Stop! Grammar time.

 

                           The punctuation station. (2010). Minneapolis, Minnesota: Lerner Publishing Group, 36.

You can find this book here.

Apostrophes, like commas, can be tricky punctuation to use well. As the example above shows, apostrophes have two main meanings: working with contractions and working with possessives. Perhaps that already sounds a little tricky? Don't worry, even professionals make mistakes:

The first image (click on it for a link to the source) is missing an apostrophe. It should be we're open (we are open) to show that you can go in. However, the mistake by removing the apostrophe has suggested the past tense to show they once were open, but currently are not. They needed to create a contraction.

The second image (click on it for a link to the source) has added apostrophes to CD and DVD. The sign means to make these objects plurals to show they sell more than one CD and DVD; however, they have instead written it so that it looks like a CD and DVD own something, though we don't know what. They have created a possessive instead of a plural. 

So let's have a look at how to do this together.

A contraction is a shortened version of a single word or a combination of a group of words. What the apostrophe does in these instances is replace the missing letters or words from what has been shortened:

                                                             I've = I have

Mornin' = Morning

We're = We are

She'd = She would

Could've = Could have

You'll = You will

'ere = Here

A possessive is when nouns and pronouns have ownership over something. The general rule is to add an apostrophe followed by an s ('s) after the word. 

This is Peter's chair. 

This one is not too hard. Peter, whether he physically owns the chair or is just using it, shows that it is currently his chair. 

A hard day's work. 

In this sentence, there isn't a human subject to own something; however, "day" is the noun that is able to possess something, in this case work. Think of it like this: "A hard day of work". This sentence shows that the day has been full of work and therefore "work" cannot be the noun because it has described what has been done during the day. 

Let me show you a couple more:

I am reading today's newspaper.

Stacey and Tanisha's project won first place in Science.

Does that help? Hopefully. Until you meet this one ...

There is one more rule when it comes to possessives. And that is the pluralised possessive. This rule is for nouns and pronouns that are already pluralised, or if they have an s on the end of them. When this comes up, you add an apostrophe at the end of the word only if the plural ends with s, and you add an 's if it does not.

The job ad required someone with five years' experience.

'Years' is the plural form of 'year'. Therefore, to make this possessive, you just add an apostrophe. 

There is going to be a New Year's Eve party at the Smiths' holiday home.

'Smith' is someone's surname. If the word is 'Smiths' this means the noun incorporates everyone in the Smith family. Therefore as it ends with an s, only an apostrophe is needed. 

"The children's toys are everywhere!" 

'Children' is a plural that does not end in s. Therefore, 's is required to show the possessive form of this word. 

Dolphins were caught in the fishermen's nets.

'Dolphins' and 'fishermen' are both plurals and nouns in this sentence. However, it is only the fishermen who own the net to catch fish. Therefore, 's is added to 'fishermen'.

And that should be it. It should be noted that sometimes people will always just use 's for possessive plurals (which does make it easier); and some follow the directions I have laid out here. The most important part of this post, is to know the difference between contractions and possessives. This way, hopefully, you'll remember to add them in before you pay the sign-writer. 😉

NF hobby highlight: Beekeeping

 

This topic is not only fun, but brings awareness to the importance of pollinators for our environment ...

Beekeeping! 

The fact that you don't have to have a beehive to help bees in your yard, on your balcony or even at your windowsill. That's because you can start a hive, you can add a bee hotel, or just know the best flowers to bring in bees and other native pollinators to whatever patch of green you keep!

And we have books for any part of that journey you would like to begin!

First off, maybe you would like to know a little about bees or the issues that arise when faced with declining pollinators? Camden Libraries have some introductions for you:

A honeybee heart has five openings

This book by Helen Jukes discusses the problems facing declining pollinator populations in a way that will be relatable to the reader.

Bee: a natural history

This book is more scientific and looks at bee anatomy and behaviour. However, if you love bees, why not learn their history?

Buzz: the nature and necessity of bees

As informative and enchanting as the waggle dance of a honeybee, Buzz shows us why all bees and other pollinators are wonders to celebrate and protect. 

You wouldn't want to live without bees!

This book is tailored for younger audiences that looks at the science, nature and importance of bees.

Then we have some books for the hobbyists who would like to raise bees. You could do this just to help your plants, or you could turn it into business!

A beekeeper's year: setting up and managing backyard hives

A Beekeeper's Year follows the progress of three novice beekeepers with three different types of hive, as they navigate their way through their first year of beekeeping. Whilst this isn't Australian, you can still follow their journey as they set up and manage hives. It is a book that introduces what equipment is required, how to manage hives, and how to keep bees healthy.

If you would like some Aussie-focussed books, check out Complete guide to beekeeping in Australia and the Australian beekeeping manual.

