Babies to eight year olds edition.
Avid book collectors know that some of the best informed opinions on books are found over the counter at your local bookstore, so we’ve asked Aotearoa’s specialist children’s booksellers what they’re recommending for Christmas gifts this year.
The wonderful booksellers at Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop, Little Unity, Books for Kids, Chicken and Frog, Telling Tales and the Kiwi Kids Bookstore took time from the rush of Christmas bookselling to share their recommendations.
Facing the myriad picture books and chapter books in all sizes in store can be overwhelming & confusing, so we’ve grouped these choices by age. Age guides are always just suggestions though! Check out recommendations for 8+ kids and teens here.
Books for babies
Sturdy board books are the go-to for babies and will stand the test of time in most families. Classic stories are winners here—a good story is essential so that the parent enjoys it too!
Duck Goes Meow (board book edition) by Juliette MacIver and Carla Martell.
Fabulous rhyming and great scope to make some dramatic animal noises. Baby duck is making the wrong noise and all the farm animals take it in turns to try and correct this. The Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop loved this award winner and say it’s perfect as a board book for the very young readers out there.
Titiro/Look by Gavin Bishop.
This stunner from Gavin Bishop was chosen by several stores. Simple and effective, a perfect introduction to common words in both English and te reo. Gorgeous, bold colours make every page a delight and the combination of family members with beloved toys will really engage babies.
Quackers by Liz Wong.
Quackers think he’s a duck; an easy mistake to make, even when you have fur, whiskers and a long striped tail. This is a touching and funny little book about fitting in, standing out and the life of a loveable ginger duck-cat.
Sleepy Kiwi by Kat Quin
From the creator of the wonderful Kuwi the Kiwi series, a lovely board book that’s very popular for our youngest readers. The simple, bold, black and white illustrations are designed to help babies begin to recognise shapes.
Ten Little Kisses for You by Ami Muir and Beck Lazarević.
Kate from the Kiwi Kids Bookstore says she particularly loves the ‘kiss-a-long’ theme and can imagine every parent and baby enjoying the playful kisses being dotted all over baby as you read the story.
Where is the Green Sheep? Or the te reo Māori edition Kei Hea te Hipi Kakariki, by Mem Fox.
An oldie but you can’t go past it for fun, interaction and vocabulary all rolled into one.
Also mentioned:
- Kiwi Surfers by Kate and Zac Dickinson
- Peepo by Janet and Allen Ahlberg
- A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy for rhyme-y nostalgia
- I Want My Hat Back by Jon Klassen for a darkly hilarious modern classic
Books for toddlers and preschoolers
Board books remain a great choice for toddlers, but there are many wonderful picture books to choose from too.
The Gavin Bishop Treasury.
This giftable edition compiles ten of this beloved author’s stories into one brilliant compendium—all classics from our own childhood.
Beddy-bye Time in the Kowhai Tree by Juliette MacIver and Lily Uivel.
This is a beautiful lullaby for the end of the day.
Over or Under by Pip Harry and Hilary Jean Tapper.
A beachy kiwi tale about navigating waves at the beach, with wonderful pictures by Christchurch based Tapper.
Mr McGee and His Hat by Pamela Allen.
Mr McGee is back and on the search for his lost hat. At ninety years young, Pamela Allen proves she still has a knack for entertaining young readers.
Hot Dog by Doug Salati.
Winner of the 2023 Caldecott Medal, this is a playful and rhythmic tale of a young puppy needing some time out from the hustle and bustle of life on the hot city sidewalk. Beautifully illustrated and with little text, this is all about appreciating the small things in life.
First Signs by Jenna Brockett.
The first series of New Zealand Sign Language, te reo Māori and English board books. Brockett’s fantastic illustrations of a multicultural array of toddlers and her thorough research encourage parents to have fun using sign language with their toddlers as they learn basic language skills.
