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D

O

W

N

L

O

A

D JULY

2006

STORYQUIZSTORYQUIZSTORYQUIZSTORYQUIZ HEAT 1HEAT 1HEAT 1HEAT 1

And the winners are…And the winners are…And the winners are…And the winners are…

KIWIS: Michael, Josiah & Nathan

CONGRATULATIONS also go to the other two teams, “The Childchewers” & the Retros, who also go through to the final in April 2007. PLUS thanks goes to all those who participated and their support crews. Your support made this event a fantastic success. Look inside this month’s issue of DownLoad for

details of StoryQuiz Heat 2.

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE

WOMAN WHO DISCOVERED

MOST IF NOT ALL OF THE

DINOSAUR BONES IN NEW

ZEALAND?

Did you know th

at durin

g the M

iddle

Ages—

that w

as yea

rs ago—

alchem

ists

believ

ed th

ey co

uld tu

rn ord

inary

meta

ls in

to gold

, and th

us fin

d the

secr

et of i

mm

ortalit

y or eter

nal life!

This is the face of a very

famous inventor, writer,

painter, sculptor,

architect and engineer—

he painted the Mona Li-

sa—the world’s best

known painting. Can you

name him?

The Ancient Greeks wor-

shipped many different

gods and goddesses. They

believed the gods had mag-

ical powers and controlled

different aspects of life.

Zeus was the supreme god

who led all other gods.

The forked tongue of

a snake picks up a

scent. And though

they have no ears

their sensitive skin

can detect

vibrations passing

through the ground.

What is

papyrus

made from?

What’s Around The Corner

September School Holiday September School Holiday September School Holiday September School Holiday

ProgrammeProgrammeProgrammeProgramme

In the footsteps of Dance Battle 2005— we now bring you

EXPRESS IT!EXPRESS IT!EXPRESS IT!EXPRESS IT! (note: name subject to change)

Details coming soon. Visit your library or our website for updates.

StoryQuizStoryQuizStoryQuizStoryQuiz It’s on again!

Heat 2 Thursday, October 5th, 2006 @ 10.30am

During the September School Holidays we will be

holding Heat 2 of StoryQuiz StoryQuiz StoryQuiz StoryQuiz 2007. This time the Quiz

questions will be based on these two hugely popular children’s books:

ARTEMIS FOWL—the first in the ‘Artemis Fowl’ series by Eoin Colfer

THE BAD BEGINNING—the first in ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’ by Lemony Snicket.

ARE YOU READY!!ARE YOU READY!!ARE YOU READY!!ARE YOU READY!! REGISTER YOUR TEAM @ THE LIBRARY NOW OR BY REGISTER YOUR TEAM @ THE LIBRARY NOW OR BY REGISTER YOUR TEAM @ THE LIBRARY NOW OR BY REGISTER YOUR TEAM @ THE LIBRARY NOW OR BY OCTOBER 2ND 2006 AND MEET THE CHALLENGE!OCTOBER 2ND 2006 AND MEET THE CHALLENGE!OCTOBER 2ND 2006 AND MEET THE CHALLENGE!OCTOBER 2ND 2006 AND MEET THE CHALLENGE!

The top two winning teams will qualify to compete against the winning teams from Heats 1 & 3 and the 2006 champions in the 2007 StoryQuiz StoryQuiz StoryQuiz StoryQuiz final to be held final to be held final to be held final to be held

in April 2007.in April 2007.in April 2007.in April 2007.

An Interview with Geoffrey cox

What’s the best thing about being a artist/writer?

There are a lot of highlights. Having an excuse to spend time not only reading up

about subjects that interest me but also contacting experts and getting to talk with

them is definitely a big plus. And, of course, seeing the final book, with the words

and pictures put together as I have always imagined they would be, is a wonderful

way to finish up.

Do you illustrate/write everyday and is there a pattern to your writing day?

When I am working on a book (which I don’t do all the time) I tend to work on it

most weekdays. There is no particular pattern - some days are spent mostly in re-

search, some in writing. When I have a painting to do I concentrate on it, which in

the case of a complex painting usually means I spend three or four days at a stretch

on drawing and painting.

Do you prefer to illustrate/write in a quiet solitary environment?

I definitely prefer a quiet environment. It is essential for the research phase, and pref-

erable for the painting phase. If I have the text clear enough in my mind, however, I

can write it in bits and pieces while interacting with other people.

