April School Holidays - Space Report

'Live Long and Prosper'

Ragbir and kids with their mobiles
Rocket into Space!  
 - Book launch & experiments.
Our guest speaker, award winning author, teacher and astrophysicist Ragbir Bhathal spoke about his new interactive children's book. The kids happily made a 'planets in space' mobile and they were given a space message to decipher by de-coding a set of 1111's and 0000's onto a master sheet. It reminded us ALL of 'ET phone home' (oh well, maybe that was just me!) 
Thank You, Ragbir.

So that's where the odd socks go!
Space Fun at your Library
Beam us up! Please!
As you may already know Sutherland Shire Libraries conduct a drop-in session at each branch to provide an opportunity for the school aged kids to visit the library for some holiday fun. We have stories, songs, simple interactive games, a film and a craft. April holidays was a Space theme and boy did we have fun with that! At Miranda we had two green alien holograms teleported-in to read some stories. While at Sutherland we had two 'Space Chicks' conduct the session, one of whom was being pursued by an imposing Darth Vader. Fortunately their paths didn't cross during their short visit but Darth did sing us a chorus of his sad lament 'Twinkle, twinkle, my Death Star, how I wonder where you are?' 
(Ask Luke... maybe?)

Trevor’s Drawing Workshops
We had 63 excited kids at Trevor’s Drawing workshops this Holiday. Trevor supplies a take-home booklet so that the kids can continue practising their new found skills at home. He also provides sketch paper, pencils and erasers – kids sometimes like to bring their own special coloured pencils. One thing about these sessions is that they can be unnaturally quiet, with heads down, pencils scratching and brows creased with concentration – a bit spooky really!
No wonder Trevor keeps coming back for more! 
Thanks a bunch, Trev. 
Trevor with Captain Underpants!
Happy sketchers!
Space and Beyond Workshop
This was an exciting workshop to help kids understand a little more about the universe that surrounds them. The kids were able to watch and help conduct simple experiments, they even got to make some horrid green slime to take home. This was an excellent hands-on session and a joy to clean-up after.
I think they enjoyed themselves!
Making green slime...
Warning!  Warning!  This is the Kid's Zone!


Jane Austen Book Club- May discussion: Emma


The month of May Jane Austen Book Club meetings will be discussing Emma.  First published in 1815, Emma was the last novel published in Jane Austen's life time.  While writing this novel, it was suggested  to her by a member of the Prince Regents' household that she dedicate it to His Royal Highness. Austen took the suggestion as it was intended--as a command--and Emma was thus dedicated. Of matchmaking heroine Emma Woodhouse,  Austen  wrote"I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like". What did you think of Emma? 

This fourth novel by Jane Austen contains elements of romance, drama and comedy and is considered in part, as a detective story. It is also regarded as Austen's most flawless work. 


All are welcome to join us for the book discussion, over tea, of course.



Jane Austen Book Club- Emma, Daytime event.

Miranda Library
Wednesday, 8 May,
10.30am-12.30pm

For more information, or to register your interest, contact Monique on 97100295, or call  Miranda Library- 95248217.

Jane Austen Book Club- Emma- Evening event.

Cronulla Library
Tuesday, 21 May,
6.00pm-7.45pm.

For more information, or to register your interest, contact Monique on 97100295, or call Cronulla Library -9523 4980.


To read or not to read? A Cozy Mystery


The author of this book has written more than 40 books. This book is the first in an ongoing series.  It is set in Melbourne, Australia in the 1920's, introducing Australia's most elegant, and irrepressible sleuth. Gorgeous, charming and terribly fashionable, she is also the star of her own television series...




 Read these opening paragraphs to decide whether to read or not to read this book...


The glass over the French window shattered. The guests screamed. Over the general exclamation could be heard the shrill shriek of Madam St Clair, wife of the ambassador 'Ciel! Mes Bijoux!'  Phryne Fisher stood quietly and groped for a cigarette lighter. So far the evening had been tedious. After the strenuous preparations for what was admittedly the social event of the year, the dinner had been a culinary masterpiece-but the conversation had been boring. She had been placed between a retired Indian Colonel and an amateur cricketer. The Colonel had confined himself to a few suitable comments on the food but Bobby could recite his bowling figures for each country match for two years-and did. Then the lights had gone out and the window had smashed. Anything that interrupted the Wisden of the Country House matches was a good thing, thought Phryne and found a lighter. The scene revealed in the flickering light was confused. The young women who usually screamed were screaming. Phryne's father was bellowing at Phryne's mother. This too, was normal. Several gentlemen had struck matches and one had pulled the bell. Phryne pushed her way to the door and slipped into the front hall where the fuse box door hung open, and pulled down the switch marked 'main'. A flood of light restored everyone except the most gin-soaked to their senses. And Madam St Clair, clutching melodramatically at her throat, found that her diamond necklace, reputed to contain some of the stones from the Tsarina's collar, was gone. Her scream outstripped all previous efforts. 


