Divided into sections for the Kitchen, Health and Beauty and Around the House, you can put on some relish, use some of the offcuts for tone your complexion and then when you pour yourself a drink at the end of the day, use a little bit of that vodka in a flea dip cocktail for your pet (page 316 if you can spare the vodka).


5. The Marvel Encyclopedia: The definitive guide to the characters of the Marvel Universe. Updated and expanded and just in time for Comic Book Month which kicks off in the libraries in September (oops - spoiler). An A to Z of the characters, the groups and their worlds. Heroes and villains with their back stories and a journey through the decades of trends within Marvel. A fantastic fact file (and Yes - there is a companion DC Universe encyclopedia).

Have a great weekend everyone. Hope there was something in this list for almost everyone.

Top 5 for Friday - Kiwi Jazz and Blues

I had a fantastic break in the winterless north at Paihia last weekend (at least it was until about 2.15 pm on Sunday afternoon when within the space of one song the temperature turned snowy). It was the annual Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival (the 26th year of the event) and it is from this that I take the inspiration for this weeks Top 5.

I never thought I was much of a fan of jazz and blues. And there are certainly some types of both jazz and blues that I couldn't sit and listen to for an extended period of time. What I do like about most of it though, is that it is music with personality and emotion. Whether it is the upbeat tempo of the swing jazz to the deprivation of the honky tonk blues, when you can hear the words that tell the story of everyday people living everyday lives and the musicians make their instruments talk - you can't beat it. So here are some of my new and rediscovered favourites (at least those that have made CD's and that have music in our collections)

1. Kokomo They started life as Kokomo Blues and are now just Kokomo. And they are quite simply the best. With a uniquely Kiwi brand of blues as well as classics from the deep south of America in the 1920's. Kokomo have an extensive back catalogue and I am pleased to see that we hold most of them. Their latest album contains one of their new songs It all comes round, as well as the timely Tintin's in Love and Plastic Jesus. They are irreverant, fun and have the best harmonica player in New Zealand.


2. Grant Haua All the best musicians this weekend seemed to come out of Tauranga. Grant Haua was one of them. His brand of blues is intensity personified. He loves his guitars but he attacks them with passion in some of the fastest fret and finger picking that I have ever seen. He does have his own album out (recently released) but can be heard in Auckland Libraries collection in Walk on Water (which just happens to have been produced by the same Studio as Kokomo and features some of the Kokomo boys on backup).


3. Brilleaux The last of the Tauranga trio, these guys are both high energy (the Saturday night show went at a million miles an hour) but can also do acoustic (the Sunday afternoon gig) with a brand that owes more to the early British Blues scene such as Rolling Stones and Slade. They have just released a live album.


4. Kniki and Mike Beale were just one of the several Australian acts which crossed the ditch for the Festival and they were certainly my pick in the blues category (although if dixie is more your thing then the Dixie Street Jazz Band is worth a look as well). A strong voice and great guitar work from this duo and I can't wait to hear Kniki's take on Janis Joplin in a new album due out next year.


5. That's Life You won't find any recordings from this Kiwi quartet of jazz musicians, who have been playing in various guises for more years than they will probably admit to (at least they didn't to us). They do it because they love it. They do it with humour and personality - the music sings and the audience responds. A trip to Sky City where they play monthly may be on the cards for the girls.

Honourable mentions go to all the school and youth bands that turned up this year - more than ever before. I am going to be parochial and say that I thought Music @ Mahu were the most polished, but I also caught the Aotea Comb Youth JazzBand and the Pakuranga College Jazz Band and they were pretty special too.

If Jazz and Blues are your thing (or music in general), we have an awesome collection of CD's, sheet music and DVD's at Auckland Libraries.

Top 5 for Friday - New Picture books

Sally and I have been busy chuckling our way through the unpacking of new picture books which have been arriving at the library this week. Here are five of our favourites, some of which may find their way to our Libraries Roadshow at Warkworth Primary school next week.

