iRead - LIBRARY

Book Awards

29/8/2014

The Children's Book Council of Australia has announced this year's winning titles. The announcement was made last week during Book Week - a huge week for libraries around Australia.
The winner of the Older Year Category went to 'Wildlife' by Fiona Wood.

Honour Awards went to 'Fairytales for Wilde Girls' by Allyse Near and 'The Sky so Heavy' by Claire Zorn.

The above books are avialable for loan from the library. Reserve your copy today.

The judges for the CBCA Book Awards are adults, usually in the field of education or publishing and while their decisions are valid, sometimes another perspective is warranted.
There is an award where the judges are teenagers from across Australia. The Inky Awards from the State Library of Victoria's website 'Inside a Dog' offer you a chance to participate and have your say in what were the best books for 2013/2014. The short list is quite extensive and you do not have to have read all the books. Just vote for your favourite book so far. The Inky Awards voting can be found here.
Have your say today.

Trailer Tuesday

26/8/2014

'Naveed' by John Heffernan gives us a look inside a war torn country and life for the people trying to survive such conditions. This novel is part of the Through My Eyes series which highlights the lives of children living in war zones.

Synopsis: 'Naveed is sick of war - of the foreign powers and the Taliban, the warlords and the drug barons that together have torn Afghanistan apart. He's had to grow up quickly to take care of his widowed mother and little sister, making what little money he can doing odd jobs and selling at the markets. When he adopts Nasera, a street dog with extraordinary abilities, he has a chance to help rebuild his country. But will a new friend's betrayal crush his dreams of peace forever? From the winter of war comes the spring of hope.'

Reserve your copy today.

A Phobia List

22/8/2014

I love discovering new words. Lists of weird and wonderful things often provide fodder for this obsession.
Just recently I stumbled across two such lists.

One of my book blogs posted a link to a website with every phobia known to mankind listed - alphabetically. This is a large list! The full phobia list can be seen here.

Below is a list of all the phobias I could find on this list that relate to books, writing, words and all things literature. This may not be the full list, there were quite a few phobias to read through, and my tired eyes may have missed some. If I have missed any please add them to the comments.

Abibliophobia - fear of being without books
Bibliophobia - fear of books
Graphophobia - fear of writing or handwriting
Logophobia - fear of words
Metrophobia - fear of poetry
Papyrophobia - fear of paper
Scriptophobia - Fear of writing in public
Sesquipedalophobia- Fear of long words
Verbophobia - Fear of words

Next is a list of fantastic words related to the people who handle books - from reading to throwing. I am a librocubicularist and a bibliobibuli (according to my family). I dispute the last one vehemently. One can never read too much! Which one are you? I am hoping our library users are not the people who damage the books.

Bibliolestes - a book-thief
Bibliophtbor - a book ravager or destroyer
Bibliopbage - someone who eats books
Bibliographe - a person who writes about books
Bibliobibuli - someone who read too much
Bibliotapbe - a person who hides books
Biblioclasts - people who rip the pages from books
Biblioriptos - someone who throws books
Bibliognoste - a person learned in the minute details of a book's publication like colophons, editions, dates and place printed, and who printed it.
Bibliomane - an indiscriminate accumulator of books.
Librocubicularist - someone who reads in bed

What I'm Reading Wednesday

20/8/2014

Synopsis: 'Everything changed when the first bomb fell. Now there is the Resistance. Now there are the rules. Rule One. We do our work under the cover of darkness. Rule Two. If you trust me, I will trust you. Rule Three. We work for the good and safety of Zamascus. This will include killing. Imm is about to find out if he has what it takes to survive - and what it will cost him.'

When the small town of Zamascus is raided by a neighbouring country, a small group of children survive and are left to fend for themselves. They take to hiding from the marauding soldiers and stealing food wherever they can find it. One day they come across another group of children hiding out and being led by an adult. This man claims to come from a nearby country that is on their side. He asks the children to spy on people and slowly sets up rosters and night time manoeuvres. Little do the young adults realise, but they are slowly being recruited into an army. Before long the night time adventures include murder.

This is an action packed novel of bravery and survival. It is thought provoking,as the reader witnesses how the lust for revenge enables people to be led into actions they would never have considered previously.

