WAR HORSE written by Michael Morpurgo

This is a another bestselling book by the amazing author, Michael Morpurgo, which is being made into a movie and directed by Steven Spielberg, due out later this year.

Sold to a drunken farmer, Joey, a beautiful red-bay foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, finds a friend in the farmer's son, Albert. His father brutally demands Joey work or be sold, so Albert gently trains him to pull the plough. But it's not enough. When war breaks out, Albert's father, needy for money for his struggling farm, sells Joey to the army, where he, like the soldiers around him, must try to cope with the horrors of the First World War. Joey and another thoroughbred horse, Topthorn, lead in a terrible cavalry charge towards the machine guns of the enemy's lines. Joey is captured by the Germans and for while he is lovingly cared for by Emilie, a young French girl and her grandfather. But he and Topthorn must pull a heavy gun, battling through the mud until Topthorn dies of exhaustion. Joey wanders in no man's land, back towards the British trench, but despite a joyful reunion with Albert, Joey is not out of danger. First tetanus threatens his life, and even then Emilie's grandfather has to bid to save him from the butcher. The old man promised his granddaughter when she died he would find the horse she loved and buy him, but recognising Albert's love for Joey, he sells Joey back to Albert on condition he will love for him all his life - for the princely sum of one English penny.

This book has been ordered and will arrive shortly. Reserve it now!

PERCY JACKSON AND THE LIGHTNING THIEF written by Rick Riordan

This is the first bestselling book in Rick Riordan's phenomenally successful "Percy Jackson" series. Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive. This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea. Can Percy find the lightning bolt before a fully-fledged war of the Gods erupts?

We also have Percy Jackson and the Titan's Curse, Battle of the Labyrinth and Sea of Monsters. Reserve them now!

REFUGEES written by David Miller

A new picture book to the library this week is 'Refugees'.

Refugees relates the adventures of pair of wild blue-billed ducks whose home is destroyed when their swamp is dug up and they have to find a safe place to live. The difficult and dangerous journey they undertake seems doomed to failure as they try unsuccessfully to settle in different environments, including an ocean, a busy river port and a swamp where duck shooting is allowed. They are close to exhaustion when the intervention of an unknown person changes their fate.

THE LOBLOLLY BOY written by James Norcliffe (Christchurch author)

New to the library this week. Winner of the 'Junior Fiction' New Zealand Post Book awards 2010

To the boy called Red, it seems the most marvellous escape he could wish for: a gift that grants him more freedom than he ever believed possible - the chance to fly, to soar with the gulls, high over the tall brick walls that have imprisoned him for so long.

But this gift comes with a terrible price - and puts him in grave danger.

Is there anyone Red can trust to help him? The curious Captain Bass who has strange powers of his own? The wildly unpredictable twin sisters he is strongly drawn to?

In this magical, mysterious story, Red's adventure is like a chamber of mirrors at a carnival - a dazzling and breathtaking tale

ST JOHN'S NEW ZEALAND FIRST AID HANDBOOK

Our Wheki syndicate are studying groups that help others in the Kaiapoi Community, St John being one of them. New to the library is this easy to follow first aid book. Reserve it now!

This completely new edition of the New Zealand First Aid Handbook has been revised and updated by the Order of St John and is its official training manual. Accidents and emergencies can occur at any time and in any place - and the action of people first on the scene often determines the outcome. The information in this comprehensive guide is essential for a wide variety of situations, from road accidents to bush walks, from the workplace to the home. You can make a difference. Just some of the information included in the The New Zealand First Aid Handbook: what to do in an emergency -- new CPR techniques -- burns, wounds, fractures, hypothermia and head injuries -- help for those with medical conditions.

DINOSAUR RESCUE - 'STEGO-SNOTTYSAURUS' AND 'T-WRECKASAURUS' written by Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley

A terrible flu is sweeping through Arg''s valley, causing all sorts of snotty problems for Arg and his tribe. But there's soon a much bigger problem to deal with, when Arg discovers people flu can be deadly to dinosaurs. If it reaches the secret valley, the dinosaurs are doomed! Saving the dinosaurs from people flu will send Arg and Skeet off on their snottiest adventure yet.

It's hard being the only evolved boy in your tribe. Arg does his best to fit in. But nobody really understands him. His mum is bewildered by his desire to wear clothes. His older sister, Hng, is constantly annoyed by his cleverness. His dad tries to be supportive of Arg's strange, new ways, but he secretly hopes Arg will grow up to be just like any other Neanderthal. Arg's life is changed forever when he meets Skeet, an equally evolved talking T-rex. Together they embark on a mission to save the dinosaurs from extinction.

