On Friday at Shirley Library we hosted the New Zealand launch of Barry Hutchison’s The 13th Horseman. We had some giveaways, a feast fit for a Horseman of the Apocalypse, and some special launch videos from Barry in Scotland.
If you weren’t able to get to the launch on Friday you can still join in the fun here and find out about this awesome book. Barry made 3 videos especially for his readers in NZ, in which he introduces The 13th Horseman, reads from the book, and answers some questions. Come on in and join the party!
Barry introduces The 13th Horseman
Barry reads an excerpt from The 13th Horseman
Barry answers some questions about The 13th Horseman
Drake is surprised to find three Horsemen of the Apocalypse playing snakes and ladders in his garden shed. Even more surprisingly, they’re missing a Horseman and think that Drake is the boy for the job. Drake is reluctant to join them, but does being in charge of Armageddon have to spell the end of the world?
From the wastelands of oblivion to the desolate plains of Limbo – join the Horsemen of the Apocalypse on a wild and hilarious ride…
The 13th Horseman is one of the funniest books I’ve ever read. The laughs don’t come from toilet humour, but from the actions (or inaction) of the three long serving Horsemen of the Apocalypse. There’s Pestilence who’s dressed like a doctor with a white coat and rubber gloves (to protect the humans, not himself), the red-haired giant, War, with a temper to match his stature, and my favourite, Famine, who is absolutely huge, with massive rolls of fat all over his body (which provide great places to store food for later). When Drake first meets them, they’ve been playing board games for thousands of years and are completely bored. They all seem to be totally incompetent and can’t even organise themselves to do the job they’re there for – usher in the Apocalypse. They all have a horse to ride across the sky, apart from Famine who has a mobility scooter (so that he doesn’t squash a horse). Each of the Horsemen has their own quirks but my favourite is definitely Famine, because no matter when you look at him, he’s always eating something.
Thankfully, The 13th Horseman is only the first book in the Afterworlds series and the sequel, The Lost Book of Everything is due out in 2013. If you haven’t read any of Barry Hutchison’s books yet, The 13th Horseman is a good place to start.
Come along to Shirley Library this Friday (25 May) from 4pm and celebrate the launch of a a cool new book, called The 13th Horseman by UK author Barry Hutchison. Barry is also the author of the incredibly creepy Invisible Fiends series, including Mr Mumbles and Raggy Maggie. Hear Barry talk about his hilarious new book and enjoy drinks and snacks fit for a Horseman of the Apocalypse. We have 3 copies of The 13th Horseman to give away and everyone gets a signed bookplate.
The event is free and suitable for ages 10 years and up.
One of the funniest authors around, Andy Griffiths is coming to Christchurch for some school visits in May. If you’re not lucky enough to go to one of the schools he’ll be visiting you can come and meet him in person and get your books signed at The Children’s Bookshop (227 Blenheim Road) on Sunday 6 May, from 1:30-2:30pm.
Andy is the author of the ‘Just’ books, including Just Disgusting, Just Annoying, and his latest book, Just Doomed, as well as the Zombie Bums From Uranus series.
You can reserve Andy’s latest book, Just Doomed, at the library now.
Have you read all the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and want something like them? Have you been waiting ages to read them and want something to read while you wait? Here’s a list of some books and authors you could try:
What happens when some of the coolest children’s book authors and illustrators play a writing game that starts with one person’s ideas and ends with a novel of 27 episodes? You get The Exquisite Corpse Adventure. The title makes it sound like it should be a horror story, but it’s actually a weird, crazy, funny, out-of-control story put together by some of the coolest authors around. If you’ve read or participated in the FaBo story that Kyle Mewburn started, The Exquisite Corpse is the same idea.
The story starts with twins Nancy and Joe escaping from the circus, where they have lived since they were babies. With the help of different clues, Nancy and Joe search to piece together the Exquisite Corpse and find their parents. Each chapter is written by a different author, so just when you think you know what’s going to happen next, the story can go off in a completely different direction. The story is a little bit like Alice in Wonderland and The Phantom Tollbooth because they meet lots of weird and wonderful characters and get into some tricky situations. The first chapter hooks you in by imagining what could happen in the rest of the story:
“…there is a good chance that Nancy and Joe will have to deal with werewolves and mad scientists, real ninjas and fake vampires, one roller-skating baby, a talking pig, creatures from another planet…plenty of explosions, a monkey disguised as a pirate, two meatballs…and not just one bad guy but a whole army of villains.”
