Reviews

Stories for Boys Who Dare To Be Different

Stories for Boys Who Dare To Be Different (Quercus) is the latest in the worldwide publishing phenomenon that started with Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls. Here’s editor Jane Arthur’s take on the book and the wider trend. Finally! What…

Book Reviews: Two reality-based YA titles

Mandy Hager and Helen Vivienne Fletcher are both Wellington-based writers of YA and other things. Sarah Forster was excited to read Fletcher’s second YA publication, alongside a long-awaited sequel to The Nature of Ash from Hager. Underwater, by Helen Vivienne…

Book Reviews: Three NZ Picture Books

Each of these vibrant, colourful books comes from an independent publisher. Helen Vivienne Fletcher finds a lot to love about them.  A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies & Other Such Collective Nouns, by Kate Hursthouse A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies & Other Such…

Book Reviews: Three NZ junior fiction reads

From first readers to well-developed adventure stories, Tim Gruar finds a lot to admire in these three new Kiwi junior fiction books – great for newly confident independent readers. Miniwings: Firestorm’s Musical Muck-Up by Sally Sutton and illustrated by Kirsten…

Dystopian YA Fiction – About the Children

YA dystopian fiction had a massive run a few years back and then everyone got dystopian-ed out. Not me. I love teens saving dismal worlds from horrible dictators and ridiculous laws. It’s all so relevant in today’s uncertain world. And…

Book Reviews: Four Brand new Picture Books

This month’s batch of picture books has a lot of beauty, and a lot of adventure. Rachel Moore tells us about them. Oh, So Many Kisses! by Maura Finn and Jenny Cooper Oh, So Many Kisses! is a hug in…

Review: Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women

You will have seen our Sampling, you have seen why it needed to be written. Now, here’s the verdict on Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women. Is it everything it promises to be? Emily Writes is here to…

Book Reviews: YA From High Fantasy to Gritty Reality

This set of reviews includes everything from kidnapping to faraway kingdoms, pig-hunting to the wilds of Fiordland. Three of the books reviewed are by OneTree House, who just this week won a prestigious award at Bologna Children’s Book Fair. The…

Book Reviews: Books for the very young

Early concept boardbooks and picture books are essential as a way to both teach children language and begin their lifelong love of books. Early Childhood teacher Sara Croft reviews six recent titles, four of which are bilingual in te reo…

Simie Simpson reviews Four Picture Books

Simie Simpson reviews four books: Dig, Dump, Roll by Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock; Granny McFlitter, The Champion Knitter, by Heather Haylock and Lael Chisholm; I am Jellyfish, by Ruth Paul and The Gift Horse, by Sophie Siers and Katharine…