1. The Naughty Corner (Colin Thompson). An irreverant look at the people who get sent to the Naughty Corner and if they deserved it or not. It gets quite busy in the naughty corner of this particular house and many of the readers will identify with the situations. Wonderful illustrations with great facial expressions bring life to the text. Although irreverant it is not to the scale of Go the **** to Sleep (which is not and was never meant to be a picture book for children). A similar humour can be found in Dog did it (Lynne Garner and Mike Brownlee) but The Naughty Corner is our favourite book of the week.



2. When I woke up I was a Hippopotamus (Tom MacRae and Ross Collins). Easy to read aloud, rhyming text tells the story of a small boy who fantasises he is different creatures, mainly to get out of things he doesn't want to do. At the end of the day his parents convince him that it can be a positive game and join in with the fun.



3. No Bears (Meg McKinlay and Leila Rudge). On one level this is simply a little girl who wants to read a story without any bears in it... and she does. However with very clever illustrations, a bear appears in every page of the book and even saves the day. If you examine the pages closely you can search for many different fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters. A multi-layered success.



4. Get Well Friends (Kes Gray and Mary McQuillan) contains simple text but plays on words in relation to the pictures. For instance, Cynthia the centipede is poorly as she sprained 98 ankles playing hockey. Similarly Thank you for looking after our pets (Tim Hopgood) plays on the characteristics of all the different animals while the author is away. Both are simple and good fun.



5. Clem always Could (Sarah Watt). Facing your fears is something we all have to do. Learning to swim if you are scared of water (or being made fun of) is just one of them. With our coastlines and waterways in New Zealand, it is a hurdle that needs to be overcome. This is a book that will help you introduce the subject to reluctant swimmers, addresses the fears with a mixture of light humour and sensitivity and concludes with a positive outcome. Well worth a look.

Top 5 for Friday - The Eclectic Mix

I was struggling for a theme for the Top 5 blog this week. We have been rushed off our feet during the school holidays (Good) but it means that some days pass in a haze of racing from one job to the next with no time to draw breath in-between (Bad). So I thought I would share five things that I have found over the last two weeks to help with the Winter Warmers School Holiday programmes, or that just piqued my interest.

1. Let's Play! (Shelalagh McGovern) and Small Fry Outdoors (Susie Cameron & Katrina Crook). Two books of games and inspiration for how to deal with (and what to do to entertain) two to twelve year olds. Very simple ideas, without the need for a lot of extra equipment. As the days lengthen out and summer approaches (crossing fingers) they will get even more use. I used one of the ideas at short notice for my evening storytime on Wednesday night (when Plan A turned out to be a bit of a flop) and it worked really well.


2. Trouble Maker: the graphic novel (Janet and Alex Evanovich). Like so many other current authors, Janet Evanovich has made it into the graphic novel format with the Barnaby and Hooker series (also appearing in Metro Girl and Motor Mouth on the adult fiction shelves). It's fast paced with a sense of humour and works really well. I discovered it while looking for the Walking Dead graphic novels for someone who couldn't wait for the TV series to start this week.


3. Best Shorts: Favourite short stories for sharing (selected by Avi). I was looking for a really good short story I could tell at our Milo and Marshmallows Family storytime so I went through two or three books of short stories, classic fairy tales and fables. In the end I narrowed it down to two - The Boy who Read aloud by Joan Aiken (which appears in Classic Fairy Tales to read aloud) and the eventual winner by New Zealand's most famous librarian - The Librarian and the Robbers by Margaret Mahy which appears in the noted book.


4. The Putumayo children's music collection. I also spent some time listening to CD's to discover some new and different songs to spice up storytime sessions. I have become addicted to these CD's with irreverant lyrics (The Belly Button Song) and jazzed up, reggae, african, carribean or blues versions of old favourites such as Old McDonald. The adult collection is well worth a listen to as well.


