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Spectacular Science – The Latest In Children’s/Young Adult Science

‘Exploring The Elements – A Complete Guide To The Periodic Table’

Written by Isabel Thomas

Illustrated by Sara Gillingham

‘Exploring The Elements’ is a visually stunning and impressively designed book. Each element has it’s own double-page spread including; key properties, forms and uses, where it’s found, inside-the-atom diagrams and detailed paragraphs about the element and its history.

A great addition to the bookshelf (for anyone really) but particularly for young teens beginning to learn fundamentals of chemistry.

New Year – New Reads

Settle into the new year with something different on your bookshelf! As most of us return to work the pressure of fresh deadlines and workloads can be overwhelming. Madeleine Dore has a fresh take on the pressure of productivity and the eternal ‘to-do list’ in her book ‘I Didn’t Do The Thing Today’. Madeleine examines the pitfalls and consequences of modern busyness, particularly looking into the guilt surrounding productivity and perfectionist tendencies. If you’re looking to let go of comparison fatigue and do a little less in 2022, this is a read for you!

Sosuke Natsukawa brings readers a heartwarming story in ‘The Cat Who Saved Books’. After losing his grandfather, Rintaro is faced with the prospect of also losing his grandfather’s bookshop and embarks on an adventure to save it. If you’re keen for a uplifting read with a little bit of magic, then this is one to pick up.

New Year – New Reads for Kids

Inspired by the ‘Storey Treehouse’ series; ‘The Bumper Treehouse Fun Book’ by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton packs a bunch of entertaining interactive activities into one book. Whether it’s crosswords, comics, sudokus or puzzles galore there is ove 300 pages to dive into. Some pencils, your imagination and you’ll be good to go. (Ideal for ages 3 – 9)

A beautiful and informative production, ‘Dinosaurs And Other Prehistoric Life’ from DK is great for any young dinosaur enthusiast. Full of fossil photographs and stunning illustrations, this book covers the detailed history of plants and animals from prehistoric times. With gilded pages and a sturdy hardback binding, it’s a book to be pored through again and again.

Book to Film Adaptations & The Rise of Streaming Services

The growing success of book to film adaptations is boosting the popularity and sales of titles gracing screens large and small. Although we have seen this play out on the cinematic big screen for many years, streaming giants such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+ are bringing this to our at-home devices for binge-worthy consumption. 

COVID related lockdowns and isolation has only further fuelled the desire for quality storytelling content. The immediacy and convenience of subscription streaming services is changing the influence of book to film adaptions in the modern pop-culture zeitgeist.

‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert is revived with a new film adaptation by Denis Villeneuve coming to cinemas later this year. This is the third live-action adaptation of Herbert’s sci-fi novel. Featuring an acclaimed ensemble including Oscar Isaac, Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård and Dave Bautista, it seems the Dune series will continue its popularity in the coming months. 

For fans of crime fiction, season one and two of ‘You’ on Netflix is an addictive and chilling watch. Based on the books by Caroline Kepnes, Joe Goldberg begins an obsessive romance with upcoming writer Guinevere Beck, whose delusions will begin his downfall. Caroline’s third installment ‘You Love Me’ was released this year and will be the inspiration for the third season of the Netflix series – with a fourth (currently untitled) book in the works. 

‘Arsène Lupin – Gentleman Thief’ by Maurice Le Blanc is a collection of stories which follow the charming and determined Arsène Lupin, a pain for the wealthy and a friend of the poor. Set in early 20th century France, Le Blanc’s stories have inspired the Netflix series ‘Lupin’. The series begins with Assane Diop seeking to avenge his father’s death, Assane takes inspiration from the tales of Arsène Lupin and employs their mastery of cunning and thievery to expose the criminals responsible. Starring Omar Sy as the lead, there are two seasons of the show to enjoy, alongside Maurice’s Lupin stories.

Not just for young-adult readers to enjoy, ‘Shadow and Bone’ by Leigh Bardugo has been popular since the new Netflix series released in April this year. Author Leigh Bardugo released the first ‘Grishaverse’ novel in 2012, and continued to write several novels set in this immersive world. With adventurous plots, compelling characters and a dark edge; season one of ‘Shadow and Bone’ has a been a huge success and a testament to Bardugo’s captivating stories.

You’ve probably heard of Mittens the iconic Wellingtonian cat who wonders the streets of Te Aro in the central business district. If you haven’t – Mittens is a beloved Turkish Angora who isn’t afraid to wander into businesses, churches or retail stores and accept attention from locals.

The cat’s roamings have been documented online for some time, with fans reaching across New Zealand and even overseas. Mittens’ owner Silvio Bruinsma has written ‘The Adventures of Mittens – Wellington’s Famous Purr-sonality’, with a charming rhyming story accompanied by illustrations by Phoebe Morris. Parents and children alike will enjoy the fun and adventure of Mittens the Wellingtonian cat.

Ako – Learn 

‘Mauri Ora’ by Peter Alsop is a beautiful book inside and out. Full of whakatauki – proverbs that are passed down from one generation to the next, this book has many virtues of Te Ao Māori to share. Accompanied by captivating photographs, ‘Mauri Ora’ is  a profoundly wise read and and enjoyable way to broaden your Te Reo knowledge. 

The Rise Of Booktok

Social media is once again changing the way we tell and appreciate stories. TikTok (whether you love it or hate it) is having a huge influence on book sales around the world. ‘BookTok’ is the side of the platform where fans and authors alike can share their latest obsessions, theories and tributes to their favourite reads.

New Zealand author Chloe Gong released her debut novel ‘These Violent Delights’ in 2020 and became a New York Times best-selling author. An enthralling novel set in 1920s Shanghai, Chloe’s book is a YA must-read, and a particularly viral success. Chloe’s earnest and funny TikTok content has aided in propelling her novel to the top of the sales charts & getting more young readers in her series and more.

Although it may not be the platform for everyone, Tiktok is getting more youth and young adults into the literary space. Its influence is propelling debut novels to new heights and renewing interest in older releases – we’ve noticed a notable number of customers keen to order or read Madeline Miller’s ‘The Song of Achilles’ and ‘Circe’ released in 2011/2018 respectively. ‘BookTok’ is clearly a force to be reckoned with.

Gift Ideas – For The Foodie

Great for the celebrity chef enthusiast.

With an expansive career, restaurants, and several awards to his name Rick Stein is no stranger to the world of food. Rick has written over 25 books and presented even more food television series which have graced screens across the world.

His new book ‘Rick Stein At Home’ is quite different from other releases. Stepping away from specific countries and cuisines, Rick shares his favourite homecooked meals and family classics. A talented presenter and storyteller; Rick Stein adds a personal touch to this book and includes a variety of personal stories from his life and career.

This book would be great for fans of Stein, or for a keen cook who enjoys whipping up dishes for friends and family to share.