Two great new dinosaur books from the author of Old Hu Hu

HORN OF AFRICA FAMINE

Thousands of people from northern Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia (the Horn of Africa) are suffering due to a lack of rain, which has ruined crops and dried up all water supplies. There is no food for them to eat or for their animals. They are surviving off international aid.

Look on a map to see where the Horn of Africa is. Mrs Lynskey has been to Kenya.

9/11 REMEMBRANCE - 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

The American Rugby team will wear black armbands and observe a one minute silence before their RWC game against Ireland as a sign of respect and to remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 2001.

GLOBAL BOOKMARK EXCHANGE

ATTENTION SCHOOL LIBRARIANS IN NEW ZEALAND AND AROUND THE WORLD - WOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN TAKING PART IN THE 'GLOBAL BOOKMARK SWAP'?

CONTACT AUTHOR, MARGRIET RUURS margriet@margrietruurs.com FOR MORE INFORMATION

LAWN BOY written by Gary Paulson (author of 'Hatchet')

One day I was 12 years old and broke. Then Grandma gave me Grandpa's old riding lawnmower. I set out to mow some lawns. More people wanted me to mow their lawns. And more and more. . . . One client was Arnold the stockbroker, who offered to teach me about "the beauty of capitalism. Supply and Demand. Diversify labour. Distribute the wealth." "Wealth?" I said. "It's groovy, man," said Arnold.

If I'd known what was coming, I might have climbed on my mower and putted all the way home to hide in my room. But the lawn business grew and grew. So did my profits, which Arnold invested in many things. And one of them was Joey Pow the prizefighter. That's when my 12th summer got really interesting.

This book and 'Lawn Boy Returns' are ordered and on the way to us at KNS. Reserve them now!

NORTHWOOD written by Brian Falkner, illustrated by Donovan Bixley

Cecilia Undergarment likes a challenge. So when she discovers a sad and neglected dog, she is determined to rescue him. No matter what. But her daring dog rescue lands her in deep trouble. Trouble in the form of being lost in the dark forest of Northwood. A forest where ferocious black lions roam. A forest that hides a secret castle, an unlikely king and many a mystery. A forest where those who enter never return. But Cecilia is determined to find her way home. No matter what.

JUNO OF TARIS written by Fleur Beale

Juno is young; she has no authority, no power, and to question the ways of Taris is discouraged. She knows what it's like when the community withdraws from her - turning their backs and not speaking to her until she complies. The Taris Project was the brainchild of a desperate twenty-first-century world, a community designed to survive even if the rest of humanity perished. An isolated, storm-buffeted island in the Southern Ocean was given a protective dome and its own balmy climate. And now Juno is one of 500 people who live there - but what has happened to the outside world in the years since Taris was established? The island has not been in contact with Outside since the early years of its existence. Juno yearns to know about life Outside, just as she yearns to be allowed to grow her hair. It is a rule on Taris that all must have their heads shaved bare. But is it a rule that could be broken? Danger awaits any who suggest it.

Suitable for able readers 10+

DO YOU EVER FEEL LONELY? written by Rosalind Welcher

I have just stumbled upon this lovely little 'retro' book from the early 1970's in our library.
Do you ever feel that no one really cares
that no one understands
that no one listens
that everyone is so busy, so involved
that nothing you say or do makes any impression
that all you want is to be happy
in your own way, without any fuss or bother
do you ever wonder who you really are
and what you really want
do you ever feel lost......bewildered
out of tune, out of step
do you ever feel that nothing really matters
and that you matter least of all
do you every feel lonely?
I did, until I met you!

Reserve it now!

HEART OF DANGER written by Fleur Beale

This is one for our senior students. HOT OFF THE PRESS! - this is the third book in the Juno series (Juno, Fierce September and now Heart of Danger) by New Zealand author, Fleur Beale.

Juno and her family arrive at their new home, but almost immediately danger threatens Hera and they move to Willem's protection in New Plymouth, the city Juno most hoped to avoid. Fairlands school is too like Taris, and Hilto's son Thomas is a pupil there. The handsome Ivor is also there and soon begins to pay attention to Juno in a way she finds both confusing and exciting. Juno's special mind powers are called upon to help her save Hera, and Heart of Danger carries on to be a rollicking read that veers between scary situations and Juno's discoveries about love and learning more about the powers of her own mind.

Reserve it now!

BOOTSIE AND THE TOURISTS written by Mike James

I have just arrived home to find book 5 'Bootsie and the Tourists', sent from Australia, in my mailbox.

Did you watch the clip earlier in the blog of Mike James and the Bootsie books?

Reserve it now!

MRS GREENFIELD VISITS TURKEY

Mrs Greenfield has just been on holiday to Turkey. Can you find Turkey on a world map? This photo was taken overlooking Anzac Cove, Gallipoli.

This photograph is of an original bunker at Anzac Cove.