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Showing posts from May, 2011

Sky Burial

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By: XINRAN Genre: Autobiography Location: NF 920 AN EPIC LOVE STORY OF TIBET In this haunting book Xinran recreates Shu Wen's remarkable journey in a grand story of love, loss, loyalty and survival. Moving, shocking and finally enriching, Sky Burial paints a unique portrait of a woman and a land, both at the mercy of fate and politics.

A friend like Henry

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By: Nuala Gardner Genre: Biography Location: NF 920 The remarkable true story of an autistic boy and the dog that unlocked his world. " truly affecting...terribly touching" Evening Standard When Jamie and Nuala Gardner chose a puppy for their son Dale, they weren't choosing an ordinary pet. Dales autism was so severe that his behaviour could veer from silence to shrieking banshee in just seconds. Jamie and Nuala spent most of their waking hours trying to break into his autistic world. But the Gardner's' lives were transformed when they welcomed Henry, a gorgeous Golden retriever puppy into the family. With patient work, the bond between dale and his dog helped them produce the breakthrough in their son they had long sought.

The Queens Lady

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By: Eve Edwards Genre: Historical Fiction Location: FIC EDW Surrey, England ,1554. When Lady Jane Rievauko begins service to the Queen at Richmond Palace, she is thrilled at the courts' newest arrival- Master James Lacey. However James is setting sail on a treacherous journey to the Americas seeking absolution for what he sees as past sins. But when Lady Jane is forced into a terrible situation by her own family, there is only one man to save her....

Time Raider: The Doomsday Code

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By: Alex Scarrow Genre: Fantasy/Sci Location: FIC SCA Series: Time Raiders Liam O'Connor should have died at sea in 1912 Maddy Carter should of died in a plane in 2010 Sal Vakram should have died in a fire in 2026 But all three have been given a second chance- to work for an agency that no-one knows exists. its purpose: to prevent time travel destroying history. In this book the Time Riders travel back to Sherwood forest to discover the origins of an ancient message..but a strange hooded man is looking for the same thing. What is the cryptic link from the past and what does it hold for the future.

La Rochelle's Road

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By: Tanya Moir Genre: Historical NZ Fiction Location: FIC MOI Historical fiction is one of my favourite genres, Canterbury is my favourite place and I love Banks Peninsula. My family have a bach there and last time I went to Akaroa I foraged around all the historical sites and the Onuku Marae- so when this book came out- set on Banks Peninsula during its settling years- it became a must read. 1866 Daniel Peterson and his family leave London to go to a farm in the peninsula- they are at the mercy of the land, the weather and the neighbours- a motley, suspicious assortment of old whalers, escaped convicts, wary french settlers. Then Daniels daughter discovers a secret- a hidden diary that tells of the scandalous Etienne La Rochelle and his Maori lover...

SOS ADVENTURE SERIES - Fire Storm and Ice Quake

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By: Colin Bateman Genre: Adventure Fiction Location: FIC BAT Colin Bateman is such a well known author and now he has turned his hand to writing adventure stories wrapped around natural catastrophe's. The combination is sure to be a winner. Chris Ryan cross Robert Muchamore- it has to be good. Great read for the boys!!!

FLY GIRL

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By: Sherri L. Smith Genre: Fiction- War and racism Location: FIC SMI "A dynamic heartful novel" Washington Post All Ida Mae Jones wants to do is fly... her daddy was a pilot and she wanted to be one too- which is very difficult if you are a young black woman. When America enters WWII the Army forms WASP (Women Air force Service Pilots) and Ida has a chance to join- but she has to use her light skin to pass as a white girl. Can she deny her identity and family to fly- can she fulfil her dream without losing herself...

An Elephant whisperer

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By: Lawerence Anthony Genre: Non Fiction- Autobiography Location NF 920 ANT This books is about life, loyalty and freedom from a remarkable herd of elephants. When Lawrence Anthony was asked to accept a rogue herd of wild elephants on his Thula Thula game reserve in Zululand, his common sense told him to refuse. But if he did not take them- then this herd would have to be destroyed. As Anthony risked his life to create a bond with the elephants- he came to realise what a special family they were... This book will appeal to animal lovers and adventurous souls everywhere.. and i just has to put a photo of a cute elephant in this blog- cause they are !!!!

