In the wake of the horrific attacks against Muslim worshippers in Christchurch, many parents and teachers are looking for picture books with Muslim characters, to make sure Muslim New Zealanders can see themselves in our books, and so all New…
Sarah Forster reviews another fantastic YA book by Eileen Merriman, and a book by Philippa Werry telling a WW1 story from the perspective of a 14-year-old girl at home, working as a telegram delivery girl. Both books are well-written and…
Alana Bird reviews three perceptive picture books. From the hilarity of Granny McFlitter: A Country Yarn, to the reflective Emmett and Caleb, and the funny and reflective WRESTLE!, all three of these titles get a Sapling seal of approval. Granny…
What a treat to be handed three titles with wonderful female protagonists. While they all sit comfortably in the junior fiction or middle grade category, they are all very different reads. Hazel and the Snails is a gentle tale of…
The only thing these two books have in common is that they are absolutely stunning, and they are broadly for a junior fiction age range. The Dog Runner, by Bren MacDibble, is another well-told ecological story; while Jillion is a…
In this new book, psychologist Gwendoline Smith (AKA Doctor Know) teaches teens about what’s going on in their minds and how to get their feelings under control. Last week, we published an extract: this week, we have a review of…
Over Summer, my nephews and I read some recently published te reo Māori and bilingual children’s books. Nō Tauranga Moana rāua, Te Kaponga and Mangō-Ururoa are almost 10 and 7 years old respectively and te reo Māori is their first…
Dragons, kick-arse heroines and mystical beings abound in the final round of YA reviews for 2018, reviewed by Kylie Parry. Cassie Clark: Outlaw, by Brian Falkner (OneTree House) Action, adventure, a kick-arse teenage girl hero? Sign me up. I love…
Are your kids intersted in the wilder world? Or do they love to cook? These books have tips on how to save the environment, and what you will find there if you look hard enough, reviewed by mother and journalist…
Kay Benseman and her niece and nephews have been our main reviewers of books in te reo Māori for 2018. Kay tells us her top te reo selections for this gift-giving season. Kiwi Tahi rāua ko Kiwi Rua, nā Stephanie…