Can you share with us why you choose to write books as well as illustrate them?

When I was about 12 years old, I came to Auckland, and was surprised to find that

the city was built on lots of little volcanoes, but no one I spoke to knew anything

about it. When, years later, I wrote my first book, it was about those volcanoes, and

was in fact the book I would have liked to have been able to read when I was 12.

Most of my other books have also been written for the benefit of my childhood self.

It is only be writing and illustrating my books that I can be sure they will be the

way I want them to be.

What art mediums do you work with and which is your most favourite?

I always paint using gouache. This is a water based paint, a bit like poster paint, but

with a wider range of colours. I use it because it is quick drying, and goes on thickly,

allowing me to work fast. However, I also do colour work using colour pencils, espe-

cially when I am drawing for fun, I like to work in pencil or drawing pens.

As a child what were your interests and what books did you like to read?

I always loved drawing, although until my teens the subject was entirely animals, and

I could never be bothered doing backgrounds. I also loved reading books, both fic-

tion and non-fiction, about animals.

When writing do you re-write as you go or do you revisit your work at a certain

point?

I do both. I usually read what I have written almost as soon as I have written it, and

tidy up the grammar and improve the sentence structure. Then I come back to it later,

when I am re-reading all the book, and make further changes. I also make changes as

I discover new facts which need to be inserted, or realise that information which I

thought I would include elsewhere should be put in here.

How do you relax?

I enjoy tramping and mountain biking. I have just started to learn to play the French

horn, which is really difficult but great fun. I like reading poetry, and the occasional

novel or non-fiction book, often on history. I draw and paint, and make models, usu-

ally of prehistoric animals.

Were there any teachers you particularly remember that had a significant influence

on you?

The most influential teacher I probably ever had was my 5th form maths teacher who

not only did wonders for my maths but also had a great philosophy on life - all about

seizing opportunities, doing what you want and not worrying too much about the

future.

Is there any one book—either children’s or adult—that has had the greatest influence

on you?

Lots of books for lots of different reasons. The first book I ever bought with my own

pocket money -Animals of East Africa, which I still have, was instrumental in estab-

lishing my love of animals; The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a book I

have re-read again and again since I first discovered it in my early teens. It's just a

great adventure story, with lots of dinosaurs, and a lovely gothic Victorian feel. The

books on prehistoric life illustrated by the brilliant Czechoslovakian artist Zdenek

Burian were something I assiduously collected while they were available. He worked

from the 1940s through to the 1970s, and is rather out of date now, but his paintings

are still better than most modern artists of prehistoric life.

Which of your books do you personally like the most?

That's hard to say. I think my latest - Dinosaur New Zealand - is a really attractive,

information-packed book on the subject, and my earlier book, Prehistoric Animals of

New Zealand, is also a book I am very proud of. I re-read my first book - Fountains

of Fire - recently, and was quite impressed by it.

If you could give one piece of advice to a young yet-to-be published author and/or

artist what would it be?

Don't spend years writing and/or illustrating a non-fiction book (this advice does not

apply to fiction) and only then try to find a publisher. Instead spend about a week

writing a description of your book, a list of chapter headings, and an example of how

you would write it, and the sort of illustrations you plan on doing. Take that to the

publishers, and wait until you have their agreement to publish, and their requirements

as far as size, contents, etc, are concerned before doing the real thing. It will save you

a lot of grief and frustration.

Challenge those brain cells and

CHECK OUT YOUR LIT SKILLS

1. Name the new book by the author Ben Galbraith that has a strong con-

servation theme and is loosely based on the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff.

2. Jabberwocky is a nonsense poem by which famous author and in

which book of his did it appear?

3. What is the title of the book by Penelope Lively about a bothersome

ghost of a sorcerer that returns to haunt his former home and tries to enlist the help of James, a young boy, as his apprentice? This book won Penelope Lively the Carnegie Medal in 1973.

4. What book precedes J.R.R. Tolkien’s trilogy The Lord of the Rings?

5. Do you know the surname of the young New Zealand female poet

whose poems appear in the compilation Laura’s Poems?

6. What is the sequel to Rick Riordan’s novel The Lightning Thief?

7. The ancestral castle Stregaschloss belonging to the Srega-Borgia clan features in which series by the author Debi Gliori?

