Reviews

Reviews: Bumper Batch of Nature Books

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: children’s publishing on Aotearoa’s natural world is flourishing. Linda Jane Keegan reviews a stack of the latest in wildlife books, including a healthy dose of bird books. She also highlights a…

Reviews: Two Middle-Grade Historic Narratives

Joanna Grochowicz adds another Antarctic exploration journey under her belt and Pauline Cartwright’s re-released story of the Otago goldfields is back with a fresh face. Denika Mead reviews. Mawson in Antarctica: To the Ends of the Earth, by Joanna Grochowicz…

Review: New YA from Mandy Hager—Gracehopper

Mandy Hager’s latest young adult novel is a family drama bringing together issues of care work, disability, and identity. Elizabeth Heritage reviews. Gracehopper is Mandy Hager’s new YA novel about Grace Murphy, a Taiwanese 18-year-old living in Wellington with her…

Review: Aotearoa YA that rivals The Hunger Games

Steph Matuku’s latest YA novel grapples with themes of enforced migration, loss, societal expectations, and coloniser violence. Ceridwyn Roberts describes it as ‘unputdownable’, a match for The Hunger Games, and better than other series. I always hesitate to call a…

Reviews: Five Fresh Picture Books

Tia Haira reviews a varied selection of picture books, covering te ao Māori, an auto-driver in Chennai, manatee antics, experiencing eczema, and the joy of being yourself. Because I’m Māori | He Māori Ahau, by Nicolla Hemi-Morehouse, illustrated by Story…

Reviews: Two New Junior Fiction Titles

Leila Austin joins two cousins with magical powers and their nana on their latest adventures dealing with floods, giant crabs and a furious fire goddess. Pipi and Pou and the Waves of Destruction (Pipi and Pou #5) and Pipi and…

Reviews: Four Picture Books

School librarian Zac McCallum reads and reviews four recent Scholastic picture books. There’s something here for fans of vehicles, cats, dogs, and sleeping (it’s possible the fans of sleeping might be adults). As a school librarian at a full primary…

Reviews: New Matariki Books

Ariana Stewart reviews four Matariki pukapuka (see her reviews also in te reo Māori) and Linda Jane Keegan reviews two more. Ko Ngā Whetū Kai o Matariki: Tupuānuku rāua Ko Tupuārangi (The Kai Stars of Matariki: Tupuānuku and Tupuārangi), written…

Ngā Arotakenga: Pukapuka Matariki

Whā arotakenga o ngā pukapuka Matariki, nā Ariana Stewart. These reviews will be available in reo Pākekā/English here. Ko Ngā Whetū Kai o Matariki: Tupuānuku rāua Ko Tupuārangi, nā Miriama Kamo rāua ko Zak Waipara, nā Ariana Stevens ngā kōrerō…

Reviews: Three reo Māori pukapuka

These are reviews of new picture books, by Lady Kataraina Pōkai. What do we think? You must read these books! Read these reviews in te reo Māori here. The Dream Factory, Rere Atu Taku Poi! | Let My Poi Fly!,…