By Tessa Duder The Sapling is running a Summer Excerpt Series showcasing the junior and young adult titles from the 2023 Storylines Notable Book Awards. This week we have the first chapter from Tessa Duder’s The Sparrow. Hannah Marshall put some questions to…
By Lynda Tomalin This installment of our Summer Excerpt Series showcasing the junior and young adult titles from the 2023 Storylines Notable Book Awards features a snippet from Lynda Tomalin’s latest book, Flying and Falling—a touching YA romance that centres teen…
By Fleur Beale Fleur Beale—one of Aotearoa’s most prolific children’s authors—appeals to a younger audience with her latest offering, titled Once Upon a Wickedness. This magical adventure story, with its powerful messages, brave heroine, and familiar fairytale backdrop is sure…
By Jason Gunn and Andrew Gunn The Gunn brothers continue their action-packed, hilarious, and classically Kiwi junior fiction series with Jason Mason and the Flightless Bird Fiasco. It’s fast-paced, packed with local references, and spotlights an uber relatable protagonist—the perfect…
By Eileen Merriman The Sapling is running a Summer Excerpt Series showcasing the junior and young adult titles from the 2023 Storylines Notable Book Awards. Catch a Falling Star (read a review here) is the prequel to Eileen Merriman’s Catch…
By Raymond McGrath Raymond McGrath’s delightful graphic novel series, Big Little Blue, is all about focusing on different facets of wellbeing to offer children valuable lessons on coping strategies, resilience, and understanding emotions – all wrapped up in a fun…
By J. L. Williams J. L. Williams’ gripping historical fiction novel, Holding the Horse, was a Best First Book finalist at this year’s NZCYA Awards. For the next installment of our Summer Excerpt Series, where we’re publishing extracts from the…
By A. M. Dixon This summer brings The Sapling’s first Summer Excerpt Series, where we will be posting at least one extract from junior fiction and young adult winners of the 2023 Storylines Notable Books from now through to the…
Acclaimed author/cousin duo Kitty and Kirsten are back with another addition to their Reo Pēpi books! Their Bilingual Colouring Book is jam-packed with illustrations of native flora and fauna (more than 60+ pages) AND includes over 30 stickers! Check out…
By Susan Brocker Check out the following excerpts from Susan Brocker’s latest: a gripping YA tale following 14-year-old Sam who struggles with homelessness and finds herself involved in crime. Pick up the book if you’re curious to discover how she…