KidsBooksNZ

Books for the Holidays

2012-01-14T14:51:00.000-08:00

I've seen from the activity on the blog that people are looking for great reads for kids for the holidays. Here are some of my recommendations from the books that I've read lately:

Mind your Gramma! by Yvonne Morrison, illustrated by Nikki Slade Robinson (Scholastic)

Gramma asks me about my day,
and I say,
"Me and my friend played soccer."
She says,
"My friend and I played soccer."
I say, At your age?"

This is a laugh-out-loud picture book for school-aged children about grammar. A little girl goes to stay with her 'gramma' and misconstrues her grandma's speech corrections. In fact, she doesn't realise her grandma is correcting her at all but is amused by the funny things she says to her.

Parents and teachers will enjoy reading it to children for its entertainment value but can also use it as a teaching tool to improve their own children's grammar. Highly recommended!

Hardback $21.00

Out of Bed, Fred! by Lucy Davey, illustrated by Harriet Bailey (Scholastic)

Every morning, at 7 a.m.,
our alarm clock goes off.
Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrg!
When we hear it,
my brothers and I
sink into the sheets
and snooze.
We never even stir until our mother calls ...

You can guess what the next line is, "Out of bed, Fred!" and she calls the rest of the motley crew of brothers. However, she does not have to call the youngest in the family - their sister who "appears with her golden curls gleaming; all dressed, brushed, washed, fed, cleaned and ready to go." Her brothers are not impressed and decide to trick her into being late. Of course, their plans are foiled and their little sister is not fooled...

An enjoyable read at face value but also to get your children thinking about school again and being organised. I found it takes years of preparation to get children independent so they can catch their bus on time. 'Out of Bed, Fred!' will encourage discussion amongst family members and perhaps a few households will start the new school year organised because of it! I might even read it aloud to my children - even though they are now teenagers (and still not school trained).

Violet Mackerel's: Natural Habitat by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis (Walker Books)

Violet Mackerel is at the shopping centre with her mum.
It is Friday late-night shopping and they have been there for a very long time, buying violin strings for Violet's big brother Dylan, and an Encyclopedia of Natural Science for her big sister Nicola, who is doing a school project for a special Natural Science display. They have not been buying anything for Violet, unless you count grey school socks. Violet does not count grey school socks.

Little girls (6-8 years) will totally connect with Violet. They know what it is like to wait ages for your mum to finish her boring shopping, or her chats with friends. They also know what it is like when older brothers and sisters don't want them to help. And when you try to HELP and it goes wrong that it is not your fault even if you really feel sad about it.

Violet lives in a family with a solo-mum, and two older siblings. She gets things wrong sometimes and she has a quirky take on life. In this book (second in series) she takes a ladybird out of its NATURAL HABITAT and is crestfallen when she realises that she has caused its death. With the help of her sister she learns an important lesson.

Anna Brandford has created a charming character and I'm not surprised the series is now being sold in England and America (soon) as well as Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand illustrator Sarah Davis has complemented the quirky tale with her gorgeous black and white drawings (using Derwent Inktense pencils). Fans of the series can go to www.violetmackerel .com site and learn more about the character, check out the competition page, and make things on the activity pages. Highly recommended for girls learning to read on their own (and those who like to be read too).

Hardback $24.99

Two Little Bugs by Mark and Rowan Sommerset (Dreamboatbooks)

Two little bugs sitting on a leaf,
One on the top...
(turn over a leaf)
one underneath.

Said Little Bug Blue, "Poor little me,
It's dark down here in the shade of this tree,
I wish I was up, not underneath,
Watching the world from on top of this leaf."

Will Little Bug Blue join Little Bug Red on top or will he be too scared to take that big step?...

If you loved 'The Hungry Little Caterpillar' you will thoroughly enjoy this insect tale. There's lift-up leaves, cut-out holes, curved page-edges, creative fonts, colour used to great effect and a great story. It also reminds me of Kyle Mewburn's award winning book 'Hill and Hole'. It is about being discontented with what you have and thinking that the other side is going to be better. In this tale though, the bugs don't swap places but instead arrive in the same place with a happy outcome for them both.

