Wellington City Library visit

Dying to Know you by Aidan Chambers

Book Trailer

'As Easy as Falling Off the Face of the Earth' by Lynne Rae Perkins

So, when the train stops in the middle of nowhere, Ry gets off and climbs a little hill so that he can get a signal on his cell phone. And then the train goes off without him ... It's a perfect storm situation. Ry doesn't know where he is,  (his parents are sailing somewhere in the Caribbean, and his grandfather isn't answering the phone). Fortunately there's a town on the horizon and fortunately,before he can get to the police station, he meets Del. That's where the journey begins.  A funny, charming and absorbing read.

John Boyne visit - 3 September 2012

John Boyne, author of "The boy in the striped pyjamas" visited Onslow College on 3 September this year. He came all the way from Ireland to Australia and New Zealand, mainly to promote his new book "The terrible thing that happened to Barnaby Brocket". Our appetites were whetted after he read an excerpt from it, and many students were desperate to get hold of a copy. It was fascinating to hear how, unlike the months he took to plan and write the drafts for his other books, the boy in the striped pyjamas was done in the space of two and a half days. Hardly sleeping during this time, he just could not put it aside until he had finished it. The book has been so successful that it has sold over 5 million copies worldwide. John advised students that the most important aspect to writing a successful book was coming up with that unusual good idea that would captivate and engage the reader.

 

The Terrible thing that happened to Barnaby Brocket - Book Trailer

 

Yesterday three candidates for the Ohariu electorate came to the library to talk to 9Ab, 9Mo and Ms McIntosh's Year 12 Economics class.  Gareth Hughes (Green Party), Charles Chauvel (Labour) and sitting MP, Peter Dunne (United Future) answered prepared questions.  (National's Katrina Shanks had spoken to students the day before).  Peter Dunne was impressed - he said he'd looked at the questions the day before and hadn't expected to be here for long, but was in fact here for the whole spell.

The photo shows Peter Dunne speaking.

 

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

The ultimate reality show.  Could you last long enough to be the winner?

Worldshaker by Richard Harland - Book One of a series.


Col wakes in the night to find two eyes looking at him in the dark.  It's a female Filthy - someone who should be down in the lowest levels of the juggernaut 'Worldshaker'.  What is she doing there, and why doesn't he call for help?


Watch the trailer:

Life: an Exploded Diagram by Mal Peet

 




This final events of this story take place in Norfolk during the Cuban Missile Crisis on 1962. Clem is a working class boy, Frankie is the daughter of local aristocracy. Their affair is secret and dangerous.


Interwoven, is the story of Clem's family, life in rural England and world events which affect them all, particularly how the Soviet Union, Cuba and America got to the brink of annihilating the planet.

Not a book for everyone (especially if you don't like love stories or historical novels) but it is a really absorbing read and the bits about the Cold War are fascinating.

The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd

Want a book to keep you reading?  This is it.  Stephen Vain is an ex-FBI agent called back to do a job other agents can't do.

If the FBI do not pay a group of extortionists millions of dollars the will group will kill people.  Trouble is, from the way events unfold, it's believed an insider is leading the plot.


Stephen Vain doesn't like bureacracy, he doesn't get on with bosses but he can solve problems. He's a likeable hero.


There's a couple of ?? in the plot but you can ignore them and just enjoy a satisfying read.

Treskellion by Will Peterson

With their parents embroiled in a bitter divorce, Rachel and Adam are sent from New York to stay with their grandmother in the English village of Treskellion. But there's something strange and sinister about Treskellion, something from another world is affecting life today and it is a something the villagers want to protect at all costs - even murder.

Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

"I was thirteen when my Dad caught me with Tommy Webber in the back of Tommy's Buick. Tommy was seventeen and the supposed friend of my brother, Darren. I didn't love him. I'm not even sure I even liked him."

In a single moment Deanna's life changes - her father barely speaks to her and she's become the "school slut". But life goes on and this is the story of how Deanna copes and eventually deals with what happened to her.

