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…
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: children’s publishing on Aotearoa’s natural world is flourishing. Linda Jane Keegan reviews a stack of the latest in wildlife books, including a healthy dose of bird books. She also highlights a…
For the Te Kura Pounamu finalists we asked the publishers why it was important to them to publish these particular books in te reo Māori, and our te reo editor Faith Tupou makes some comments as well. Read our comments…
Fairytales are the foundation onto which all children’s literature is built. It feels impossible to imagine a world where castles and fair princesses and evil witches and handsome princes aren’t a part of the make-up of the kidlit cannon. For…
Summer is upon us and school holidays are imminent. Linda Jane Keegan has compiled a list of some of the best Aotearoa-flavoured activity books to help keep you and your tamariki occupied. They can be puzzled and artsy in the…
Our next batch of reviews is brought to you by Kay Benseman, who offers her thoughts on five brightly illustrated picture books. Mia and Leo Go Wild!, written by Gillian Candler and illustrated by Gavin Mouldey Our family are fans…
Sapling editor and self-confessed nature nerd, Linda Jane Keegan, reviews an amazing selection of books about the world around us. Look up close at tiny creatures from land to sea, to far, far away into the night sky. These would…
This round of picture book reviews is brought to you by Annelies Judson, featuring books authored by an award-winning creative with over 100 titles published, one of NZ’s longest serving children’s entertainer, two different recipients of the Joy Cowley Award,…
There are more and more children’s pukapuka being translated into te reo Māori all the time, and we love seeing them! In honour of Te Wiki o te reo Māori, here is another lot of reo Māori books for your…
We’re thrilled to be continuing our tradition of bringing you the inside scoop with an exclusive look into the illustration process for the finalist titles in this category. Be it character designs, cover concepts, working sketches, magnificent final spreads, or…