Annelies Judson speaks with Elena de Roo about children’s poetry, getting published and the camaraderie of the children’s literature community In my mind, Elena de Roo is almost a mythical mother figure, with her gentle voice and generous nature. Her…
Claudia Palmer attends the launch of Joy Cowley’s latest book A Lot of Silly. I didn’t follow Joy Cowley’s advice when I sat down to write this piece. Her number one tip is: don’t start with a title: write the…
Paula Green shares eight poems for children from Roar Squeak Purr: A Treasury of New Zealand Animal Poems. In 2013, I launched Poetry Box, an online poetry page for children in Aotearoa. I wanted to create a meeting place for…
In this month’s comic, Giselle Clarkson comments on questionable rhymes and sketchy poems from the Mother Goose of yore.
Toitoi is a New Zealand magazine that, going forward, will be released once a year, featuring poems and artworks by kids. Eleven-year-old kid Oscar Sweetman shares what he likes about the latest issue. In Toitoi 32, some of the poems…
A poem about falling asleep listening to the rain has won a new competition set up to promote poetry for children. ‘Night Rain’ by Annelies Judson from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland won the Drop by Drop Poetry for Children Competition being…
Toitoi is a wonderful magazine written and illustrated by children and young adults. Recently, Toitoi started accepting contributions from young people up to age 18 (previously only 5-13 year-olds), and from next year, will be going from quarterly to annual…
Poets XYZ, a trio consisting of Melinda Syzmanik, Elena de Roo, and Kathryn Dove, are excited to announce the launch of ‘Drop by Drop,’ a new competition for adult writers of poetry for children. A vastly under-supported sector of children’s…
Beloved writer James Norcliffe is the well-deserving winner of the 2023 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal. Ruth Agnew, with the help of students Wills and Rose, shows us the power of Norcliffe’s writing to dazzle and inspire the next generation of…
Robin Hyde (pen name for Iris Wilkinson), one of New Zealand’s best poets, novelists and journalists, is widely praised for her wit, compassion, and imagery, as well as for the power and emotional accuracy of her writing. She is credited…