To keep reading this book request it from the Library now!


iBLURB - ANZAC Day

The ANZAC Dedication: For the Fallen
by Laurence Binyon

They shall not grow 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.
We will remember them.

Memorial  
by Gary Crew & Shaun Tan
Memorial is a story about a tree planted beside a war memorial monument, in a small country town by returned servicemen. Years on, the tree has grown to be huge and unruly, dislodging the statue next to it and creating a traffic hazard in what is now a much larger, busier town. A decision is made by a local council to cut the tree down.
My Grandad Marches on Anzac Day  by Catriona Hoy 
Every year at bedtime on 24th of April thousands of families set their alarm clocks for a very early start the next morning. For some, it is the only day of the year that they get to see the dawn. They rug up in hats, coats, gloves and scarves and head for the local war memorial to participate in the Dawn Service to  commemorate the events of 25th April 1915.
This story tells of one family's involvement in this day, but at the same time it is a story that is true for many families. This book can be used to help younger students begin to understand the significance of Anzac Day, as well as expanding the knowledge of those who know a little about it already.
Simpson and his Donkey  by Mark Greenwood : The heroic story of one man and a donkey.
A poignant account of the story of John Simpson Kirkpatrick and how he and his donkey, Duffy, rescued over 300 men during the campaign at Gallipoli. Backed by detailed research, the text includes a brief biography of the man, details of his work at Gallipoli and also the little known story of how, without realising, he rescued his childhood friend. (beautiful graphics)

Anzac Biscuits  by Phil Cummings & Owen Swan 
Rachel is in the kitchen, warm and safe. Her father is in the trenches, cold and afraid. When Rachel makes biscuits for her father, she adds the love, warmth and hope that he needs. This is a touching story of a family torn apart by war but brought together through the powerful simplicity of Anzac Biscuits. (this a beautifully simple story with a gentle heart-warming ending)

Vietnam Diary  by Mark Wilson
A powerful and moving story about the bonds of brotherhood and the tragedy of war. Leigh and Jason are inseparable. But when Jason is conscripted and sent to fight in Vietnam, they are divided not just by distance, but by their beliefs about war. Ages 10+. A brand new book to honour our Vietnam veterans on Anzac Day.

iBLURB for Kiddies 6

Theme: Those Darn Dogs!


Quote: The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you will go.   Dr Seuss

Why do I have to eat off the floor?  by Chris Hornsey & Gwen Perkins  
Why can't I sleep in your bed?
Why can't I drive the car?
Why can't we play all the time? These seemingly innocent questions, the kind usually asked by a child to an adult, take on a wildly humorous twist when addressed to a child by her dog, Murphy! The minimalist text and succinct illustrations, brilliantly set off the grandiose ambitions of this adorable, little dog with BIG ideas. His owner patiently answers all of his 'why' questions, until finally, she's forced to tell it like it is: that Murphy is a D-O-G (not-a-human).  (This book appeals to children, adults, and all those dog owners with pups who just can't believe they're not people!)

Pocket Dogs  by Margaret Wild
Mr Pockets had a very big coat, and in his very big coat he had two very big pockets.  The two very big pockets were just the right size for two very small dogs. Their names were Biff and Buff. Every day, winter or summer, Mr Pockets put on his big coat. Then he put Biff in the right pocket, and Buff in the left pocket. Biff stuck his foot through a hole in Mr Pocket’s right pocket that grew bigger and bigger and bigger!
One day, the inevitable happens and poor wee biff falls out through the hole. Lost and frightened in a sea of legs he meets a few good samaritans who try to pop Biff in a shopping basket, a toy pram and a shopping trolley to help him find his home but none of them feel right so he jumps out. He is a pocket dog. Mr Pocket’s pocket dog!