Finally, if you don't have the space for a whole hive; but still want to help pollinators: you can build a bee hotel or plant particular flowers (they love anything purple, like lavender!) to help encourage them into any space you have.

Handmade bird, bee and bat houses and Bee friendly garden are two great resources to have a look at!

Sure it's a lot of books ... but it's a great hobby to have! Have a think about it and start a new project to be ready for Spring!

Highlight: Youth fiction

I know I often do a YF Highlight section; however, with so many new books coming through, why not point out a couple you could be reading?

White fox

Sara Faring

After their world-famous actor mother disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Manon and Thaïs leave their remote Mediterranean island home -- sent away by their pharma-tech tycoon father. Opposites in every way, the sisters drifted apart in their grief. Lured home a decade later, they discover their mother's legendary last work: White Fox. The clues in the work draw them deep into the twisted secrets hidden by their family to reveal the truth about their mother and themselves.

100 remarkable feats of Xander Maze

Clayton Zane Comber

Xander Maze loves lists, and his grandmother is #1 on his list of People I love most in the world. But now that Nanna has Stage Four cancer, can a new list of 100 Remarkable Feats really save her? Particularly when his list contains difficult things like #2 Make a friend and #3 Make a best friend, plus #10 Kiss a girl (preferably Ally Collins, the girl of Xander's dreams). 

Any place but here

Sarah Van Name

Seventeen-year-old June is completely wrapped up in her best friend Jess. The two girls are inseparable and June feels so lucky that they found each other, even if June thinks she may like Jess more than a friend. But after June is expelled from school at the end of her first semester of junior year, she's forced to move to Virginia, to live with her grandmother and attend an all-girls boarding school. Even as she starts to find friends and an attraction to a boy named Sam, Jess is always on her mind, even as Jess starts to pull away from her. June can't let Jess go; but she needs to figure out how to move forward, and how to find the place she really belongs.

Being black 'n chicken, and chips

Matt Okine

Mike Amon is a regular teenager who wants to fit in at school. He also wants his mother to survive the advance breast and brain cancer she has been diagnosed with. Mike knows it's a long shot, but if he manages to achieve his dreams, maybe it'll give his mum enough strength to beat the disease. In the meantime, he has to live with his African dad whom he doesn't really know and who Mike doesn't really feel comfortable sharing his teenage desires and deepest fears with. He doesn't even want to think about what it might mean if his mum never comes home from the hospital. The book is based off not only Okine's life and loss of his mother at the age of twelve, but his stand-up comedy show to be an example of how people can deal with grief and growing up.

How to ... Comics Plus (Library edition)

Lockdown again?! That's okay because whilst you can't pick up a physical copy of a comic; you can read an eComic through Comics Plus!

The how-to guide in the video focusses on the web version; however, logging in to the app is the same and the features inside are the same as the web version too, just in different places on your screen. Easily transferrable skills!

So have a go at another of our Library's great eResources ... there's a plethora of different kinds of reads for different kinds of people. 

Oh, and if you do want a couple of tps for the app on your devices: 

The menu bar for searching 'Featured', 'Popular' etc. is in the top left corner of the screen; searching via keywords is the top right; and 'My shelf' is down the bottom in a menu bar. 

Get away with an action-packed or character-driven comic today 😊

 

Will MacIean's "Apparition phase"

 

You can find this book here.

This is McIean's first novel. 

The story revolves around twins, Abi and Tim, who are both incredibly intelligent, but also have specific interests that differ from their peers. Both siblings are interested in ghosts and the supernatural and cocoon themselves in this world with each other. This; however, all changes when they decide to fake a photograph of a ghost and take it to school to scare someone, or at least see if it could be passed off as real. It is from this moment that lives change in terrifying ways for the siblings and rest of the family. 

The story itself is set in the 1970s. It's atmosphere is claustrophobic; highlighted not just in the relationship between Tim and Abi, but in the environments that are encountered between British suburbia and a Suffolk manor. Everything seems confined and dark, given the circumstances and lives of the characters. For the horror element of this book, it works. 

That sense of tension is a good element for a horror novel. Whether you think it is more supernatural horror or the idea of dread that suffocates characters that is this books strength, is up to the reader. This is because the novel seems to move very slowly through everything. Time has a part to play in this novel and helps move not just tension but the creepiness of the goings-on that happen to Tim and his family. For this reason, you might think the slower pace doesn't help the story.

There may also not be enough ghost-centred hauntings for the hard-horror fan. 

Links for you

Read-a-likes in the Library:

Damned

Andrew Pyper

The story centres on relationships with a set of twins; but the consequences of their actions and relationships are heavier throughout the book.

House on Cold Hill

Peter James

This book focusses on the traditional haunted house aspects; however, it does show the moves and difference between suburban/city life and the countryside in the United Kingdom.