story time books

Kath Bee sings songs, interacts with kids, and signs CDs, here in the shop, this Saturday, 1-2 pm. Chances are you or your children sing some of her songs, possibly without realising whose they are: Individuality, Dad I wanna be a camel, Dragons Under my Bed and others are well known and have appeared on compilations of Kiwi songs. Those who’ve been here when she’s performed before will want to come back, those who haven’t should come and find out why her video of Individuality was voted Kids Choice this year. Suitable for all age children and parents: Kath decides which songs to sing and what to do depending on the ages present. She’s a great performer who has wonderful rapport with kids, but she’s keen to concentrate on her songwriting, so may not be performing as frequently in the future. Take the chance to pop in between 1 and 2 on Saturday for some fun and music. With more space in the shop and the warmth of our heatpump it should be great, whatever the weather is throwing at us.

Winners of the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards were announced in Auckland last night. Congratulations to all category winners, Children’s Choice Award winners< Honour Award recipient and Best First Book Award, and especially to the overall Book of the Year title, Kyle Mewburn and Rachel Driscoll’s Old Hu-hu. Full details of all winners can be found at the Booksellers New Zealand site on: http://www.booksellers.co.nz/awards/new-zealand-post-childrens-book-awards/winners-2010. I’ll put a link on this page to that.

As of Sunday afternoon, the corner of the shop which had held an ATM machine until last year, is now part of  Story Time Books for Kids. It doubles the amount of natural light coming into the shop from the road, allows people to see into the shop much more than before, increases the space for window displays, and gives more floor area which allows more flexibility for events like the author visits and concerts which we have at times. Come and see the difference!

Welcome back. If you’ve tried to visit this site in the last two or three days you won’t have found it a useful experience: the site had been hacked into and replaced by cyber-graffiti.  Some people have very strange ways of getting their kicks! The site is now back to normal and updated with a new version of the WordPress software which should make such events less likely. I hope to be posting new reviews very soon.

Remember Kath Bee’s concert on Friday at 10 am (see below).  Several people have already told me they’ll be here.  If you haven’t heard Kath’s children’s songs come along for a treat and maybe buy a CD or two to take home;  if you have you’ll want to be there too.  Old favourites and perhaps a few new songs as well;  a lovely way to spend an hour as we get towards the end of holidays and the beginning of a new school year.

Kath Bee’s concert is confirmed for Friday 29 January at 10 am, and if you can’t make that, or want to see her twice, NZique, further down Jackson St towards the railway station has her performing the day before at 1 pm.  Free concert, CDs for sale, lots of good songs and plenty of activity for the kids. Many who were here last time asked when she’d be returning, so here she will be.

The shop is open again this week, and new books are arriving already, though not many, as this is one of the quietest months for new releases. Next month will see things returning to a more normal level.

Merry Christmas from Story Time, and may 2010 be a wonderful year for you all. Thanks for reading, and thanks to all who buy from us, visit with children and conversation about the wonders of children’s books, and support us in so many ways.  It’s been a great year and we look forward to 2010.

Look out for further notice of another concert with Nelson-based singer-songwriter Kath Bee in late January, just before school goes back.  Friday 29 January at 10 am is when that is planned for, so pencil that into your new diary.

Story Time will be closed until 11 January so that we have a break  to return refreshed.  See you then.

Levity Beet performs, tells stories, sings songs, etc. at Story Time on Monday 21 December at 1.30pm. Come and listen, buy CDs for Christmas presents, and look around the shop at the same time. Levity won the children’s song of the year this year, has two albums out now and another which has just arrived. We’ll have all three on sale at the concert.

Come and enjoy live music and tales.

Keep Petone Beautiful, with the support of Petone Rotary, offers a gift of green (a native tree or shrub) to all babies born to Petone and Korokoro residents during the past year. We have application forms, as do Petone Plunket and Playdays toyshop. If you are in this situation come in and get a form to fill in; if you know someone, let them know. Applications close at the end of this month.

Lynley Dodd will be at Story Time Books for Kids tomorrow at 10 am, reading her new Hairy Maclary, Shoo! book (reviewed below, on the next page) and signing books. All welcome. Come and meet the creator of Hairy Maclary, Slinky Malinki, Schnitzel Von Krumm, and more of picture books’ best-loved characters. (Photo of Lynley Dodd from Mallinson Rendel website: www.mallinsonrendel.co.nz).