❕We will be closed Monday, 27 January for Australia Day Public Holiday!

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The House at the Edge of Magic

Summary:

Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures where she's one of many thieves only valued for what they can steal. When she lifts a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman's purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge, higgledy-piggledy building. Inside, Nine meets the eccentric people who call the magical house their home: Dr. Spoon the alchemist, Flabberghast the young wizard and competitive hopscotch-er, and Eric the troll housekeeper with a strong emotional attachment to his feather duster. For years, they have been desperate to end the curse on the house that prevents them from leaving, finding the bathroom on the first try, or opening the tea cupboard.

They can't even change the scenery outside the windows because the toad's tongue that enables the structure to move around has gone missing. After years of having only herself to count on, prickly Nine doesn't have an altruistic bone in her body and should be the very last choice for anyone looking for a hero, but she's the only one around. With the promise of a life-changing reward in the balance, she sets her street smarts against bats with acid dung, a burping sugar bowl, and worse as she uncovers more about the curse...and herself.

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Bin Chicken Goes For Gold

Summary:

With a wobbly dive and a gangly leap, here comes Bin Chicken in a feathery heap! ‘Shoo!’ say the kids as she flaps on her way. ‘Bin Chickens aren’t welcome at school sports day!’ Go Team Ibis! It’s sports carnival time and Ibis has teamed up with some friends. But they aren’t running to the finish line ... they’re racing to lunch!

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Ninja Talent

Summary:

It’s time for the Tip-Top Talent Quest! And, thanks to their secret Super Spray, Nelson and Kenny have the best act ever. They can dance, do backflips ... and they look like rock stars! Until the Super Spray suddenly fails and all they can do is fall over! Can the boys find a way to save Duck Creek ... and their dignity?!

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My Shadow is Blue

Summary:

Girls being treated differently to boys is not a new concept, but what if the boys took action? My Shadow is Blue is a gentle and beautiful book that empowers children to stand up for what is right. This book gently explores toxic masculinity and how we are redefining masculinity to be inclusive and empathetic.

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The Inside Dog

Summary:

Cuddles loves warm laps, snuggly couches and soft beds. He is most definitely an inside dog. So when his family decides to bring him along on a farm holiday, Cuddles is horrified to find himself outside with the farm dogs. Will this inside dog ever be ready for outside adventures?

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100 School Days

Summary:

The first picture book in Australia to celebrate the 100 days of school milestone - a perfect celebration gift for primary school students achieving this important milestone!

When you start school, there are a lot of firsts. Your first friend! Your first excursion! Your first sports day! As the days go by, all those firsts add up ... and soon you've reached 100 days of school. And once you've reached this milestone, you know you can reach for absolutely anything.

Celebrate 100 days of school and look forward to an infinity of milestones to come!

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The Starting School List

Summary:

It's Little Brother's first day at school tomorrow. Luckily, Big Brother knows what that feels like. And what's more, he has a list of what to expect ...

You'll learn where the loos are, and all about bugs. You'll learn a sad friend could do with a hug. You'll learn the best spot for sand that is slushy. You'll learn that tomato makes sandwiches mushy.

Whether you're feeling scared or excited, brave or shy, The Starting School List is the perfect book for your grandest adventure yet.

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Old Friends, New Friends

Summary:

A brand-new school year! I can't wait!

Hang on ... None of my old friends are in my new class ...

From the team who brought you First Day and When I Grow Up comes an empowering and relatable picture book about making friends and being yourself.

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The Wild Guide to Starting School

Summary:

Hey, wild thing! Are you about to start school? Then it’s time to get set for your wildest adventure yet. Follow this simple guide and you’ll learn everything you need to know.

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How to Start School in 6 Easy Steps

Summary:

‘My name’s Rosie. I’m five and a quarter years old. Do you want to be my lunch buddy?’ Rosie’s book says starting school is easy: there are six steps to follow. But it's not as easy as she thinks!

City Library

Visiting Author: Natasha Lester

Thursday, 3 April 2025 | 6:30pm

Price: $5

City Library

Visiting Author: Ryan Butta

Thursday, 24 April 2025 | 6:00pm

Price: FREE

City Library

Visiting Author: Gina Chick

Wednesday, 11 June 2025 | 6:00PM

Price: $5

Latest news

Farewell Hoopla!

On 28 February 2025 we are saying goodbye to Hoopla…

 

Online craft at the library

Explore our digital programs

Did you know your library has a range of online programs, tutorials and resources ready for you to explore any time, day or night? There’s something for everyone in our Digital Programs Hub. Browse the range and learn something new today.

Latest news

Stocard is moving to the Klarna!

If you haven’t heard the news… Stocard is moving to the Klarna app – so here’s what you need to know!

The Fourth Wing

The Siege

A Well-Trained Wife

Recommended by
Jesse
Library Programs Officer

Fourth wing follows the protagonist Violet Sorrengail through her journey into a war college, where she faces threats from inside, dragons, and beyond the walls of Basgiath.

It’s fast paced, romantic and has many twist and turns. This is a good book for anyone who enjoys fantasy.

Recommended by
Luke
Team Leader Library Programs

I have read many of Ben Macintyre’s spy thrillers and have enjoyed them all. The Siege is no exception.

Ben Macintyre takes you behind the scenes of the thrilling and terrifying story of the Iranian Embassy hostage crisis in London.

The details, knowledge and perspectives of the hostages, the gunmen, the police, the SAS and of the British and Iranian governments is all meticulously laid out for the reader to enjoy.

History lovers will enjoy this one!