5. The Day of the Rain (Joy Cowley). I also went through a reasonable amount of picture books with the holiday programmes and storytimes. This Kiwi favourite is the one the kids liked. First published in 1993 they loved the pictures of the classroom floating along the motorway, down Queen Street and out into the Hauraki Gulf. The Wide-mouthed Frog Iain Smyth) was a big hit with young and old at storytime last night so takes the runners up spot.

Top 5 for Friday - Still Watchable

I was reading a discussion in another place on the Web this week about what TV programmes you would like to see brought back and what should be cancelled (no huge surprise that the reality shows were well supporter under the latter category). It all got me thinking about how many of the shows mentioned, we could still source. And if we could, are they available at the library. The answer for many is "Yes".

So the Top 5 for this Friday comes to you courtesy of my own peculiar TV viewing tastes but with the advice that if you want to find your favourite show of old (or something more recent), you can search our catalogue with either the title or just a general Television Programmes keyword search.

1. Babylon 5. Before I became addicted to Doctor Who (the old black and white theme song used to scare me witless when I was a kid) and it's offshoot Torchwood (Capt Jack), there was Babylon 5. This five season story always left me wanting more by exploring good, bad and shades of all manner of grey that lie inbetween. Strong characters, innovative special effects and the tight storyline which left little red herrings but always knew where it was going. A honourable mention in the science fiction category goes to The Tomorrow People from the 1970's which I did watch as a kid.


2. Bonanza. They don't seem to make westerns as TV series anymore but when I was growing up there were heaps of them. My favourite was Alas Smith & Jones, but alas, the only copy in Auckland Libraries is currently missing so my excitement at finding it listed was shortlived. Bonanza easily sweeps into second place as the most popular western of it's day (although The Virginian for adult audiences and the Lone Ranger for the kids we also popular). Set in Virginia City, Nevada, Bonanza tells the story of the Cartwrights, owners of a nearly 600,000 acre ranch - The Ponderosa.


3. Joe 90. Before Ben 10 there was... Joe 90, a young boy with glasses who sat in a chair which spun round and round very fast. Today it probably looks gimmicky and quite stunted. But that will be half the fun of getting it out and watching it with your children (or grandchildren) to show them what you used to watch as a kid. What better way to spend one of the wet afternoons we are almost certain to have over the school holidays. Joe 90 comes from the same era as The Thunderbirds who are as popular as ever. Professor Ian "Mac" McClaine, a brilliant computer expert, has invented an incredible device called The Brain Impulse Galvanoscope Record and Transfer (Big Rat). It enables the knowlege and experience of one person to be transfered to another. He demonstrates the machine to his friend Sam Loover, by transfering his own brain patterns to his adopted son Joe. Joe with the aid of this technology and some special glasses becomes The World Intelligence Network's (W.I.N.) most special agent, fighting for justice and saving human life.


4. The British Comedies. I couldn't decide which of these I liked the most and was going to go on the Top 5 so I am cheating by listing several. At the time I couldn't see the humour in Fawlty Towers or Some Mothers do have em, but nowadays can respect the skill and talent. Dad's Army was however a favourite as were the Two Ronnies in any of the incarnations. The absolute skill of one man sitting in a chair telling jokes, with his only the support the bottle of "water" on the table beside him, introduced me to stand up (or sit down) comedy in the form of Dave Allen.


5. M*A*S*H. But when it comes to Amercian comedies it doesn't get any better than the comedy and drama of the 4077th MASH unit. I laughed until I cried and sometimes I just cried (nothing ever wrong with a good sob during a movie or TV programme). Hawkeye, Radar, Klinger and Hotlips are immediately identifiable as the best in TV viewing. Three Korean War Army surgeons adopt a hilarious, lunatic lifestyle as an antidote to the tragedies of their Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and in the process infuriate army bureaucrats.