Parents and teachers could use this story as a nature lesson about the different stages insects go through, and also about being positive and enjoying the little things in life such as a sunny day...
This is Mark and Rowan Sommerset's fifth highly successful self-published book. Their 'Baa Baa Smart Sheep' book was the 2011 Children's Choice winner and their 'Cork on the Ocean' and 'Cork and the Bottle' books are very popular (and often in the bestseller list).

Hardback $29.99

One Lonely Kakapo: A New Zealand Counting Book by Sandra Morris (New Holland)

One lonely kakapo dancing to the moon
Two shy bitterns booming out a tune
Three tired tuatara soaking up the sun
Four crusty crayfish marching one by one

This book when first published won the Russell Clark Award for illustration and went on to sell 10,000 copies. New Holland have republished it and added more counting fun. The colourful pictures fill double page spreads and readers can look closely for other animals in the scene. Sandra has made the rhyming text even more enjoyable with clever use of alliteration. Great for pre-schoolers (who can point out the animals and with help count them aloud) and early Primary children (who need to practise their numbers during the holidays so they haven't forgotten them by the time they start school again).

Sandra Morris has worked as an art editor and illustrator for School Journals and Maori language publications. She has written and illustrated five books of her own and contributed illustrations to many more.

Paperback $16.99

The House that Jack Built by Gavin Bishop (Gecko Press)

This is the house that Jack built.
This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built.
This is the cat that killed the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack built...

A familiar story and some of you might even have seen an earlier print of this rendition by Gavin Bishop now reprinted by Gecko. This would have to be my favourite Gavin Bishop book and I'm thrilled it is back in print again. It's a book that you treasure because of its important historical content. It tells the story of Jack Bull, who travelled to New Zealand from London as a new settler in 1798. The illustrations show the landing of Europeans in New Zealand - along with their pests - and settling alongside Maori. As the book progresses, you see the urbanisation of the colonials and Maori and the destruction they've caused along the way.

Gavin has told the story from a Maori perspective beginning with the myth of creation 'Papatuanuku the earth mother, Ranginui the sky father and their children as guardians of the land. As the story goes on and Jack's house grows, papatuanuku is shown in the illustrations to weaken and fade.' This new edition is larger than the original, showing the illustrations as they were intended to be seen, and is printed on heavy, high quality paper. A limited edition hard-back copy will follow and will include the original storyboard Gavin drew before the book was published. The first Te Reo Maori edition will also be printed.

When it was first published it won NZ Children's Picture Book of the year in 2000, as well as the NZ Children's Book of the Year. It also won the Spectrum Print Award for best use of illustration in a New Zealand book in 2000, and it was a Notable Book of the Year.

Paperback with flaps $19.99, Hardback with dust jacket $34.99

Release date 3 February 2012 to coincide with Waitangi Day on 6th February.

If you want something to do with the kids - take them to the Bloom Family Festival coming up on the 20th - 22nd January at Matakana Country Park. They can meet some of their favourite authors there: Brian Falkner, Kyle Mewburn, Fifi Colston, Melinda Szymanik, Tim Tipene, Craig Smith, Chris Gurney, Sally Sutton, and many more. As well as hearing them speak they can participate in workshops with these writers and illustrators! For more info about Bloom Family Festival go to the website www.bloomfamilyfestival.co.nz

Books for Middle School

2011-12-11T01:58:00.001-08:00

People by Blexbolex, Gecko Press

Anotherchallenging book by Gecko Press. It’s hardbound with a jacket and is presentedin an unusual size (25cm x 19cm). It’s as thick as a proper book (that is, nota picture book) but this is in part due to the very solid paper used.Librarians will be scratching their heads wondering where to shelve it. Eachpage presents a minimalistic image of a person in some kind of role, along withwords that describe the role. So we find School Children, a Conductor, aPainter, a Stevedore, an Astronaut. So far so good. But the artist’s sly senseof humour comes through when we find images for A Seasonal Worker (SantaClaus), a Myth (Prometheus pushing his stone), a Nudist, an Invisible Man, aRisk-Taker. Humour is also evident in the juxtaposition of the images – anExplorer is next to Tourists, a Monk is next to a Rabbi, a Vagabond is next toa Bedouin.
Now, whowould appreciate a book like this? I could see it being used in primary schoolsfor social studies lessons, but children will probably need guidance fromteachers to help them think about the not-so-obvious aspects of the images. Artteachers may also be interested in it because the illustrations certainly bearout the “Less is more” guideline. By the way, Blexbolex is a French illustratorand graphic artist, and this book won the Best Book Design in the World Awardat the Leipzig Book Fair.

