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The Giselle Clarkson Comic: Number 45

Giselle Clarkson ushers us into the holiday period with a glimpse at her halcyon days of summer reading. We at The Sapling wish happy summer reading to you all!

Review: Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War

Simie Simpson reviews Charlie Tangaroa and the God of War, Tania Roxborogh’s sequel to the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year winning Charlie Tangaroa and the Creature from the Sea. I feel like this review could be summed up in…

The Sapling’s best reads of 2024

We asked The Sapling’s editors and contributors for their best reads of the year. The criteria was broad: recent books preferred but not strictly enforced, titles from Aotearoa or overseas and books for babies to young adults. Here’s what we…

The Sampling: I Need a New Bum! Activity Book

By Betsy Ochester and Dawn McMillan, illustrated by Ross Kinnaird With school holidays beginning this week, we bring you a Sampling from Betsy Ochester, Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird’s spinoff from the ever-popular I Need a New Bum books! And…

Children’s Book Trends: Are We Following Them?

Maureen Crisp charts children’s publishing trends from the USA, the UK and Australia to see which have made their way here and what is in store for 2025. I made the mistake of looking at a big chain bookstore to…

A summer reading challenge for teachers

Each year, Read New Zealand Te Pou Muramura issues a reading challenge for the summer holidays. This year and last, the wero is aimed at teachers. We chatted with Sarah Dillon, Te Pou Muramura’s Communications and Engagement Manager, to find…

Review: The Mess of our Lives

Elizabeth Heritage reviews Mary-Anne Scott’s latest novel for teens. We have rats in our house but it’s on purpose, as pets. In The Mess of our Lives, the new YA novel by Mary-anne Scott, there are rats in the house…

Review: Into the Ice

Rebecca Priestley reviews a beautifully illustrated Antarctic miscellany. What’s your South Polar seadog name? I can’t decide whether mine is Phytoplankton Stinker or Aurora Moondog. Or perhaps it’s Snotsicle Albatross? No, I’ve got it—it’s Iceblink Stormcatcher.  You can find your…

From the Shop Floor: bookseller recommendations for Christmas

Eight year olds to teens 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…

From the Shop Floor: bookseller recommendations for Christmas

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…