LONG LIVE AOTEAROA’S CHILDREN’S BOOKS
The Sapling is dead, long live The Sapling. Just kidding. The Sapling is most certainly not dead—but we have run out of puff, and we are taking a break. In case you aren’t subscribed to our email, here’s a bit…
Sarah Forster
Book Reviews: New Fiction from Aotearoa Authors
Steampunk, historical fiction and mythology? Whatever makes you tick, there’s a serving of fresh new Aotearoa fiction to get you excited. These titles range from junior fiction to young adult fiction, but as with any book, so much depends on…
The third place for children’s book aficionados
Ruth McIntyre runs The Children’s Bookshop in Kilbirnie, and is in the process of selling it to a new loving owner. Sarah Forster went to talk to her one dreary Saturday, capturing memories of the past, and dreams for the…
The finalists of the 2021 NZ kids’ book awards are…
Each year, the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults make for a massive occasion in the Aotearoa kids book world – move over Oscars, out of the way Silver Scrolls. This is our night. The awards celebrate excellence in…
Book Reviews: Three new titles for teens
The Sapling’s Sarah Forster reviews three fantastic new titles for teens: think epic fantasies and slave trades, tales of religious differences and big decisions, and revisiting and healing from trauma. But as different as these books may be from one…
Book Reviews: New picture books from Aotearoa
It has been a phenomenal year for picture books from Aotearoa! Here’s our last batch of reviews for 2020, courtesy of co-founder and editor Sarah Forster. Check out her fascinating thoughts on five of the latest fantastic titles to grace…
Book Reviews: Two New Young Adult Titles
This spring season has brought forth some fantastic new titles, and these two YA novels are no exception! Read on to find out what Sarah Forster thinks about Lisette Prendè’s latest, Bianca de Lumière, and Dan Salmon’s unexpectedly timely YA…
A trio of recent books to help anxious kids
Stories and books can be highly effective tools in helping children identify and manage tricky emotions. Sarah Forster and Nida Fiazi interview author-illustrators Laura Shallcrass, Kieran E. Scott, and Emma Pascoe on the topic of their latest releases: anxiety. Read…
Book Reviews: Top-Notch Junior Fiction
It’s a good time to be curling up somewhere cosy at home with a good book. For the eight to twelves in your life, there are some brilliant new releases to look into. Sarah Forster has reviewed four new titles…
Book Reviews: Kiwi and a monster mum
If there is one thing we can be sure of in New Zealand publishing, it’s that there will be at least a dozen kiwi books published over the year. This batch of reviews includes three books including kiwi that are…