ISBN 978 11877467 87 3 RRP $37.99

Reviewed byLorraine Orman

D.E.S.I.G.N.* by Ewa Solarz, illus. Aleksandra andDaniel Mizielinski, Gecko Press
The asteriskstands for Domestic Equipment: Sleek, Ingenious, Groundbreaking, Noteworthy –all qualities which could be applied to this book. It’s a solid hardback volume(originally published in Poland) using top-quality paper, meaning that it has adefinite feel-good aspect. It offers a selection of 69 objects created by “themost influential and famous designers from around the world”. These are allobjects which can be found in a house, and they are presented chronologically.Each double spread display includes cartoon illustrations, explanatory text,the date of invention, the designer’s country of origin, the material it’s madefrom – and various other bits of information. Not to mention a great deal ofhumour! The featured objects are not what you’d expect – browsing through thevolume one can find an elephant chair, a skier’s table, a grass sofa, a cosmiclamp, an octopus-shaper juicer, animal houses with tails, sky shelves, and afloor doily... I rather like the indestructible sofa. The cartoon illustrationsare colourful and funny – and quite addictive. You find yourself turning thepage just to see what weird object is going to come up next.

Strangelyenough, I see this book as being of interest to schoolchildren of five tofifteen because of the universal humour. But as a reference tool, it wouldprobably be useful for students once they start studying design as part oftheir curriculum.
ISBN 978 1877467 83 7 RRP $39.99

Reviewed byLorraine Orman

The Littlest Angel: Lily Goes SkitterSkating by ElizabethPulford, illus. Aki Fukuoka, Scholastic NZ

The Littlest Angel: Lily Lands inBubble Trouble byElizabeth Pulford, illus. Aki Fukuoka, Scholastic NZ

These areBooks 3 and 4 in The Littlest Angelseries. If you know the series, you hardly need to read on but if you don’t,Lily is a pupil at Amelia’s Angel Academy (think fairies, rather thantraditional, religious-type angels), the kind of student who always has thebest of intentions but gets herself into some awful scrapes. The presentationof the books in the series is clever – girls will love the sparkly silver bitson the cover, the glitzy coloured foil on the page edges, and the pastelshading on the pages themselves. I’m sure there are plenty of primary-agedgirls out there who already love Lily and will be delighted to find these twovolumes in their Christmas stockings.

ISBN 978 177543 024 7 RRP $12

ISBN 978 177543 052 0 RRP $12

Diplo-dizzydocus by Kyle Mewburn, illus/ DonovanBixley, Scholastic NZ

Primary-agedboys are unlikely to read Scholastic’s TheLittlest Angel series, but they could easily become addicted to this serieswhich began about the same time: DinosaurRescue. This is Book 4, and tells us another funny and easy-to-read storyabout Arg, the genius Neanderthal boy, and his friend Skeet, who happens to bea clever Tyrannosaurus Rex. As in the previous stories, there is plenty ofvomit, snot, stink, poo, and so on. My advice to parents – don’t read it!You’ll be disgusted. But if you’re trying to encourage a boy into readingbooks, this series would be spot on – the hilarious cartoon illustrationsshould be a good enticement. By the way, there are Teachers’ Notes availablefor this book on the Scholastic website.

ISBN 978 1 77543050 6 RRP $12

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

BOOKS FOR BOYS

2011-12-03T14:28:00.001-08:00

FOR INTERMEDIATE & HIGH SCHOOL AGED BOYS

Recon Team Angel Assault by Brian Falkner (Walker Books)
First there were six combat teenagers for an undercover mission but one-by-one they are picked off. Chisnall the leader of the group knows it has to be someone in the team - he suspects them all including his girlfriend Sergeant Brogan. Only he knows all the details of the mission - to find out what the aliens are hiding in the middle of their headquarters. To complete their mission they have to be dropped in by planes, pass themselves off as Uluru aliens and get inside to find out what is there, then dismantle it with whatever means. Only someone seems intent on stopping them.

