Belinda Whyte reviews two new collections for children and educators. Get Out! Go Wild! Outdoorsy Stories for Kids, by Marion Day As a literacy teacher in regional New Zealand, I meet many students who are passionate about hunting, fishing, and…
Alex Adank and Becks Popham review four new picture books. The Tractor Has A Wobbly Wheel, by Tim Saunders and Carla Martell A new picture book from Tim Saunders, writer and farmer, and Carla Martell (best known for last year’s…
Becks Popham and Claudia Palmer review New Zealand Weather, Hidden Stories of Heroism for a Peaceful Planet and My Sore Throat. I’ll freely admit I had to squash my inner judgemental imp when I received these pukapuka to review. I…
Mele Tonga-Grant reviews two recent YA publications from Aotearoa. The Paradise Generation by Sanna Thompson Set in Te Whanganui-ā-Tara, The Paradise Generation gives us a glimpse of a utopian future, in a place that we understand and can believe to…
Clinical Psychologist Philippa McDowall reviews a collection of stories for neurodivergent children. Square Me, Round World was the best book I read to neurodivergent children last year. Children who communicate differently, and who experience the sensory and social world differently…
Simie Simpson reviews Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War, Tania Roxborogh’s sequel to the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year winning Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea. I feel like this review could be summed up in…
Elizabeth Heritage reviews Mary-Anne Scott’s latest novel for teens. We have rats in our house but it’s on purpose, as pets. In The Mess of our Lives, the new YA novel by Mary-anne Scott, there are rats in the house…
Rebecca Priestley reviews a beautifully illustrated Antarctic miscellany. What’s your South Polar seadog name? I can’t decide whether mine is Phytoplankton Stinker or Aurora Moondog. Or perhaps it’s Snotsicle Albatross? No, I’ve got it—it’s Iceblink Stormcatcher. You can find your…
Briar Lawry reviews new books from some of the shining stars of Aotearoa kids lit, and Annelies Judson reviews a collaboration with Cleft New Zealand. The Witch of Maketu and the Bleating Lambs, by Anika Moa, illustrated by Rebecca ter…
Kay Benseman shares insights on picture books featuring library books, giants, new babies and crabs. But Then… The Almost True Story of an Overdue Book, by Swapna Haddow, illustrated by Daron Parton This ‘almost true story’ is hilarious and delightful….