We’re pleased to present an excerpt from The Mapmakers’ Race (Gecko Press), a new novel by Eirlys Hunter and illustrated by Kirsten Slade. Kate De Goldi says the book is ‘one of the most poised, stylish children’s books [she has] read in a long time … An utter delight’.
Kirsten Slade is the illustrator of the new kids’ novel by Eirlys Hunter, The Mapmakers’ Race (Gecko Press). Here she tells us – in words and pictures – about her daily creative routine, which includes something resembling a scene from…
Whāngārei specialist children’s librarian Meredith Wightman gives us a peek into her notebook today, and gives us a list of picture books that can help children ponder and process death, dying and grief. Last week I was flicking through my…
We are pleased to present a regular monthly series highlighting the work, expertise and enthusiasm of some of the greatest children’s booksellers of New Zealand. Here’s The Children’s Room at the University Book Shop in Dunedin. The Children’s Room came…
Wellington-based writer and theatre-maker Jo Randerson is appearing in four events at the Wellington Writers & Readers Festival this month, including being a guest narrator in Peter and the Wolf. Here, she writes about the books her two children enjoy…
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…
Raymond Huber’s childhood was enriched by the stories of the Moomins, told by Tove Jansson. Here, he tells us about moomintrolls, hattifatteners and more. Huber’s most recent title, Gecko, illustated by Brian Lovelock, was released this month. I’ve just started…
Look at all these new books! Today we review five new picture books and find that, as usual, there’s plenty of top-notch stuff being published in Aotearoa New Zealand for our tamariki. Two or three times on my first reading,…
Incredible poet and children’s fiction writer James Norcliffe reviews two books by Gecko Press, translated from the Swedish. Soda Pop is a Swedish classic, first published in Swedish in 1970, and took Norcliffe back to his days listening to The…
We wanted to celebrate NZ Poetry Day this year with a fabulous list of children’s poetry. And who better to bring this to you than our very own Paula Green, creator of Poetry Box and NZ Poetry Shelf, and wonderful…