Here at The Sapling, we always love a good behind-the-scenes look into our favourite books. So, as part of our coverage of this year’s NZCYA Awards, we’ve asked the authors of the Te Kura Pounamu Award finalists to spill the…
It’s no secret that we love getting to learn and share publisher insight, so much so that we dedicate a NZCYA Awards finalist category every year to it! This year it’s the Elsie Locke Nonfiction finalists so without further ado,…
A conversation with Moira Wairama and Margaret Tolland Bee Trudgeon has a heartfelt and heartwarming kōrero with Moira Wairama and Margaret Tolland about the creation of their new book, Nani Jo me ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga—Nanny Jo and the Wild Mokopuna,…
We asked Jane Arthur, co-founder of The Sapling and co-owner/manager of GOOD BOOKS, to sell us the junior fiction finalists, and if you haven’t already read them you’ll be running to bookshops and libraries to add them to your and…
We’re thrilled to be continuing our tradition of bringing you the inside scoop with an exclusive look into the illustration process for the finalist titles in this category. Be it character designs, cover concepts, working sketches, magnificent final spreads, or…
Editor Linda Jane Keegan and her whānau are struck down with Covid. Reading never stop in this household though, and Linda Jane shares how her seven-year-old (couch-ridden for two days and now bouncing off the walls) keeps up with the…
Editor Linda Jane Keegan took the picture book finalists to Tākaka Primary School to get the opinions from some of the junior classes. They were very receptive and engaged, and loved sharing their thoughts on the books (and anything else…
In the realm of children’s literature and art, Sandra Morris stands out as a remarkable talent whose illustrations have brought countless stories to life. Through her intricate, accurate illustrations, particularly focusing on flora and fauna, she has helped shape the…
A lithe superhero with infinite power in the hands slides beneath to the underworld, guided by the hypnotising eyes of a Pīwakawaka. A tuatara locks it in a death grip, but she manages to break free by finger-spelling the magic…
Editor Hannah Marshall heads back in time in Tessa Duder’s newest YA novel, The Sparrow. Hannah puts some serious questions to Tessa, getting great insights into researching and writing historical fiction. Hannah Marshall: You’re a veteran of New Zealand literature….