
The Sapling
December 7, 2023
End of Year Shopping List 2023
The Sapling editors have compiled a list of our favourite books from the last year or so for when you’re doing your Christmas/New Year/birthday/graduation/end of year/just because shopping. Don’t forget to check out BookHub for buying from your local independent…


Linda Jane Keegan
December 4, 2023
The Reckoning: On Reviewing
The Sapling loves Aotearoa’s thriving children’s book industry. We also believe that a robust reviewing culture can allow it to grow and blossom even further, by providing opportunity for reflection and improvement. Editor Linda Jane Keegan writes about The Sapling’s approach to…


Fiona Giles
November 21, 2023
Reviews: Two Junior Fiction Stories
Join Fiona Giles as she unpacks the third and fourth instalments of Tim Tipene’s Pipi & Pou series in this latest batch of junior fiction reviews. Pipi & Pou and the Tentacles of the Deep (Pipi & Pou #3) &…


Leila Austin
November 16, 2023
Reviews: Two New Junior Fiction Titles
Leila Austin reviews two new junior fiction titles with a strong sense of place. Rarotonga (#4 Elastic Island Adventures), by Karen McMillan The Elastic Island series follows the adventures of Kiri, Jed, Emma and Ethan, who travel via an ‘elastic’…


Carly Thomas
November 15, 2023
Reviews: Three Picture Books
Summer’s coming, and so are the school holidays. But don’t fret, Carly Thomas has you sorted with this latest batch of picture book reviews, all featuring the beach and seaside activities to do/reminisce about with your little ones! Daisy McCray…
Features

The Sapling
December 7, 2023
End of Year Shopping List 2023
The Sapling editors have compiled a list of our favourite books from the last year or so for when you’re doing your Christmas/New Year/birthday/graduation/end of year/just because shopping. Don’t forget to check out BookHub for buying from your local independent...


Linda Jane Keegan
December 4, 2023
The Reckoning: On Reviewing
The Sapling loves Aotearoa’s thriving children’s book industry. We also believe that a robust reviewing culture can allow it to grow and blossom even further, by providing opportunity for reflection and improvement. Editor Linda Jane Keegan writes about The Sapling’s approach to...


Sarah Forster
October 17, 2023
BookHub: The Next Chapter in Book Buying for NZ Booklovers
Created by Booksellers NZ and CircleSoft, BookHub is an online collaboration with Aotearoa’s independent bookstores (the first of its kind in the English-speaking world)! Launched on National Bookshop Day (7th October), Bookhub lets readers browse and purchase books from over...


Jane Arthur
September 12, 2023
Interview: Giselle Clarkson, Arts Laureate
This month, the children’s book community of Aotearoa New Zealand – and anyone who’s every interacted with her, probably – was collectively delighted to learn that illustrator Giselle Clarkson is one of the 2023 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureates....


Annelies Judson
September 5, 2023
The Reckoning: The Perils of Self-Publishing
Writing is hard. Writing and editing, designing, publishing, marketing and distributing your manuscript is even more difficult. Annelies Judson looks at self-published books in Aotearoa and offers some pearls of wisdom to authors looking to take on all those roles...


Ruth Paul
August 30, 2023
Ruth Paul: On Being a Jolly Good Fellow
This year, children’s book illustrator and author Ruth Paul was awarded the University of Otago College of Education Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence Fellowship—a mouthful of a title for a genre of few words. Ruth tells us about...


Zac McCallum
August 28, 2023
Tertiary Grants: School Library qualifications a new priority
Thanks to a partnership between the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA) and the School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (SLANZA), tertiary grants are available for anyone who wants to complete a tertiary library qualification. School...


Kathryn Dove
August 25, 2023
National Poetry Day: ‘Night Rain’ Wins New Poetry for Children Competition
A poem about falling asleep listening to the rain has won a new competition set up to promote poetry for children. ‘Night Rain’ by Annelies Judson from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland won the Drop by Drop Poetry for Children Competition being...


Oscar Sweetman
August 22, 2023
And that’s a wrap: A reader’s experience of the 2023 NZCYA awards ceremony
Introducing Oscar Sweetman: He runs a Youtube channel called HeHatesNovels, which he considers an ironic username because reading is his passion. Leading up to the NZCYA Book Awards, he reviewed the finalists in the YA category on his channel. After...


Briar Lawry
August 4, 2023
2023 NZCYA Young Adult Award Finalists
It’s our final installment of the NZCYA finalists before the winners are announced next week. Briar Lawry gets the downlow from her high school students on what they think of the finalists, with some insightful if not judgemental reckons. The...


Linda Jane Keegan
August 3, 2023
Q&A: Linda Tuhiwai Smith on the Whatumanawa Collection
Linda Tuhiwai Smith is renowned in her field – indigenous education – and now has authored a series of picture books dealing with social issues, the Whatumanawa collection, available in both te reo Māori and reo Pākehā. They are serious,...

The Sapling
July 25, 2023
PANZ Book Design Awards Finalists 2023: Children’s Books
Design is a huge part of what makes good books even better. Design is not just about looking pretty; it’s about guiding the reader’s eye, drawing attention to key features, making text readable, digestible, and accessible. Good design is almost...

