Tag Archives: children

Harry Potter, the illustrated editions

Posted on by

You can now borrow the wonderful illustrated editions of the first three Harry Potter stories through the One Card Library network:  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

HP trilogy

These books are illustrated in full-colour and are accompanied by J.K. Rowling’s original text. We have grown used to picturing the novels’ characters as played by the actors in the Harry Potter films. British artist and illustrator Jim Kay presents the reader with a new, unique interpretation of the magical world we love.

 

22248756805_496fe1d7a8_h Owl post

The Owl Post

 

Jim’s style appears fresh, spontaneous and sometimes whimsical. However when you examine his captivating pictures, you discover how Jim achieves an amazing amount of detail and texture through brushstroke. Jim’s images could even be used as the foundation for an animated version of the Harry Potter films.

SortingHat-large

The Sorting Hat

jim-kay-1_759

Buckbeak the Hippogriff

Peruse and enjoy some excellent features such as the Marauder’s Map, portraiture and detailed schematics of magical creatures, such as the Phoenix and the Grindylow.

snape

HP2_Phoenix_layers_edit

The illustrated editions offer readers a wonderful way to revisit the Harry Potter stories or introduce new young readers to the series. Read them as a family or to yourself, curled up in your favourite armchair, in the company of your magical familiar.

Reserve the Harry Potter illustrated editions through the Library’s online catalogue.

kitty cropped 2

On the Pottermore website you can  read a fascinating interview with Jim Kay, in which he discusses how he is inspired by real people to depict the characters in the Harry Potter books.

 

 

Way back when, Wednesdays

Posted on by

What a funny old fellow

On page 6 of the edition dated 2 May, 1973 the Leader Messenger advertised that Humphrey B Bear would appear at St. Agnes Shopping Centre. His visit was in celebration of Mother’s Day and a retail promotion.  Despite being a children’s character, we all know that mums love Humphrey!  Everybody wanted a photo with Humphrey and a big bear hug.

Humphrey

If you did not grow up with Humphrey, he is a local television legend. He does not speak but communicates through gestures.  Humphrey wears a tartan waistcoat, a big yellow tie and a straw boater.  In true bear style, he loves eating honey.

Perennially young at heart, Humphrey turned 50 in May last year. Here’s Humphrey first appeared on Australian television on Monday, 24 May 1965, televised by Adelaide’s NWS9. Each episode of the show aimed to both entertain and educate its preschool audience while making children feel good about themselves.  Young children could identify with Humphrey as he explored his world of the Magic Forest, meeting friends, dancing and singing.  Humphrey learned from his mistakes but also had lots of fun.  Humphrey was always accompanied by a human companion who narrated his adventures.  One of the writers of the show, Anthony O’Donohue, also hosted it for an extended period.

Humphrey last aired on mainstream television in 2009. Humphrey became an international celebritity when an american version of his show was translated into different languages and screened in several countries. Humphrey was honoured to be declared official ‘Ambassabear’ for the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Foundation in 2012. He was introduced to a new generation of children and the hospital successfully raised funds from sales of a limited edition plush doll and DVD.

In July 2013 Humphrey returned to television when his show was screened on Community Television stations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. In May 2015 the Sydney Morning Herald reported on plans to produce a high quality Humphrey themed animated television series or film.

Humphrey B. Bear is still making public appearances and drawing crowds at community events and school performances. He even has his own Facebook page.  Humphrey does lead a very exciting life!

#waybackwhenwednesdays

One Library, One Community – A work experience recap

Posted on by

Hello dear Reader, my name is Danielle, and I am from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College. For one week, I used my time to gain knowledge on how a professional and working environment functions and to learn and assist around the Tea Tree Gully Library.

As part of my Work Experience, I have been given the task of writing a blog post for the Library website (which is what you are reading now), and after considering many topics and ideas I have decided to write about the wonderful community here at TTG Library and how much the staff value those who come to visit. I hope you enjoy reading!

So on my first day, I began the week by helping “behind the scenes” of the library, such as in the Chute Room (where books are returned on a daily basis) as well as the Customer Service Desk, however, my first interaction with the public was when I helped Jessica and Natalie during “Toddler Time”. I enjoyed being around the younger audience and I loved how comfortable the kids were around Jess and Natalie. Even just joining in with singing the nursery rhymes was a fun and relaxing way to spend the hour, with two wonderful ladies. Later, I spent time in the Toy Library, which was filled with dozens of toys ready for the children before the holidays.

