Author: Juliet Thomas

ANZAC Day hours at the Library

// Library News

Palmerston North’s Central Library, Community Libraries in Ashhurst, Awapuni, Roslyn and Te Pātikitiki, Youth Space and Blueprint: The City Library Makerspace will be closed on Monday 25 April for ANZAC Day.

For the Fallen

With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children,
England mourns for her dead across the sea.
Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit,
Fallen in the cause of the free.

Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal 
Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres,
There is music in the midst of desolation
And a glory that shines upon our tears.

They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted;
They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; 
They sit no more at familiar tables of home;
They have no lot in our labour of the day-time;
They sleep beyond England’s foam.

But where our desires are and our hopes profound, 
Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight,
To the innermost heart of their own land they are known
As the stars are known to the Night;

As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, 
Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain;
As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, 
To the end, to the end, they remain.

– Laurence Binyon

What’s on this April

// Library News

This April, the Library has a great range of activities for all. Here’s a summary of what we have coming up:

April School Holiday Grab and Go activity packs

In a hurry and need something to entertain the kids? Our Grab and Go activity packs are perfect, and a new pack is available each week! Find out more.

21 April – Taking the Ridge

Part of our Writers and Readers programme, Taking the Ridge welcomes author Jeffrey McNeill to talk about his book Taking the Ridge: Anzacs & Germans at the Battle of Messines 1917.

The talk is on 21 April at 6pm on the Ground Floor of Central Library, and RSVPs are requested. Find out more.

27 April – Global War, Global Catastrophe – Neutrals, Belligerents and the Transformation of the First World War

The First World War had a massive impact on Aotearoa New Zealand, but we were far from alone. In this lecture, Professor Maartje Abbenhuis explains how fundamental the First World War was for communities around the world, whether they actually fought in the war or not. 

This talk is hosted at the Globe Theatre at 5.45pm. RSVPs are necessary. Find out more.

Autumn Reading

It’s like Summer Reading, but cosier and open to all!

Read, earn badges and go into the draw to win prizes for feeding your inner bookworm. Find out more.

COMING UP IN MAY

5 May – The Career That Chose Me: Vicki Lee Find out more.

12 May – Life as a Beefeater in the Tower of London Find out more.

More activities and programmes are in store at the Library, so stay tuned!

Easter open hours

// Library News

Planning to visit the Library this Easter weekend? We’re closed Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, but open on Saturday 16 April. Check out the hours for Central Library below:

And for our Community Libraries here:

Autumn Reading Challenge

// Library News

Get cosy this autumn with Palmerston North City Library’s Autumn Reading Challenge!

Autumn Reading uses Beanstack; the Library’s online platform for monitoring and encouraging reading.

Everyone in the family and all ages can join in our Autumn Challenge; simply log your reading in Beanstack to earn badges and go in the draw to win prizes.

The Library used Beanstack for the 2021-2022 Summer Reading Challenge, and you only need one account for the whole family: each reader can have their own profile.

If you are new to Beanstack sign up at
https://palmerstonnorthcitylibrary.beanstack.org/reader365  
Or download the Beanstack app from your App or Play store.

More information on Beanstack can be found here on our website.

Friday Fast Food inspo

// Books

We kiwis love our takeaways, especially on a Friday evening, when we’re tired and just want to take it easy. But we *know* takeaways aren’t the best for us, but that hankering for something quick, affordable and tasty is so great. Luckily for you, Palmerston North City Library has curated some great books for fast Friday food, in case you feel the need to cook on Friday (or if you want fast food any other day of the week). Get stuck in here and pay us a visit to check out your fave (don’t forget we also offer click and collect, in case you’re really busy!)

Time saving fast food, by Simon Holst

Most of us are on the lookout for different ways to create tasty meals that will satisfy ourselves and families. With fast busy lifes and households Time Saving Fast Food will save you time in the kitchen and cooking can be a more enjoyable experience instead of a chore.

Find it in the library here.

Vegan fakeaway, by Katy Beskow

We all love a takeaway. It’s one of life’s little pleasures, and a great way to try food from around the world in the comfort of our own homes. But when hankering after a plant-based treat, the takeaway menu isn’t always the easiest thing to navigate. Vegan Fakeaway offers 70 recipes that deliver fast, easy, vegan takeaway classics that will make sure that you’re able to indulge, whenever the craving strikes.

