Quiz: NZ Booklovers Awards 2026
The finalists for the NZ Booklovers Awards were announced yesterday, which gives us the perfect excuse for the first quiz of the year! Read on to test your knowledge of the finalists … Questions Answers
Heather Haylock
Big people in books for little people: adult protagonists in picture books
Annelies Judson examines the role of grown ups in picture books. As a writer, I try to keep my ear to the ground for trends in children’s literature, both in Aotearoa and globally. One thing that I’ve heard over and…
Review: wild life, weighty issues and whimsy
Tom Davis reviews new four new picture books by some of the best in the business. Koro Wētā by Heather Haylock, illustrated by Sarah Trolle Koro Wētā is a fact-filled bilingual encounter with the iconic Kiwi insect. An encounter with…
Scene report: The 2025 Auckland Writers Festival
Crissi Blair shares her highlights from the school days and kids’ events at AWF. The Auckland Writers Festival is a blast. Adult readers look forward to it and attend in their thousands (85,000+ this year), but the kids also have…
Imagination and connection: Family itineraries for the Auckland Writers Festival
Auckland Writers Festival Waituhi o Tāmaki runs 13–18 May and every year the programme includes events for young readers. We asked Families and Schools Programmer Gabrielle Vincent to tell us about this year’s sessions and give you some itineraries to…
Review: tractors, scooters, storms and islands
Alex Adank and Becks Popham review four new picture books. The Tractor Has A Wobbly Wheel, by Tim Saunders and Carla Martell A new picture book from Tim Saunders, writer and farmer, and Carla Martell (best known for last year’s…
Reviews: New Easter Picture Books
Easter is just around the corner, and with that, Linda Jane Keegan and Thalia Kehoe Rowden bring you a batch of Easter-themed picture book reviews perfect for getting stuck into this weekend! E Oma, Rāpeti / Run, Rabbit books, by…
Reviews: Four Christmas Books
Christmas is quickly approaching, so bookseller Becks Popham has four festive reads that are perfect for building up the holiday hype. The Chaos Before Christmas, written by Sarina Dickson and illustrated by Lily Emo As someone who has worked in…
Book Reviews: Perceptive Picture Books
Alana Bird reviews three perceptive picture books. From the hilarity of Granny McFlitter: A Country Yarn, to the reflective Emmett and Caleb, and the funny and reflective WRESTLE!, all three of these titles get a Sapling seal of approval. Granny…
Simie Simpson reviews Four Picture Books
Simie Simpson reviews four books: Dig, Dump, Roll by Sally Sutton and Brian Lovelock; Granny McFlitter, The Champion Knitter, by Heather Haylock and Lael Chisholm; I am Jellyfish, by Ruth Paul and The Gift Horse, by Sophie Siers and Katharine…