Happy New Year Welcome to 2017 and what will be another great year for you and Gympie Regional Libraries. We have lots planned for this year including: local history displays; author talks; Adult Learners Week; Library Lovers Day and Library and Information Week—just to name a few happenings. We will also be continuing on with our Tech Classes, so keep an eye out on our web page and Facebook page. The biggest thing happening in 2017 is Gympie’s 150th birthday celebrations. There will be many events across the region during our sesquicentenary. Gympie Regional Libraries have many events, displays and activities planned throughout birthday year, and all events will be posted on our web site and Facebook page.

January 2017

School Holiday Fun

Summer Reading Club Join the National Reading Club to receive a welcome gift and reading rewards throughout the holidays. Fill in your reading log and return it to the library to receive a lucky dip prize. Join us at the end of the holidays for the Summer Reading Club Break-up Party. Go online to the Summer Reading Club website and join in with their games and puzzles for the chance to win more great prizes! Download Gympie Regional Libraries Summer Reading Club registration form from the Gympie Regional Libraries web site and return to any Gympie Regional Library. The Summer Reading Break-up Party will take place on 20 January 2017, from 10.30am - 11.30am. Bookings are essential: 5481 0859.

School Holiday Fun

We are always looking for reviews. If you have read something

interesting, we would love to hear about it.

Reviews can be handed to desk staff or emailed to

library@gympie.qld.gov.au

Book Reviews

We are called to rise [when the worst in life brings out the best in us] by Laura McBride AF MBRI Set in the city of Las Vegas the novel is built around the lives of four people over a period of twelve months. The central character is Bashkim, an eight year old Albanian Muslim immigrant who makes contact with 'Luis', an American/Mexican soldier in Afghanistan as a school project. Roberta, a lawyer, is a volunteer CASA advocate who works with traumatised children. Avis is a housewife and

mother to Nate, a war veteran and traffic cop. These three people have a dramatic effect upon the life of one small distressed boy. The author drew her inspiration for this novel from one tragic incident involving Albanian immigrants, a mother, husband, two young children and a traffic policeman. McBride states: 'I wanted to tell a story that might make the reader have a big feeling, the sense that no matter how cruel and unfair life could be in a given moment, no matter how terrible the consequences of a tiny mistake, it was ultimately beautiful to live.' This novel leaves a lasting impression of the futility of conflict. Thea, book lover

Wild pork and Watercress Barry Crump AF CRUM This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read for a long time. Author Barry Crump captures perfectly the atmosphere and majestic scenery of the New Zealand bush, and simultaneously highlights many of the shared cultural values of Aussies and Kiwis – the innate larrikinism, the “fair go” ethic and the constant wish for the battler to succeed – viewpoints which seem to permeate the fabric of both societies. One of my favourite lines in the book occurs when runaway Ricky Baker learns from his Uncle Hec about the bush skills of Australian Aboriginal people. Taking on board this newly-acquired (albeit second-hand) knowledge , Ricky learns to actually like the vines and roots and boulders that get in his way, and to move easily through the bush – “you walk lighter on the land when you like the land you walk on”, as narrator Ricky puts it. It’s little wonder that “Crumpie” sold over a million books in his home country – virtually one for every four citizens, or one per household. Although the book was first published some 30 years ago, it recently inspired a hit movie – Hunt for the Wilderpeople – with Sam Neill in the role of the cantankerous Uncle Hec. Before you see the movie though, do try out the book. If you enjoy the great outdoors and the notion that we don’t need someone “on our case” the whole time, and if you like the idea of two social outcasts teaming up to support one another, you’ll get a real buzz out of this short, yet warm and ultimately engaging story. Perfect Christmas Holiday reading! Geoff

Book Reviews

Trudy (Gympie Library) Since downloading the free BorrowBox app onto my phone my whole world has changed. I really like audio books, I listen to them when I am walking my dogs, doing housework and in the car (Bluetooth is sooo amazing). To date, I have listened to: The Rouseabout by Rachel Treasure

