A Story Time Crafter-noon with Annie Kwan!
We wanted to acknowledge some of the wonderful creatives we have had the pleasure of working with recently.
Annie Kwan. Took over Story Time recently. Reading her picture book debut 'The Finch Who Lost Her Wing' with an awesome crafting workshop after with gorgeous young creatives creating feathers for the Finch's new wing.
Upcoming In-Store Events
Fantasy School Holiday Workshop with Annie McCann and Yxavel Magno DinoWed, 09 JulyBetter Read Than Dead
May Book of the Month
This Dream Will Devour Us by Emma Clancey
Nora is gifted, beautiful, poor and desperate; her dead father has left her nothing but debts and her brother has contracted a mysterious illness. While trying to hold it all together, she is thrown into an abyss full of rich, ruthless, reality-warping characters. There’s dazzling fame, high-stakes magic, thrilling romance, and smirk worthy banter. Set in a New York contemporarily familiar yet completely alien, in a world where only the rich and powerful have access to magic this is a captivating fantasy that blends a delightfully twisting plot with swoon-worthy romance, and an exploration of celebrity and inequality The overall concept, when science and magic are fused together and those that have power will do anything to keep it, leads us through cut-throat, adrenaline-charge page turner. 13+
- Robert
May Highlights
It's hard to pick, but here are six books we thought deserved highlighting this month. Something special can be found in each of our picks, and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Not every trip home from school needs to be boring….in fact they are almost always an unexpected adventure! Uncle Jerome proves just this to Zarah and her brother who at first tired, bothered and unwilling to take the long way home, experience their best trip home yet. Through deep forests, crocodile infested waters and encounters with tigers; this exciting, surprising and extraordinary picture book shows us the power of our imagination!
- Francesca
It’s tough being a Gnome in our big, modern world. Luckily, ‘The Gnome Book’ has you covered with all the essential information about Gnome life: what they eat, what they learn at school, how to make a signature Gnome hat, and much more! With its rich illustrations, fun facts, and step-by-step guides, this book is sure to bring you a healthy dose of magic, humour, and fun!
- Caro
Have you ever seen a dog perform a juggling act? What about playing a ukulele? If your answer was yes, colour me surprised, but if not, look no further than this entertaining and playful picture book. Rudie and his mother visit a bakery and while they are there, an unexpectedly talented line-up of dogs show off their unique knacks. I would like to point out how complementary
the art is, especially with capturing the special traits of different dog breeds. This is a wonderful story for young children looking for a bit of whimsy coupled with rhyme, perfect for a heart-warming reading session that will guarantee a good time!
- Adina
The Surface Trials is everything you could want from a brilliant sci-fi book! On an alien planet, Ammy Antares and her fellow competitors vie for entry into an elite interplanetary academy - all while being broadcasted to the entire Galaxy. But their quest is nowhere near as simple as it sounds, faced with terrifying creatures and a hostile planet… I guarantee that you will never predict the mind-blowing action and twists around every corner! This is an amazing journey for only the most adventurous kids - perfect for fans of the Hunger Games.
- Hugh
Lulu knows she is a rhinoceros. She may have soft, fuzzy fur and a little nub that wiggles when she’s happy – but in her heart, she has thick gray skin and a tail that whips and twirls. And more than anything, Lulu would like her very own rhinoceros horn! 'If only I had my horn, they would finally see the REAL me!’ As Lulu sets out to find the one thing that would make her complete and real, her quests leads to adventure, through New York and the New York Zoo, making new acquaintances asking and answering questioning minds, (who is the real me) friends are made, challenges faced and overcome. A story of bravery, courage and finding the true YOU. 3+
- Robert
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When I saw that my favourite series of all time was being turned into a graphic novel I was beyond excited! This series seriously shaped me as a child and I’ve reread it so many times. Tamora Pierce is the queen of writing strong three-dimensional female characters who can kick ass. She balances intricate magic systems and whimsical, terrifying creatures within a diversely cultured historical world. The characters experience real life struggles and growth as the story progresses which makes it feel remarkably grounded despite it being fantasy. Seeing this brilliant story brought to life with these gorgeous illustrations is a dream come true and I really hope this can help to share the gift that is this series with a whole new generation.
- Ruby
Our Classic Pick
Humankind's future looks bright. Thunderhead, the benevolent, sentient AI, over the pass 250 years has brought humanity to a near perfect existence. War, hunger, poverty, mortality are all things of the past. This is Mankind's golden age.
However, if you can live forever, even with the ability to re-set yourself back to a younger looking you, then how do you control over-population.
Enter the Scythe, an elevated caste of humans, tasked with selecting those who will be 'Gleaned', or culled at random to ensure the future of humankind and earth's resources and to keep the population in check.
This is perhaps one of my favourite young adult trilogies and Neal Shusterman is one of my authors across all genres. Shusterman's writing is well paced, the action is electric and his characters are rich and fully realised with wonderfully strong protagonists.
"The Scythe Arc" has all the hallmarks of appealing to generations of readers and I wholeheartedly encourage parents to read it along with their kids, because it is just, that, good.
-Robert
Glebe Public School Reviews...
Better Read Kids and Glebe Public School have connected!
Each week students from years 1-6 will review a book they've been reading and loving!
I give this book 9 stars out of 10. So it is about these dogs. One of them is a pug and one of them is a greyhound. Also a dog catcher who wants to catch them because they don't have an owner! Do they get caught? You'll have to read it to find out! It is very funny.
- Vincent L
Staff Pick This Week
Not every trip home from school needs to be boring….in fact they are almost always an unexpected adventure! Uncle Jerome proves just this to Zarah and her brother who at first tired, bothered and unwilling to take the long way home, experience their best trip home yet. Through deep forests, crocodile infested waters and encounters with tigers; this exciting, surprising and extraordinary picture book shows us the power of our imagination!
- Francesca
This Weeks Top Ten