8. Who wrote and illustrated the book Dinosaurs New Zealand?

9. Name the main character in the series of books written by Astrid Lindgren? (Hint: this character is strong enough to lift a horse, has a bag full of money, lives by herself and wears her long hair up in plaits)

10 What is the name of the dog in the Famous Five series by Enid Blyton?

Answers to the March Quiz: 1. Aquatic Centre 2. a) Maddigan’s Fantasia & Kaitangata Twitch b) Maddi-gan’s Quest c) Firstly, it was felt that there might be a conflict or confusion with

Disney's Fantasia. Secondly, it was felt that Maddigan's Quest more accurately de-

scribed what happened within the show, and the character's journey. 3. Moa, More-pork, Kiwi, Kea, Fantail, Tuatara, Pukeko, Weta, Brown frogs, Bats 4.. ani-mals 5. Whakatane, 1936, 70 6. The Grass Growing Spectators Club 7. Den-mark 8. False 9. Silver Fin; 10. e.g. Kit’s Wilderness, The Fire-eaters

The Rotorua Public Library would like to thank The Friends of

the Library for their commitment and generous sponsorship of

the Fletcher Tuatara Club. Their support has made this very

exciting and dynamic programme possible.

In addition to your illustrating and writing you also construct life-like models. What

attracted you to this field and can you briefly describe the process and what medium

you use?

I started making models while at intermediate school. The first were not of animals

but of, um, Thunderbirds. In those days you could not buy toy Thunderbirds in the

shops, and I wanted to have some to play with. I made them out of plasticine. I soon

moved on to animals, and eventually learnt how to construct wire frameworks to stop

the plasticine models from collapsing. I used to make lots of do-it-yourself kits, so

had plastic modellers paints, which turned out to work perfectly for colouring them.

Now I make small models out of polymer clay such as Du-Kit. They still have a wire

skeleton, and are bulked out with tin foil, then after baking are painted with model-

lers' paints. The life-size dinosaurs are carved out of polystyrene, and painted with

the same paints that are used for house painting.

And finally – and I just have to ask this –

What is you most favourite food, movie, author and time of day?

I'm not sure if it is really possible to answer this. I like pizza, and fudge, and apples. I

suppose my favourite movie might be Ben Hur (can't beat that chariot race!). Au-

thor? Well, perhaps Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - not only The Lost World, but also

Sherlock Holmes stories, and a wealth of other short stories. Among more modern

authors George McDonald Fraser stands out. I don't really have a favourite time of

day - it depends entirely on what I am doing.

Thank you Geoffrey Cox.

New Books to Check Out @ Your Library

FICTION

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

Sabine by Tim Kennemore

The Case of the Singing Sea Dragons — # 6 in The Freaky Joe Club se-ries by P.J. McMahon

Will Buster and the Carrier’s Flash by Odo Hirsch

The Cottonmouth Club by Lance Marcum

Bonebreaker by Peter J. Murray—author of the Mokee Joe series

Blart: The Boy Who Didn’t Want to Save the World by Dominic Barker

The Time-Travelling Cat & the Aztec Sacrifice by Julia Jarman

The Mirror of Fire and Dreaming by Chitra Banerjee Dvakaruni

Max Remy Spy Force: The Amazon Experiment by D. Abela

The Unquiet by Carolyn McCurdie

NON-FICTION

Greece: in Spectacular Cross-Section by Stewart Ross; Illustrated by Stephen Biesty

The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters by Judy Sierra; Illustrated by Henrik Drescher

Highly Recommended Talking BooksHighly Recommended Talking BooksHighly Recommended Talking BooksHighly Recommended Talking Books

Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver Dragonkeeper & Garden of the Purple Dragon

by Carole Wilkinson

The Dark Portal by Robin Jarvis Bad, Bad Darlings by Sam Llewellyn

The Wind Singer & Slaves of the Mastery—parts 1 & 2 of The Wind on Fire trilogy by William Nicholson

Fletcher’s Book Club Suitable for children aged 9—12 years

The club meets at the library on the third Wednesday of every month @ 4– 5-pm

August: 16th

September: 20th October: 18th November: 15th

December: 20th January 2007: 17th

Come along and share your thoughts on

your latest reads, learn about the magic

of ‘story’ and meet local authors and

illustrators.