Find it in the library here.

Nigella express, by Nigella Lawson

The Domestic Goddess is back — and this time it’s instant. Nigella and her style of cooking have earned a special place in our lives, symbolizing all that is best, most pleasurable, most hands-on, and least fussy about good food.

Featuring fabulous fast foods, ingenious shortcuts, terrific time-saving ideas, effortless entertaining tips, and simple, scrumptious meals.

Find it in the library here.

Eat : the little book of fast food, by Nigel Slater

A collection of recipes that you can have to the table in less than an hour . The recipes are generally for two but are easy double or triple up for more.

Find it in the library here.


Fast & fun family food, by Alison Holst

This collection of recipes provides lots of exciting ideas for parents faced with the dilemma of how to provide nutritious, economical – and above all tasty and tempting – meals for their young families.

Find it in the library here.

In the mood for quick family food, by Jo Pratt

Jo Pratt has devised a cookbook full of delicious and healthy food that addresses one of the most challenging problems experienced by busy parents- finding time to cook meals for their family. The recipes are simple, easy to shop for and quick to make, with shortcuts and prepare-ahead tips.

Find it in the library here.

Gordon Ramsay’s fast food

Everyone needs quick, healthy, and delicious recipes for feeding a family–and no ones better at providing them than Gordon Ramsay, the three-star chef famous for his no-nonsense cooking. Here he serves up a feast of doable ideas: more than 100 recipes and 15 great menus for putting food on the table each and every day. Many of the dishes take only 15 minutes to prepare and cook!

Find it in the library here.

The “I love my air fryer” 5-ingredient recipe book, by Robin Fields

Create deliciously quick and easy recipes in your Air Fryer using only 5 ingredients or less! Want simple meals that your entire family (even the pickiest eaters) will devour? This easy-to-use cookbook provides mouthwatering, whole-food dishes for every meal–from breakfast and dinner to appetizers and dessert–using favorite, familiar ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.

Find it in the library here.

Nadiya’s fast flavours, by Nadia Hussain

Known for her bold and surprising flavour combinations, Nadiya loves to throw the rulebook out of the window, always finding ways to take familiar recipes to the next level. Now she makes it easy for others to do so too, with a host of everyday recipes that are guaranteed to send your taste buds into overdrive. Sour, sweet, spicy, zesty, earthy, fruity, herbal – her delicious recipes offer new and innovative ways to pack your meals with flavour, using clever shortcuts, hacks and handy ingredients to put the va-va-voom into your food without spending hours in the kitchen.

Find it in the library here.

Bon Appétit Palmy!

Top 10 Romances for Valentines Day

// Books

Valentine’s Day is coming up in a few days time, so we scanned the shelves for our most popular romantic fiction books to share with you. Because even if you think that Valentine’s Day is over-commercialised, the borrowing numbers don’t lie and our borrowers love luuurve.

And even if these books are some of our most-loved books, it doesn’t mean you can’t get your hands on them. If the book you want is on loan, you can still place a reserve for your desired book. Here’s our guide on how to place a reserve for collection at your preferred library location.

10. The One Plus One, by Jojo Moyes.

Suppose your life sucks. A lot. Your husband has done a vanishing act, your teenage stepson is being bullied, and your math whiz daughter has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to pay for. That’s Jess’s life in a nutshell-until an unexpected knight in shining armor offers to rescue them. Only Jess’s knight turns out to be Geeky Ed, the obnoxious tech millionaire whose vacation home she happens to clean. But Ed has big problems of his own, and driving the dysfunctional family to the Math Olympiad feels like his first unselfish act in ages. Maybe ever.

Available in physical copy, eBook, eAudiobook and Audio disc. Find it here.

9. Legacy, by Nora Roberts.

Adrian Rizzo is a beautiful young woman with a successful business and a wonderful family and friends. She’s worked hard to build a happy life for herself. When she receives a death threat in the post, she puts it down to jealousy and tries to forget about it. But Adrian doesn’t realise that it’s more than just spite. Someone is very unhappy about her happy life and will stop at nothing to bring it all crashing down.

Available in physical copy. Find it here.

8. Still Me, by Jojo Moyes.

Lou Clark knows how many miles lie between her new home in New York and her new boyfriend Sam in London. She knows her employer is a good man and she knows his wife is keeping a secret from him. But what Lou doesn’t know is she’s about to meet someone who’s going to turn her whole life upside down. Because Josh will remind her so much of a man she used to know that it’ll hurt.