The Big Little Book of Happy Sadness  by Colin Thompson
George, a sad little orphan, lives with his sweet-faced grandmother but feels very much alone. When on his Friday afternoon visit to the dog shelter he finds a three-legged dog that seems as unwanted as he feels himself to be, he engages his grandmother's help to adopt the scruffy pup before it’s euthanased. This act rescues the boy as well as his grandmother, and a family is born. (Yes, there is a bit of sadness, but it's a also a story of hope, friendship and love. All told ... this is a wonderful heart-warming story to be read to your children)
What!? You think I did this?





April - CrimeReads for Kiddies

Quote: “Young ones don't always do what they're told, but if they can pull it off and do something wonderful, sometimes they escape punishment.” ― Rick Riordan

Penguin in Peril  by Helen Hancock
With bare cupboards and hungry bellies, three cats formulate a brilliant plan to steal a penguin to catch fish for them. A hilarious sequence of events unfolds as the penguin makes his escape from his feline foes, becoming mistaken for a nun and a waiter, before finding his way safely home to his aquarium. Meanwhile, the cats are caught for their crime and are sent to jail - for a lifetime of gruel. Deftly told and beautifully illustrated, this amusing tale will have little ones and grown-ups giggling from beginning to end. 
'The penguin book' is now a house favourite!!

Detective Donut and the Wild Goose Chase  by Bruce Whatley & Rosie Smith
Detective Donut is on the case in this uproarious tale of a stolen statue, a missing person, and a larcenous goose on the loose! With a nose for adventure but an overfondness for donuts, can this bumbling butterball sleuth solve the mystery before Goose gets the better of him?

Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth  by Jane O'Connor
Nancy Clancy has everything she needs to be a super sleuth (that's a fancy word for detective) She has a glamorous magnifying glass complete with rhinestones, a totally professional pink trench coat, and a sleuthing partner with awesome code-breaking skills - her best friend, Bree. Now all she needs is a good mystery to solve. But when crime strikes right in the middle of her classroom, will Nancy have what it takes to crack the case?
 
The Paw  by Natalie Jane Prior
Welcome to the adventures of the world's cheekiest cat-burglar, aka The Paw! Leonie is a school girl during the day but a wily cat-burglar by night. Back by popular demand, this text includes the three original Paw stories in an entirely new format, totally re-illustrated. Ages 5-10.

Congratulations - LEGO is in it's 81st Year!

The Sydney Brick Show is in the heart of Sydney; On Seven at David Jones, Elizabeth Street Store. The show will operate through the week from Saturday 20th April to Sunday 28th April 2013 enabling school holiday fun for all to see. 

The unofficial LEGO technic builder's guide  by Pawel 'Sariel' Kmieć
The LEGO Technic system opens a new realm of building possibilities. Using motors, gears, pneumatics, pulleys, linkages, and more, you can design LEGO models that really move. The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide is filled with building tips for creating strong yet elegant machines and mechanisms with the Technic system.

Unleash your imagination as you journey through the wide-ranging world of LEGO building with 'The LEGO Adventure Book.' This inspiring tour is filled with bright visuals, step-by-step breakdowns of 25 models, and nearly 200 example models from the world's best builders. Ages 8+.

Masters of Spinjitzu: Spin your way to victory and become a Spinjitzu master! Quick to anger, even quicker to act and armed with his golden sword, Kai is ready to battle for weapons and glory!  The adventures of Clutch Powers: 'Meet Clutch Powers, the best builder and explorer in the LEGO universe as he heads off on his most dangerous mission yet. Join Clutch and his team of experts as their adventure leads them from LEGO City to the Space Police prison planet to the medieval world of Ashlar where they must help the rightful heir to the King's throne, find the courage to regain the kingdom from the evil wizard Mallock the Malign'

Lego Ninjago Official Guide  by Greg Farshtey
This handbook is THE official guide to all the most important stats from the world of Ninjago, including exclusive info you can't get anywhere else. Each Ninja's strengths and weaknesses? TICK. The lowdown on all the Golden Weapons? TICK. Details and specs for Bonezai's incredible vehicles? TICK!
(this title is on order and awaiting arrival but can be put on hold NOW!)


This is a MUST watch video about the invention of LEGO!  Highly recommended for little kids... and big ones too!