RICHIE McCAW: A tribute to a modern-day rugby great

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By: John Matheson Genre; RUGBY!!!!! Location NF 796.333 MAT I am a Cantabrian - I am a fervent one eyed Canterbury Rugby Fan and as I sit in my library office here in the Waikato , I am wearing a Crusaders jacket- because tonight the Crusaders are going to slaughter the Chiefs in Napier. So here's to Richie _ I don't care where you are from- you just have to admit that this man is a legend, a leader and a great kiwi man!!! Did you know he plays the bagpipes!! This book is mostly about his status as the best No7 in the world, his games, his story- but it has information about the man himself!!!

The Accidental Billionaires

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By: Ben Mezrich Genre: Biography Location: 920 MEZ THE BOOK FROM THE MOVIE " THE SOCIAL CLUB' - ITS THE FACEBOOK STORY. You dont get 500 billion friends without making a few enemies.

The Iron King and The Iron Daughter

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Both books by: Julie Kagawa Genre: Fantasy Location: FIC KAG The Iron King and Iron Daughter has the...enchantment, imagination and adventure of Alice in Wonderland, Narnia and The Lord Of The Rings , but with lots more romance..." Justine magazine

Pathfinder

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By: Orson Scott Card Genre: Fantasy Location: FIC CAR By the best selling author or ENDER'S GAME A POWERFUL SECRET A DANGEROUS PATH Rigg has the strange talent for seeing the paths of peoples past- but when his own fathers dies Rigg discovers secrets about his own past. What he discovers is that there is a struggle over his very existence- two factions- one wants him crowned and one who wants him dead.

Just a girl

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By: Jane Caro Genre: Historal fiction Location: FIC CAR Phillipa Gregory for Youth Fiction readers. " I do not remember when I discovered how my mother dies, it seems to be something I always knew, a horror I absorbed through my skin" Determined and passionate, privileged and headstrong. Elizabeth was born into a world where she felt she did not belong and had to fight to survive. Her mother Anne Boleyn was executed by her father- Henry VIII. From that moment on, Elizabeth competed with her two half siblings for love and for Britains throne. The royal palace- it had friends foes, enemies she could not see, loyal believers she did not know existed. Plots for her- against her. Yet how do you have the courage to become queen even though you are just a girl?

Sacrifice

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By: Joanna Orwin Genre: Fiction- Survival Location: Fic Orw Set in the Northern part of New Zealand after volcanic eruptions and tsunami's caused the outset of the Dark. The few survivors are struggling to maintain their tenuous communities in swamplands. Now food and resources are dwindling and the real hope for the future rests with the youths who are selected to venture into the devastated mainland to find any remaining food sources... However more is yet to come as the heavens themselves change- revealing dramatic events that no-on can ignore.

Mortal Kiss

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By: Alice Moss Genre: Fantasy- vampire Location: FIC MOS What would you sacrifice for a kiss? "We've known each other forever- it's just taken this long to find each other.." When smouldering Finn and cute Lucas arrive in Winter Mill, life starts to get very complicated for Faye McCarron . The two boys are battling for her heart- but with a dead body in the woods, a motorcycle gang on the prowl and non stop snow- events are becoming sinister. Halloween approaches and so does the dark secret. As for Finn and Lucas- well read it to find out which one wins!!!

After

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By: Amy Efaw Genre: Fiction- Drama Location:FIC EFA "This is a really brave book" Kelly Vision "Efaw assigns herself a seemingly impossible task- creating sympathy for a teen mother who tosses her newborn baby into a trash bin- yet somehow pulls it off in this successful button-pusher." BOOKLIST

Chocloate Cake with Hitler

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By: Emma Craigie Genre: Historical Fiction Location: FIC CRA Nominated for the Carnegie Medal 2011 "Told with a child-like innocence, Chocolate Cake with Hitler is a poignant insight into the dying days of the Third Reich" Daily Mail This is a fictionalised account of the life of Helga, a twelve year old daughter of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Party's Head of Propaganda. She ate chocolate cake with "uncle leader" every night- but as the Nazi machine crumbled, so did her life. This is the bunker story, of a young girl, shattered dreams, and the consequences of being a daughter to an evil man.