If you would like to get even more nostalgic, either with your families or with your friends, there is plenty more on offer at the Library. From an furry little brown creature named ALF and the birth of superstar Johnny Depp in 21 Jump Street even further back in time to Petticoat Junction, Here's Lucy and On the Buses. If you have a favourite show, see if you can find it on our catalogue (and if we don't have it you can also suggest that we consider it for purchase).

Have a safe and dry weekend everyone.

Top 5 for Friday - Snippets from the Book World

It's been a while since I have done this. Surveyed the news from New Zealand and around the world for worthy and quirky snippets which may be of interest. What better way to finish off the week than this.

1. Keep Libraries Free. I am not a particularly political person, but when the Labour Party announced this week it was drafting legislation designed to keep Public Library services free to all New Zealanders, I was prepared to sit up and take notice. “Public libraries play an important role in our communities. They give everyone access to information and improve literacy and reading, and in many communities are the hub of a diverse range of activities. They also play an important role in strengthening those communities." said Party spokesperson Grant Robertson.


2. Authors Join Forces. Look out for a new crime novel due to hit the shelves of the library soon. No Rest for the Dead is the product of 26 of the best writers of the crime, thriller, mystery genre including Jeffrey Deaver and Kathy Reichs.


3. Guests of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2012 will be New Zealand. "So What?" I hear you cry. Actually in terms of publishing things don't get much bigger than this. "Each year, a different country is selected to be the focus of the five-day Frankfurt Book Fair. But it is not just the fair itself which gives New Zealand an opportunity to take centre-stage - we are also expected to develop a year-long programme of events throughout Germany leading up to the fair in October 2012. " (source NZ Herald). A further press release can be found on the Ministry of Culture & Heritage website.


4. Librarians Adapt to meet the needs of the Internet age. While this may not be news to any librarian out there, or to most of our regulars, there are still some people, scarred by childhood experiences of stern sshhhhh-ing who don't know that librarians are adaptable beings. This Reuters article scratches the surface of today's library experience.


5. Real Northland Men Read Books. This was my favourite headline of the week and it comes from the Northern Advocate. Pakotai School invited "real men" to come in and be role models for their students, showing them that reading was "important and a lifelong skill". Rugby players, policiticans and policeman rubbed shoulders with local farmers and businesspeople in what appears to be a very successful initiative. A very simple and practical idea. Well done Pakotai.

Have an awesome weekend everyone. Keep practising your Te Reo.

Top 5 for Friday - Picture books with a message

When I attended a children's and teens librarians hui earlier this year, we had the pleasure (and hilarity) of a presentation by Kiwi author Kyle Mewburn. He gave a fantastic talk (and display) based on a book review he had read in an Australian newspaper which contained the words "spinach ice cream". The idea was that while we all (or at least most of us) enjoy ice-cream, if you combine it with spinach you get somewhat less palatable (and in his case extraordinarily messy when his blender blew up). If you apply this analogy to the number of picture books for children that aim to teach or provide a message, you sometimes find that the same thing happens. Both the message and the enjoyment of the reading experience are lost.

I thought of this when I looked my picture book shelves this week and read through some of the new books that have come in. Here are five new books which all fall into the above category and my purely subjective of if they work or not.

1. Stand Tall like a mountain (Dr Shara Ray, illustrator Pamela Drysdale). "The book is presented by a feisty little storyteller 'Mouse', who presents a toolbox of practical strategies to teach our children how to stand tall through 'tricky, thick and thin'. The book offers a lively message of hope, helping to foster each child's personal sense of pride and self accomplishment." Okay I get the concept here and I am the first one who will pick up a warm fuzzies type book to find a pithy quote for self esteem. But as the mouse doesn't actually look all that feisty to me, I lost interest in this as a children's picture book quite quickly. Like many of it's ilk, it will have it's place in a dedicated lesson on values and self-esteem, but it doesn't work as a general picture book for me. Another new picture book that is very similar is God Is (Mark Macleod, illustrator Kirrily Schell) which examines the question "Where is God".


