Gecko Press

Book List: An Alphabet of Poetry for Kids

We wanted to celebrate NZ Poetry Day this year with a fabulous list of children’s poetry. And who better to bring this to you than our very own Paula Green, creator of Poetry Box and NZ Poetry Shelf, and wonderful…

The Reckoning: Cross-cultural reading

In the current Anglo-Saxon book market, there is much that is the same. If one book is successful, there’s a flurry to find another one just like it. Sameness can make us all feel safe, but Julia Marshall from Gecko…

Book Awards: the picture book finalists

For the final part of our finalist coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we have quite the treat for you: excerpts of the five Picture Book Award finalists! Here are the first few pages…

Book Reviews: Adventure and its Aftermath

Sarah Forster reviews two recent books, both by debut authors, which are tied together by adventure and its aftermath. Both books go deep inside the emotional experience of dramatic, unpredictable death. Into the White is a retelling for children of…

Zeustian Logic: an interview with Sabrina Malcolm

Zeustian Logic is Kiwi illustrator Sabrina Malcolm’s first YA novel. She started it during a YA Writing Workshop in 2013 at Victoria University, run by the late (great) Mal Peet. Her classmate, Craig Gamble, interviews her about the novel, published…

Six rather delicious new picture books

Jack Gabriel gorges on six international picture books from Walker Books and Gecko Press, from France, the UK and the US, finding something to recommend about each and every one. Warning: get your wallet ready. Like any good smorgasbord, this…

Three Kiwi chapter books for younger readers

Johanna Knox and her friend, 10-year-old Noah, review Dinosaur Trouble by Kyle Mewburn, Helper and Helper by Joy Cowley, and Tui Street Tales by Anne Kayes. Ten-year-old Noah, from down the road, loves books, so I thought he’d make a…