My Top 5 for 2010

Being Friday, it's time for the Top 5. So I wandered back through my reading list for 2010 and pondered what were the standouts for the year. It has been a strange year of reading (too many text books and scholarly articles) and without referring to my list, nothing really stood out in the way titles did in 2009. However on going back I did remember some gems. The following list is based primarily on the "I can't put it down" or the "I NEED to know what happened next" criteria.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova was recommended to me by the ladies at the Village Bookshop, Matakana and it was certainly right up there. Fifty-year-old Alice Howland, a Harvard professor of cognitive psychology, is at the top of her game. Her kids are grown, her marriage secure, her career on fire, when - after mere months of forgetfulness - she finds herself in the rapidly downward spiral of early onset Alzheimers' disease. With no cure or treatment, Alice struggles to find meaning and purpose in her everyday life as her concept of self slips away. Lisa has a new book due out next year and I am looking forward to that.

Billy T: The Life and Times of Billy T James by Matt Elliott. Of course, I know what happens in this story of one of our favourite comedians. But I still couldn't put it down. This isn't just a tale of a larger than life character, but also of the comedy and entertainment scene in New Zealand. An exceptionally enjoyable insight.

Cry of the Taniwha by Des Hunt. In my humble opinion, this is Des Hunt's best book to date. Matt Logan isn't looking forward to spending the school holidays in Rotorua with his grandmother and her new husband. Matt has taken his metal detector along, and when he and Juzza - the boy next door - unearth a handcuffed skeleton, a dangerous chain of events begins to coil around them. Des is one of my favourite Kiwi authors, especially for the reluctant boy readers (although there is something in here for everyone). A brilliant mix of one of the biggest bangs in New Zealand history with current culture with some good old fashioned adventure storytelling.

Return of the Prophet by Greig Beck. Speaking of big bangs, this book starts with one and the action doesn't stop until the last page. During experiments to enrich uranium in a secret laboratory buried below the ancient Persian ruins of Persepolis, a freak accident with new laser technology accelerates atoms to a speed of light and forces particle collisions that generates the most powerful entity in our universe, a black hole. This is not my usual type of read but I really enjoyed both it and it's predecessor. Boys (and girls) own adventure for grownups.

Room by Emma Donoghue. I have only just finished reading this Man Booker award winning 2010 novel (as in 11pm last night so it definitely comes under both categories to get on this list). It's Jack's birthday, and he's excited about turning five. Jack lives with his Ma in a room, which has a locked door and a skylight, and measures 12 feet by 12 feet. He loves watching TV, and the cartoon characters he calls friends, but he knows that nothing he sees on screen is truly real - only him, Ma and the things in room. Until the day Ma admits that there's a world outside...Told in Jack's voice, "Room" is the story of a mother and son whose love lets them survive the impossible. I will review it in more detail in the new year, but is a book that is meaningful in it's simplicity. It's power is in resisting over-dramatising the situation and simply telling the tale.

Well that's five so all I am left with is honourable mentions for the Millenium Trilogy (Steig Larsson), Freeing Grace (Charity Norman), The Project (Brian Falkner), Ape House (Sara Gruen) and Navigation (Joy Cowley).

And that's it for 2010. Have a very Happy New Year's Eve. Stay safe and I look forward to talking to you all again in 2011.

Ka kite

Fairy Tales for Young and Old

Don't be put off by the heading. Jane Yolen is internationally known for her retelling of fairy stories, myths and legends from around the world as well as an award winner for her original tales. She also does a good line in dinosaurs and manners (e.g. How do the dinosaurs eat their food?). In the past few years I have used her picture books for storytimes at the library and enjoyed her childrens and young adults fiction.

It was at a Children's & Teens Librarian book chat that I was recommended her adult novel Except the Queen written in collaboration with Midori Snyder. If I wanted to go over the top with my alliteration it is a fantastic fantasy fable of two fairy sisters thrown out of their fey home and into the world of (gasp) humans. To make matters even worse, they are separated from each other and there is a little more going on in the human world that what we can see. Enough of their fairy magic remains for them to read the signs, rescue a couple of lost souls and defend them against the dark. But will them make it home to fairy land... and would they want to go?