Available in physical copy (including large print), eBook and eAudiobook. Find it here.

Still Me is the final book of the Me Before You trilogy. Check out the first book; Me Before You, and the second; After You.

7. Other Women, by Cathy Kelly.

Three women. Three secrets. Three tangled lives.

Sid wears her independence like armour. So when she strikes up a rare connection with unlucky-in-love Finn, they are both determined to prove that men and women can just be friends. Can’t they? Marin has the perfect home, attentive husband, two beloved children – and a secret addiction to designer clothes. She knows she has it all, so why can’t she stop comparing herself to other women? Bea believes that we all have one love story – and she’s had hers. Now her life centres around her son, Luke, and her support group of fierce single women. But there’s something that she can’t tell anyone.

Available in physical copy (including large print). Find it here.

6. The Affair, by Danielle Steel.

Nadia considered her life perfect, married to bestselling novelist, Nicolas Bateau, who adored her and their two daughters. Until the tabloid press leak a story of Nicolas’s affair with dazzling young actress Pascale Solon. Heartbroken and publicly humiliated, Nadia looks to her family for comfort, support and help to try to put her life back on course. As mother and daughters spend more time together, they come to realize what matters most in life.

Available in physical copy (including large print), and in eBook format. Find it here.


5. All the colours of night, by Jayne Ann Krentz.

North Chastain possesses a paranormal talent that gives him the ability to track down the most dangerous psychic criminals. When his father suddenly falls into a coma-like state, North is convinced it was caused by a deadly artifact that traces back to the days of a secret government program known only as the Bluestone Project. North knows his only hope of saving his father is to find the artifact. He is good when it comes to tracking down killers, but to locate the relic he’s going to need help from a psychic who knows the shadowy world of obsessive collectors, deceptive dealers and ruthless raiders….

Available in physical copy and eAudiobook. Find it here.

4. The Return, by Nicholas Sparks.

Trevor Benson never intended to move back to New Bern, North Carolina. But when a mortar blast outside the hospital where he worked as an orthopedic surgeon sent him home from Afghanistan with devastating injuries, the dilapidated cabin he’d inherited from his grandfather seemed as good a place to regroup as any. Tending to his grandfather’s beloved bee hives while preparing for a second stint in medical school, Trevor isn’t prepared to fall in love with a local…

Available in physical copy (including large print). Find it here.

3. Hideaway, by Nora Roberts.

Caitlyn Sullivan had come from a long line of Hollywood royalty, stretching back to her Irish immigrant great-grandfather. At nine, she was already a star – yet still an innocent child who loved to play hide and seek with her cousins at the family home in Big Sur. It was during one of those games that she disappeared. Some may have considered her a pampered princess, but Cate was in fact a smart, scrappy fighter, and she managed to escape her abductors. Dillon Cooper was shocked to find the bloodied, exhausted girl huddled in his house – but when the teenager and his family heard her story they provided refuge, reuniting her with her loved ones. Cate’s ordeal, though, was far from over.

Available in physical copy (including large print). Find it here.

2. The Giver of Stars, by Jojo Moyes.

Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. When a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt’s new traveling library, Alice signs on. Though they face all kinds of dangers, they’re committed to their job– bringing books to people who have never had any, sharing the gift of learning that will change their lives.

Available in physical copy (including large print), eBook and eAudiobook. Find it here.

1. The Duke and I, by Julia Quinn.

In the ballrooms and drawing rooms of Regency London, rules abound. From their earliest days, children of aristocrats learn how to address an earl and curtsey before a prince – while other dictates are unspoken yet universally understood. A proper duke should be imperious and aloof. A young, marriageable lady should be amiable…but not too amiable. Daphne Bridgerton has always failed at the latter.

Now a series created by Shonda Rhimes for Netflix.

Available in physical copy (including large print), eBook and eAudiobook. Find it here.

Library Closed 6 & 7 February for Waitangi Day

// Library News

Tenā koutou katoa.

Palmerston North City Library and its community locations will be closed on 6 February for Waitangi Day and 7 February for the weekday observance of Waitangi Day.

