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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Comics and graphic novels are a wonderful medium for kids and adults alike. Science communicator Katherine Hurst talks us through how science is portrayed in comic form and gives some great examples. It’s 2023, so hopefully there’s nobody out there…
As a high school English teacher, Annabelle Reeves is passionate about helping young people unleash their creativity. Here, she imparts her wisdom with the writing guides she’s found most useful for budding creatives, plus her competition recommendations for putting that…