The University of Otago has announced that the future of the Children’s Writer Residency is uncertain, following a funding cut. Ella West looks at the significance of the residency. This year’s Children’s Writer resident, Samantha Montgomerie from Dunedin, could be…
This month we’re featuring Heather McQuillan, whose new novel for young adults, Truth Needs No Colour, is released this month. Heather teaches writing, and writes short fiction and poetry and novels for young people. 1. Describe yourself in three words:…
It was an exciting day at the Storylines Margaret Mahy Awards last weekend. Sapling editor Hannah Marshall was not only the winner for the Unpublished Writer Award in the young adult manuscript category, but captured her reflections of the day—both…
Leila Austin reviews two new novels and comes across adventurous kids, dragon poo and mysteriously vanishing pistachio cupcakes. Maddison McQueen and the Cupcake Mystery (Red Collie Mysteries: Book 1), by Kate Gordon-Smith (Relish Books) Maddison McQueen and the Cupcake Mystery…
Rachel Moore has read and reviewed three new books for the middle grade space – two excellent chapter books and a fabulous new non-fiction title full of answers to all manner of curly body-related questions. Avis and the Promise of…
In response to a request The Sapling put out on Twitter, teacher and author Sarina Dickson has compiled this wonderful list of New Zealand titles for those young readers who have finished Harry Potter and are reading above their age…
When I was a kid, I wanted to be a published writer. As I grew older, I became more cynical about my chances, and stopped trying. The first thing I thought when unwrapping Toitoi and Write On is that there…