The five stages of illustrating a picture book
Author and illustrator Paul Beavis shares the behind-the-scenes work (and doubt, angst and inspiration) that goes into making his picture books, like the just-released What Are You Supposed to Be?.
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Bear hunts and other adventures: a family reading
Music journalist Nick Bollinger shares a moving account of the place books had in his three daughters’ childhoods and his own parenthood. When I was a child, my favourite thing was being read to. I can still remember the smell…
Book Awards: the Russell Clark finalists
As part of our coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we asked the five finalists of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration to interview each other. Here’s Kieran Rynhart, David Elliot, Toby Morris, Jenny…
Te reo for babies – as easy as tahi, rua, toru
Kitty Brown and Kirsten Parkinson (both Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Mamoe) are two wahine who’ve done everything right when it comes to self-publishing their Reo Pēpi boardbooks, which teach babies and families basic te reo. They write, illustrate, publish and…
The Reckoning: Kids’ Book Reviewing in NZ
David Hill explains the pain required to gain in the wild world of book reviewing, and offers his reckons about how we could do it better – and why we should. I had an email a while back, disapproving of…
Dear John: Rugby and astronomical fiction
John McIntyre from The Children’s Bookshop in Wellington was here once a month to answer your child-related reading questions. He was a top children’s bookseller until his death earlier this month. This is his final column. Dear John, My 12-year-old…
Crafts with Fifi: Flying Furballs Bi-Plane
Never be stuck for something to do! Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi! Flying Furballs is Donovan Bixley’s airborne adventure series which pitches cats against DOGZ. This craft…
Ka Pai! Cool stuff from around the internet
Every two weeks we compile, for your browsing pleasure, cool children’s book happenings (and peripherally related news) from around Aotearoa, the world and the internet. Cool stuff from New Zealand… An amazing kids’ lit festival is happening soon in Upper…
Fairytale Romance: Disneyland mag
Award-winning fiction (for grown-ups) writer Pip Adam recalls her earliest introductions to story through television and magazines, and resurrects the magic of 1970s Disney. As a kid I loved TV. I lived for it. I often say there weren’t many…
Holly Walker and the books her kid is reading
Holly Walker is a parent, activist, reviewer and former Green MP, whose first book, The Whole Intimate Mess: Motherhood, Politics and Women’s Writing, is newly released with BWB Books. What does ‘story time’ look like at your house? Story time…