Brian Falkner writes with incredible skill building up suspense to the climatic ending. This science fiction thriller has all the appeal for teenage boys: guns, warfare, and humour. Brian uses authentic army-speak for operation communication and his futuristic weaponry are convincing.
I asked Brian a few questions about his book:

Where did you get the story idea - did the publisher suggest this theme?

The story idea was mine. It was inspired by seeing an old copy of “WhereEagles Dare” by Alistair McLean lying around somewhere. The first chapter of Assault is called “Where Angels Fear” in tribute tothe McLean novel.

Any more books planned for the series?

There are plans for four books in the series, however if successful, Iam open to writing more.

The weaponry sounds so authentic - is it totally made-up or is it based on real weapons?

For the weapons, I researched the current military weapons andexplosives and then extrapolated them a little into the future. I didn’t wantto write a book about laser guns and other “space opera” stuff. I wanted it tofeel like a real war with real weapons, just slightly removed from where we arenow.

For the alien weapons, I wanted them to be just a little different tohuman weapons. For example the rifle is carried on the back, and springs intothe hands of the user automatically when needed.

In your other books you chose names from kids who won competitions at your school talks - did you do that this time?

There are many kids names in this book (all listed at the back). Thiswas a bit harder to do, because this is a war story and characters die. It isawkward to use the name of a real kid, and have that character die. But thatcouldn’t be avoided in this kind of book.

Highly recommended for boys (and girls who like a bit of action) 12-18 years. My reluctant reader son said it was even better than the Cherub series (the only other series he has read). Normally my 15 year old son would take a whole term to get through a book - for this book he took four days - a record and proof of how gripping this book was for him.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

The Ghost Bride by David Hair, Penguin NZ

This is Book2 in the series called The Return ofRavana. The first volume was called Pyreof Queens, and I would recommend potential readers look for that bookfirst. The plot is complex, and not very user-friendly if you don’t know what’sgone before. I also recommend that readers refresh their knowledge of theIndian epic called the Ramayana by reading the section at the back called A Brief Introduction to the Ramayana.

The doubletimeframe moves between Rajputana in 1175 and Mumbai in 2010. The characters inthe first timeframe are new (ie. new reincarnations of characters from the Ramayana), but the teenagers in the 2010timeframe also featured in the Pyre ofQueens. In both plot strands we find a life-and-death bridal challenge, butthe 2010 story is the more interesting given its modern setting. Two teenageboys know they are re-enacting events from the past – and they realise one ofthem must participate in a modern swayamvara (bridal challenge) in order todefeat their immortal enemy, a demon-king called Ravindra. So Vikram joins thesuitors in a reality show featuring Bollywood actress Sunita – whoever overcomesall the challenges will win Sunita’s hand. But what is the strange connectionbetween Sunita and Amanjit’s sickly sister, Rasita? As with the first book,there is plenty of suspense and the action is violent and bloody. Not for thefaint-hearted.

ISBN 978 014 356599 4 RRP$25

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL-AGED BOYS

Dinosaur Rescue series by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Donovan Bixley (Scholastic)

In Book One T-wreck-asaurus Argo embarks on a mission to save the dinosaurs from extinction.
In Book Two Stego-snotty-saurus Argo and his bestfriend Skeet try to find the cure for the human virus that is deadly to dinosaurs.
In Book three Velocitchy-Raptor Argo and Skeet must save a baby velociraptor from a hungry quetzalcoatlus even though Argo appears to be allergic to the baby raptor.
In Book Four Diplo-dizzdocus Argo and Skeet must find out what is making the diplodocus herd too dizzy to walk before they are thrown into the Grogllgrox stew and eaten.
Books five and six of this bestselling and highly popular series are due out in 2012. Highly recommended for 6-10 year old boys who love humour, and a bit of snot, vomit and action!

FOR KINDY BOYS:

Bruiser by Gavin Bishop, and Stuck in the Mud by Brett Avison

Two wonderful digger books for the 4-6 old boy who is obsessed with machinery. I remember when my son was this age and we couldn't walk or drive past heavy machinery without having to stop and watch, and answer a whole barrage of questions. "What's that digger doing?" or "Where's he taking that dirt, Mum?" You know the questions.