The Lord of the Beasts by Justin Elliott

A Barghest is (according to the Oxford Dictionary) 'a goblin in the shape of a large dog, fabled to portend death or misfortune'.

And one's been set to kill Hunter Greenman.

After being attacked by the school bullies, Hunter's life changes forever. He discovers he has special powers and those powers threaten the world of the Fae. Hunter and his friends Donn, Brigid and Sara are drawn into a quest. They must find the dagger Athame and destroy the Barghest.

But that's not going to be the end of the story ...

Tim: Defender of the Earth by Sam Enthoven

Tim is actually short for 'Tyrannosaur: Improved Model', and he's been created by a top-secret military experiment. Problem is, the new Prime Minister doesn't think he's worth the billions of dollars spent on his development. Luckily, before he can be put down, Tim escapes. Lucky because at the same time in another feat of mad science, a Professor Mallahide has gone to the opposite extreme - nanoscience - and created a swarm of nanobots. These more than microscopic machines can take anything apart (like skyscrapers or people), atom by atom, and then put them back together - exactly the same or altered. It is diabolical plan to make the world as he wants it to be. In between these forces are Chris and Anna (Mallahide's daughter) who must stop the nanobots, before the United Nations nukes Britain.

I Am The Great Horse by Katherine Roberts

Alexander the Great's proud warhorse tells his story.

Have you given the horse strength?
Have you clothed his neck with thunder?
Can you make him leap like a grasshopper?
The glory of his nostrils is terrible.
He paws at the valley and rejoices in his strength.
He goes to meet the armed men,
He mocks at fear and is not afraid,
Neither does he turn back from the sword.
The quiver rattles against him,
The glittering sword and the shield.
He swallows the ground with fierceness and rage,
He is trained to charge at the sound of the trumpet-
He says among the trumpets, 'Ha! Ha!'
And he smells the battle from afar,
The thunder of the captains and the shouting'
- the Bible (Book of Job, 39:19-25).

Boot Camp by Todd Strasser

"You don't get out by giving them what you think they want. You don't get out until you are what they want".

This is a scary story based on fact. In the US there are an estimated 1-200 boot camps - military-style schools where parents can send their children if they think they are going off the rails and need some army-type discipline. Often they operate like a private prison system. You have no rights. Abuse is easy. This is Garrett's story.

Flesh and Bones by Alan Durant

An historical novel which switches between present time and the sixteenth century. Liam's dad is one of those scientists who can take a skull and build a face from just the bones. Liam finds himself strangely drawn to one of these skulls and is pulled into events at a monastery 500 years ago. He keeps hearing the message "Foul deeds. Murder. The Black Art" Who was the young monk and why did he die? Uncovering the young monk's story forces Liam and his father to confront the recent death of Liam's mother.

Deadly Prospect by Fleur Beale

Lincoln MacKenzie doesn't expect to get into motorbikes, but when his uncle takes him for a ride, he's hooked. He's never done anything so exciting in his life. Trouble comes quickly though. His father is seriously injured in an accident and while his parents are away, Linc's 13 year old brother gets involved in a local gang. Linc is caught between wanting to ride, putting up with his nagging grandmother, thinking is father might die, and trying to keep his brother away from his mates. The story culminates when Linc must face the gang and ride for his life. Really exciting, easily read and especially great if you want to know all about bikes.

My Life of Crime by Fleur Beale

Anthony Lassiter is a mummy's boy. His mum does everything for him - takes his side in arguments, makes his bed, takes him to school, fusses over him all the time - all he has to do is whinge and sulk and she rushes in to help. All that changes though when his step sister calls him 'the most useless bit of dribble to inhabit this earth' and starts him thinking. This story is about how Anthony becomes Ant, how he deals with the bullies who've been making his life a misery, how he earns money and friends and, eventually how he is nearly killed by paua poachers at Red Rocks Wellington. I really enjoyed this - it's funny, easy to read and something is always happening.