Book review - 'Remarkable reptiles' by Isabel Thomas

“This book was a very colourful book and I liked all the photos. I liked this book because it had loads of amazing facts. I did like the ‘Experts at Escaping’ chapter because it tells you all the fab facts about lizards. I think children age 6 – 12 should have this book. All the animals looked and sounded really weird. Guess what? Did you know when an ‘alligator snapping turtle’ gets hungry it sticks its weird tongue out and fish think the tongue is a wriggly worm! But it’s a trap so when they come to have a nibble, the turtle’s jaws go SNAP! That’s really interesting'

Hannah - aged 7.

National Libraries Day 9 February 2013

We're celebrating National Libraries Day on 9 February by inviting you to Tweet about what you're reading via #haltonreads. It might be a book, magazine, newspaper, online blog, educational text, manual or comic ... in fact, anything you're reading.

And it's not just on National Libraries Day.  You can continue to connect with other readers via #haltonreads on our Twitter page

Halton Libraries 2012 book of the year

Last night Hilary Mantel's Bring up the Bodies was as named Halton Libraries 2012 book of the year.  The book is the second in a planned trilogy about the turbulent life and relationships of King Henry VIII’s advisor Thomas Cromwell. The first book in the trilogy, Wolf Hall, was awarded the Man Booker in 2009, making Miss Mantel, 60, the first UK author to win the Booker Prize twice. Earlier this week the title won the Costa prize book prize.

Halton readers voted online and at an event that took place in Halton lea Library, Bring up the Bodies is available from Halton Libraries in hardcopy and also as an audio book

Bring up the Bodies.

New timeslot for Rhymetime at Halton Lea library

From Thursday 7 March, Bookstart Rhymetime will take place every Thursday between 11am and 11.45am.

We hope you can come and join us for stories, rhymes and craft for the under 5s.

Cartoon workshops with Tim Quinn on 18 February

Writer and comic book editor Tim Quinn will be coming to Runcorn on Monday 18 February.  Tim, who is a former editor of Marvel Comics, will be at HRMZ Grangeway Youth Centre between 12 and 1pm and at Halton Lea library between 2 and 3pm.

His unique cartooning workshop includes figure drawing, emotion, storytelling in pictures, character and story creation, and comic book history. Tim’s visit is one of the events organised as part of Halton Libraries' Young Reading Activists Group. If you love to draw or just want to visit the world of comics/cartoons, and you are aged between 11 and 19, then why not come along to on of these free workshops?

For further information please contact Lorna Hulme on 0151 907 8383 or Maria Hardie on 0151 511 7744.

Halton Libraries on Pinterest

Did you know that Halton Libaries has its own Pinterest board?  Its our virtual pinboard that we're using to let people know about thing that are happening in the libraries and for you to let us know what you think.  Click here to find out more.

Local history film screenings

The North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University presents a series of screenings of films from its collection from Halton and the surrounding areas, showing the industries traditions and cultures of the life of the people of the area over the last 110 years.

Introduced by a member of the archives staff, these sessions will be a must for all lovers of local history of the area.  Screenings are on:

Tuesday 19th February 2013 - Footage of old Runcorn and Widnes

Tuesday 26th February 2013 - Footage of old Runcorn and Widnes

Tuesday 5th March 2013 - Footage of old Liverpool

Places are limited. To book please contact Sally Shaw on

0151 511 7744 or email sally.shaw@halton.gov.uk