Margaret Mahy’s The Christmas Tree Tangle was originally published in 1994, and a newly illustrated edition was released by Puffin in November 2017. We asked illustrator Sarah Davis to talk about the process of re-illustrating an existing book, to which…
Author, publisher, and full-time feminist Deb Potter on how books can open up wonderful choices for young people – or not. I have more than one t-shirt with the word feminist on it. Reading the word, people in lifts, supermarkets…
Fifi Colston has come up with this smart, simple craft to complete with your little ones in the final few days leading up to Christmas, inspired by The Christmas Tree Tangle, by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Sarah Davis. Keep your…
Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan first came into the children’s picture book scene in 2014 with their books Keys and the te reo Māori version, Ngā Kī. This was followed two years later by The Marble Maker and Te Kaihanga…
Esther Kiernan reviews four very different recent releases from Aotearoa, taking in a few centuries, and the breadth of New Zealand and beyond. Mr Gloomingdale’s Christmas, written and illustrated by Andy Conlan Mr Skinny, Mr Greedy, Mr Bump – no,…
Slowly but surely, New Zealand has built up its very own range of Christmas-themed Children’s literature. Sarah realised recently that she has most of these books at home. See how much you know about them! 1. Margaret Mahy’s The Christmas…
Today our special guest writer is the Prime Minister of New Zealand, the Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern, who is also Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage. She tells us about her surprising reading journey as a child and teenager. My…
Poet and children’s bookseller Freya Daly Sadgrove is a strong believer in the power of the right book for the right person at the right time. Here, she writes about why (in her own words) ‘books are great as gifts…
Prue Langbein was a producer in the drama department of Radio New Zealand for 26 years. She began her work there as a story producer for the ground-breaking children’s show Ears. More recently, inspired by a trip to America on…
Founding Sapling editor, Jane, has been away from The Sapling for the past three months due to having a baby, Pete. Here she offers ten thoughts about books and reading in relation to hanging out with a new human every…