Alistair Hughes searches for the formula for good science communication for kids. Ernest, Lord Rutherford is famously credited with proclaiming: ‘If you can’t explain your physics to a barmaid, it is probably not very good physics.’ These days hospitality workers…
By Gavin Bishop This month we bring you a Sampling of pages from a new hardback collection of ten classic Gavin Bishop stories. This new collection was released this week, and features four of his original stories and six of…
Annelies Judson reviews three picture books for older readers, and identifies a subgenre in NZ Kids Lit. I recently wrote a review where I talked about ‘Aotearoa Natural Disaster Animal Books’. Another strong subgenre in the Aotearoa children’s literature world…
Fresh from the Observologist’s win at the PANZ Books Design Awards, Giselle Clarkson shares a peek at the process of book publishing.
Jo Pearson welcomes us inside Pictura Children’s Book Shop, where she sells hand-picked illustrated books for children. Pictura opened in early 2022 in the wee harbour town of Port Chalmers, 15 minutes or so from Dunedin city centre. I have…
Claudia Palmer attends the launch of Joy Cowley’s latest book A Lot of Silly. I didn’t follow Joy Cowley’s advice when I sat down to write this piece. Her number one tip is: don’t start with a title: write the…
Eddie Monotone sits down with Ned Wenlock to talk about winning the NZSA Best First Book Award at the NZCYA Book Awards, his approach to visual storytelling, and how Tsunami marks a departure from his previous work. Eddie Monotone (EM):…
Kay Benseman reviews new Kuwi and Friends titles to keep your kids occupied on your holiday road trips Rapua! I Spy: Kiwi Road Trip Games, by Kat Quin & Pānia Papa Kat Quin has again teamed up with Pānia Papa…
Steve Mushin with his book, Ultrawild, was the winner of the best children’s non-fiction book at the NZCYA Awards in August. Ultrawild is an entertaining thought experiment around the concept of rewilding to save the planet. Linda Jane Keegan reviewed…
Fiona Giles reviews new junior fiction books from James Russell and Fraser Smith. Children of the Rush: Book 3, by James Russell This rip-roaring adventure had me glued to my seat as I devoured it in one sitting. Book three…