As New Zealand commemorates the anniversary of the signing of The Treaty of Waitangi, you might want to learn more about the Treaty, it’s history and impact today. The Library has a collection of resources to help you discover more for tamariki and pakeke (adults).

For everyone, The Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a dual-language, flip-book, graphic-novel-style non-fiction about the Treaty of Waitangi. Developed for a general audience, it has been reviewed by some of Aotearoa’s foremost Te Tiriti o Waitangi experts.

For adults looking for more in-depth insight, browse our non-fiction books and resources here on our website.

For tamariki, we have a selection of non-fiction books about Te Tiriti.

The Treaty = Te Tiriti uses a story format to describe how in 1840 the Treaty of Waitangi became the founding agreement between the peoples of Aotearoa.

William’s Waitangi Day is a story to show tamariki that different whānau observe Waitangi Day differently. It also teaches young migrant tamariki that it’s ok to not yet understand what Waitangi Day is.

We wish you a happy Waitangi Day, and will see you when we open with our usual hours on Tuesday 8 February.

The Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi
nā Toby Morris, rātou ko Ross Calman ko Mark Derby ; he mea whakamāori nā Piripi Walker.

Top Ten.. Young Adult books of 2021

// Library News

2021 is on its way out, and we’ve been pretending to be Santa by making lists. Only these lists are of the most checked out books of the year.

Everyone’s favourite (and the original) grumpy cat Garfield is very popular with Rangatahi Youth, but who can blame us? His sardonic approach to life and sense of humour is exactly what’s needed to get though a world gripped by a pandemic. Throw in some post-apocalyptic fiction and a bit of fantasy, and we’ve got 2021 wrapped. Here’s the most-checked-out books from our Rangatahi Youth section for the year:

10. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, by Ransom Riggs.

After a family tragedy, Jacob feels compelled to explore an abandoned orphanage on an island off the coast of Wales, discovering disturbing facts about the children who were kept there.

9. Garfield Chickens Out, by Jim Davis.

8. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins.

The nation of Panem, formed from a post-apocalyptic North America, is a country that consists of a wealthy Capitol region surrounded by 12 poorer districts. Early in its history, a rebellion led by a 13th district against the Capitol resulted in its destruction and the creation of an annual televised event known as the Hunger Games.

7. Garfield: large & in Charge, by Jim Davis.

6. Garfield’s Guide to Everything, by Jim Davis.

5. Garfield Brings Home the Bacon, by Jim Davis.

4. Garfield Takes His Licks, by Jim Davis.

3. Garfield Cleans His Plate (his 60th book) by Jim Davis.

2. The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins.

Ambition will fuel him. Competition will drive him. But power has its price. It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games.

1. The Maze Runner, by James Dashner.

When the doors of the lift crank open, the only thing Thomas remembers is his first name. But he’s not alone.

He’s surrounded by boys who welcome him to the Glade – a walled encampment at the centre of a bizarre and terrible stone maze. Like Thomas, the Gladers don’t know why or how they came to be there – or what’s happened to the world outside.

If any of these books catch your fancy, you can click on the linked title to go to our website, which will then show all of the formats of this book. Many of our books are available in a digital format as well as a physical book, so even if the physical book is on loan, you’re away on holiday or the Library is closed for the festive season, you can still get or reserve a copy for the hottest books your Library has on offer.

Top Ten… Adult Fiction books of 2021

// Library News

If there ever was a year to escape to a fictional world, then we think 2021 ranks pretty high for escaping between the pages of a good book. Here’s the top ten adult fiction books checked out at the Library in 2021, by some highly-appreciated authors, including David Baldacci, Lee Child and Lucinda Riley.

10. The Book of Two Ways, by Jodi Picoult.

Dawn Edelstein knows everything there is to know about dying. She specialises in helping her clients make peace with the end of their lives. But as she’s flying home from her latest case, she is forced to confront her own mortality for the first time.

9. Daylight, by David Baldacci.

BI Agent Atlee Pine’s search for her sister Mercy clashes with military investigator John Puller’s high-stakes case, leading them both deep into a global conspiracy – from which neither of them will escape unscathed.

8. A Gambling Man, by David Baldacci.

The 1950s are on the horizon, and Archer is in dire need of a fresh start after a nearly fatal detour in Poca City. So Archer hops on a bus and begins the long journey out west to California, where rumor has it there is money to be made if you’re hard-working, lucky, criminal – or all three.

