July School Holiday Programme

The theme these holidays is "Blood, guts and body bits"

All libraries feature storytime sessions and a variety of fun activities such as discovering what goes on inside bodies and making body parts, masks and skeletons.

Helensville Library
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual 10.30 am Mondays
Wednesday 9 July 10.30 am – Mad Science
Tuesday 15 July 10.30 am - Whose your (Egyptian) Mummy?
Thursday 17 July 10.30 am - Be your own Hero (to take place at the dojo)

Kumeu Library
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual 10.30 am Mondays
Tuesday 8 July 10.30 am – Come along for a session of stories and body parts surprises
Thursday 10 July 10.30 am – Stories and Body parts
Wednesday 16 July 10.30 am - Stories and More body parts

Mahurangi East Library
Tuesday 8 July 10.30am - What’s inside your body?
Thursday 10 July 10.30am - Making Faces- design a Masquerade Mask
Tuesday 15 July 10.30am - Looking at skeletons

Orewa Library
Storytime and Rhymetime for preschoolers will run as usual
Rhymetime 11 am Tuesdays :: Storytime 11 am Thursdays
Wednesday 9 July 2pm – Body Parts: Stories and crafts for 3 to 6 year olds
Wednesday 16 July 2pm - Body Parts: Stories and crafts for age 6 upwards

Warkworth Library
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual Monday at 10.30 (but not Thursday)
Tuesday 8 July 10.30 am - If you can’t see or hear? Special guests Peyton & Leica (with carer Gareth) and local author Maria Gill
Thursday 10 July 10.30 am – Make your own body parts
Thursday 17 July 10.30 am – Join the Mad Doctor for stories, fun and actitivies

Wellsford Library
Storytime for preschoolers will run as usual Wednesdays 10.30 am
Thursday 10 July 10.30 am – Body Parts
Wednesday 16 July 10.30 am – Storytime for preschoolers
Thursday 17 July 10.30 am – More Body Parts

Whangaparaoa Library
Storytime and rhymetime for preschoolers will run as usual
Storytime 10.30 am Tuesdays and Wednesdays: Rhymetime 10.30 am Thursdays
Thursday 17 July 6.00 pm – Come along for a fun session of stories, songs, and body parts
surprises!!

Carnegie Medal winner 2008

In Britain the prestigious Carnegie Medal winner has been announced.

Carnegie Medal

"The Carnegie Medal is awarded annually to the writer of an outstanding book for children. It was established by The Library Association in 1936, in memory of the great Scottish-born philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919). Carnegie was a self-made industrialist who made his fortune in steel in the USA. His experience of using a library as a child led him to resolve that "if ever wealth came to me that it should be used to establish free libraries." "

A list of the Carnegie Medal winners held by Rodney Libraries can be found on the catalogue.

This 2008 winner is ...

Here lies Arthur by Philip Reeve.

"Gwyna is just a small girl, a mouse, when she is bound in service to Myrddin the bard - a traveller and spinner of tales. But Myrddin transfroms her - into a lady goddess, a boy warrior, and a spy. Without Gwyna, Myrddin will not be able to work the most glorious transformation of all - and turn the leader of a raggle-taggle war-band into King Arthur, the greatest hero of all time."

Books on the Radio

If you are sensible and don't HAVE to leave the house this weekend (or next week), you can always check out what's new in the book world on the Radio.

SATURDAY MORNING WITH KIM HILL - Radio New Zealand
On the 28th of June the following books are scheduled for mention or review:
Snowdon: The Biography – Anne de Courcy
Smoke: the Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilisation
Waimarino Country & Other Excursions – Martin Edmond
Paddington Here and Now – Michael Bond

THE ARTS ON SUNDAY
Every Sunday afternoon on Radio New ZealandNational. Interviews and discussions about the following New Zealand books are scheduled for 2pm –2.30pm on Sunday 29 June 2008.
Dame Fiona Kidman on her Michael King CNZ Fellowship Award plans.
Kapka Kassabova – Street Without A Name: Childhood and Other Misadventures in Bulgaria