Kate Webster is a loveable larrikin who likes to play hard now and worry about the consequences later. She can't help mucking up the opportunities life gives her. Rocked by the death of her mother, she takes on a dare at one of Australia's wildest rural social events – a Bachelors & Spinsters ball – to 'scalp' gorgeous farm boy Nick McDonnell. It's a dare that changes everything. For just as Kate is ready to start her new

life, away from her grieving father and the pressures of the family farm, she discovers she is pregnant. Now, several years later, with toddler Nell by her side, it's time for Kate to come home to face the music – and the father of her child. Silver Wattle by Belinda Alexandra

In fear for their lives after the sudden death of their mother, Adéla and Klára must flee Prague to find refuge with their uncle in Australia. Later, Adéla becomes a film director at a time when the local industry is starting to feel the competition from Hollywood. But even while success is imminent, the issues of family and an impossible love are never far away. And ultimately dreams of the silver screen must

compete with the bonds of a lifetime. Silver Wattle confirms Belinda Alexandra as one of our foremost storytellers. Weaving fact into inspiring fiction with great flair and imagination, this is a novel as full of hope, glamour and heartbreak as the film industry itself.

Staff Picks

Standing strong by Fiona McCallum Former city girl Jacqueline Havelock, Wattle Creek’s newly arrived psychologist, has settled in to country life and is slowly coming to terms with the town’s quirky ways. Farmer Damien McAllister’s plans with his animal welfare venture are falling into place nicely and it finally feels like he has a future to look forward to. But everything can change as quickly as the fickle

weather – and it does. A fire challenges the community and soon Damien and Jacqueline find themselves in a situation neither had anticipated. But is their growing relationship also under threat? Although the town comes out in support of their newest resident, is the Wattle Creek community strong enough to stand together and win this David and Goliath battle? And could happily-ever-after still be possible for Damien and Jacqueline? Three wishes by Liane Moriarty

The three Kettle sisters have had a mortifying mishap. Their raucous, champagne-soaked birthday dinner has come to an abrupt end following a violent argument and an emergency dash to the hospital. So who started it this time? Was it angry, hurt Cat, still recovering from the 'Night of the Spaghetti'? Was it Lyn, so serenely successful, at least on the outside? Or

was it quirky, dreamy Gemma, the sister who can't keep a secret, except for the most important one of all? Outback sunset by Lynne Wilding

When English actress Vanessa Forsythe falls in love with Bren Selby, her life changes forever. Not only does she have to adjust to life as mistress of Amaroo Downs, a remote cattle station in Western Australia, but she must establish her place in the Selby family. Vanessa succeeds in balancing her acting career with her new life in the outback - but when a family secret threatens

to destroy everything she's grown to love, she must face her greatest challenge yet. So for that roadtrip over the holiday period log onto our website and let the fun begin. There is a great range of adult fiction, adult non-fiction and junior titles. (Trudy)

A family secret by Josephine Cox The new novel from Sunday Times bestselling author Josephine Cox - the master storyteller. Josephine Cox gets straight to the heartbreak and hope of family drama.

New Titles

Bone box by Faye Kellerman In this thrilling chapter in Faye Kellerman's bestselling series, Rina Lazarus makes a shocking discovery in the woods of her upstate New York community that leads her husband, police detective Peter Decker, through a series of gruesome, decades old, unsolved murders, pointing to a diabolical serial killer who's been hiding in plain sight.

16 by James Patterson Detective Lindsay Boxer faces a heart-stopping threat in the newest Women's Murder Club thriller. Fifteen months ago, Detective Lindsay Boxer's life was perfect--she had a beautiful child and a doting husband, Joe, who helped her catch a criminal who'd brazenly deto-nated a bomb in downtown San Francisco, killing twenty-five people. But Joe wasn't everything that Lindsay thought he was, and she's still reeling from his betrayal as a wave of mysterious, and possibly unnatu-ral, heart attacks claims seemingly unrelated victims across San Francisco.