Women's Prize for Fiction, Shortlist, 2013


Formerly known as the Orange Prize for Literature, The Women’s Prize for Fiction has announced the shortlist for the 2013 prize. Launched in 1996, the Prize is awarded annually and celebrates excellence, originality and accessibility in women’s writing from throughout the world. The winner receives a cheque for £30,000 and a limited edition bronze known as a ‘Bessie’, created by the artist Grizel Niven. 

Shortlist, 2013

 Life After Life by Kate Atkinson -
May We Be Forgiven by A.M Homes - 
Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver - 
Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel - 
 Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple 
NW by Zadie Smith -  


Congratulations to all the nominees. The winner will be announced on 5th June at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

To read or not to read? Australian War History

 Learn more about Australian War History as ANZAC Day approaches. This is a story that read like fiction, but is actually all fact.  It follows the footsteps of the heroes and villians of the Kokoda campaign, a tribute to those young men who fought so courageously. 








 To read or not to read? ...You decide after reading these opening paragraphs...



Chapter One

The mid-1920's...There is a special kind of drone teachers assume when they are giving a lesson about something they don't particularly care about, and know that their students care for even less. So it was on this hot afternoon at Warrandyte High School in the old mining town some twenty miles northeast of Melbourne, as ol' Mr Hallett was pointing out to his students just one more bit of the map of the world that was coloured in red because it was another part of the British Empire, on which the sun never set. 
    'And here, boys and girls,' he was saying. 'are the territories of New Guinea and Papua, which as you can see. are squarely in the tropics. The "Papua" part in the territories of New Guinea and Papua came from Jorge de Meneses, a Portugese seafarer who arrived in 1526 and is thought to have  been the first European to discover it. He named it Papua after the Malay word which means "fuzzy- haired man". It wasn't until 1884 that the Germans and British established colonies on the northeast and southeast sections respectively of the island. In 1906, Australia took over control of the British colony and in 1914 when the Great War started, it also occupied the German areas.In 1920 the League of Nations formally decreed that it should be a territory of Australia. There are no fewer than eight hundred tribes in the territories of New Guinea and Papua, and one third of the world's languages are spoken there. All in an area no more than 500 000 square miles. Its average rainfall, in some places , incredibly, rises as high as 150 inches!'

Stan Bisset, all of twelve years old, listened and paid attention as best he could, because generally he was a conscientious kind of student, but it tested even him. New Guinea was a place that sort of brooded at the top of the map of Australia, but it wasn't somewhere that quickened his interest the way that say, London, or New York or Paris did. New Guinea was just a bit of a blob that might be geographically close to Australia, but that was about it. 


If you would like to keep reading this book, you can request a copy from the Library. 

Stella Prize, 2013 Winner


The first-ever winner of the Stella Prize, the major new award for Australian women’s writing, is Carrie Tiffany for her novel Mateship with Birds

The inaugural Stella Prize was awarded in Melbourne  Tuesday evening, 16 April.  Carrie Tiffany received $50,000 in prize money. On the evening, Carrie Tiffany generously donated $10,000 of the prize money back to be split equally
 among the other five shortlistees, who have each received $2000 as a result.


Carrie Tiffany grew up in Western Australia, has worked as a park ranger in Central Australia, and now lives in Melbourne, where she is an agricultural journalist. Mateship with Birds is her second novel.




You can request this, and the other short listed novels for the Stella Prize, from the Library.



THE STELLA PRIZE SHORTLIST 2013

 In alphabetical order of author surname, the 2013 Stella Prize shortlist was:


The Burial by Courtney Collins 

Questions of Travel by Michelle de Kretser 

The Sunlit Zone by Lisa Jacobson 

Like a House on Fire by Cate Kennedy 

Sea Hearts by Margo Lanagan 

Mateship with Birds by Carrie Tiffany 


Congratulations to Carrie Tiffany, and the other authors nominated for this prestigious prize. 


Pre-Overdue Notifications Now Available


Library members can now receive email notifications for borrowed items about to become overdue. Notices are available via email only and will be sent out one day before the item’s due date.

To receive this notice, please ensure you have a current email address listed in your account information. You can do this online, simply login to your library account and modify your personal information.