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding

A young girl, Cat, loves the theatre – a place she has lived

most of her life. Though she lives at the theatre she has had

to learn to survive the streets of Covent Garden and now she

must also protect a young violinist, Pedro, who has joined

the troupe. But a mystery shrouds the theatre and danger

now haunts its corridors plunging both Cat and Pedro into a

perilous journey to unmask the truth while causing Cat to

question the loyalty of both her friends and protector. If you

enjoy getting caught up in a good mystery this is a must!

Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda

Ever wondered where things go when they disappear? Things like

single socks and jigsaw pieces…

Imagine an invisible wall that separates us from another dimen-

sion…….and tears in that wall where things can slip through!!

Would you go through if someone invited you and promised you

wonderful prizes?

Patrick is about to have the time travelling adventure of a lifetime,

but will he be able to solve the riddles…….and will he live to tell

the tale?

A completely riveting read for ages10+

The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby

This is a fascinating read, well crafted with tension, mystery and

curious happenings that kept me reading and wondering right to

the end. It is an adventure story set in a time and place where

almost everyone can fly. It is about Gurl, a young orphan girl,

who can make herself invisible, and Bug, also an orphan who

dreams of “flying like a ‘Wing’” yet seems destined to remain a

‘leadfoot’. Together they must discover their past to face their

future. A highly recommended read for readers aged 10+

The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding

A young girl, Cat, loves the theatre – a place she has lived

most of her life. Though she lives at the theatre she has had

to learn to survive the streets of Covent Garden and now

she must also protect a young violinist, Pedro, who has

joined the troupe. But a mystery shrouds the theatre and

danger now haunts its corridors plunging both Cat and

Pedro into a perilous journey to unmask the truth while

causing Cat to question the loyalty of both her friends and

protector. If you enjoy getting caught up in a good

mystery this is a must!

Finders Keepers by Emily Rodda

Ever wondered where things go when they disappear? Things

like single socks and jigsaw pieces…

Imagine an invisible wall that separates us from another

dimension…….and tears in that wall where things can slip

through!! Would you go through if someone invited you and

promised you wonderful prizes?

Patrick is about to have the time travelling adventure of a

lifetime, but will he be able to solve the riddles…….and will

he live to tell the tale?

A completely riveting read for ages10+

The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby

This is a fascinating read, well crafted with tension, mystery

and curious happenings that kept me reading and wondering

right to the end. It is an adventure story set in a time and place

where almost everyone can fly. It is about Gurl, a young

orphan girl, who can make herself invisible, and Bug, also an

orphan who dreams of “flying like a ‘Wing’” yet seems

destined to remain a ‘leadfoot’. Together they must discover

their past to face their future. A highly recommended read for

readers aged 10+

REVIEWS

REVIEWS

.The Five Sisters by Margaret Mahy

How much fun can five paper dolls have??? Lots and lots

of fun and everything else, if they’ve got anything to do

with it!

This is a wonderful heart warming tale of five very

individual young women, their friendship, their courage

and some totally crazy adventures.

For ages 8+

The Five Sisters by Margaret Mahy

How much fun can five paper dolls have??? Lots and lots

of fun and everything else, if they’ve got anything to do

with it!

This is a wonderful heart warming tale of five very

individual young women, their friendship, their courage

and some totally crazy adventures.

For ages 8+

Layla Queen of Hearts by Glenda Millard

This is a heart-warming story about life’s little miracles.

Layla would like to take someone special to the Senior

Citizen’s Day at her school and with the help of her best

friend Griffin she sets out to find just the right person. A

wonderful book for confident readers aged 7+

Layla Queen of Hearts by Glenda Millard

This is a heart-warming story about life’s little miracles.

Layla would like to take someone special to the Senior

Citizen’s Day at her school and with the help of her best

friend Griffin she sets out to find just the right person. A

wonderful book for confident readers aged 7+

Imagine a Day by Sarah L. Thomson

What does impossible mean???

To say too much about this book would spoil its won-

der……but you must take a look!!

It is filled with magical pictures of the weirdest most absurd

possibilities (or impossibilities??) ever!

A sophisticated picture book for any age.

Imagine a Day by Sarah L. Thomson

What does impossible mean???

To say too much about this book would spoil its won-

der……but you must take a look!!

It is filled with magical pictures of the weirdest most

absurd possibilities (or impossibilities??) ever!

A sophisticated picture book for any age.