Scrivener's Moon

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By: Philip Reeve Genre: Fantasy Location: FIC REE Series: Mortal Engines The Scriven people are brilliant, mad and ...dead. All except one, whose insane creation is nearly complete- a giant city on wheels. New London terrifies the world beyond and armies determined to stop it are gathering to attack. Young Fever Crunch is at the horrifying heart of the great war that is about to change the future of the human race. Scrivener's Moon is a sensational new story from one of the best fantasy adventure series ever written. http://www.mortalengines.co.uk/ This series is one of my son's favourites, although he is now 21- he will be wanting to keep reading the series that helped get him hooked on Sci-Fi and Fantasy..

skinny

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By: Laura L Smith Genre: Girl teenage drama Location: FIC SMI Anorexia; a disease my niece suffers from, and it is not an easy thing to watch, and even harder for her to conquer. This novel is about a girl desperate to be skinny, to fit in, to catch the cue guy at school. It is also about the fast and dangerous slide that eating disorders take you on. To start with you want control- but then it fully controls you. This novel also touches on the help a relationships with God gives, in giving courage to deal with the hell of anorexia.

The Secret Lives of Dresses

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By: Erin McKean Genre: Chic- Fashion Location: FIC MCK "Every dress has a secret. let me tell you mine..." "A captivating and enchanting novel about vintage frocks and new experiences for every girl who knows that the right dress can change your life." Dora's placid humless life, is turned upside down when her grandmother Mimi dies, and Dora takes over her vintage clothing shop. Her grandma,other (Mimi) has written a story to go with every dress she sells- romantic, heartbreaking tales about the secret lives of dresses. Can Dora match these frocks and their stories with new owners- and carry on the stories of the dresses.

The Throne of Fire

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By: Rick Riordan Genre: Fantasy Location: FIC RIO Series: The Kane Chronicles- number two The Egyptian gods are waking in the modern world... http://www.kanechronicles.co.uk/ One curse. Two Heroes. Five days to save the world. Rick Riordan does it again- he has created another series to enthrall and inform, challenge and scare. If you liked percy Jackon- then kane Chronicles awaits.

The forever war

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By: Joe Haldeman Genre: Sci Fi Location: FIC HAL This is a Hugo and Nebula award winning classic, that means it is a really good sci-fi book. It is cross between a war novel and science fiction, the present and the future, space and earth, war and peace. Some say it is the most important war novel written since Vietnam and others say it is the best science fiction novel ever written. Either way- it looks like a must read.

The Hundred- Foot Journey

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By: Richard C Morais Genre: Fiction- Travel Location: FIC MOR "Outstanding! Easily the best novel set in the world of cooking -ever and absolutely thrilling from beginning to end" Anthony Bourdain. From India to France- family and food, mouth watering recipes and restaurant rivalry. Simon Beaufoy advises "Don't read this book if you are hungry. You might eat it". For me its the classic combination- travel, food and people, and it also has the yummiest of all things on its cover- a Mango!!!

Lost Tuhunga

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By: David Hair Genre: Maori Gothic Location: FIC HAI Apart from the coolest cover ever, this book is a great read. Covert war, bitter intrigue, chilling murders... Matiu Douglas has settled in Taupo after his adventure of slewing the taniwha at lake Waikaremoana. He still is in training refining his martial arts and magical skills. Before long he is drawn again into seeking the elusive power of Puarata, to gain "The Heart- Te Iho". Hand guns, flintlocks,technology, magic, modern teens, and mythological being all collide in this thrilling young adult fantasy novel.

True Grit

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By: Charles Portis Genre: Western Location: FIC POR First is was John Wayne, then Matt Damon. This is a true western made into two movies, so the book must be good! Roald Dahl said it was the best book he had read in twenty year, he called it "an epic, and a legend". It has cowboys, Indians, horses, revenge and money- what more could you want? OK- and a romance!

Who's cooking tonight

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By: Claire Gourley Genre: Food Location: Non Fiction 641.5 GOU Its your turn to cook? What is it going to be? This was Claire's quandary when it was her turn to cook the family meal. Her answers to that problem have resulted in a relevant, colourful, practical recipe book. It has recipes that you use all the time, but fancied up in a usable way. Rumours also have it- that this plucky NZer is having a quite visit to our very own school!!!!

Delirium

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By: Lauren Oliver Genre: Sci- Fi- Romance Can the disease of love be cured? You live for love, die for love. But the Government has declared that love is a disease that must be eradicated. They have found the cure and all will be cured by the time they are 18. Lena goes along with the Governments policy- love only creates hurt and pain- then just before her treatment she meets Alex!

Orson Scott Card

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Genre: Sci Fi writer Location: CAR You may have read " Enders Game" here at school as a required read, well we decided it was only fair for you to have access to the sequels. "Speaker for the Dead', "Xenocide" and "Children of the Mind" are all now in the library. How does the Ender Saga end? You can now find out!