Reserve your copy today.

Trailer Tuesday

19/8/2014

The 'Uglies' series by Scott Westerfeld explores our obsession with beauty.

In Westerfeld's novel the children are ugly until they turn sixteen. Then everyone undergoes extreme surgery to conform to a standard of beauty that makes them stunningly attractive.
In the first book of the series, 'Uglies', Tally is about to turn sixteen and is looking forward to her makeover. But, Tally's new friend Shay, rejects this notion and runs away. Tally is given a choice, find Shay and turn her in or never turn pretty. It doesn't take Tally long to figure out beauty may only be skin deep.
The following titles of the series are 'Pretties', 'Specials' and 'Extras'.

Reserve your copy today.

Synopsis: 'Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that?
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license - for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there.
But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all.
The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.'

Writing

15/8/2014

I have come across a great board game for aspiring writers. It shows the many paths writers have taken from idea to published book. Check out this digital game on 'How to be a Writer'.
I scored 38 points. I am Ernest Hemingway. I am celebrated but not by everyone.
The Los Angeles Times sent out a non-scientific survey to the writers participating in the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. The responses resulted in the board game.
This is a fun way to spend five minutes.

Continuing on from the writing theme, I have posted a link to '45 Ways to avoid using the word very'.
'Very' is the most useless word in the English language and can always come out. More than useless, it is treacherous because it invariably weakens what it is intended to strengthen. ~Florence King

TRailer Tuesday

12/8/2014

Following on from 'If I Stay' by Gayle Forman, this week I have the trailer for the book 'Where She Went' by the same author. This story is told from Adam's perspective and he wants answers to his questions. 'If I stay' was about finding a reason to continue living and Where She Went is about finding what makes life worthwhile. Two emotional novels beautifully written.

Synopsis: 'It's been three years since Mia walked out of Adam's life. And three years he's spent wondering why.
When their paths cross again in New York City, Adam and Mia are brought back together for one life-changing night. Adam finally has the opportunity to ask Mia the questions that have been haunting him. But will a few hours in this magical city be enough to lay their past to rest, for good - or can you really have a second chance at first love?'

Need to read both - reserve your copies now.

What I'm Reading Wednesday

6/8/2014

I have just finished Tim Winton's fable 'Blueback'. Blueback is
the name given to a large groper Abel Jackson comes across
when diving for abalone one day. Abel is 10 when he firsts
spies Blueback. This is a short story that encompasses life near
and on the ocean. Tim's mother and Tim are environmentalists
and over the years stave off illegal poachers intent on over fishing
this small cove and developers intent on destroying the
peaceful seaside village.Tim Winton;s language is magical
and transports the reader to life under the ocean. A beautiful tale.

Reserve you copy today.

Trailer Tuesday

5/8/2014

James Patterson is well known for his adult books, especially his Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club and Michael Bennett series. What you may not know is that his latest foray into writing novels is the Middle School series. James has moved into the young adult arena and has published a series of books aimed at young adults. These books came about because James knew someone who was a reluctant reader. Mr Patterson fixed this problem the only way he knew how. He wrote a book for reluctant readers. In fact, James wrote a very funny, engaging book which turned into a series.
If you are a reader that has yet to discover that one book that ignites your imagination, then try James Patterson's Middle School books. These could be the books you've been waiting for all these years.
Reserve your copy today.

Harry Potter helps fight prejudice

1/8/2014

Harry Potter fans have always known how special the book series is and now there is proof.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology has found that students who read Harry Potter and identify with Harry, show more empathy towards stigmatised groups, especially immigrants. The books can help students change their perception of minority groups. 'The children noted the similarities between Harry’s defence of “Mudbloods” and the unfair prejudices held towards immigrants.'
The study was carried out in Italy and Britain among both primary and secondary students.

On another note:
Yesterday, July 31st, was Harry Potter's birthday. It was also his creators birthday. Harry turned 34 and J.K. Rowling (author of the popular series) turned 49. Belated birthday greetings to both.

It has been a while since I visited Hogwarts, so it must be time to reread the books. If you would like to read them again or for the first time, reserve your copy now.

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