Non-fiction

School Librarians of Aotearoa: Sasha

Ssahs Eastwood-Bennitt manages the library and teaching resources at Manchester Street School in Feilding, Manawatu. She is also part of the group of literacy experts who arrange the ReaLM professional development programme each year. I manage the library and teaching…

School Librarians of Aotearoa: Senga White

Senga White is the Research and Learning Coordinator at Southland Boys’ High School in Invercargill. She has been a school librarian for over a decade. I absolutely love working in school libraries! This profession has become the perfect intersection of…

Book Awards: The Non-fiction Finalists

As part of our coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we’ve asked the publishers of the non-fiction finalists to explain why that manuscript, that idea caught their imaginations. Their responses are compelling and passionate,…

THE SAMPLING: Secret World of Butterflies

We are very pleased to have permission to publish the first three spreads of the Giselle Clarkson-illustrated picture book, Secret World of Butterflies, written by Courtney Sina Meredith (Allen & Unwin NZ/Auckland Museum).

Review: Nanogirl gets us Cooking with Science

If you like getting creative in the kitchen with children, Dr Michelle Dickinson – Nanogirl – has a new book out to stretch you further. Dr Siouxsie Wiles tells us why you should take a look. One thing I loved…

Review: Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women

You will have seen our Sampling, you have seen why it needed to be written. Now, here’s the verdict on Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women. Is it everything it promises to be? Emily Writes is here to…

THE SAMPLING: Go Girl!

Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women by Barbara Else is a collection of inspiring true stories about New Zealand women who have done extraordinary things. There’s Dame Whina Cooper, Janet Frame, Farah Palmer, Lucy Lawless, Kate Sheppard, Nancy Wake, Sophie Pascoe, Margaret Mahy, Lydia Ko, Merata Mita, Rita Angus, Te Puea Herangi — and many more.

Book List: Books for young makers and coders

Auckland bookshop Time Out Bookstore helped us compile this book list for those kids in your life who’re the inventors of the next robot-dog, Facebook or Golden Gate Bridge. Here are 15 books for young makers, coders and engineers! How…

Book Reviews: Picture Books and Non-Fiction

Esther Kiernan reviews four very different recent releases from Aotearoa, taking in a few centuries, and the breadth of New Zealand and beyond. Mr Gloomingdale’s Christmas, written and illustrated by Andy Conlan Mr Skinny, Mr Greedy, Mr Bump – no,…

Five activity books from Aotearoa

Tara Ward bravely takes five Kiwi activity books for a spin, and provides photographic evidence. If you’re looking for fun, wholesome, cheap ways to pass the time these summer holidays, read on! Don’t be surprised if the educators who wrote…