Want to know what is on at Gympie Regional Libraries?

Go to our Web site https://www.gympie.qld.gov.au/

library

Or Like us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/GRLibraries

What I am listening to on Borrow Box: The last anniversary by Liane Moriarty

I have now “read” all of Liane Moriarty’s books. This one would have to be one of my favourites though. It all started 70 years ago when a baby was found abandoned in an old house on Scribbly Gum Island. Since then the “Munro Baby Mystery” has been a source of income for sisters Connie and Rose. People flock to the island in odd fascination wondering what

happened to the parents of Baby Munro—who seemingly left without notice, without anything including their own baby. Fast forward 70 years and Sophie Honeywell inherits Connie’s house after her passing. Baby Munro, now called Enigma, still lives on the island as does the old sister Rose. There is also Enigma’s children and their children—all with a story to tell. There are so many personal stories within this story I was interested how Moriarty would connect them all, but connect them all she did, until the final shocking exposé of what really happened with the “Munro Baby Mystery”. Lisa, Gympie Library

Staff Picks

Borrow Box Gympie Regional Libraries give you free access to Bolinda Digital through Borrow Box. You can now read 100s of eBooks and listen to 100s of eAudio titles for free. Go to your app store to download the free Borrow Box app and you can start borrowing using your Gympie Regional Libraries library card. Ask us how.

first5forever storytime First5forever Storytime Sessions is an interactive program for preschool children and babies featuring songs, rhymes, stories and craft. “The first five years lasts a lifetime”: Research shows that 90% of a child’s brain development happens in the first 5 years and sharing stories, rhymes, singing, talking and playing with your child is not just good fun but good for little brains too. First 5 Forever Storytime is a free event conducted in a relaxed atmosphere with a focus on fun for all preschool children, babies and their caregivers. These activities are designed to help prepare your children for school and encourage:

good listening skills and developing a love of reading and learning

fine and gross motor skills development and coordination

memory, sequencing and rhyming skills

social interaction, creativity and family fun

First 5 Forever sessions include: singing, rhymes, stories and craft activities. When: Goomeri Library: Wednesdays 9.30am-10.30am Gympie Library: Mondays 9.30am-10.30am Gympie Library: Tuesdays 9.30am-10am (0-2 year olds) Gympie Library: Wednesdays 9.30am-10.30am (2-5 year olds) Imbil Library: Thursdays 10am-11am Kilkivan Library: Thursdays 9.30am-10.30am Rainbow Beach Library: Mondays 10am-11am Tin Can Bay Library: Thursdays 9.30am-10.30am Visit first5forever.org.au or gympie.qld.gov.au/library or phone 5481 0859 for more information.

First 5 Forever Story Time

Baby Bounce

First 5 Forever Story Time

Safari Story Time

Space Story Time

Coming in February...

Gympie Regional Libraries are proud to present an author talk with Outback Nurse, Thea Hayes. After her nurse training Thea was catapulted from the safety of her city life to the unknown world of the outback. Her memoir, “An outback nurse” is an inspirational story of a strong woman who found her life and love in a harsh landscape. Where: Gympie Library When: Thursday 2 February Time: 10am-11am Bookings essential: 5481 0859 or library@gympie.qld.gov.au

It was a proud moment at the annual Friends of Gympie Regional Libraries Christmas party last year when long time volunteer Sheila Cook was awarded a lifetime membership to Friends of the Library.

Sheila has worked tirelessly for over 20 years for the Friends of Gympie Regional Libraries. She is always first to put her hand up to help out and always there for both other volunteers and staff. The look of surprise when Sheila received her award was delightful. Past president and lifelong member, Rae Webb, was please to bestow the honour on Sheila.

Pictured on the right are Rae Webb and the 2016/2017 Friends of Gympie Libraries committee Pat Towner (treasurer), Margaret Dawson (secretary) and Sheila Cook (president). We would like to thank Sheila for all her hard work and dedication to our libraries.

Friends of Gympie Regional Libraries