 

Recommended by
Annette
Branch Supervisor – Shellharbour Library

Last year the tradwife movement gained ever increasing popularity on social media and this book is a timely reminder that everything is not always as rosy and picture perfect as it may seem. I found Tia Levings memoir of her escape from abusive fundamentalism to be incredibly compelling and harrowing as well as hopeful. It has the added bonus of being well-written and I highly recommend it.

Must reads

'Dirty Laundry' by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery

Recommended by
Vikki
Library Assistant –
Warilla Library

I give this book 5 Stars

For someone who has never seems to find the time to finish a book, I binged this book in a day. It touched me on so many levels, switching between laughing out loud and crying. So so relatable and so refreshing to hear such a real life and detailed experience of ADHD, this book has many incredible things for all ADHDers.

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Most popular

Fiona McIntosh

Blood Pact

Mel Robbins

The Let Them Theory

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with UOW on a range of Paint Shellharbour REaD initiatives. Paint Shellharbour REaD is part of the Paint the Town REaD network, dedicated to promoting early childhood literacy. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with The Man Walk to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local, social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library programs space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Smith Family to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading. 

QBD

Shellharbour City Libraries have worked with QBD Shellharbour as the preferred bookseller at all of our Author Talk events. 

Shellharbour City Libraries sponsors Project Bucephalus in their facilitation of the Shellharbour Robo Club. The club teaches youth to form robotics teams and particulate in the FIRST LEGO League tournament. 

Shellharbour City Libraries collaborates with Paint the Gong REaD in conjunction with the Paint the Town REaD network. This partnership promotes early childhood literacy across the Illawarra through multiple reading events and activities. 

Shellharbour City Libraries has partnered with NSW Health to facilitate Independent Living Skills sessions aimed at teaching foster children health and wellbeing skills, in collaboration with the William Campbell Foundation.

The Multicultural Communities Council Illawarra attends Warilla library to utilise the 2528 community room. This is used for exercise and light physio sessions with senior community members.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Living Connected to offer drop-in Tech Help sessions to our customers at Warilla, Albion Park and City Libraries. These short one-on-one sessions are designed to assist customers in their digital skills development. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Legal Aid NSW to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Kiama Community College to deliver Tech Savvy Seniors sessions at our libraries. Tech Savvy Seniors is a NSW Government and Telstra partnership coordinated by the State Library of NSW. The program aims to teach seniors digital skills and knowledge.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Junior Einsteins to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading, and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Judi Sandilands-Cincotta to bring Ollie and Shiko the therapy dogs to a range of children’s and youth programs. These programs aim to promote positive mental health and social connection.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Illawarra Legal Centre to bring free community talks across our branches discussing a range of legal topics and how people can access help and resources as a part of the Libraries Law Week celebration.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with HARS to deliver the Tall Tales program. This program aims to make connections with local social, hobby and information organisations who appeal to male audiences and bring them into our library program space. 

Shellharbour City Libraries organises Sensory Experiences with Greenacres Disability Services at Warilla Library.

Shellharbour City Libraries and the Youth Services team partnered with Fitness Cartel Albion Park to deliver a Youth Fitness program at Warilla Library. This program engaged local youth and taught them about health, personal fitness, and respect.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Ed U Play to facilitate programs and activities that bring young people together. These programs support social and emotional wellbeing amongst youth. The libraries support the Girls Only Project which aims to provide young women with knowledge of and access to positive activities in their own communities. Ed U Play are funded by the Communities for Children Program.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Bunnings to deliver free monthly Craft Workshops at City Library. In these sessions, experts from Bunnings teach our customers a range of crafting skills. These workshops include, Kokedama Balls, Painting Art Canvas and much more!

For Library Lovers Day, Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Belladonna Book Club to produce a series of Book Review videos. 

These reviews were released on the Libraries’ Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on the Belladonna Book Club’s social media channels.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Barnardos to promote early childhood literacy through the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative. Paint Shellharbour REaD organises reading days and kids events throughout the year dedicated to fostering a love of reading.

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Aruma Disability Services to deliver Library Links. Library Links is a program that aims to invite disability services groups into their local branches to utilise craft and puzzle kits as well as getting to know our collections. Aruma is the first group at the Warilla branch and comes monthly to utilise space, kits and collections with their joined organisation library card.

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Warrigal Care to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the William Campbell Foundation to deliver the Independent Living Skills Program. This program involves teaching foster children integral health and wellbeing skills and knowledge. Additionally, the City Library hosts WCF’s fortnightly Homework Club.

Sydney Writers Festival

Every year, Shellharbour City Libraries partners with the Sydney Writers Festival to deliver author panel livestreams and local events as part of the festival’s Live and Local programming. 

Paint the town read

Shellharbour City Libraries leads Paint Shellharbour REaD, which is part of the Paint the Town REaD network. This initiative aims to promote early childhood literacy by connecting local early childhood education stakeholders and providers and collaborating with them to deliver reading events and activities. 

Little Zaks Bee connected

Shellharbour City Libraries partnered with Little Zaks Academy to deliver Bee Connected, an intergenerational program aimed at forming meaningful connections between young people and seniors in the community through songs, games, reading and crafts. 

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Frasers Property

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Frasers Property Australia to deliver Toddler Tales, a weekly childhood reading program, at The Waterfront Shell Cove. The libraries have also partnered with Frasers Property Australia to deliver a term of Tech Savvy Seniors at Shell Cove.

Paint Shellharbour REaD

Shellharbour City Libraries partners with Big Fat Smile to deliver Transition to School programs to prepare pre-schoolers for their move into primary school. Big Fat Smile is also a part of the Paint Shellharbour REaD initiative, which organises events that promote early childhood literacy.