Pre-Loved Books, Thrift Shops, and NZ Book Month

I'm a bit of a book whore - there's no shame in admitting it!! - and one of my favourite things to do, is poke about in second hand shops and recycled book stores looking for treasures.

On a recent trip to my local thrift shop, while sifting through a rather large and dusty pile of neglected books it occurred to me that it's currently New Zealand Book Month, so why not try and hunt out some NZ classics; and I actually found a few.

I grew up watching 80's & 90's morning TV shows like 'Playschool' and 'What Now'. Many Saturday and Sunday mornings were spent watching with amazement as zany characters like Danny Watson and Frank Flash got up to all kinds of crazy antics; but I especially loved the creative segments presented by Eddie and Fifi.

Many years later my own children watch 'What Now' but its current format just doesn't seem to keep them as entertained - I guess its a different world now. Who wants to collect empty egg cartons and popsicle sticks to glue and cut and create amazing fantastical things anymore, it's all about the computer!

TV favorites

But I found these two great books filled with creative ideas to make and do, and I'm lucky enough that my two youngest girls still love to make stuff and get their hands dirty, their imaginations stirring.

Margaret Mahy is known worldwide for her absolutely gorgeous stories, and I was delighted to find one of my all time favorites, A Lion In The Meadow. I can remember reading this is primary school over and over, a true classic indeed! Although I don't know The Dragon's Telephone quite so well, I decided to grab it and 'Kiwi Kids' Collection too.

Probably one of New Zealand's better known writers in recent times is Elizabeth Knox. Her novel The Vintner's Luck was adapted into a movie by Niki Caro and released in 2009. I haven't seen the movie and I read the book so long ago I struggle to remember the details. But I happened upon the sequel The Angel's Cut. I'll have to re-read the first book in order to get up to speed but I'm happy to add them both to my to-be-read pile.


And I just couldn't leave these gorgeous book finds behind. A Legend of Kiwi, one of the most beautifully illustrated books I think I've ever seen and Kahu the Cautious Kiwi, the tale of Kahu who is chased by dogs, caught in a trap and attacked by a cat before being saved and nursed back to health - were just too cute to pass up.

Like I said, I'm a bit of a book fanatic and I just couldn't help myself from buying these little gems. I kind of feel like I'm saving them from a-second-hand-book-black-hole where unwanted books go to die!

They'll get a new lease of life at my place though as the youngest has already snapped up the craft books and earmarked a few 'projects' and my middle daughter (and amateur artist) is fascinated with the beautifully detailed illustrations in A Legend of Kiwi. Happy readers all round!!

Oh! And last but not least, a girl needs a little bling, and nothing is better than vintage... check out this awesome glitzy ring I picked up too!!