Announcement of the Man Booker Prize

Author Hilary Mantel has won the 2012 Man Booker Prize for her book Bring Up The Bodies. Picked by judges out of a pool of 145  books, this is Hilary Mantel’s second Man Booker Prize, placing her in the select few who have won the prize twice.  Peter Carey and J.M. Coetzee are the only other authors who have won the prize two times.

She is the first author to win the prize with a sequel, with Wolf Hall being awarded the prize in 2009.

Read more at the official website: http://www.themanbookerprize.com/news/hilary-mantel-wins-2012-man-booker-prize

How to challenge someone who thinks they don’t read O_O

Ever been confronted by someone who claims they don’t read?  Or that reading is irrelevant or boring?

Here’s how to get the better of them

1. Reading is about gaining knowledge and experiences.  Do you read blogs, social media such as Facebook, the news?  If so, then you have participated in Reading!

2. Reading doesn’t have to be about the written word.  When we “read texts”, we are really talking about how you have gained knowledge or an appreciation of ideas, whether they be in the form of an audiobook, a movie, a photo or a cartoon.

3. Reading doesn’t have to be dead serious and all about solving murder mysteries.  Light-hearted, but just as exciting, forms of reading include manga, for example.

4. Reading can’t be boring.  You can discuss with friends, or even online! Lots of places to discuss books online like The Reading Room, Goodreads, or even send us your thoughts or review and we might even post it here!

5. Then ask the ultimate question.

Now, do you STILL think you don’t participate in any form of reading?

Free Comic Book Day – Worldwide! 5 May 2012

It’s time to take out those treasured comics of yours to admire and hit the shops for Free Comic Book Day on May 5 2012!

> Find out where you can find Free Comics in Australia on 5 May 2012! Once in a year opportunity.

First time novelists on Miles Franklin Award Shortlist 2012

Book news this week is focussing on the shortlist for the Miles Franklin Award, Australia’s most prestigious literary award.

#Escape with books! NYR Theme for May

Escape! Escape! Escape!  It’s time to get adventurous and get stuck into a seriously good book this month.  And since it’s May, we’re celebrating the exciting theme: ‘ESCAPE’.

The only ticket you need for this adventure is your library card!

Find out more…

Favourite reads which make you #feel …

The National Year of Reading 2012 April theme is Feel. 

Find out our recommendations for Feel Books!

Book Review: ROOM By Emma Donoghue

Disturbing, Compelling and Confronting.

When I first picked it up, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from Room. The cover, with its year 4 student-like illustration, made it seem like a secondary school reader.  But the comments, plastered on both sides of both covers, as well as on the title page ( making it 6 pages of quote-tastic praise) made it seem otherwise.  “Deeply deeply disturbing” wrote A.N. Wilson.  “This book will break your heart” claims the Irish Times.  “Gut-wrenchingly compassionate” writes the Daily Mail.  I knew this was a book I had to read.

Wimp’s the word…Diary of a Wimpy Kid the new Harry Potter…

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series written by Jeff Kinney is closing in on J.K.Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Aimed at younger readers, the cartoon-based novel have been translated into 33 languages and over 80 million copies of various books in the series have been sold worldwide.

Reading 101…Lesson 2: Reading improves your Creativity

Reading can help you improve your Creativity. Find out how…

Reading 101…Lesson 1: Why Reading Matters

Reading improves Concentration and Memory Recall – Find out in Tutorial 101: Why Read!