In Bruiser the front loader is a machine on a mission. It ploughs up hillsides, tramples down paddocks and crushes up stones. Until it gets stuck in a hole and causes a bird's nest to fall in with him. What will Bruiser do? Will he continue with his destructive ways or does the little chick change him?
In Stuck in the Muck a cow gets stuck in the mud and it takes quite a few different types of machinery to get her out. What a kerfuffle! Can they get her out or is she going to stay stuck?

Early Childhood Books

2011-11-27T00:21:00.001-08:00

The Big Book of Words and Pictures by Ole Könnecke,Gecko Press
This is definitelya big board book (about 35cm tall) so it’s probably best viewed on the floor –both you and your preschooler, that is. In fact, you may even like to justleave it lying on the floor in view of the preschooler, and watch what happens.Hopefully the child will open the sturdy pages and become intrigued by thesimple, attractive displays. There is no story, just a host of objects on eachpage with names underneath. The first page contains child-related objects(book, bed, pillow, teddy bear), the third and fourth pages contain householdobjects such as spoon, frying pan, bib, chair – and so on through topics suchas the seasons, food, animals, the sea, flight, transport, music, sports, etc.Most objects are within the ken of a 3-year-old (for instance) but you may becalled upon to explain some unfamiliar items, such as moisturiser,overtrousers, secateurs, sleigh bells, unicycle, water pump, petanque... Thebook was originally published in German, so does not have a New Zealand tone.However the illustrations are fresh and appealing, and the interested adultwill pick up subtle flashes of humour tucked away here and there.
ISBN 978 1877467 87 5 RRP $29.99
Reviewed byLorraine Orman

A Kiwi Jingle Bells by Yvonne Morrison and DeborahHinde, Scholastic NZ
This is theboard book edition of the original 2006 version (over 35,000 copies printed). Ihave to admit I checked the last page to see if there was a CD there –but no.So you’re left to sing the numerous verses on your own. “Dashing to the bay, In a Kombi campervan, Christmas at the beach – Thefamily’s master plan. Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way,Christmas in New Zealand on a sunny summer’s day, ay!” This board bookversion is sturdy and a suitable size for small hands. Deborah Hinde’sillustrations are colourful and active and contain plenty of objects that apre-schooler should recognise. If you’re looking for a Christmas-themedstocking-filler for your 2-year-old, you should check this one out.
ISBN 978 177543 045 2 RRP $13.50

Reviewed byLorraine Orman

Chapter Books for Teenagers

2011-11-12T19:22:00.001-08:00

Heart of Danger by Fleur Beale, Random House NZ
This is thethird book in a trilogy (the previous titles are Juno of Taris, and FierceSeptember), and I wish I had been able to read the three titles one afterthe other, rather than with big gaps of time in between. To spend so long in Juno’s world would be afascinating and absorbing read. I’m pleased to see that the publishers weren’ttoo coy to include plot summaries of the first two books – for people like mewhose memories are getting creaky...
In thisfinal instalment, Juno and her family and friends are beginning to settle inAotearoa, but then little sister Hera comes out with one of her prophecies – anannouncement that she will be going away soon. Panic-stricken, Juno’s familymove to another settlement where they hope she will be safer. Juno starts tomake friends, including a handsome young man who takes a romantic interest inher. But before Juno can sort out her complicated feelings for Ivor, Hera iskidnapped. Instead of denying her own extra-sensory abilities, Juno must nowopen her mind and use her instincts to track down her sister. An exciting chaseand confrontation result, and Juno finally realises how strong her powers are.Further developments help her understand that she and Hera are not freaks –they have been created by their genetic heritages.

An excellentread for teenagers, especially girls – how about buying the whole trilogy foryour daughter or grand-daughter for Christmas?

ISBN 978 186979 543 6 RRP $19.99

Reviewed byLorraine Orman

Battle of the Birds by Lee Murray, Taramea Publishing

Annie iseleven years old, and currently stuck in Wisconsin. She’s homesick for NewZealand, and her mind is full of images of home as she sprawls out on the topof an eagle-shaped effigy mound. Amazingly, a real eagle arises from the dirtand Annie is still sitting, stunned, on its back as it flies into the sky. Theeagle flies to New Zealand, but a time-slip has happened – she has gone back1000 years in time. The eagle delivers Annie close to a Maori tribe, and shesoon meets up with Moana, a girl of her own age, along with Moana’s tribe.Eventually Annie realises that she has a special power that enables her to talkto birds, and that she must play a part in protecting the native flightlessbirds against the murderous intentions of Te Hokioi, a huge Haast eagle. Thereis plenty of action and suspense as Annie fights against the evil bird and hisminions.

