Posts | the-sapling

Crafts with Fifi: Make a glowing Jellyfish

Crafts with Fifi: Make a glowing Jellyfish

I am Jellyfish by Ruth Paul (Puffin) is a charming story about a jellyfish who is driven to the depths of the deep blue ocean by swordfish - while she is there, she works out her true purpose. Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi: make a glow-in-the-dark jellyfish for your next under the sea disco. 1. What you need 2. Make it glow 3. Make the tentacles 4. Paint your jellyfish 5. Put it together 6. Turn out the lights Find

Crafts with Fifi: Make a Tangled Christmas Star

Crafts with Fifi: Make a Tangled Christmas Star

Fifi Colston has come up with this smart, simple craft to complete with your little ones in the final few days leading up to Christmas, inspired by The Christmas Tree Tangle, by Margaret Mahy, illustrated by Sarah Davis. Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi: make a tangled Christmas star to treasure. 1. What you need 2. Download and Print the Template 3. Baking paper to trace onto 4. Pattern in glue 5. Sprinkle glitter 6.

Crafts with Fifi: Make a Climbing Gecko

Crafts with Fifi: Make a Climbing Gecko

Gecko, by Raymond Huber, illustrated by Brian Lovelock is the second Nature Storybook title from its creators. The book introduces the very young to the world of the gecko, one of the most varied lizard species on the planet. Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi: make a gecko that climbs the walls. 1. What you need 2. Download and Print the Template 3. Colour in your template 4. Cut them out 5. Fold his nose 6. Tape Gecko

Crafts with Fifi: Be the Best-Loved Bear!

Crafts with Fifi: Be the Best-Loved Bear!

The Best Loved-Bear by Diana Noonan, illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller is a Kiwi classic picture book. First released 23 years ago, this book, like the bear it is named after, has withstood the test of time and was re-released this month. Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi: make your child into a giant teddy-bear. 1. What you need 2. Download and Print the Template 3. Trace the Template 4. Fancy folding 5. Snipping and St

Ali Teo and John O'Reilly: The Curious Ar-Chew

Ali Teo and John O'Reilly: The Curious Ar-Chew

Award-winning illustrators Ali Teo and John O'Reilly have been working together for over 15 years, having illustrated many picture books. Their most recent collaboration has been on Sarah Grundy's debut picture book, The Curious Ar-Chew. The Curious Ar-Chew won the Storylines Joy Cowley Award in 2016, and is having two launches this month, in Wellington, and Auckland. Adding layers and depth in Photoshop Find out more about The Curious Ar-Chew, by Sarah Grundy, illustrated by

Crafts with Fifi: Walking, Waving Finger Puppet

Crafts with Fifi: Walking, Waving Finger Puppet

Pūtangitangi Walks is a rhythmic new picture book from Stephanie Thatcher, author of last year's The Other Brother, among other great picture books for young readers. Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi: help Pūtangitangi walk on her way. 1. What you need 2. Download and Print the Template 3. Colour in 4. Make the feet 5. Take him for a walk! Find out more about Putangitangi Walks, by Stephanie Thatcher (Scholastic NZ) h

Crafts with Fifi: That's Not the Monster...

Crafts with Fifi: That's Not the Monster...

Never be stuck for something to do! Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi! Not the monster you ordered? Make your own from the box it came in! A craft for That's Not the Monster We Ordered, by Richard Fairgray and Terry Jones (Puffin NZ). Images from the book used with the permission of Penguin Random House NZ. 1. You will need: A cardboard box, any size will do Clean takeout coffee cups and the trays they sit in. Tape Sci

Crafts with Fifi: NZ's Great White Sharks

Crafts with Fifi: NZ's Great White Sharks

Never be stuck for something to do! Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors – and have crafty fun with Fifi! Would you put your finger in the mouth of a shark? No? Well, here’s a safe way to have some fun while you learn about New Zealand’s Great White Sharks! You will need: An egg carton Scissors – small nail scissors are going to be very useful for this craft! Red, black and white paint Paint brushes – a fine one will help for the details Glue – craft gl

Dear John: Gender identity and stopping boredom

Dear John: Gender identity and stopping boredom

John McIntyre from The Children’s Bookshop in Wellington is a top children’s bookseller. He's here once a month to answer your child-related reading questions. Stock image (Pixabay) Dear John, My 11-year-old has just come out as a trans girl. I'd love to buy her some novels to help her feel more comfortable and help celebrate her true identity. What are some books that deal directly and indirectly with gender identity? (She's completely disinterested in everything to do with

Ka pai! Cool stuff from around the internet

Ka pai! Cool stuff from around the internet

Every two weeks we compile, for your browsing pleasure, cool children's book happenings (and peripherally related news) from around Aotearoa, the world and the internet. The enticing children's book section at Nelson bookstore VOLUME. A little US-centric but here are some great ideas to get your whole family thinking about feminism. And here's an article about feminism in YA books. And from closer to home, Nelson bookshop VOLUME have put together a great post about their femi

DEAR JOHN: TRAINS, TOUGH GIRLS & KILLING JOY

DEAR JOHN: TRAINS, TOUGH GIRLS & KILLING JOY

John McIntyre from The Children’s Bookshop in Wellington is a top children’s bookseller. He's here once a month to answer your child-related reading questions. Stock image (Pixabay) Dear John, My four-year-old son is obsessed with trains, and if I have to read another Thomas the Tank Engine book I’ll explode. We have all of the Usborne books too, and I’m running out of steam. His other reading interests include Shirley Hughes’ cozy home stories – anything directly relatable t

Crafts with Fifi: Tiny Walnut Tortoises

Crafts with Fifi: Tiny Walnut Tortoises

Never be stuck for something to do! Keep your hands and brain busy with glue, tape and scissors - and have crafty fun with Fifi! An adult Greek tortoise, like Torty, is around 20cm long. But you can make a mini one from a walnut shell! Torty has some toes missing from her run in with an artillery gun in 1916. Can you see which ones they are? You will need: Walnut shells (halved and kernels removed) NB These are in-season this month & next, so ought to be available at supermar

Ka pai! Cool stuff from around the internet

Ka pai! Cool stuff from around the internet

Every two weeks we compile, for your browsing pleasure, cool children's book happenings (and peripherally related news) from around Aotearoa, the world and the internet. Given we are all about adult conversations about children’s literature, it’s probably not too surprising that if we were in Dunedin, we’d be off to this event at Dunedin Public Library. A perfect event for budding children’s book illustrators is coming up at Selwyn College - go and learn how to create a chara