More information:

  • After login, to include/update your email address, click on ‘modify personal information’ in the menu on the left hand side of your account page. Your details can then be modified. Click ‘Submit’ to finalise changes.
  • Email notifications will now be sent to this email address.
  • Hold notifications that you may have received via post will now be received via email as well.
  • Pre-overdue notifications are only available via email.
  • Please note that the notification will only be emailed once, if your email address is not correct, or your inbox is full, you will not receive the notification. Please double check your details.
  • Parts of this new service are still in testing stage; we apologise for any inconvenience and would be happy to receive your feedback. Please visit us at any shire library, or call Sutherland Library to get in touch.

April - CrimeReads for Teens

Quote: There are crimes of passion and crimes of logic. The boundary between them is not clearly defined. Albert Camus

Heist Society  by Ally Carter
For as long as she can remember, Katarina has been a part of the family business—thieving. When Kat tries to leave 'the life' for a normal one, her old friend Hale conspires to bring her back into the fold. Why? A mobster’s art collection has been stolen, and Kat’s father is the only suspect. Caught between Interpol and a far more deadly enemy, Kat’s dad needs her help. The only solution is to find the paintings and steal them back. Kat’s got two weeks, a teenage crew, and hopefully enough talent to pull off the biggest heist in her family’s history—and, with any luck, steal her life back along the way. The Heist Society series is stealing the hearts of Ally Carter fans everywhere.

To Kill a Mockingbird  by Harper Lee
Lawyer Atticus Finch defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic, Puliter Prize-winning novel—a black man charged with the attack of a white woman. Through the eyes of Atticus's children, Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unanswering honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930's. This is a 1001 books entry.

Thieves like us  by Stephen Cole
Jonah Wish, a brilliant computer hacker, is the newest addition to an elite group of teen outlaws all hired by the same mysterious benefactor, Nathaniel Coldhardt. Each of them offers a unique talent: Patch is a one-eyed locksmith; Motti can dismantle any electrical system; Con’s charm is truly mesmerizing; and Tye can detect a lie with more precision than a polygraph. Under Coldhart’s watchful eye, this motley crew races from a high-tech underground conference centre to exotic locations where they hunt for priceless ancient artefacts that may bring riches . . . or the secret to eternal life.  also E-Book

Speak  by Laurie Halse Anderson
"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say." From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is a friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was violated by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. An utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself. (A mature read for those interested)



To read or not to read? Scandinavian Crime Fiction


Scandinavian crime fiction is currently popular across the world. 
 Also a successful musician,  the author of this book visited Australia recently.  This is the third book in a series of nine so far, and was the first one published in English. It features an endearing, brilliant, yet flawed detective with a few bad habits...
*Be warned- includes graphic detail.



To read or not to read... you decide after reading these opening paragraphs.

A Grey bird glided in and out of Harry's field of vision. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Slow time. Somebody had been talking about slow time on the TV yesterday. This was slow time. Like on Christmas Eve before Father Christmas came. Or sitting in the electric chair before the current was turned on. 
He drummed harder. 
They were parked in the open area behind the ticket booths at the toll gate. Ellen turned up the radio a notch. The commentator spoke with reverence and solemnity. 'The plane landed fifty minutes ago, and at exactly 6.38 a.m.the President set foot on Norwegian soil. He was welcomed by the Mayor of Ullensaker. It is a wonderful autumn day here in Oslo: a splendid Norwegian backdrop to this summit meeting. Let us hear again what the President said at the press conference half an hour ago.' It was the third time. Again Harry saw the screaming press corps thronging against the barrier. The men in grey suits on the other side, who made only a half-hearted attempt not to look like secret service agents, hunched their shoulders then relaxed them as they scanned the crowd, checked for the twelfth time that their earpieces were correctly positioned, scanned the crowd, dwelled for a few seconds on a photographer whose telephoto lens was a little too long, continued scanning, checked for the thirteenth time that their earpieces were correctly positioned. Someone welcomed the President in English, everything went quiet. Then a scratching noise in a microphone. 'First let me say I'm delighted to be here...' the president said for the fourth time in husky, broad American-English. 
'I read that a well known American Pyschologist thinks the President has a MPD,' Ellen said. 
'MPD?'
'Multiple Personality Disorder. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.'


If you would like to keep reading this book, you can request it from the Library. 






















If you would like to keep reading this book, you can request it from the Library.