Natalie reading to the children at Story Time!
Jess & Natalie
Working at the Toy Library

Next up, we have ‘Cover 2 Cover’, a book club run by Kim where young adults (like those who are teens) can come and be a part of the Library activities once every month. This week in ‘Cover 2 Cover’, the group discussed a recent book that they had been reading named “The Enchanted”. Written from the perspective of a man on death row, the novel followed many complex themes and metaphorical twists. I found it very interesting, seeing the discussion between those who were there and joining in with answering questions that related the topic of the book and to events in the real world. Being in Year 10, I definitely liked being able to spend my time with others close to my age and who also enjoyed my passion of reading. ‘Cover 2 Cover’ is now preparing for the Inky Awards, and so, I would definitely recommend the club to anyone who loves discussion and books and I will definitely try to attend another meeting!

‘The Enchanted’
Teen area in Library
Youth officer Kim!

During my time at TTG Library, I also noticed the enormous effort that the staff and those who work here put in to ensure the Library runs smoothly for the public. From hosting introductions about new technology, for those who wish to learn, attending presentations that provide information on new changes with social media (regarding the younger generation) and even just maintaining the library to make certain that anyone is able to easily access what they want.

 

After seeing the positive attitude here at the Library, small gestures such as being able to help with providing assistance to someone on the computer or aiding with the self-checkout machines for borrowing were tasks that I was happy to help with. Towards the end of my week, I was also given the chance to assist Penny with updating the Library website. During this time, I was given a run through of some of the tasks that Penny was assigned to perform and once again, I was amazed with how meticulously she was able to keep the website up-to-date in order to guarantee that any members of the library can definitely find what they need. We also experimented with different software such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop and the content management software, Seamless.

I would like to thank the staff who have made my week of Work Experience so enjoyable, especially those who acted as my buddy throughout my time here. I am incredibly grateful to those who helped me, especially on my first day as even though I was slightly nervous, you taught me to adapt to the environment here at the Library, which in turn allowed me to have a very successful week! To Kerry, Heidi, Deborah D, Lyn, Taylor, Nicolle, Sonya, Tegan, Stephen, Adrienne, Michele, Linda, Kim, Tricia, Chris G and of course Bronwyn: THANKS ONCE AGAIN!

book g

 Signing off,

Danielle Cooke

FullSizeRender.jpg

Playing ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ on the Library piano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Free Parenting Workshop: Making the most of life with 5-12 year-olds

Posted on by

Children grow so much between the ages of 5 and 12. It can be a challenging time for parents who want to ensure they are happy and thriving.

On Saturday 24 October, the Library is hosting a free half-day parenting workshop, run by Lutheran Community Care. This course will address a wide range of areas such as managing behaviour, sibling rivalry, talking to your child and outside influences like school and cyber safety.

This is a free community event.

When: Saturday 24 October 10.30am-2.30pm

Book online or phone 8397 7333.

Dyslexia Friendly Collection

Posted on by

The more you read, the easier it becomes. But for those who struggle with words, reading is not always fun, and it’s easy to lose heart and stop trying.

Tea Tree Gully Library has recently made it easier to find dyslexia-friendly books and audiobooks by putting them in their own space  in the children’s and teen areas. They now have signage and coloured labels so they are easy to find.

To search for dyslexia friendly books, type in ‘dyslexia’ in the catalogue, just like below, and from there you can select the ‘dyslexia’ boxes on the left-hand side.

dyslexia friendly

Dyslexia primarily affects the ability to learn, read and spell. Sometimes maths is affected as well.  It’s important to remember that having dyslexia is not related to someone’s general intelligence. It comes from a difficulty in dealing with the sounds of words. People with dyslexia often find it hard to remember lists of things they have heard, or to remember names or facts quickly, although they often have strengths in reasoning, visual and creative fields.

Features of Dyslexia Friendly Books:

  • A font style and size that is clear to read.
  • Off-white paper that is kinder to the eyes as it reduces glare from the high contrast of black against white.
  • Spacing between letters, lines and paragraphs
  • Age appropriate content and story lines but with less text to a page and more pictures
  • Shorter chapters to give the eyes natural ‘rest’ breaks

Where are they located?

Children’s Area: Find them in the area near the book series boxes.

DXf-C

Book stickers on Dyslexia Friendly Collection (DXF-C) in the children’s area of Tea Tree Gully Library

DXFC

You can find dyslexia friendly books and audio books among the Children’s book series boxes in the Children’s Area.

Teens Area: You can find them on the last shelf facing the public computers.

Stickers on the Dyslexia Friendly Books in the Teen Area

Stickers on the Dyslexia Friendly Books in the Teen Area

Find the DXF-T books in the shelf that faces the computers (in the Teen Area).

Find the DXF-T books in the shelf that faces the computers (in the Teen Area).

We hope our new collections appeal to children and young people who have dyslexia or who are reluctant to read. May they inspire a new love of reading!

Thank you for another great summer reading club!

Posted on by

With Summer Reading Club activities now all wrapped up for 2015, it’s time to reflect on the fun we had this summer at the Tea Tree Gully Library.