7. Turn a Blind Eye, by Jeffrey Archer.

William Warwick, now a Detective Inspector, is tasked with a dangerous new line of work, to go undercover and expose crime of another kind: corruption at the heart of the Metropolitan Police Force.

6. Blue Moon, by Lee Child.

In a nameless city, two ruthless rival criminal gangs, one Albanian, the other Ukrainian, are competing for control. But they hadn’t counted on Jack Reacher arriving on their patch.

5. Hidden in Plain Sight, by Jeffrey Archer.

William Warwick has been promoted to Detective Sergeant but his promotion has meant reassignment, along with the rest of his team, to the Drugs Squad in Southwark, where they are immediately tasked with apprehending a drug dealer known as ‘Viper’

4. The Sentinel, by Lee Child.

As always, Reacher has no particular place to go, and all the time in the world to get there. One morning he ends up in a town near Pleasantville, Tennessee. But there’s nothing pleasant about the place.

3. Better Off Dead, by Lee Child.

Reacher never backs down from a problem. And he’s about to find a big one, on a deserted Arizona road, where a Jeep has crashed into the only tree for miles around.

2. A Time for Mercy, by John Grisham.

Deputy Stuart Kofer is a protected man. Though he’s turned his drunken rages on his girlfriend, Josie, and her children many times before, the police code of silence has always shielded him. But one night he goes too far.

1. The Missing Sister, by Lucinda Riley.

The six D’Aplièse sisters have each been on their own incredible journey to discover their heritage, but they still have one question left unanswered: who and where is the seventh sister?

If any of these books catch your fancy, you can click on the linked title to go to our website, which will then show all of the formats of your chosen book. Many of our books are available in a digital format as well as a physical book, so even if the physical book is on loan, you’re away on holiday or the Library is closed for the festive season, you can still borrow or reserve a copy for the hottest books your Library has on offer.

Top Ten… Sound & Vision items of 2021

// Library News

Continuing our review of the top picks by our community (by check-outs for the year), these are our most-borrowed (and beloved) Sound and Vision items for 2021. These titles are the most popular physical items loaned out from the library’s Sound & Vision collection, but don’t forget that these aren’t your only options! Your library card gives you access to Beamafilm, Kanopy and Kanopy Kids for music and film streaming, without the need to come into the Library. You can find thousands of titles in our Movies and Music section, wherever you are, whenever you fancy.

10. Avengers: Infinity War.

As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos. A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality.

9. Black Panther.

Centuries ago, five African tribes war over a meteorite containing vibranium. One warrior ingests a “heart-shaped herb” affected by the metal and gains superhuman abilities, becoming the first “Black Panther”.

You can also check out Marvel graphic novels and comics by searching our catalogue for Black Panther.

8. Nomadland.

Following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, Fern packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad.

7. The Trench.

Set in the 48 hours leading up to the catastrophic Battle of the Somme in 1916, “The Trench” is the story of young men at war, as seen through the eyes of 17 year old Billy Macfarlane.

6. Radioactive.

From the 1870s to the modern era, Radioactive is a journey through Marie Curie’s enduring legacies — her passionate relationships, scientific breakthroughs, and the consequences that followed for her and for the world.

5. Wild Mountain Thyme.

Headstrong farmer Rosemary Muldoon has her heart set on winning her neighbour Anthony Reilly’s love. The problem is Anthony seems to have inherited a family curse, and remains oblivious to his beautiful admirer.

4. Greenland.

A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth.

3. Tenet.

Armed with only one word – Tenet – and fighting for the survival of the entire world, the protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real-time.

2. The Call of the Wild.

The classic tale of a dog’s heroic adventures in the frozen Yukon. The Call of the Wild is a thrilling frontier adventure and uniquely American ode to the power of nature.

For those who prefer books to movies, the movie is based on the novel Call of the Wild, by Jack London.

  1. Wonder Woman 1984.

Wonder Woman’s latest big-screen adventure finds her facing a wide array of foes, including Maxwell Lord and Cheetah.

If any of these movies catch your fancy, you can click on the linked title to go to our website, which will then show all of the formats of this book. Many of our books are available in a digital format as well as a physical book, so even if the physical book is on loan, you’re away on holiday or the Library is closed for the festive season, you can still get or reserve a copy for the hottest books your Library has on offer.