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Interview: Steve Mushin on Ultrawild

Steve Mushin with his book, Ultrawild, was the winner of the best children’s non-fiction book at the NZCYA Awards in August. Ultrawild is an entertaining thought experiment around the concept of rewilding to save the planet. Linda Jane Keegan reviewed…

Reviews: New titles in two popular series

Fiona Giles reviews new junior fiction books from James Russell and Fraser Smith. Children of the Rush: Book 3, by James Russell This rip-roaring adventure had me glued to my seat as I devoured it in one sitting. Book three…

The Whitcoulls Kids’ Top 50 Books

The Whitcoulls Kids’ Top 50 Books list for 2024/2025 was announced this morning. The Sapling’s Harriet Elworthy looks into the mechanisms of this influential poll. The Whitcoulls Kids’ Top 50 Books list has been running for 27 years. The list is…

Interview: Dame Lisa Carrington and Scott Pearson

Award-winning author Maria Gill interviews Olympian Lisa Carrington and illustrator Scott Pearson about their new books Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion and Ko Lisa Carrington me te Toa Whakaihuwaka. I last interviewed Lisa Carrington for a children’s nonfiction book called…

Interview: Elizabeth Gray on the Whakapapa of Sound

A dream to hear the sound of taonga pūoro and te reo Māori normalised in households set Elizabeth Gray on a path to becoming a debut author. Elizabeth Gray (Ngāti Rēhia, Ngāti Uepōhatu, Tama Ūpoko ki te awa o Wanganui,…

Review: Lisa Carrington Chases a Champion

Dame Lisa Carrington has released new picture books in te reo Māōri and te reo Pākehā that seek to inspire children to work hard to meet their goals. Tia Haira reviews the English edition here. This story is about the…

Te Arotakenga: Ko Lisa Carrington Me Te Toa Whakaihuwaka

Kua pāpāhotia a Dame Lisa Carrington ētahi pukapuka pikitia hou i roto i te reo Māori me te reo pākeha anō hoki hei whai, hei whakahihiko i ngā tamariki kia whakapau werawera kia tutuki i o rātou whāinga. Ānei te…

The Sampling: Dear Moko

By Dr Hinemoa Elder We’re delighted to share a sneak peek at Dr Hinemoa Elder’s Dear Moko, a collection of whakataukī adapted from her bestselling collection of whakataukī for adults, Aroha. Dear Moko is written for all mokopuna, grandchildren, descendents….

The Sampling: Dear Moko

Nā Dr Hinemoa Elder E pārekareka ana mātou te tuari i ngā kōrero o Dr Hinemoa Elder’s mō tōna pukapuka Dear Moko. He kohinga whakataukī tēnei mai i tōna pukapuka rongonui Aroha e hangai ana ki ngā whakataukī mō ngā…

Photos from the Picture Me window painting

During Gecko Press’s Picture Me festival, European illustrators Antje Damm, Aurore Petit and Piotr Socha will be painting a window at Te Auaha Gallery in central Wellington. We’ll be posting updates as the mural progresses. Thursday 12 September The first…