Never Ever Before

Author: Stephen Michael King

Publication Date: 2009

Category: Picture book

Who'll want to read it? Everyone!

Point of no return: The quirky little drawings leading up to the first page of text.

Classic line: "The shivering smalls huddled together... but the smallest smalls couldn't hold on at all and began to blow to who knows, far away."

What's it all about? Smalls float in the breeze, Big stands solid on the ground, providing a good place to lean for the wibbly wobbly Talls. When a wind starts to blow, stronger than never ever before, something wonderful happens.

Stephen Michael King's sense of whimsy is completely evident in this book. His beautifully colourful illustrations give us a sense of freedom and lightness, even in the face of disaster.

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Visit Newcastle Region Library's Catalogue and Website.

Zombie In Love

Author: Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Scott Campbell

Publication Date: 2011

Category: Children's picture book

Who'll want to read it? Children, adults who like edgy children's books.

Point of no return: View the first four illustrations and see for yourself.

Classic line: "If you like taking walks in the graveyard
and falling down in the rain.
If you're not into cooking,
if you have half a brain.
If you like waking up at mignight,
horror films, and voodoo,
then I'm the guy who you've looked for
and I'm dying to meet you!"

What's it all about? Zombies have a heart, too. True, it's stopped beating and not in the best shape, but they have a heart. And this zombie - his name's Mortimer - is looking for love. He's having trouble because his nose is missing and his smile is full of rotten teeth, but we're all rooting for him!

DiPucchio's writing is well-accompanied by Campbell's brilliant illustrations. Campbell is the one behind the sublime website Great Showdowns, and his work here is amazing. His illustrations add a sub-text to the story which make this book highly enjoyable. Having watched more than my share of zombie movies, my usual reaction to the undead is to try to dispatch them with a shotgun. But Mortimer's no ordinary zombie and you'll love him as much as I did.

Publisher: Athenuem Books for Young Readers

Visit Newcastle Region Library's Catalogue and Website.

Personal Interest Projects digitised!

Selected sections of award winning Personal Interest Projects (PIPs), for the HSC subject Society and Culture, have been digitised.  They show excellence in various areas related to the construction of the PIPs.  The index shows why these  PIPs were winners - i.e they show excellent logs, methodological research, introduction etc.

They are now available via the State Library of NSW website. 

The extracts supplement the full copies held in the PIP Collections at the Information & Research Centre in Newcastle Region Library and Wallsend District Library. The full copies cannot be borrowed or photocopied, but are reference tools that depict how to successfully lay out your research.



Visit Newcastle Region Library's Catalogue and Website.