Reviews

Book Reviews: NZ Junior & Middle Fiction

Teacher Rachel Moore reviews five New Zealand junior fiction titles, including the first two in a new series by Maureen Crisp, the first in a series by Rhys Darby, a new title from Tom Moffatt, and another fabulous horse adventure…

Book Reviews: Four Fancy NZ Picture Books

Early Childhood teacher Sara Croft reviews four New Zealand picture books. Two take us on the sea, and the other two feature a plethora of hilarious birds. There’s a Tui in our Teapot – he tūī kei rō tīpāta, by…

Three Wonderful NZ Young Adult Titles

Sarah Forster reviews three fantastic new New Zealand YA titles. These are three quite different titles, from Take Flight, set in a world where a group of teens have gained wings and the power of flight; to Slice of Heaven,…

Book Reviews: Five Great Non-Fiction Books

Palmerston North librarian Alan Dingley and his two daughters review five of the freshest New Zealand-published non-fiction titles around, covering everything from food for sailing Englishmen, to some of the biggest questions of the natural world. Food Atlas, by Giulia…

Book Reviews: Picture Books in Te Reo Māori

This month, Kay Benseman and her niece and nephews are reviewing four recently published books, including translations of older English editions and a bilingual book, too. From Tauranga Moana, Hinengākau Cameron is 12 years old, her tungāne, Te Kaponga and…

Book Review: Legacy, by Whiti Hereaka

Whiti Hereaka has combined science fiction and World War I in her new YA title, Legacy. You read the excerpt last week, now 15-year-old Kimihia Garcia-Grace tells us his thoughts on the novel, launched at the 2018 National Writers Festival….

Book Reviews: Five Fresh Kiwi Picture Books

It seems to impossible to think of a New Zealand childhood without certain things: jandals, gumboots, lolly cake and of course, Lynley Dodd. Two of her newest titles are reviewed here by Simie Simpson, alongside Little Hector and the Big…

Reviews: Two New Junior Fiction Titles

Sarah Forster reviews of two new junior fiction titles for kids pitched into that tricky junior / middle fiction reading divide. With child-friendly themes and page-turning storylines, both titles are easy to recommend. Dear Professor Whale, by Megumi Iwasa, Illustrations…

Two New International Picture Books

Here are reviews of two new picture books that couldn’t be more different! One’s a whimsical story about refugees; the other’s a funky, funny book for new babies. What did our editor and reviewer Jane think of them? Read on….

A Range of New Picture Books from Aotearoa

Editor and co-founder Sarah Forster shares her thoughts on another exciting batch of Kiwi picture books featuring some well-intentioned letters to Donald Trump, anthromorphised girl boss penguins, and a divisive depiction of anxiety. Dear Donald Trump, by Sophie Siers and…