The Sapling
July 21, 2023
2023 NZCYA Best First Book Award Finalists
It’s the penultimate instalment in our coverage of each category in the NZCYA Awards, and today we’re focusing on the finalists in the Best First Book Award category! Hear from the authors below as they tell us about their writing...

The Sapling
July 14, 2023
2023 NZCYA Te Kura Pounamu Award Finalists
Here at The Sapling, we always love a good behind-the-scenes look into our favourite books. So, as part of our coverage of this year’s NZCYA Awards, we’ve asked the authors of the Te Kura Pounamu Award finalists to spill the...

The Sapling
July 7, 2023
2023 NZCYA Elsie Locke Award For Nonfiction Finalists
It’s no secret that we love getting to learn and share publisher insight, so much so that we dedicate a NZCYA Awards finalist category every year to it! This year it’s the Elsie Locke Nonfiction finalists so without further ado,...
Interviews


Annelies Judson
September 28, 2023
Not An Interview with Linda Jane Keegan
A childhood friend of The Sapling’s lead editor takes it upon herself to fabricate an interview which is either embarrassingly or honourably accurate: you decide. I meet Linda Jane Keegan at her home in Tākaka. Or at least I would...


Rachael King
September 27, 2023
Burning Bright: An Interview with SF Said
SF Said’s visionary tale Tyger finally makes its way to Aotearoa bookshops this month. Already published to lavish acclaim in the United Kingdom, the book takes the mythic work of the great William Blake as inspiration for a middle grade...


Jane Arthur
September 12, 2023
Interview: Giselle Clarkson, Arts Laureate
This month, the children’s book community of Aotearoa New Zealand – and anyone who’s every interacted with her, probably – was collectively delighted to learn that illustrator Giselle Clarkson is one of the 2023 Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureates....


Thalia Kehoe Rowden and Catherine Robertson
August 23, 2023
Interview: Catherine Robertson
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...


Linda Jane Keegan
August 3, 2023
Q&A: Linda Tuhiwai Smith on the Whatumanawa Collection
Linda Tuhiwai Smith is renowned in her field – indigenous education – and now has authored a series of picture books dealing with social issues, the Whatumanawa collection, available in both te reo Māori and reo Pākehā. They are serious,...


Denika Mead
July 12, 2023
Young Authors Interview: Arush Gupta and Arlo Kelly
Young author Denika Mead sits down with two fellow young writers, Arush Gupta and Arlo Kelly, to hear all about their books, their inspiration, and their creative processes. Arush Arush Gupta is the author of James Wood: Chronicles of a...

The Sapling
June 22, 2023
Kiwi Author Pen Pals: What is it all about?
A new initiative has come to Aotearoa, spearheaded by author and bookstore owner Kate B. Gordon. The Sapling puts a few questions to Kate to tell us what it’s all about. What is the Kiwi Authors Pen Pal programme? Kiwi...

Melissa Malzkuhn and Amanda Everitt
June 8, 2023
The Reckoning: Deaf Culture and our Stories
A lithe superhero with infinite power in the hands slides beneath to the underworld, guided by the hypnotising eyes of a Pīwakawaka. A tuatara locks it in a death grip, but she manages to break free by finger-spelling the magic...


Hannah Marshall
June 6, 2023
The Sparrow: Q&A with Tessa Duder
Editor Hannah Marshall heads back in time in Tessa Duder’s newest YA novel, The Sparrow. Hannah puts some serious questions to Tessa, getting great insights into researching and writing historical fiction. Hannah Marshall: You’re a veteran of New Zealand literature....


Eddie Monotone
May 31, 2023
Q&A with Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
It feels like everywhere we look, Isobel Joy Te Aho-White’s illustrations are gracing the covers and insides of some of New Zealand’s best picture books. By our count, she illustrated at least 13 books released in the last 18 months....


Joanna Ludbrook
May 1, 2023
From the Shop Floor: Chicken and Frog
We are pleased to present a regular series highlighting the work, expertise and enthusiasm of some of the greatest children’s booksellers of New Zealand. Here is Chicken and Frog children’s bookstore in Featherston, owned and curated by Joanna Ludbrook. Here...


Vanessa Hatley-Owen
April 6, 2023
School Librarians of Aotearoa: Vanessa Hatley-Owen
Vanessa Hatley-Owen is a librarian at Botany Downs Primary School, Auckland. Here, she tells us about the best aspects of her job, what challenges she’s come up against, and about her own book! Tell us about where you work and...

The Sapling
April 5, 2023
Interview: Leela Chakraborti & Rajorshi Chakraborti
Leela Chakraborti (11) and Rajorshi Chakraborti are the daughter and dad co-authors of The Bad Smell Hotel, published by The Cuba Press. Rajorshi is the author of five novels and a short fiction collection for adults, and a young adult...


Vanessa Evetts
March 16, 2023
From the Shop Floor: The Underground Bookstore
Today we profile The Underground Bookstore, a collective of Wellington-based authors passionate about promoting and celebrating New Zealand writers and giving them the recognition they deserve. Here, Vanessa Evetts tells us about TUB’s origins, successes, and goals for the future....