2. Todd's TV (James Proimos). "When Todd's parents are too busy to take care of him, his television steps in to handle the parenting." The School Library Journal provided a glowing review of this book "With broad strokes and witty slapdashery, Proimos's light cartoon art and plotline carry some weighty themes ... the author jumps into a hilariously exaggerated focal plot that manages to ease the tension and intensify the message ... funny-scary cautionary tale. It's a hoot.-Susan Weitz" although the Booklist review notes "This cautionary picture book, though entertaining and meaningful on a child's level, might be more directed at parents." This picture book almost works. I think a child would it up and enjoy the humour although they may find the ending unsatisfactory.


3. Stolen Girl (Trina Saffioti, illustrator Norma MacDonald). "Stolen Girl is a fictionalised account of the now universally known story of the Stolen Generation and tells of an Aboriginal girl taken from her family and sent to a childrens home. Each night she sings, and dreams of her mother and the life they once shared of sitting on the verandah of their corrugated-iron home, cooking damper and hunting goanna. But each morning she is woken by the bell to the harsh reality of the childrens home, until finally one day she puts into action her carefully crafted plan unlocking the door and taking her first step back toward home." Because this is aimed at a slightly older audience, it works better for me. This title belongs to the group of books which tell stories of part of the world's history, events that we hope will never happen again, which can be slightly easier to create than the "message" book. I enjoyed this. The illustrations and text work well together. Not everything is spelled out leaving something to the reader's imagination. This makes it more sophisticated and excellent for classroom discussions. A similar book is Azad's Camel (Erika Pal) about an orphan boy who is forced to be a part of the dangerous sport of camel riding.


4. Please is a Good word to say (Barbara Joosse, illustrator Jennifer Plecas). Harriet gives examples of polite words and expressions to use in various social situations to make them more pleasant. I can understand why there are no copies of this on the bookshelves of Auckland Libraries. So at least on one level (the parents are keen to pick it up) it works. However as a picture book that kids want to pick up to read, I doubt it. However, there is humour in it, the illustrations are cute (aimed at girls) and the dialogue is quite realistic.


5. Of Thee I Sing: A letter to my daughters (Barack Obama, illustrator Loren Long). "In this tender, beautiful letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation. From the artistry of Georgia O'Keeffe, to the courage of Jackie Robinson, to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America's children" Famous people thinking they can write picture books is the subject for a whole other discussion, so I was more than a little reluctant to pick up this book. It's true that there is an American flavour, especially in the conclusion. It's also true that it is a motivational speech in book form, perhaps even with a political motive. But it is also a fantastic story to read to your children to tell them how much you love them, introduce heroes and let them know they can dream big. Supported by evocative illustrations, for me this was a picture book that worked for both adults and children.

All of which leaves me to ponder. Are picture books written for children or for adults? Have a great weekend everyone.

HOWZAT! Top 5 for Friday

It may seem like the wrong time of the year to talk cricket. It's cold, wet, muddy (but still not really snowing in the right places). We've just had the shortest day (and the longest night). The Super 15 is heading into sudden death, the Silver Ferns are off to claim another world title (albiet in the slightly warmer climes of Singapore) and everywhere you look there are adverts for that other winter game's World Cup (the oval ball one).

But somewhere in the world, it is summer and people are playing cricket. Long summer days, a gentle breeze and a cold drink. As we head into the coldest wettest part of winter we have just selected a new Black Caps captain and there are plenty of people out there who are hanging out for cricket season again. A colleague in Auckland Central is one of them. So here for your enjoyment is Annie's Top 5 cricket reads.