Of course, there is a bit more to it than that. Tattoos bind girls to the dark side and bring nightmares. Birds act as messengers and crows are orphan changelings. As well as action, mystery and magic, there is also humour in how the sisters cope with a completely foreign world.

If you want to check out either this book, or any other Jane Yolen title (from picture book to graphic novel, to adult fiction) there are 178 entries on the library catalogue to choose from.

A new career in 2011

Have you ever thought of becoming a Librarian? I'm addicted to it. It is interesting and there is something different every day. I get to see lots and lots of books (and to read a few of them). I am a detective, advisor, teacher, friend, researcher, and that's just at the beginning of my day.

The Libraries are always looking for fun and dynamic people with:
- A flair for customer service
- Knowledge or love of books
- The willingness to learn and explore information systems.
These jobs are open to all members of the public and provide a range of interesting and challenging roles that offer great career opportunities.

If you are thinking that a change of career might be on the agenda in 2011 and the Libraries interest you, then bookmark this Jobs page on our website and visit it regularly.

We wish you a Merry Christmas

No Top 5 today. Instead I thought I would treat you to a few front of house (and behind the scenes) photos from 2010 in the libraries.

The Warkworth Library are always game for a dress up and have done so several times this year. The Christmas storytime was not complete without some of the staff getting into the spirit by being impish, fairylike and jolly (that's Gail, Anne and Lisa). Sally and Julie were conveniently away that day.

Mrs Santa travelled around the district trying to track down Santa Claus. She thought she might find him at Warkworth or Whangaparaoa libraries but missed him at both. He is obviously a very busy man at this time of year.

Clifford was a big hit around the libraries in October. He is a regular visitor and entertained children (big and small) all the Rodney libraries over the space of two weeks. Here he is with Merrill at Whangaparaoa Library helping to give out certificates.

Kiwi Author Gavin Bishop visited the Kumeu Library as part of the Storylines Festival in August so Tina and Cathy asked him to pose with them for a photo opportunity. We have some fantastic authors and illustrators producing some exceptional talent.

One of the biggest events that happened in 2010 for the libraries was of course the amalgamation into the biggest library system in Australiasia on 1st November. We didn't just get bigger though. We got better as people throughout the region embraced the new library system with enthusiasm. Over the past few days here in Warkworth Library we have been getting some fantastic feedback from people who are coming to the area to holiday. This year they can use their Auckland, Manukau, Franklin, Papakura or Waitakere library cards to take books out and there are smiles all round.

So the only thing left to say now is have a fantastic and safe festive season. May Santa bring you the goodies you wanted, may the food be good, the beverages cold and have a very Merry Christmas.

I predict this will be an Award winner

You would have to go a long way to find a better summer read for the 13+ age group that Brian Falkner's new novel The Project. It is a rollicking good adventure story with school boy pranks, spys, soldiers, floods, kidnappings and mysteries to solve. Add to that some excellent research into science and history (although the author notes that "a number of things have been altered for the sake of an exciting story") and you end up with something that I am sure will be on 2011 Notable books lists and short lists for Awards in the New Year.

The tale begins with Luke (a Kiwi school boy who grew up on a farm, can fix anything with a piece of number 8 wire and who has a near photographic memory) and his mate Tommy (a gadget freak and spy in training) in an uncomfortable interview with their Principal after a prank gone wrong. It also involves a Book, which up to that point, they believe to be the most boring book in history and a challenge to them to discover a book that is more boring. A challenge is like a dare to the boys so they can't resist. It leads them into places they have rarely gone before (the library) and places they have never imagined (a hint - Leonardo da Vinci and Hitler).

Although this book is recommended for ages 13+ and placed on the Teen shelves of most Auckland Libraries, it is also suitable for the more advanced readers of the children's fiction shelves. Many of the chapters are short and the pace is fast moving so it would be an ideal read aloud for families. It ticks all the boxes for me and I believe is Brian's best book to date. Five stars.