April - CrimeReads for Kids

Quote: Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them - James Baldwin

The Bugalugs Bum Thief  
by Tim Winton & Stephen Michael King
The town of Bugalugs is where residents wake up one morning to find that their buttocks are missing, now all 496 citizens of the town of Bugalugs are now BUMLESS!
After waking up to discover that his butt is missing, Skeeta Anderson, with the help of his best mate Billy Marbels and Mick Misery, they set out to discover where all the bums have gone and to find the culprit who pinched all those rumps. After much mayhem, madness and derriere detecting, Skeeta finally unravels the mystery and the townspeople of Bugalugs get their bottoms back. Things turn out alright at the end … well almost!   Ages 4-10 
(Gee, I hope I get a skinny one back!)

Poppy and the Thief  by Gabrielle Wang
It's 1864 . . . and Poppy is on the road again, heading to the town of Wahgunyah. On the way she meets a stranger who seems to know something about her past, and her special letter with the red tiger seal. But the more time she spends with this boy, the more difficult he becomes. Should Poppy trust him? Join Poppy on her adventure in the third of four exciting stories about a Gold Rush girl who dreams of a better life. This book is part of the popular 'Our Australian Girl' series.

The Treasure Thief  by Beatrice Rodriguez
Rooster, Hare and Bear bid adieu to Fox and Chicken, and start their sea voyage back home to the farm. But it's no pleasure cruise. En route they wash up on a deserted island, where Rooster discovers a mysterious white orb. Becoming oblivious to his companions, Rooster is possessed by the orb and takes it all the way home. His faithful companions follow, surviving toxic toadstools, piranhas and tiny bats. When Rooster gets home, he discovers the orb contains something more precious than he ever imagined ... (cute picture book)

It's a deafening sunrise in the Triassic, but one sound is louder than everything - the shriek of a pack of eohraptors. These noisy creatures take a shine to Wanna and before the boys can stop them, they've run away with him! Now Jamie and Tom are caught in a race against time to save their dino friend. Why not check out the other titles at the 'Dinosaur Cove' series - website.  
for ages 7-10  (we may not hold all titles)

Maisie Morris lives with her mum and her pet monkey in the small town of Groutley, where nothing exciting ever happens. So when the local newspaper reports mysterious goings-on ... the headlines read: BISCUIT BARON DOES A BUNK! and GROUTLEY GERIATRIC IS OUT OF THIS WORLD! Maisie decides to investigate. Soon she finds herself entangled in a web of whopping lies from which only her trusted accomplices, Monkey Onassis and eccentric ex-Chief of Police Ramsey McDoon, can help her escape … The thrilling, madcap sequel to 'Maisie Morris and the Awful Arkwrights'.

Looking for something to read? Try Jane Austen's Mansfield Park


The Jane Austen Book Club day and evening meetings are  discussing Mansfield Park for the April meetings, making  the perfect time to read, or re-read  the original story, watch the movie, or enjoy some inspired fan fiction. 

Re-read the original... 
 Mansfield Park by Jane Austen.

Busy? Listen to an audiobook! Available on CD or to download a copy from Overdrive.


Mansfield Park (downloadable version)



  

Watch:  a TV or movie adaption.

 Mansfield Park (Televison series)

 Mansfield Park (DVD)


Or enjoy some fan fiction

Murder at Mansfield Park by Lynn Shepherd.

 Ever wondered what would happen if Jane Austen had turned her hand to writing murder mysteries? Offering a new twist on this classic tale,  enjoy a riveting  murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page, one where Fanny is no longer the dreary and insipid heroine…








                        

Book Four  in the Mr and Mrs Darcy series, The Darcy's latest adventure in set in Mansfield Park. Mr. Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is eager to arrange a lucrative and socially advantageous match for her daughter, Anne. Of course, her ladyship has not taken into account such frivolous matters as love or romance, let alone the wishes of her daughter. Needless to say, there is much turmoil when the bride-to-be elopes. Their pursuit of the headstrong couple leads the Darcys to the village of Mansfield, where the usually intricate game of marriage machinations becomes still more convoluted by lies and deception. There, the Darcys discover that love and marriage can be a complex and dangerous business — one that can even lead to murder.


 
 Edmund Bertram’s diary by Amanda Grange.

Jane Austen's Mansfield Park re-told in diary form, from Edmund Bertram's perspective. This is one of a series of books inspired by Jane Austen's heroes.








You can request any or all featured items from the Library!