It’s official. Books are delicious!! Thank you NZ Book Month for saying it loud and clear in this year’s campaign…a good book is almost edible!
I have a hearty appetite for books at any time, but I especially love celebrating NZ Book Month each September. Like you, I have a passion for New Zealand books and writing.
However, I must make a confession; I haven’t always had a taste for New Zealand literature. When I studied it at university, the classic works we looked at were so dark and grim that they sent me into a veritable fit of depression. But now that I am quite grown up I can appreciate the NZ classics. Through their pages we can piece together a picture of our country’s history and of ourselves; the struggles and hardships of the country’s past that make us who we are today; especially our stoic strength and determination, and our deep-seated love of nature.
Looking at NZ Book Month’s top 75 books for 2008, we can see books that reflect those same characteristics. The essence of strength, determination and a love of nature are evident throughout the stunning collection, but the flavour of NZ writing has clearly changed along the way. As a culture we have extended our taste buds, we have travelled the world, climbed mountains in countries other than our own, and have created a new recipe for a literature that is still however so utterly our own.
The NZ Book Month posters and brochures are a smorgasbord of colour and texture, with works as diverse, cheerful and moving as you could hope for. The books showcased are just a taste of what this country has to offer…..and they are truly almost edible!!
Do join us at Hastings District Libraries as we raise our (figurative) glasses and make a toast to our country, our books and ourselves – a nation of readers.
The events still to come are:
Kids Preschool story time (Hastings Library) every Wednesday 10.30am – free entry
Kids NZ story time (Hastings Library) every Sunday for the month of September 2.30pm – free entry
Poetry Writers and Readers Group (Hastings Library) Tuesday 23rd September 5.30pm
Book Sculpture competition (Flaxmere Library) entries close Wednesday 24th September
Book Sculpture Exhibition and winner announced (Flaxmere Library) Friday 26th September 6.30pm-7.30pm
Publishers Book Expo (Havelock North Library) Tuesday 30th September 7.00pm with special guest speaker local author Michael Fowler
Bookish Betsy sings the praises (if slightly out of tune) of life as a librarian
I have vivid memories of being young, swaying backwards and forwards on my swing bellowing away, conjuring up in my mind a great crowd of admirers gathered to hear my song. I was (in my imagination at least) a famous singer – Tiffany or Cyndi Lauper – working the audience with my wacky hair and groovy clothes. Or, on other occasions, I was in front of the mirror practicing my arabesques wowed into paralysis by my own splendor – surely one day I would be Margot Fonteyn at the Winter Gardens. In my imagination I would be all sorts of things when I grew up, but never, ever in my wildest dreams did I imagine myself as a…..librarian.
Why, I wonder, when my childhood nickname quickly became Bookish Betsy, did it not occur to me that being around books all day would be my perfect vocation?
I guess I didn’t know then what I know now: that being a librarian is really good fun!!! That apart from all those amazing books, as a librarian I get a window into a rich, colourful world of art, culture and inspiration. That as a librarian I work alongside some of the most interesting, humorous, innovative people, with the most diverse array of hobbies. That as a librarian, everyday I meet interesting new people with stories to tell. And best of all, as a librarian my darling little polka dot mary-jane’s don’t look too out of place – in a library, I am free to just be myself. That’s something to sing about!
Next week is Library week and we are celebrating libraries and librarians, so do make sure you pop in and see us.
Hi my name’s Lucy Lit and I have a confession...
Yes its official folks and I’ve come out of the bookshelves about it! I love Urban Fantasy. That’s not so wrong is it?
After all, myths and legends telling of times when supernatural beings lived among humans are read to us as children, and studied from primary school right through to university. We’ve all read or heard about the Olympic Gods ruled by Zeus, and Norse Gods like Thor and the mischievous Loki. Dracula and his undead kin have fascinated and repelled mankind for ages. The book industry cheered JK Rowling when her witches, wizards, house elves and griffins enthralled children and encouraged a whole new generation of readers.
So yes, I’m proud to say I enjoy reading about vampires, shape shifters and werewolves! Hold on to your inner child and let your imagination soar free….
Try these authors:
Kelley Armstrong
Holly Black
Jim Butcher
Charlaine Harris
Kim Harrison
Bill Willingham
Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week
Hastings Libraries are celebrating Te Reo this week. If you visit the Library you may hear Te Reo over the loud-speaker, waiata being sung, or you may see signs which have been translated into Māori. Look out for:
Raranga Atu (Weave On) exhibition in Hastings Library in Hastings Library from Monday 21 July until Monday 11 August. Also some items being displayed in Havelock North & Flaxmere Libraries.
(See photo for just some of the awesome items on display).
Presenting Raranga art from various artists including:
Te Amokura Griggs
Candy Carroll
Ngaturu Paprahi
Mariana Tiopira
Te Muri Whaanga
Marth Hampton
Moana Ngarimu
Jan McKenzie
Steve Hancy
Tauira o Te Wananga o Raukawa
Waiata were performed on Friday lunchtime at Hastings Library by Council staff from two Te Reo classes.
Hastings District Libraries Poetry Competition
We’ve had it all go here at the Libraries! Music Month is over and we rolled straight into celebrating World Environment Day and Matariki. We’ve been sculpting, stargazing and harvesting.Next it’s time to celebrate the Montana Book awards and as you know Poetry Day. You will have seen the details of the Hastings District Libraries Poetry Competition and yes, the theme this year is sustainability. Something we should all be familiar with aye? Especially as we can't turn around without hearing about it.
How can you write a poem about sustainability? Well the only limit is your imagination! Any interpretation of this theme is acceptable and here is a list of but a few topics:
Food sources, fuel, waste management, water, footprint, trees, cycling, power, ocean, keep it green, keep it natural, chemicals, environment, earth, climate change, recycling, rubbish, trash or treasure, life changes.
Here’s an old favourite from my childhood that I bet some of you remember well:
Nobody loves me anymore
I’m going down the garden to eat worms,
Long thin slimy ones
And big fat furry ones.
Long thin slimy ones go down easily,
Big fat furry ones don’t.
The big fat furry ones stick to your teeth,
And the juice goes slurp down your throat!
Let those literary juices flow!
Lucy Lit
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