Features

School Librarians of Aotearoa: Marama Keyte

Marama Keyte is the school librarian at Kamo Primary School in Whangarei. She has been a school librarian for five years, after many years in public libraries prior to having children. Why I am a librarian I work at the…

THE SAMPLING: A Kiwi book about bullying

Only Freaks Turn Things Into Bones by Steff Green and illustrated by artist Bree Roldan, is a picture book about bullying and a cute grim reaper, who doesn’t have any friends because all the kids are afraid of him. Its creators are currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter to raise money to publish the book.

Book Awards: the illustration finalists

As part of our finalist coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we have some exclusive insights into the process of each of the five Russell Clark Award for Illustration Award finalists. They’ve given us…

Book List: Experiences of disability

Disability consultant, activist and blogger Robyn Hunt suggests 21 books, from picture books to YA, that illuminate experiences of disability. Designing a book list for children and YA on disability is difficult. Such books are not usually at the top…

Nida Fiazi: Books, Homes, and World Refugee Day

For World Refugee Day, former refugee Nida Fiazi writes about her life and how books have intersected with it, and includes her recommendations for books (and attitudes) to help all people in Aotearoa understand the lives of refugees better. Books…

The Books That Formed My Childhood

Bonnie Etherington, author of the multi-award-nominated novel The Earth Cries Out, reminisces about the stories and books from her childhood, how they connected her to New Zealand from West Papua, and considers language’s ability to give voice and pass on…

A Day in the Life: Illustrator Craig Phillips

Craig Phillips describes a typical day in the life of an internationally published, multi award-winning, homeschooling illustrator of children’s books and rock music posters… okay, maybe not such a typical day. He explains his process – thumbnails, roughs and finals…

THE SAMPLING: Secret World of Butterflies

We are very pleased to have permission to publish the first three spreads of the Giselle Clarkson-illustrated picture book, Secret World of Butterflies, written by Courtney Sina Meredith (Allen & Unwin NZ/Auckland Museum).

The finalists of the NZ kids’ book awards are…

The NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand’s children’s authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage. Awards in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and…