It’s really cool that each year more and more local publishers are putting out children’s books in celebration of Matariki. We’ve put together a quiz with seven questions (one for each star) to see if you’ve been paying attention ……
Here Comes Mr Postmouse and Postmouse Goes on Holiday are charming creations from French-Canadian Marianne Dubuc, translated by Greet Pauwelijn. Book Island were based on the Kapiti Coast, but are now based in Brighton, UK. In Here Comes Mr Postmouse,…
Sally Rippin is one of the Big Names in Australian children’s books. Christchurch librarian Zac McCallum interviewed her to celebrate the launch of her newest junior fiction series, Polly and Buster. It’s about a secret friendship in a world where…
Lily Max author Jane Bloomfield caught up with UK author/illustrator Lauren Child during the recent Auckland Writers Festival. We captured some of their fascinating whirlwind conversation here, learning about inspiration, thrillers, sunglasses and Seventies childhoods. I expected to feel incredibly…
Children’s author, writing teacher and editor Raymond Huber is fascinated by the way in which children’s writers have used picture books historically to fight dictators. This is especially apt right now (ahem), so here are a few books he would…
You know their words, you know their pictures … but do you know their faces? Here are ten Kiwi picture book creators – how many do you recognise? 1. Who am I? A. Paul Beavis B. Zac Waipara C. Toby…
Over the past decade, Kiwi illustrator Richard Fairgray has moved from self-publishing comic books, to picture books, to being picked up internationally. He is published in New Zealand by Puffin and Scholastic NZ. Richard Fairgray is a comic book artist…
Author Melinda Szymanik considers war books for children, how they create deeper empathy, and tells us what writers balance as they write these books. Every year, amongst the latest batch of published stories for children about superheroes, horses, dogs and…
Poet, historian and Green Party candidate Leilani Tamu shares the importance she places on words and ideas in her family – and the one book that suits everyone. My husband and I have two children: Kahlei, who is six (going…
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…