Interviews

How to Dad: Jordan Watson Talks Books

Jordan Watson is better known – to millions of YouTube viewers – as How to Dad, giving hilarious advice on the practicalities of dad-hood to parents all over the world. Today he tells us about the books that were most…

School Librarians of Aotearoa: Kirsty Adam

New Zealand’s school librarians are passionate, engaged professionals who know how to get students of all ages and reading levels into reading. Kirsty Adam is the Library Manager at James Hargest College, and also shares the role of President of…

The great Wardini, debut steampunk novelist

Earlier this month, we treated you to an excerpt from Gareth Ward’s award-winning debut steampunk adventure novel, The Traitor and the Thief. Here’s an interview with the fascinating, hardworking author himself. Your bio notes read like an adventure novel of…

Book Awards: the non-fiction finalists

As part of our coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we asked the Elsie Locke Award for Non-fiction finalist authors five quick questions about their books and how they wrote them, and asked for some…

Across the Ditch: Author Zana Fraillon

Australian author Zana Fraillon is an observer of the unseen: ‘As an author, I am drawn to the absences and the silences in our world.’ She is drawn in by those voices that aren’t being listened to, the stories that…

Author Interview: David Riley – Reading Warrior

David Riley is a Reading Warrior. The biographical niche-cramming South Auckland teacher-turned-author’s mission: to get books into the hands of those for whom reading hasn’t come easily. A sense of urgency regarding his students’ needs compelled David to pursue a…

The anatomy of an illustrator: Cat Chapman

Cat Chapman is an Auckland freelance illustrator, having discovered her skills whilst doing a course in picture-book illustration with Sandra Morris. Her illustrations have a relaxed, friendly feel, with welcoming characters you might recognise, places you might go. She has…

Book Awards: the Russell Clark finalists

As part of our coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we asked the five finalists of the Russell Clark Award for Illustration to interview each other. Here’s Kieran Rynhart, David Elliot, Toby Morris, Jenny…

Te reo for babies – as easy as tahi, rua, toru

Kitty Brown and Kirsten Parkinson (both Ngāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Mamoe) are two wahine who’ve done everything right when it comes to self-publishing their Reo Pēpi boardbooks, which teach babies and families basic te reo. They write, illustrate, publish and…

Holly Walker and the books her kid is reading

Holly Walker is a parent, activist, reviewer and former Green MP, whose first book, The Whole Intimate Mess: Motherhood, Politics and Women’s Writing, is newly released with BWB Books. What does ‘story time’ look like at your house? Story time…