Pick up The Exquisite Corpse Adventure if you dare and be prepared to be taken on a wild ride. Recommended for 9+ 8 out of 10
Hi Guys. I have just finished the brand spanking new Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever book. This book is about Greg Heffley wanting to get money to play net kritterz, but along the way he gets into all sorts of mischief. Now the police are looking for him and then it starts to snow. The snow gets up to 2-3 feet high and Greg decides to make a new paper for the holiday bazaar while there is no power all because of Manny!!!!
Highly recommended A++++++++++++. I was glued to this book. It has 217 pages with awesome pictures. It took me a day and a half-2 days to read this awesome book. Recommended for ages 8- any age. Now I am so sad the book is finished=( !
Does your granny smell like cabbage? Does she like to play boring games like Scrabble? Do you think she’s boring? If you’ve answered yes to all of these questions you probably don’t know her that well. For all you know she could be a spy, a superhero or even an international jewel thief like Ben’s granny.
Every Friday night Ben gets sent to stay with his granny, while his parents go out to the movies or to watch Strictly Stars Dancing Live. Ben thinks she’s boring and would rather be anywhere else than spending time with her. Ben gets sick of eating his granny’s cabbage soup and decides to look in her cupboard for some real food. He never thought he would discover the stash of priceless jewels in her biscuit tin. When he confronts her to find out the truth, he discovers that his granny isn’t boring, she’s an international jewel thief. Ben decides to help his granny pull off the crime of the century – break into the Tower of London and steal the crown jewels.
Gangsta Granny is a book that’s both really funny and a bit sad. I’m sure your granny’s just a bit like Ben’s granny, even if she’s not a jewel thief. If you ask her I’m sure some of her stories are just as interesting. Ben’s parents seem like they don’t really care about him because they’re more interested in their dancing show than they are in him, but deep down they love him. I love the way David Walliams writes because his stories are so different and his characters are really easy to relate too. If you liked his other stories, like The Boy in the Dress, Mr Stink and Billionaire Boy, or you like Roald Dahl’s books, you’ll love Gangsta Granny. Recommended for 7+ 8 out of 10
There are all sorts of poetry books you can find in the library. There are nice, sweet poems about friends, poems about animals, or poems about monsters. Some of them rhyme and some of them twist and turn all over the page. Sticky Ends is a new collection of twenty-six very funny cautionary verses where the characters come to a sticky end. Some of them are stupendously silly, some are horribly gross, but they’re all funny.
In Sticky Ends you’ll meet Bubblegum Pete who ate all the bubblegum he could eat, but then comes to a sticky end when he blows the biggest bubble and gets blown away. There’s a very naughty Father Christmas who gets blackmailed by a naughty boy, Lardy Marge who eats too much butter, and Filthy Frankie who gets cocooned in snot.
If you ever need a really funny poem to read aloud at school or to make your parents squirm, Sticky Ends has a great selection to choose from. If you’re looking for it in the library, just look for the picture of an elephant sitting on a person on the front cover.
Velocitchy-raptor, book 3 in the hilarious Dinosaur Rescue series by Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley, sees Arg trying to escape the clutches of a hungry Quetzalcoatlus (pronounced Kwet-zal-ca-AT-lus). Arg is trying to keep himself dry in a storm using his dried devil frog when a Quetzalcoatlus swoops down and snatches the frog, with Arg still attached. He’s taken to the dinosaur’s nest where he meets a baby velociraptor. They escape from the nest and Arg takes the baby home to hide it safely in his cave. Unfortunately Arg seems to be allergic to velociraptors and breaks out in itchy sores. If that wasn’t bad enough, his sister would have the velociraptor for dinner if she found it. Can Arg get the baby to safety?
Velocitchy-raptor is another hilarious and disgusting addition to the Dinosaur Rescue series. Kyle and Donovan once again introduce us to snippets of prehistoric life, from the bizarre leisure time activities of Arg’s family and how to talk to stone age people, to the not-very-useful guide to dinosaur names and the many uses of Old Drik’s toenail goo. Velocitchy-raptor will leave you with a sore stomach from laughing or a very sick stomach from this snot and pus-filled adventure. Recommended for 7+ 9 out of 10
More than any other book I read as a child The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster gave me a love of words, perhaps the most important thing a writer needs. It’s a celebration of words –it twists them, puns them and pushes them. There are so many cool bits: like the man who is short and tall, thin and fat all at the same time; and the orchestra that plays colours. Part of the appeal of Tollbooth is in the illustrations by Jules Feiffer. I love his faceless Trivium character (very Dr Who) who says
‘What could be more important than doing unimportant things? If you stop to do enough of them, you’ll never get to where you’re going.”
I sometimes see this devious fellow hanging around. He tries to distract me from writing by telling me to other jobs. He says ‘there’s always something to do to keep you from what you really should be doing.’