Philippa Werry and Juanita Deely
March 14, 2023
Robin Hyde: User of Words
Robin Hyde (pen name for Iris Wilkinson), one of New Zealand’s best poets, novelists and journalists, is widely praised for her wit, compassion, and imagery, as well as for the power and emotional accuracy of her writing. She is credited...
Reviews


Charlotte Hainstock
December 5, 2023
Review: Toitoi 33
Toitoi 33 is the latest collection of stories, art, and more, created by young people aged 5-18 from across the motu. Student Charlotte Hainstock offers us her thoughts on the newest issue. This latest issue of New Zealand’s Toitoi magazine...


Briar Lawry
November 30, 2023
Review: A YA Novel Based in 1950s NZ
High school teacher Briar Lawry deep dives into this compelling journey of a 12-year-old in New Zealand in the 1950s, from her move from South Africa, a rail disaster, and her life and relationships thereafter. There is something quite telling...


Kay Benseman
November 22, 2023
Reviews: Five New Picture Books
Our next batch of reviews is brought to you by Kay Benseman, who offers her thoughts on five brightly illustrated picture books. Mia and Leo Go Wild!, written by Gillian Candler and illustrated by Gavin Mouldey Our family are fans...


Fiona Giles
November 21, 2023
Reviews: Two Junior Fiction Stories
Join Fiona Giles as she unpacks the third and fourth instalments of Tim Tipene’s Pipi & Pou series in this latest batch of junior fiction reviews. Pipi & Pou and the Tentacles of the Deep (Pipi & Pou #3) &...


Leila Austin
November 16, 2023
Reviews: Two New Junior Fiction Titles
Leila Austin reviews two new junior fiction titles with a strong sense of place. Rarotonga (#4 Elastic Island Adventures), by Karen McMillan The Elastic Island series follows the adventures of Kiri, Jed, Emma and Ethan, who travel via an ‘elastic’...


Carly Thomas
November 15, 2023
Reviews: Three Picture Books
Summer’s coming, and so are the school holidays. But don’t fret, Carly Thomas has you sorted with this latest batch of picture book reviews, all featuring the beach and seaside activities to do/reminisce about with your little ones! Daisy McCray...


Claudine Tapsell
November 14, 2023
Reviews: Three New Junior Fiction Releases
Claudine Tapsell brings us this latest batch of junior fiction reviews, featuring a splendid standalone novel, a gripping sequel, and the finale to a (locally and internationally) well-loved series! Read on to see what she had to say about them....


Linda Jane Keegan
November 8, 2023
Reviews: Six Non-Fiction Nature Books
Sapling editor and self-confessed nature nerd, Linda Jane Keegan, reviews an amazing selection of books about the world around us. Look up close at tiny creatures from land to sea, to far, far away into the night sky. These would...


Kay Morfett
November 2, 2023
Reviews: Two Junior Fiction Books
Kay Morfett reviews two very different, yet equally intriguing, additions to Aotearoa’s junior fiction genre. Tim Tipene’s The Book That Wouldn’t Read is an inspiring tale that centres children who struggle with reading and Sally Sutton brings all the mayhem...


Venice White
November 1, 2023
Reviews: Two Young Adult Novels
Two YA novels with heavy themes are deftly reviewed by Venice White. Tonight, I Burn is a twist on witch culture and The Sound of My Heart deals with a suicide (reader discretion is advised; mental health resources are listed...


Annelies Judson
October 31, 2023
Reviews: Five Picture Books
This round of picture book reviews is brought to you by Annelies Judson, featuring books authored by an award-winning creative with over 100 titles published, one of NZ’s longest serving children’s entertainer, two different recipients of the Joy Cowley Award,...


Emma Rutherford
October 26, 2023
Reviews: Two Tempting Cookbooks
We asked Emma Rutherford to review two tasty new arrivals to Aotearoa’s cookbook genre. Read on to see what she had to say about them. Tails of Tangleby Gardens, by Sue Heazlewood It is hard for me to resist purchasing...


Denika Mead
October 19, 2023
Reviews: Two Young Adult Titles
Denika Mead unpacks two (one updated and one new) YA titles in this latest batch of reviews. Blackmail & Lies, by Mary-Anne Scott In Blackmail & Lies, a tense YA novel by New Zealand author, Mary-Anne Scott, sixteen-year-old Finn must...


Sarah Forster
October 18, 2023
Reviews: Three Junior Fiction Books
Sapling co-founder Sarah Forster brings us this latest batch of reviews of junior fiction titles, all featuring animals in some capacity (yes, even extinct ones)! Odd Wolf Out (#1 Faelan the Wolf), by Juliette MacIver I was delighted to see...


Annelies Judson
October 10, 2023
Book List: Interactive Books
Annelies Judson introduces us to some of her favourite interactive books, starting with Press Here, before reviewing Let’s Go, Flo! If you’ve never read an interactive book to a kid, you’re missing out. The idea with these books is that...
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