Tide’s Out (Tai Timu), by Frances Plumpton and Stephanie Thatcher, translated by Darren Joseph.
Another great book to share with preschoolers who love going to the beach and exploring. The watercolour paintings by Stephanie Thatcher are wonderfully evocative of any Kiwi kids’ day at the beach.
The Fantabulous Animal Orchestra by Donovan Bixley.
This is a vibrant and glorious picture book with so much to look at on every page. The rhyming is contagious and takes you along for the ride. As well as the fun of the story it’s an introduction to endangered animals and the importance of biodiversity.
The Witch of Maketu and the Bleating Lambs by Anika Moa and Rebecca ter Borg.
Anika Moa’s silliness and sense of humour shines through in this book about the Witch of Maketu, who can’t get to sleep because of her 12 bleating lambs. With the help of the once-evil taniwha Uncle Hemi (who’s done some work on himself and now loves knitting) she makes all sorts of woollies to keep her lambs warm. We won’t tell you how it ends except to quote the moral of the story on the back cover, ‘Don’t be evil. Learn how to knit’.
Also mentioned
- Hello, Hello by Brendan Wenzel and his Hello, Hello Shapes and Hello, Hello Colours, which are brilliantly designed concepts with beautifully engaging illustrations.
Books for five to eight year olds
Picture books and chapter books to read aloud together are great choices for younger readers in this age group, while more confident readers will be enjoying junior fiction independently.
The Remarkables by Clotilde Perrin.
Perrin’s books are always detailed, quirky and funny. This is a directory of the most Incredible Children she has met (so far!), like the Thunder Child who loves throwing himself around and making lots of noise. Fabulous illustrations and little notes make this book a joy to read and explore.
The Hotel Balzaar by Kate DiCamillo and Julia Sarda.
Set in the world of Norendy—like the Puppets of Spellhorst—but not featuring any of the same characters, Hotel Balzaar is about lonely Marta, who lives in a hotel with her mother. Marta meets an old, scary countess who has a parrot and likes to tell tales—in her own time and in her own way. But Marta is impatient and wants to know the endings. She is also waiting desperately for the return of her father. Where will the stories lead her and what do they mean? Another beautifully written fable-like tale by the wonderful DiCamillo.
Tractor Dave by Rachel Numan and Filip Lazurowicz.
The wheels turning, tractors roaring adventure when Tractor Dave helps out on maize harvesting day is the kind of rollicking story any young reader will enjoy, especially farming kids. Possibly a bit exciting and loud for bedtime stories, but great fun, nonetheless.
Ruby Loud Mouse and the Ruru by Alice Pearce and Dïne the Fox.
Ruby is very tiny and EXTREMELY loud. The detailed illustrations have a kind of old school vibe and are by Glenorchy-based Dïne. This is Wellington author Alice Pearce’s first published book, which was shortlisted for the Storylines Joy Cowley award in 2021. It’s one of those gloriously fun picture books that everyone enjoys reading again and again.
Tiny Jenny by Briony May Smith.
The latest charming picture book from Briony May Smith (always a favourite of the Telling Tales booksellers), about a wingless fairy learning to stand up for herself.
Hazel’s Treehouse by Zanni Louise.
A charming, whimsical tale of a nine-year old girl and her Australian animal friends—this would make a great first chapter book for little bookworms.
Annie Lumsden: The Girl from the Sea by David Almond.
Not a lot makes sense to Annie Lumsden, but what does make sense is swimming. This whimsical book will make you fall in love with the gorgeous, mysterious Annie who has made the sea her home. It’s a beautiful ‘fish out of water’ tale about finding your place in the world, topped off with stunning illustrations by Beatrice Alegmanga.
Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapokai by Michaela Keeble and Tokerau Brown.
This funny, confronting and special picture book is a must for all New Zealanders. Speaking directly to the reader, Paku Manu Ariki is trying to make sense of his place at home and his community to find the just in a seemingly unjust world.