Hope Tintin month at the library is going blisteringly well. Wish I could be there to see Zac in his plus-fours (Tintin’s trousers).
Do you like Dinosaurs? Do you like to be grossed-out by all sorts of disgusting things? If you answered yes to both of these questions then I’ve got the perfect book for you – T-Wreck-Asaurus, the first book in the hilarious new Dinosaur Rescue series by Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley.
Arg is a caveboy with a really big brain. He doesn’t really fit in with the rest of his tribe who are really, really stupid. Arg doesn’t know why he was born with a bigger brain than anybody else, and sometimes it can be quite lonely being this smart. Thankfully, he has his pet microceratops, Krrk-Krrk to keep him company and join him on his adventures. When an angry T-rex starts destroying his village it’s up to Arg to come up with a plan to stop him.
T-Wreck-Asaurus is a gross, hilarious book and it’s perfect for fans of Andy Griffiths, Captain Underpants, and anyone who likes stories with dinosaur farts and Brontosaurus poo. The story and the illustrations had me laughing out loud. There are lots of little added extras throughout the book, including notes about Arg’s clothing, interesting facts about Brontosaurus poo and a diagram of Arg’s family cave. You may want to hold your nose as you read, because the stench from these dinosaurs is deadly! Look out for book two in the series, Stego-Snottysaurus.
The Storylines Free Family Day in Christchurch on Sunday 21 August is only 1 week away. There are lots of amazing author and illustrators coming, including the very cool, Kyle Mewburn and Donovan Bixley. Kyle and Donovan have created a hilarious and disgusting new series called Dinosaur Rescue. You can read our review of the series and watch the disgusting book trailer here on the blog. To celebrate the release of the first two books in the series and their appearance at the Christchurch Storylines Family Day, we have 5 sets of the first two books to give away, which include:
To go into the draw to win one of these books, all you have to do is answer this question – What is your favourite dinosaur and why? Add a comment on this post with your answer, your name, and email address (so we can contact you if you win). Entries close Friday 19 August at 5pm.
Mr. Green desperately needs to find a new nanny for his children. In the four weeks since their last nanny left, he has found himself actually having to talk to them, provide them with meals and pay attention to them himself!! And all this has to stop.
Nanny Piggins is a most unusual nanny. She is a pig. … Not just any ordinary pig though, Nanny Piggins has run away from the circus, where she was the circus’ famous flying pig! Mr Green’s three children Derrick, Samantha and Michael think they are incredibly lucky to have her.
Join Nanny Piggins on a series of wonderful adventures, read them all! There are 3 or 4 books in the series so far. (Is that right Zac?)
My favourite chapter was Nanny Piggins and the ‘sherbet lemon that saved the day’, because it seemed that Nanny Piggins had no idea whatsoever that the man who had got in the car was the one of the town’s most wanted criminals.
This book was recommended to me by my best friend Grace and also by my sister Eibhlin, so I would recommend this to ages 7+ because Eibhlin read it when she was 7.
I rate The Adventures of Nanny Piggins 10/10 because it was very funny; there is a one page disclaimer at the front of Nanny Piggins warning that Nanny Piggins’ diet (which consists of chocolate, cake, lollies, icecream and more) is not one to be followed unless you are a pig.
I write scary adventure books featuring Japanese demons (called yokai), and right now I’m researching quirky Japanese superstitions.
A great place to find superstition is in proverbs. Here are a few you may recognise:
- Step on a crack, marry a rat
- An apple a day keeps the doctor away
- Cross my heart and hope to die
- Don’t judge a book by its cover
- Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight
1) If you give a boy’s name to a girl, or a girl’s name to a boy, they will grow up healthy and strong
You may wonder why your parents gave you such a weird name. Well, maybe this is the reason? Switching boys’ and girls’ names is a way to confuse (and hopefully avoid) the demons who bring disease and bad luck.
Do you want to look like this?
2) If you scowl at your parents, you will turn into a sole.
You know the old saying “If you make a face, the wind will change and you’ll be stuck that way”? Well, this is the Japanese equivalent. Basically, it’s a warning to be nice to your mum and dad. Because if you don’t, you’ll turn into a flat fish with both eyes on one side of your face. (Don’t worry: you will still taste good served with chips!)
3) When a weasel cuts across your path, he will bewitch you if you don’t throw a stone at him.
In Japanese culture, animals like weasels, foxes and badgers are known to have magical powers over humans, including the ability to shape-change, and they love to trick you out of your money. Throwing a stone is a quick, easy way to make sure you stay safe.
4) If you put spit in your eyebrows, the fox will not bewitch you.
