I’ve long maintained that our Young Adult authors are world class. But I’ve frequently heard that teens have a touch of what our adults apparently have – cultural cringe; an assumption that NZ means boring, ordinary. We need to read…
Kat and Eru are new in town and trying to find their way. Not easy when her mum’s in a relationship with his mum, and he’s not your usual sort of guy: Māori with the palest skin and blond dreads and – strangest of all – no ears. More moon than boy …
Pūtangitangi Walks is a rhythmic new picture book from Stephanie Thatcher, author of last year’s The Other Brother, among other great picture books for young readers. Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have…
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. Book news from Aotearoa If you’re wondering how to get through another week of school…
One of the lessons of childhood is that not everything has a happy ending. Or a tidy ending. Or an ending that can be understood … Here’s Giselle Clarkson celebrating the inexplicable pull of ambiguity, and those books that invite…
The editor of The Spinoff Review of Books and author of The Man Who Ate Lincoln Road, Steve Braunias reports on what his ten-year-old daughter has been reading lately. Books are like stars shining down on little kids. They lit…
As part of our coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we’ve asked the publishers of the YA finalists to explain why, and how, they published the books. Their responses are compelling and passionate, and…
We asked Thalia Kehoe Rowden to put together a list of picture books showing a range of family set-ups, from one-parent families to families with two dads; anything but ‘Mum, Dad and the kids’. Here are some great suggestions to…
Novelist Anna Mackenzie reveals a few truths about teaching, teens and the failings of the school curriculum, and explains why teaching creative writing is so important to her. According to perceived wisdom, achievement at the highest level requires absolute focus…
Nina Powles looks into the children’s book scene in China, finding an industry that is still ‘young and is currently experiencing rapid growth’. Pippi Lu & Lu Xixi (皮皮鲁与鲁西西), by Yuanjie Zheng Children’s books in China made international headlines recently,…