I don’t like cricket. No. I love it. Ah. Summer. The strains of ‘Dreadlock holiday’ run through my mind. And, I sit back and relax. Watching cricket. Doesn’t really matter whose playing. The secret – especially for test matches – is that you can do something else while it’s on. Look up and see the replays. Go those Ashes. You should have seen the look on the sales assistant’s face when I asked for an AM/FM radio – not a fancy-dancy MP3 / i-thingy... AM completely necessary – how else will I get Radio Sport and cricket commentary while commuting to and from work?
To honour the joy cricket brings, here are my top 5 cricket reads.

5. Howzat!: Hadlee's tales from the boundary / Sir Richard Hadlee.
Hadlee spend a lot of time taking wickets, scoring runs, and collecting yarns. If you need a few laughs, then check out this collection of the best yarns. And there are some goodies here.

4. Cricket speak / Justin Brown
Confused by cricket? Then this entertaining volume will help clear things up.

3. NIPS XI / Ruth Starke
Such fun! A real insight into how pervasive cricket is in Australia – and the lives of migrant children.

2. Christmas in Rarotonga / John Wright.
Find out more about the Black Caps’ coach in this entertaining read. Reminisce about the days when New Zealand cricket nearly ruled the world. And the team wore beige. Someone in my family bought it for our dad many many years ago. It now lives at the family bach, and I happily re-read it while lazy around listening to crackly commentary on the radio. Just like the old days.

1. Penguins stopped play: eleven village cricketers take on the world / Harry Thompson.
This was such fun to read. A real celebration of cricket, and the ‘madness’ its tragics suffer. I’ve read this a couple of times, and highly recommend it. "It seemed a simple enough idea at the outset: to assemble a team of eleven men to play cricket on each of the seven continents of the globe. Except - hold on a minute - that's not a simple idea at all. And when you throw in incompetent airline officials, amorous Argentine Colonels' wives, cunning Bajan drug dealers, gay Australian waiters, overzealous American anti-terrorist police, idiot Welshmen dressed as Santa Claus, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and whole armies of pitch-invading Antarctic penguins, you quickly arrive at a whole lot more than you bargained for. Harry Thompson's hilarious book tells the story of one of those great idiotic enterprises that only an Englishman could have dreamed up, and only a bunch of Englishmen could possibly have wished to carry out." (Also available in large print and on audio)

Top 5 for Friday - Five books you could read for Matariki

He iti Kahurangi - A little treasure.

Matariki 2011 is about celebrating the treasures of our past. Of course, as a librarian, I believe we have many treasures in our library and some of my favourites are the ones that tells stories of our past. So in celebration of the Maori New Year, the harvest, families and the stars, remembering the past and looking forward to the future, here are five books you might like to try out during July.

1. Treasures from the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. In this book are hundreds of collection items from the museum, from taonga prized by many Maori iwi to centuries of art from Europe and New Zealand, significant historical pieces, art and objects from the Pacific, and many of the extraordinary animals and plants that make up our natural environment. Over 300 beautiful full-colour photographs and informative, lively captions bring these fascinating objects and animals to life. From the rare to the familiar, this is a cabinet of true New Zealand treasures for all readers to enjoy. I adore Museums almost as much as I love Libraries. From the small to the large (to the extremely large which take days to investigate) I can find treasures in all of the them. Te Papa is our national museum and it is well worth a visit if you haven't been there already. To get a sneak preview of what you can find there, check out this book. You can also look at treasures from other museums around the country including closer to home with 150 Treasures of the Auckland War Memorial Museum.


2. Rural Delivery: Poems and images from New Zealand Farms. Whether it's from the comfort of a fireside chair, or in the solitude of the outdoors in all weathers, a surprising number of New Zealand farmers and rural workers, both men and women, spend quiet moments composing poems, ballads and songs that focus on their working lives. This is a collection of some of these poems, coupled with Stephen Robinson's dramatic images of rural life and landscapes. From the joys and exhaustion of high-country mustering to the tribulations of never-ending mud and wayward sheep and cattle, these are pictures and stories of heartland New Zealand, and celebrate our farming heritage. Having been brought up on a dairy farm and at one stage owned my own sheep and beef farm, I can relate to sooo much of this book (mud, gumboots, rain, dust, hungry shearers...). I have actually even considered buying a copy for my father, although I am not sure. He still manages to surprise me but I have never tried poetry on him before.