BOOK OF THE DAY ON NINE TO NOON
Speaking Volumes is the 10:30am book review slot on Radio New Zealand National’s Nine to Noon show.
Monday 30 June Reappraisals by Tony Judt
Tuesday 1 July The Flower Hunter: The Remarkable Life of Ellis Rowan. Christine and
Michael Morton-Evans
Wednesday 2 July Bright ShinyMorning - the latest offering of James Frey
Thursday 3 July A Perfectly Good Family by Lionel Shriver

WEEKDAY BOOK READINGS
NINE TO NOON 10.45am
Monday 30 June & Tuesday 1 July : Unpublished short stories.
Wednesday 2 July & Thursday 3 July : Stories Bodies Tell – Maxine Alterio, Eps 1–2 (of 2)
Friday 4 July : Unpublished short story
AFTERNOONS 2.30pm
Monday 30 June – Friday 4 July
Let Me Sing You Gentle Songs – Linda Olsson; Eps 6–10 (of 12)
ALL NIGHT PROGRAMME 3.15am Monday 30 June – Sunday 6 July
Dogside Story – Patricia Grace, Eps 1–7 (of 10)

What's On in Rodney this Weekend

Let's jump right in with...

Rodney Live Final
Saturday 28th June, 7pm. Remember it's now at Kingsway School, 100 Jelas Road, Orewa.
Come along and view the best dancers, singers and entertainers in Rodney vying to win over $2,000 in prizes. Check out the Rodney Live website for more details.

Puhoi 145th Anniversary
Events all weekend in Puhoi to celebrate the 145th landing of the Bohemians in this very special settlement (but then I might be just a little biased). The big day is on Sunday when you can join the Puhoi Hotel, the Puhoi Band, the Bohemian Dancers, the Historical Society and the past and present people of Puhoi for a special Anniversary Day. Check out details on the Puhoi Historical Society website

Hilarious Hypnotist
Saturday 28th June, 7.30pm. Stanmore Bay School Auditorium. Refreshments beforehand plus two hours of fun. Tickets from the school office 094245540.

Makarau Hall Midwinter Christmas
Join the rural community out at Makarau for the annual Midwinter Dinner and Dance from 6.30pm on Saturday 28th. National Blues Band, plus a three course meal and lots of conviviality. Phone Alison 094205119, Dean 094204044 or Jill 094205112.

Scandrett Regional Park Tree Planting
Sunday 29th June 10am to 3pm. In exchange for a BBQ and hot drinks (which you may need although the weather forecast is more promissing for Sunday) come along and find out what's happening in one of the newest Regional Parks and give them a hand. For information email david.edge@arc.govt.nz

There's probably heaps of stuff I have missed so check out the local papers, Times FM and the noticeboard in your local library.

That's it from me for the week. Batten down the hatches and keep warm this weekend.

Last chance to visit the Worlds Largest Floating Bookshop

My excuse for trolling around the message boards of different internet sites (including Trade Me and Face Book) is that you come up with all sorts of interesting information you wouldn't know about otherwise. This is one of the things I found and this weekend is your last chance to visit before it leaves our waters.

Doulos is the World's Oldest Active Passenger Ship with the world's largest floating bookshop and is currently in New Zealand for the first time in nine years. It has been here since 10 June 2008 and is due to leave on after Monday 30 June 2008.

Built in 1914, two years after the Titanic, the Doulos has welcomed aboard over 20 million visitors for tours, programmes and visits to the floating book fair, with over 6000 titles of quality books in a range of genres. With stops in over 500 ports of call, this unique ship has visited more than 100 countries. It is staffed by an international crew of 320 volunteers from over 50 countries and is owned by a Christian charity, working mostly in the developing world to provide good educational literature at cost to people.

This is the Doulos' third visit to Auckland, the last being in 1999. It will also be the last ever visit, as the ship is due to retire. You can visit over the weekend from 2pm to 10pm. The Doulos is berthed at Princes Wharf, 143 Quay Street in the Auckland CBD.

For more information view http://www.omnz.org.nz/doulos/Auckland.pdf