#BookReview

Book Reviews: Kiwi and a monster mum

If there is one thing we can be sure of in New Zealand publishing, it's that there will be at least a dozen kiwi books published over the year. This batch of reviews includes three books including kiwi that are a cut above, as well as a new book by Stephanie Thatcher featuring a very monstrous mummy. The Midnight Adventures of Kiwi and Ruru, by Clare Scott, illustrated by Amy Haarhoff This book tells the story of kiwi and ruru, to the tune of classic poem ‘the owl and the pus

Book Reviews: New non-fiction from Aotearoa

Fascinating facts aren't just found in Frank Worsley's famous expedition to Antarctica, but also in our local shores, with captivating creatures and interesting snippets about our current Prime Minister. Writer Raymond Huber reviews two exciting new non-fiction books from publisher New Holland and Sapling's Sarah Forster reviews the latest biography by David Hill and Phoebe Morris. Ice Breaker! An Epic Antarctic Adventure, by Maria Gill, Illustrated by Alastair Hughes (New Ho

Book Reviews: A Series To Get Kids Hooked

Rachel Moore reviews the first two titles in the series for mature junior readers. These books deal with many of the issues our kids face and gives them techniques to cope. You can read the excerpt from the first book, Awa and the Dreamrealm. Note that any purchases made from the links provided will not be dispatched until after the Covid-19 Alert Level decreases to a level where Aotearoa's bookshops are operational again. Awa and the Dreamworld and Into The Labyrinth, by Isa

Book Reviews: New Picture Books from Aotearoa

From forty years in print and still relevant to kids today to the latest picture books in Aotearoa. This selection of picture books is a line up that has something for everyone, as Simie Simpson's tells us in these reviews. Dozer the Fire Cat: Inspired By True Events, by Robyn Prokop, Illustrated by Jenny Cooper (Scholastic) As a lifetime lover of the Mog stories, I am still a sucker for a cat story, although I am always a little apprehensive as Mog has set the bar pretty hig

Book Reviews: New Bilingual Picture Books

The bilingual Simmonds whānau has reviewed two new picture books. Read on to find out what Shirley, Tamihana (10) and Raukawa (9), think about them. You can also read a version of these reviews written in te reo Māori. The Smelly Giant, by Kurahau and illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers (Huia Publishing) No doubt we all know the stench of smelly feet! As we were reading this book, it was as if we could smell the odour of Toe Jam’s giant stinky toes. Spread from The Smelly Giant

Ngaa Arotakenga Pukapuka: Ngaa Pukapuka Pikitia

He arotakenga pukapuka ēnei, mō ngā pukapuka pikitia hou nā Kurahau rāua ko Renee Chin. Nā Shirley Simmonds, ko Tamihana Simmonds (10 ōna tau), rātou ko Raukawa Simmonds (e 9 ōna tau) ngā arotakenga i tuhi. He aha ō mātou whakaaro? Me pānui koutou i ēnei pukapuka! Tio Tiamu, nā Kurahau rāua ko Laya Mutton-Rogers (Huia Publishing) Kāore e kore ka mōhio tātou katoa i te haunga a ngā waewae pirau! I te wā e pānui ana mātou i tēnei pukapuka, te ahua nei, ka rongo mātou ki tērā ha

Book Review: The Book of Overthinking

Last year, Gwendoline Smith's The Book of Knowing was a huge hit with teenage readers across the country. Now, Gwendoline has followed it up with a companion book, The Book of Overthinking – this time with a bent towards older readers while making use of her same great pool of knowledge. Louisa Woods reviewed The Book of Knowing for us last year, so we were delighted to get her take on the follow-up. In a follow up to her highly successful book for teenagers, The Book of Know

Book Reviews: Fresh Aotearoa Non-fiction

It has been a tremendous year for children's non-fiction literature from little old Aotearoa. Here's our last batch of reviews for 2019, where bookseller and editor Briar Lawry checks out some marvellous marine titles and a graphic memoir that has completely stolen her heart. Mophead, by Selina Tusitala Marsh (Auckland University Press) When I heard that Selina Tusitala Marsh was writing a graphic memoir, I’m not quite sure what I expected. I knew it was something I’d be inte

Book Reviews: New Picture Books from Aotearoa

From curious noises to sneaky felines to whānau-focused native birds, we've got a cracker of a line-up of new Kiwi picture books in this set of reviews. Early childhood teacher Alana Bird gives us her takes. Hoihoi Turituri, by Soledad Bravi (Gecko Press) Hoihoi Turituri is the te reo Māori edition of Soledad Bravi’s The Noisy Book. With 116 brightly illustrated pages, this compact little board book is great for infants and toddlers. Onomatopoeia is an excellent way to engage

Book Reviews: Middle Grade Reading

Rachel Moore has read and reviewed three new books for the middle grade space – two excellent chapter books and a fabulous new non-fiction title full of answers to all manner of curly body-related questions. Avis and the Promise of Dragons, by Heather McQuillan (Ahoy!) This is a fast-paced junior novel that does a lot more than meets the eye. On the surface this is a fantasy novel, about a young girl who takes on a pet-sitting job and ends up minding dragons. However, McQuill

Book Reviews: New Children's Titles in Te Reo

This month we have a new te reo Māori title reviewer, Mihi Henare (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Hine, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), reviewing a new batch of te reo Māori books released during Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori in September. Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna nā Darryn Joseph i tuhi. Nā Munro Te Whata ngā pikitia Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna is a children’s book that follows the life of a kuia/kaiako/māmā who tells their mokopuna/tamariki about ancestors and atua Māori – and how they can help them to be stro

Book Reviews: Lively New Books for Young Readers

When the review titles arrived this month, my kids called me the Book Queen and hugged the pages to their chests, eyes wide, already imagining what was inside. Book Queen? I said, I am the Queen of all the world and they laughed and told me I was right, people who buy books should rule the world. Then they curled up and devoured the stack over a weekend. Digging through the two anthologies and two short translations, we’ve had a blast deciding who are our favourite characters

Book Reviews: The Latest in NZ Non-Fiction

It isn't news to anyone that Aotearoa is currently marking a significant anniversary, as we pass the 250 years since James Cook circumnavigated this country's islands in the H.M.B. Endeavour. Some see it as a cause for celebration, others commemoration, and still others consider it a time to better highlight the impact colonialism has had on Aotearoa and its tangata whenua, from that first arrival through to today. It's also not news to anyone in the literary community that t

Book Reviews: New Picture Books from Aotearoa

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 and scary poems to read with your very best spooky voice! Rugby 123 / Whutupōro Tahi Rua Toru by Thalia Kehoe Rowden, illustrated by Myles Lawford, translated by Ngaere Roberts (Scholastic) I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I saw this

Mai i te akomanga: He matapaki pukapuka

I tēnei putanga whakanui i te Wiki o Te Reo Māori kua kōrero ki ētehi tamariki nō Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Tonga o Hokianga, kia rongo he pēhea ō rātou whakaaro mō ētehi tānga reo Māori ina tata ake nei kua puta mai. Ko tā rātou whakatau: Te nanakia hoki! Nā Stella Rutherford ngā whakaahua Ko Flit te Tīrairaka me Ngā Hēki Muna, nā Kat Merewether; nā Ngaere Roberts ngā korero i whakamāori. I te tuatahi, i kima a Flit i ngā hēki itiiti, he hēki inarapa. Katahi ka whakaaro a F

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