Features

Book List: Books to help Allergy Kids

Between six and eight percent of children in New Zealand live with allergies, according to Allergy New Zealand, with food allergies being the most common. We have asked Pearl Dsilva to put together a list of books that may help…

For Crying Out Loud: Crying and Kids’ Books

‘I’m a kindred spirit to Anne of Green Gables’ Anne Shirley. When I feel like crying, you see it in my cheeks, in the flicker in my eyes, and sometimes you see it in my bottom lip.’ Kura Rutherford writes…

In Memoriam: An Elegy for Charlotte

What fictional death have you never got over? That’s the question asked of our editor Jane Arthur by poet Chris Tse, guest curator of the ‘In Memoriam‘ event at last weekend’s LitCrawl in Wellington, a literary festival with a difference….

THE SAMPLING: Flight of the Fantail

Flight of the Fantail is a debut YA novel by Steph Matuku, published by Huia. We are pleased to publish the first chapter to whet your appetite for this spooky homegrown mystery.

Book Quiz: A Spooky Bunch of NZ Books

The spookiest night of the year is here again. Before you send your little ghouls, witches and Wilberforces out, see how much you know about scary NZ stories for kids of all ages. Test yourself, share with a friend, and…

Picture Book Design, the Unsung Hero

Our editor, Jane Arthur, looks into what goes into designing a picture book, and talks with the illustrator and designer of the new release from Huia Publishers, The Bomb|Te Pohū, written by Sacha Cotter. Usually, the cover of a picture…

‘Your taste is why your work disappoints you’

Claire Murdoch is the recently appointed Publishing Manager of Penguin Random House New Zealand. We asked her to share some formative books from her childhood, and she handed us a stunning essay on reading, friendship, imagination, and growing up in…

School Librarians of Aotearoa: Youth Edition!

New Zealand’s young library assistants are passionate about reading and love recommending books to their peers. As it is the time of year our young people make decisions about leadership opportunities in the year ahead, we thought it was high…

The Rift Between Writing and Making Ends Meet

Like most writers, Rachael Craw needs to do something on the side. Occasionally the side job takes over. Rachael is releasing her fourth YA book, The Rift, on 1 November. Here, Rachael talks about her life and how writing fits…

A Rich Seam of Talent: Toitoi and Write On

When I was a kid, I wanted to be a published writer. As I grew older, I became more cynical about my chances, and stopped trying. The first thing I thought when unwrapping Toitoi and Write On is that there…