The Summer Reading Club is held every year and aims to promote a love of reading by encouraging young people and their families to visit the library and discover great authors and illustrators. This year’s theme was ‘Choose your own adventure.’

cropped-summer-reading-club1.jpg

During the school holidays, all participants completed a booklet filled with fun activities requiring them to demonstrate their literacy skills and creativity. They also submitted reading logs and reviews on some of the books they read.

Everyone who participated in the Summer Reading Club received a participation pack that included bookmarks, tattoos, stickers, wrist bands and an invitation to our finale party. All participants were also registered in a  national draw to win  iPods and other great prizes.

Overall we received 180 reading logs and 28 book reviews – giving us a grand total of 1828 books read! The Tea Tree Gully Library’s Children’s and Youth Team found it difficult to decide on a favourite book review, due to the high quality of entries, but in the end we awarded it to the review written by 16 year old Sophie T.

Read Sophie Trenholm’s book review

Participants who submitted the most reading logs or outstanding book reviews were then invited to join the Children’s and Youth Team on a shopping trip to Pegi Williams Book Shop. Families received a $25 gift voucher to help select items for our Library collection, and to recognise their outstanding achievements.

Pegi Williams book shop

Prize winners shopping for new books at the Pegi Williams Book Shop in Walkerville

Pegi Williams

Browsing the aisles – so many books to choose from

At the end of the Summer Reading Club we invited all participants and their families to a finale party at the Library. We were entertained by Professor Flint and his T-Rex adventure; Mr Nifty the twisted balloon performer; face painting, games, self guided craft, door prizes and our energy levels were kept up with yummy drinks and nibbles!

Two pandas

Two pandas at the party, Eve and Tom

Dracula

Count Dracula and his evil eyes spooked a few partygoers

Professor Flint

Professor Flint’s T-Rex Adventure, right before he got everyone up and dancing like a dinosaur

Eating

The food table always draws the crowds….although there is no food to be seen in this picture!

Mr Nifty the Balloon Man

Mr Nifty the Balloon Man!

Do you want to be involved in our next Summer Reading Club? Check our website later in the year for the December/January 2015-16 school holiday brochure or head to the Summer Reading Club website for more information.

Anstey’s Favourite Read: A Lion in Paris

Posted on by

Anstey, the Tea Tree Gully Library’s resident echidna, would like to recommend the new children’s book ‘A Lion in Paris’, to younger readers.

A Lion finds himself in the most unlikely of places, the grey cityscape of Paris

A Lion finds himself in the most unlikely of places, the grey cityscape of Paris

Written and illustrated by Beatrice Alemanga, this is a story about a lion who arrived in Paris to find a job, love and a future.

The city of light comes to life in the whimsical and layered illustrations of Beatrice Alemanga. You’ll want to jump into the book with its large format and landscape orientation and join lion on his adventures. Climb the Eiffel Tower, smile at the Mona Lisa, relax at a Cafe and join him on his journey around Paris.

With grand ambitions, the lion leaves his home on the grasslands and arrives at a busy Parisian train station. It’s here we join the lion on his journey around Paris as he discovers the excitement and strangeness of the big city. Life in the city takes some adjusting to – while it’s nice that people aren’t scared of him, the lion isn’t used to being just part of the crowd. Yet Paris just might end up being the place to call home.

‘A Lion in Paris’ is recommended for 4-5 year olds, but both the young and young at heart will delight in this quirky tale.  It is a mesmerising story, all the more enhanced by Alemanga’s unusual artistic and retro style illustrations.

Kidstory History Storytelling Sessions Thursday May 1

Posted on by

270px-Inglewood_hotel

Are your kids curious about the past? Bring them to the Library’s Kidstory History storytime session this Thursday 1 May and they can learn all about the good ol’ days of our amazing region.

Specially designed for kids aged 3-5, the two 30-minute storytelling sessions will be hosted by Local History Officer David Brooks, who will use stories and objects from the collection to explore three different eras of Tea Tree Gully’s history.

These storytelling sessions are a part of SA’s History Festival, and are designed to be interactive, with lots of games and fun. There will also be guided craft activities available after the session and every child will receive a gift to take home.

Children must accompanied by an adult during event. Follow the link below to book!

http://www.teatreegully.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=841#e7152

Reading to man’s best friend

Posted on by

For children who have reading or learning difficulties, the idea of reading aloud to an adult can be intimidating, which I think is fair enough. What if you get the words wrong, or you miss a page?

 So as a promoter of literacy skills, and a big fan of dogs, I love the idea of the programs in Australia and overseas, where school children read aloud to dogs, to help them gain confidence and a love of books. 

Ask your child to read to their pet, and let us know how they go!