Claire Mabey is one of the busiest people in Aotearoa literature: founder of the Verb festival, books editor at The Spinoff, and now novelist, with an outstanding debut, The Raven’s Eye Runaways. Thalia Kehoe Rowden had a thousand questions for…
Catherine Robertson is a prolific writer of well-loved novels for adults, as well as being the co-owner of Wellington bookshop GOOD BOOKS. This year, Cyclone Gabrielle prompted her to write her first book for children, Pearl in a Whirl, brilliantly…
Thalia Kehoe Rowden reviews four new books aiming to help children process their feelings and understand their place in the world. Pearl in a Whirl, written by Catherine Roberton and illustrated by Fifi Colston A good book for a good…
In the last couple of months, we have seen the effects of COVID-19 wreak havoc worldwide. The mental health of both children and adults has been badly affected as we learn to cope with ‘the new normal’. One positive thing…
The Sapling’s own co-editor Thalia Kehoe Rowden has just had her first picture book published by Scholastic – Rugby 1 2 3 / Whutupōro Tahi Rua Toru, a rollicking rhyming and counting tale set in and around a classic kiwi…
Here’s the latest in exciting new picture books here in Aotearoa, reviewed by Nida Fiazi – including the debut picture book from The Sapling’s very own co-editor Thalia Kehoe Rowden. There’s tries to score, oceans to clean up, voices to find…
The Sapling launched exactly one year ago today. Happy first birthday to us! From founding editors Jane Arthur and Sarah Forster, and editor Thalia Kehoe Rowden: thanks to Helena Loy for helping load many of the pieces, Tabitha of LightShade…
The superb New Zealand writer and illustrator team, Gillian Candler and Ned Barraud, have recently released their sixth collaboration in the Explore and Discover series, Up the River. Today Ned gives us a peek behind the scenes and tells us…