Here’s another simple way to stay safe from demon foxes: simply spit into your own eyebrows and mix well. (This belief comes from the idea that saliva is powerful and can help your eyes to see the truth behind magical spells)
5) If you kill a cat, it will haunt you and your family for seven generations.
Yikes! Better be nice to your cat! In Japan, cats who grow very fat and very old are also thought to turn into giant, man-eating cat demons. So your only hope for survival is to own a dog instead.
6) If your sandal strap breaks, evil is heading your way
This is a great reason to check your shoes and shoelaces before you head out on a dangerous mission. (If you’ve read The Filth Licker, you now know the secret double meaning behind Cait’s broken shoelace…)
7) If you pick up a comb, you will pick up suffering.
This superstition comes about because the Japanese word for comb is “kushi”, which is made up of two sounds: “ku” (the Japanese word for “suffering”), and “shi” (the Japanese word for “death”). So, instead of bending straight down to pick up your dropped comb, it’s better to stand on it first. Standing on the dropped comb drives out any evil spirits that are in it, making it safe to pick up. Phew!
8 ) A person who uses red things will only suffer a light case of smallpox
Carry this lovely RED book at all times, if you want to stay safe!
This proverb was around before the smallpox disease was eradicated thanks to vaccination, but it shows clearly that red was a colour of protection in Japan. Why red? It’s the colour of flushed, healthy cheeks. It’s the colour of warmth and cheerfulness. And it’s also the colour that many sick people wore in old Japan, to protect themselves from disease. (Red is also the colour of the first Takeshita Demons book…no coincidence there! Miku needs all the help she can get!)
What do you think? Do you know any spooky or strange proverbs or superstitions? Would you walk under a ladder?
Go out on Friday 13? What would you do with a 4-leaf clover? Do you believe in superstitions?
If you have not read this book I think you should read this as it is a really funny book. It is about a wimpy kid that has a wimpy life. His name is Greg. His mum gave him a diary for him to write his feelings in it. His family treats him like a baby except for his brother Rodrick. He pulls all sorts of pranks on him and then Greg will pull the pranks on his friend Rowley. If you want to learn more get a book and read it for yourself.
If you found a big, red button in the middle of a forest, would you push it? Even if it said DO NOT PUSH?
Cam likes to explore the forest behind his house. He feels like it might change and move around when he’s not looking because there’s always something new to explore. One day, he decides to check out the pond to see if the tadpoles have legs yet, but he falls down a bank and finds himself in a gully surrounded by steep cliffs. One of the cliffs is covered in vines, but he notices that there is a large, red button behind the vines, with the words DO NOT PUSH written underneath. Cam doesn’t think anyone will notice if he pushes the button and he doesn’t think anything has happened. As he turns to leave he sees a green lever that says PLEASE PULL, but he leaves it and runs home. When he gets home, he realises that something strange has happened, all because he pushed the button. Suddenly there are no rules and everyone is acting really weird.
Do Not Push is the hilarious new book by our June Star Author, Kyle Mewburn. He shows you that a world without rules would be fun but also a little embarrassing. Who really wants to see their mum sitting in the middle of the kitchen floor in her pajamas, eating icecream with her hands? I also really liked Sarah N. Anderson’s illustrations, especially the one of Cam when he’s in town watching all the chaos. If you like short and funny stories, Do Not Push is perfect. Recommended for 7+ 8 out of 10
You can do it Stanley by Irena Green, is about a boy called Ben. He doesn’t know anything about growing plants and he has to do it for a school project. So he asks his Grandad for help. Grandad’s advice is to bury the seed and water it. Ben does as his Grandad suggests and after 3 weeks the plant is 124 metres high! Read the book to find out more.
My favourite character is Ben because even though he doesn’t know how to grow plants he still gives it a try and does it anyway.
I recommend this book to 6+ and I give this a 10 out of 10.
This book is about a funny farm called Mudpuddle Farm. It is written by Michael Morpurgo, one of my favourite authors. On this farm are Mossop, Jigger, Peggoty, Albertine, Frederick, Diana, Aunty Grace, Primrose, Upside, Down, Penelope, Captain, Egbert and Farmer Rafftery!
This book has six wonderful adventures in it and these adventures are extremely funny. My favourite character is Mossop because he is lazy and sleeping most of the time. My favourite adventure would have to be number five. Read to find what happens in number five!!!
I recommend this collection of breathtaking stories to age 7+. I also recommend it to animal-lovers and readers who like funny stories.
On Friday at Shirley Library we hosted the New Zealand launch of Barry Hutchison’s The 13th Horseman. We had some giveaways, a feast fit for a Horseman of the Apocalypse, and some special launch videos from Barry in Scotland.
One of the funniest authors around, 