Adventures of Jack Scratch by Craig Phillips.
Do check out this series by Craig Phillips, one of the creative duo at Wildling Books, who create the wonderful Aroha’s Way series. There are two Jack Scratch graphic novels and they’re both wild, pirate adventures that appeal to all who love classic comic series like Tintin and Asterix. Like many of our NZ produced books, the Jack Scratch graphic novels are worthy of a wider following. The Kiwi Kids Bookstore thinks they’re great!
Also mentioned:
- Where is it? by Ned Barraud (Books for Kids say ‘anything by him!’)
- Granny McFlitter: The Knit before Christmas by Heather Haylock and Lael Chisholm
- Flit the Fantail and the Christmas Crash by Kat Quin
- Dazzlehands by Sasha Cotter and Josh Morgan (‘Pure fun!’ Chicken and Frog note)
- the E Oma Rapeti series by Norah Wilson and Kimberly Andrews
- the Jason Mason series (great for new readers)
- The Gavin Bishop Treasury and the Fantabulous Animal Orchestra by Donovan Bixley get nods for this age group too.
Non fiction
Samples from the Lab by Rob Foote.
Professor Fictitious Karacter is an adventurous experimenter, and his illustrated scientific journal is a curious collection of wondrously engineered creations. His attempts to meddle with nature are misguided and often go awry, resulting in some intriguing inventions that are beautifully illustrated for full wild and wacky impact.
Chris Riddell’s a Doodle a Day.
There’s a doodle for every day of the year. This brilliant book by Children’s Laureate Chris Riddel has 365 unique illustrative prompts for anyone with an imagination. From writing with your wrong hand to inventing new creations, this arty journal is a delight for all ages.
Saving Wānanga by Kris Herbert and Dïne.
The heart-warming true story of Wānanga, a mischievous kea who gets lead poisoning but is saved by an observant researcher and a knowledgeable vet. The story highlights the threats to this endangered species and why lead in particular is such a problem for keas. This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in these amazing birds.
Kiwi Bees Have Tiny Knees by Rachel Weston.
It’s been picked for virtually every awards and books of the year list because it’s truly fantastic. Rachel lives on a Bay of Plenty orchard with her family and created another popular non-fiction book called Bumblebees Have Smelly Feet after her husband told her that bumblebees nest in the ground. She’s brought her love of discovering new facts about bees and collating them into kid-friendly, engaging, bite-sized snippets with this extraordinary book about Aotearoa’s native bees with great lines like ‘imagine if bumblebees are like big Mack trucks bustling down the highway and honeybees are like a million whizzing cars, then native bees are zippy little scooters’. Rachel combines photographs, illustrations by Richard Holt, facts, a few poems and even QR codes to watch videos of native bees into a fantastic book for every classroom and home where people, young and not so young, enjoy learning about New Zealand nature.
Tasting with Your Feet by Ned Barraud.
Pretty much any non-fiction, Aotearoa nature book by Wellington illustrator and author Ned Barraud makes the recommendations list. Fascinating and beautifully illustrated as always.
Everything Under the Sun: A curious question for every day of the year by Molly Oldfield.
A staple at this time of the year as it is such a great gift—Telling Tales have a regular who brings it out at dinner every night to encourage conversations between her kids, which we think is a brilliant idea.
The Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop
1 Jervois Road, Ponsonby, Auckland 1011
Little Unity
31 Vulcan Lane, Auckland 1010
Books for Kids
310 Grey Street, Hamilton East, Hamilton 3216
Chicken and Frog
3 Clifford Square, Featherston 5710
Telling Tales
Five Lanes, The BNZ Centre, 101–111 Cashel St, Christchurch 8011
Kiwi Kids Bookstore
With thanks to Pictura Books and The Children’s Bookshop too.
If you don’t live close to one of our wonderful children’s booksellers, all books listed here can also be purchased from Bookhub.