Junior Fiction

Book List: Experiences of disability

Disability consultant, activist and blogger Robyn Hunt suggests 21 books, from picture books to YA, that illuminate experiences of disability. Designing a book list for children and YA on disability is difficult. Such books are not usually at the top…

Book Reviews: A range of Young Adult Publishing

One summer, so many new books. Briar Lawry reviews three fiction books which serve as a reflection of the state of the broader New Zealand middle reader and young adult fiction world. Catch Me When You Fall is a contemporary…

THE SAMPLING: Rosie Joy—Here, There And Everywhere

It’s spring on the farm and springtime is always busy at Rosie Joy’s. There are crops to plant and baby lambs everywhere. Rosie Joy and her best friend Polly take on a special spring project involving chickens, peggy squares, famous explorers and some pretty big words!

Book Quiz: Sunny, Rainy, Windy, Snowy Weather

Weather. We can’t avoid it. And right now, after six weeks of glorious warm weather that we never complained about, no siree Bob no complaining here, Tāwhirimātea has woken and is wreaking havoc. Let’s see what we all know about…

THE SAMPLING: Dinosaur Trouble: The Runaway Coat

The Runaway Coat is Book 3 of the brand new hilarious junior fiction series from the creators of the bestselling Dinosaur Rescue. Mewburn and Bixley have teamed up to create a revolting, funny series for younger readers – prequels to the Dinosaur Rescue books.

THE SAMPLING: Lily Max: Sun, Surf, Action

Young fashionista Lily Max reunites with her long-lost BFF Greer at a beautiful surf beach, where the movie ‘Wave’ is being filmed. A perfect summer together stretches out before them … until local surfer-boy Ryder becomes an unwanted third wheel.

THE SAMPLING: How to Bee

A story about family, loyalty, kindness and bravery, set against an all-too-possible future where climate change has forever changed the way we live. Peony lives with her sister and grandfather on a fruit farm outside the city. In a world where real bees are extinct, the quickest, bravest kids climb the fruit trees and pollinate the flowers by hand. All Peony really wants is to be a bee.

THE SAMPLING: The Spaghetti Giraffe

The lovely Mina Cucina is a terrible cook! Unfortunately the Great Bonbon Confectionation, which every person in the town must enter, is coming up, and she doesn’t know what to make. Luckily, her kitchen holds a secret. You know how toys come alive when you aren’t watching? In Mina’s kitchen, it’s the forgotten food from beneath the cooker and fridge.

Writing Funny Junior Fiction: Serious Business

When we asked if Suzanne Main would write an article about funny books for kids, her reaction was, ‘What do I know about funny books? I just write them!’ Turns out the answer is, quite a bit! I don’t primarily…

Book Quiz: Let’s see what you remember…

Did you see our books of the year?! To help you with your Christmas and end-of-year book shopping, we published our picks of the best YA Books, Factual Books, Junior and Middle Fiction, and Picture Books over the past week,…