3. The Treasure/Te Taonga by Melanie Drewery. "Come snuggle on the couch with me and I will tell you of my greatest taonga". This picture books holds a special place in my heart as I discovered it around the same time as my niece came into the lives of my family - a special gift to us as she is adopted. We added 'Te Taonga' to her name because that is what she is to us.


4. Marc Ellis' Goood Fullas: A guide to Kiwi Blokes. Marc Ellis and Charlie Haddrell, a couple of Henanigan storytellers with a decent pinch of Bogan in them, who have been mates since the days they were Scarfies, have decided to bring 25 stereotypical New Zealanders to life through a humorous account of their eccentricities and idiosyncrasies, highlighting why they are such an integral part of this great nation. For a touch of humour and downright irreverance it is hard to go past Marc Ellis. Easy to pick up, put down, giggle at and you may even find some people you know in here.


5. Treasure - Hayley Westenra. When it comes to New Zealanders we have multiple choices for people we treasure. From singers and actors, writers and sportspeople, adventurers and artists, the choice is huge. Hayley certainly counts as one of them. So when I discovered she had an album titled 'Treasure" it just seemed like fate that she would make it onto this list. A little light listening while you are enjoying your reading.

Top 5 for Friday - What's Hot on the Holds shelf

It's been another one of those busy weeks, when best laid plans get overtaken by events. And then there was the weather yesterday(foul). Which is my very sad excuse for it being Friday afternoon before the Top 5 is posted.

One of the things I'v noticed working in the Library is how what other people are reading is fascinating to our customers when they come in and pick up their books off the hold shelf. Just like our New Books and Recentlty Returned shelves, the Holds shelf is a great source of inspiration. After all, if someone else wants it (or if you see it more than twice on the hold shelf) it must be good. So that is my inspiration for today.

1. Fall of Giants: Book one of the Century Trilogy (Ken Follett). Lisa almost did a dance in the workroom next to me when I put her request for this on her desk. So I am pretty sure I know what she will be doing this weekend. This first part of the trilogy "follows the fates of five interrelated families - American, German, Russian, English and Welsh - as they move through the world-shaking dramas of the First World War, the Russian Revolution, and the struggle for women's suffrage". Looks like something I might have to request.


2. Dolci di Love (Sarah-Kate Lynch). Sarah-Kate braved the weather last night to come up to speak to a packed theatre at Matakana and all reports are that it was well worth everyone turning up. There are already several copies of this on the Holds shelf and I expect after last night there will be more. Manhattan workaholic comes to Tuscany to find her cheating husband. However the underground network of ancient widows in Montevedova are at work to get her a happy ending - whether she wants it or not.


3. The Jefferson Key (Steve Berry). Several copies of this have been unpacked here this afternoon to go on the holds shelf. I have always been fascinated by the coincidences between the assassinations of Presidents Lincoln and Kennedy. This book takes that one step further by including all four presidents who have been assassinated and weaves together a plot where Justice Department Operatives race across the nation to break a secret cipher originally possessed by Thomas Jefferson, concocted by Andrew Jackson and which may mean that these seemingly unrelated events were actually all part of a larger plan which still continues today.


4. Knitting and cooking are just as popular as ever. Annabel Langbein's The Free Range Cook, any slow cooking or comfort food title and everything from beginners to advanced when it comes to knitting.


5. DVD's are particularly popular at this time of year with people taking the chance to watch everything from the latest offerings like The King's Speech to some awesome documentaries (most of the free) to reliving old favourites The Onedin Line and Poldark. There really is something here for everyone.