Ngā mihi o te wā. Merry Christmas from Christchurch City Libraries. Here are our library hours over the Christmas & New Year holidays.
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| My diary from the edge of the world by Jodi Lynn AndersonIt's said that the Extraordinary World is a haven from the supernatural, and 12-year-old Gracie hopes it's more than a myth. In her world, migrating dragons attack strip malls, ghosts linger in backyards, sasquatches lurk in the woods, and Dark Clouds appear before people die. After a Dark Cloud arrives for Gracie's sick little brother, their parents load up an RV and take the family on a wild road trip to find the safety of the Extraordinary World. If you prefer fantasy stories rooted in reality, you'll love the eccentric characters and bittersweet plot in this imaginative read. |
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The knot impossible: Rufkin's travels in four acts
by Barbara Else
Rufkin must learn to try harder. He is sent to work in a salvage yard, where vicious cave lizards lurk in the mud, amongst rusting ship haulks saved for scrap. When he hears a small voice cry "Help!" from the riverbank mangroves, Rufkin and his reluctant new neighbour Nissy, are caught up in a perilous sea adventure that threatens to bring the end-of-days. Rufkin, the boy who suffers stage fright, is suddenly centre stage: the only one who can right an ancient wrong and save the kingdom.
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| The last kids on earth by Max Brallier; illustrated by Douglas HolgateAfter monsters attack the town of Wakefield, 13-year-old foster kid Jack is among the few who haven't been zombified. Venturing out of his treehouse fortress, Jack uses his video gaming skills to tackle various "Feats of Apocalyptic Success," which include assembling a team of other survivors (such as his science-geek friend Quentin, middle school bully Dirk, and pet monster Rover), and rescuing his crush, June Del Toro (whether she needs rescuing or not). Blending wisecracking characters with splattering monster guts, this cartoon-illustrated series-starter is sure to drawn in fans of Paolo Bacigalupi's Zombie Baseball Beatdown. |
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An eagle in the snow
by Michael Morpurgo
The extraordinary story of the man who could have stopped World War Two. A beautiful moral thriller from one of the world's favourite storytellers. 1940. Barney and his mother, their home destroyed by bombing, are travelling to the country when their train is forced to shelter in a tunnel from attacking German planes. There, in the darkness, a stranger on the train begins to tell them a story. A story about Bobby Byron, the most decorated soldier of WW1, who once had the chance to end the war before it even began, and how he tried to fix his mistake. But sometimes the right thing is hard to see and even harder to live with.
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How to draw with your funny bone
by Elwood H. Smith
"In this drawing guide that is also part memoir, illustrator Elwood H. Smith tutors budding artists in visual expression, encouraging them to tap into their own style and humor."
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The hollow boy
by Jonathan Stroud
As a massive outbreak of supernatural Visitors baffles Scotland Yard and causes protests throughout London, Lockwood & Co. continue to demonstrate their effectiveness at exterminating spirits.
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Designer dog projects
by Isabel Thomas
Are you delirious about dogs? Then this book is for you! This fantastic book is packed full of tips on how to care for your furry friend and covers everything you could possibly want to do with your dog. For example, you can find out how to photograph him or her at their best angle! Or throw them a party! Make the delicious doggy treat "recipes" inside and follow the step-by-step guides to make some amazing projects, including a tug toy, sausage dog draft excluder, and even a doggy bandana! Read this and you will have the happiest dog ever!
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In a Galaxy Far, Far Away...
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"Life is long, and the world is wide and full of secrets and surprises. This planet is large enough for a million lifetimes." ~ from M.T. Anderson's He Laughed With His Other Mouths
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| He laughed with his other mouths by M.T. AndersonJasper Dash, Boy Technonaut, is the hero of a thrilling science fiction series from the 1930s… a series that nobody reads anymore. Feeling discouraged, Jasper (who's still 13 years old in the modern day) beams himself to the Horsehead Nebula, where he hopes to find his missing father. Instead, he finds an alien creature with plans for galactic domination. As Jasper and his friends Katie and Lily try to save the universe, an entirely different story -- about Busby, a 1940s-era fan of Jasper's -- takes place in the footnotes. This is the 6th (and final) book in the Pals in Peril series; to catch the clever, side-splitting adventures from the beginning, start with Whales on Stilts. |
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Welcome to Mars: making a home on the Red Planet
by Buzz Aldrin
The Apollo 11 astronaut invites curious youngsters to evaluate Mars as a potential planet for human colonisation, describing what Mars residents might experience while travelling to and living on the Red Planet.
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Star Wars: absolutely everything you need to know
by Adam Bray
Compiles lists, facts and Q&A sections in a highly engaging, infographic fan reference that identifies such lesser-known details as the previous owners of the Millennium Falcon and the Jedi who were directly trained by Yoda.
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| Target practice by Mike MaihackAs if ruling ancient Egypt wasn't enough pressure, 15-year-old Cleopatra is suddenly transported to an alien planet in the far future, where she discovers that she's destined to save the entire Nile galaxy. But before she can defeat the power-hungry villain Xaius Octavian, she's got to endure boring classes at Yasiro Academy, practice her skills with a ray gun, and get to know her teacher/sidekick, a talking cat named Khensu. This 1st book in the Cleopatra in Space series (which continues in The Thief and the Sword) has enough exciting action and eye-catching artwork to tempt fans of Ben Hatke's Zita the Spacegirl books. |
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Small scenes from a big galaxy
by Vesa Lehtimaki
A sumptuously photographed fan's reference features painstaking re-creations of classic Star Wars movie moments and hilarious takes on fan-favourite characters and themes, complemented by background captions that share anecdotes and technical details.
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Making space craft from junk
by Junkcraft Books
Tech Nick and his team of recycle robots show readers how to collect and resuse easy-to-find recycled parts from around the home. Each section shows clearly what is needed, which tools to use and how to assemble the spaceships, including the S-25 Shuttle, Jupiter 7, Galaxy Titan, X-90 Defender and V-50 Photon. Build them, spray them and blast off! Bonus plans also show readers how to make a great satellite dish and solar panels.
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| Pi in the sky by Wendy Mass"If you think it's tough being the Supreme Overlord of the Universe, try being his son." Joss lives in the Realms (headquarters of the universe), and he's the youngest of the Overlord's sons, which is why he gets the least cool job: delivering pies for the Powers That Be. But when the Powers That Be delete the Earth from existence and swap Joss' best friend for smart, sassy Annika (the only remaining Earthling), Joss has to step up to the challenge of rebuilding the entire solar system…from scratch. Science fiction fans won't want to miss the mind-bending science and quirky humour in this "high-stakes extraterrestrial adventure" (Publishers Weekly). |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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