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Reviews: Two Junior Fiction Books

Kay Morfett reviews two very different, yet equally intriguing, additions to Aotearoa’s junior fiction genre. Tim Tipene’s The Book That Wouldn’t Read is an inspiring tale that centres children who struggle with reading and Sally Sutton brings all the mayhem…

Reviews: Two Young Adult Novels

Two YA novels with heavy themes are deftly reviewed by Venice White. Tonight, I Burn is a twist on witch culture and The Sound of My Heart deals with a suicide (reader discretion is advised; mental health resources are listed…

Reviews: Five Picture Books

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,…

Reviews: Two Tempting Cookbooks

We asked Emma Rutherford to review two tasty new arrivals to Aotearoa’s cookbook genre. Read on to see what she had to say about them. Tails of Tangleby Gardens, by Sue Heazlewood It is hard for me to resist purchasing…

The Sampling: Reo Pēpi Bilingual Colouring Book

Acclaimed author/cousin duo Kitty and Kirsten are back with another addition to their Reo Pēpi books! Their Bilingual Colouring Book is jam-packed with illustrations of native flora and fauna (more than 60+ pages) AND includes over 30 stickers! Check out…

Reviews: Two Young Adult Titles

Denika Mead unpacks two (one updated and one new) YA titles in this latest batch of reviews. Blackmail & Lies, by Mary-Anne Scott In Blackmail & Lies, a tense YA novel by New Zealand author, Mary-Anne Scott, sixteen-year-old Finn must…

Reviews: Three Junior Fiction Books

Sapling co-founder Sarah Forster brings us this latest batch of reviews of junior fiction titles, all featuring animals in some capacity (yes, even extinct ones)! Odd Wolf Out (#1 Faelan the Wolf), by Juliette MacIver I was delighted to see…

BookHub: The Next Chapter in Book Buying for NZ Booklovers

Created by Booksellers NZ and CircleSoft, BookHub is an online collaboration with Aotearoa’s independent bookstores (the first of its kind in the English-speaking world)! Launched on National Bookshop Day (7th October), Bookhub lets readers browse and purchase books from over…

The Sampling: Caged

By Susan Brocker Check out the following excerpts from Susan Brocker’s latest: a gripping YA tale following 14-year-old Sam who struggles with homelessness and finds herself involved in crime. Pick up the book if you’re curious to discover how she…