Sarah Forster reviews two recent YA novels for us—one, a gritty story of overcoming grief and trauma, and the other a time-travelling novel that takes us from 2019 to 1869 and back. Between the Flags, by Rachel Fenton CW: bullying,…
Christmas is quickly approaching, so bookseller Becks Popham has four festive reads that are perfect for building up the holiday hype. The Chaos Before Christmas, written by Sarina Dickson and illustrated by Lily Emo As someone who has worked in…
Cassie Hart reviews two YA books that delve into the mythical realm. From a retelling of Hades and Persephone to a mystery novel with a supernatural twist, these novels are sure to offer ultimate escapism. Lore Olympus Volume Three, by…
This year has been huge for Paula Green, the biggest cheerleader of poetry for children in Aotearoa. She’s had two children’s books published, both with Puffin/Penguin Random House NZ. Jane Arthur talks with Paula about these books, poetry, and life….
It’s all things animals in five recent NZ picture books – from monsters to dinosaurs to (toy) dogs and more. Thalia Kehoe Rowden gives us the lowdown in this batch of reviews. The Grizzled Grist Does Not Exist! by Juliette…
The environment, conservation, and an Olympic athlete feature in five of Aotearoa’s newest non-fiction books, as lead editor Linda Jane Keegan tells us in this latest batch of reviews. Sylvia and the Birds by Johanna Emeney and Sarah Laing Sylvia…
Founding editor Sarah Forster talks all things aeroplanes, albatrosses, creepy dolls and more in Aotearoa’s latest offering of junior fiction annuals. Annual 3, edited by Susan Paris and Kate De Goldi On opening Annual 3, I was impressed by the…
By Denika Mead Denika Mead brings us the final title in The Crystal Continent series. After defeating the Ghost Warriors, Ivy is now Queen of the Crystal People. But peace doesn’t last for long when a dragon hatches in the…
Our first post-hiatus batch of reviews comes from Kay Benseman, with her incredibly thorough insights into books with questions, laughs, things to look for, local history and some sticky situations. Jiffy’s Greatest Hits by Catherine Chidgey and illustrated by Astrid…
In the wake of various opinions about the state of children’s literature, Hannah Marshall tells us why we should be centring the voices of young people and moving on from the tired rhetoric of PC madness and literary elitism. Two…