Thisfirst-time author worked with an experienced mentor to write this story, so itavoids many of the pitfalls of a book published by a small press (as opposed toa big commercial publisher). The cover is attractive, the layout is pleasing,and the style is very fluent and suitable for the age group (intermediatelevel). A bonus is that Teachers’ Notes are available at http://taramea.maori.nz/html/teachersnotes.html.

As a writermyself, I was a bit uneasy with some of the authorial decisions eg. writing inthe present tense, and giving a mythological American eagle the language of a21^st-century American teenager – but young readers probably won’t beso picky. I imagine they’ll simply get swept along in the non-stop action.

ISBN 978 0473 18928 0 RRP $19.99

Reviewed byLorraine Orman

Nest of Lies by Heather McQuillan, Scholastic NZ

Books withdystopian settings are all the rage at the moment. It would be interesting toexplore why so many authors for young people seem to believe that ourcivilization is destined for self-destruction. Heather McQuillan’s book is setin a world where most of society has been destroyed by a plague (blamed onbirds). The remnants of the human race live in distinct groups – such as theoppressive and wicked regime of the Citadel; and the Outsiders roaming thecountryside (trying to preserve the environment); and the Eggheads (scientists)who live on a cruise liner and are determined to restore the beneficial aspectsof human technology.

Ashlee is a14-year-old Cinderella-type heroine who is treated as a slave by her wickedfather and vicious step-family. She misses her brother, who disappeared insuspicious circumstances. Her hopes are raised by a mysterious message from himthat is delivered by a bird. Ashley finds the courage to run away to look forFelix – and gets involved in all sorts of adventures and battles involving thevarious groups of people.

It’s an easyand engaging read, and there’s plenty of action and suspense to draw the readeron, especially girls who like a brave heroine. My only qualm focuses on a possible mismatch between the straightforward,plot-focused style of the story (which indicates a readership of aroundintermediate age), and other indicators that point to a teenage readership ie.the age of the heroine, the dystopian setting, and the escalation ofviolence, bloodshed and chemical warfare at the climax of the story. I’m notquite sure what age group the book would suit, but Scholastic says 11+.

ISBN 978 177543 025 4 RRP $18.50

Lorraine Orman

I read the book too and thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the book targeted 11-13 year olds (Intermediate aged) girls.

Maria Gill

2011-11-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

Stories of the Wild West Gang by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Trevor Pye (Gecko Press)

As 11 year old Eliot says on the back cover 'Just the right amount of craziness. One of the funniest books I've ever read.'

When Michael's five cousins move in next door, his parents are horrified - Michael thinks it's wonderful. His parents make him go to bed at 9pm, eat a strict diet and coddle him as their only child. At the West's household he gets to stay up as long as he likes, eat anything, have scandelous fun and be treated as any other in the household. He manages to convince his parents to go away so he can go on wild jaunts with the West family, and Michael cannot get enough of it. He goes rafting, camping, to the school fair, Pong Castle, over the wonky fence, puts up with the grumpy guest, survives the haunted fridge, and the wedding, goes fishing and has wickedly fun hullabaloo time with them.

A laugh out loud book for 8-12 years olds. This series has been published before as single books but now all ten stories are in one volume. Joy Cowley's characters are original and funny. It's a book about families and how they're all different. Plus it is a young boy's adventures and making fun out of nothing much. Highly recommended for home and school libraries. An excellent book for Primary Middle, Senior and Intermediate teachers to read aloud to their class.

Joy Cowley's books are loved by children all around the world. She has been awarded the OBE for her services to children's wrting, and the Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement.

Trevor Pye lives in Tauranga and he is an award-winning illustrator whose work has featured in more than 200 children's books.

The Margaret Mahy Treasury: Eleven favourite stories by Margaret Mahy (Penguin)

A compilation of some of Margaret's best picture books including A Lion in the Meadow, The Witch in the Cherry Tree, A Summery Saturday Morning, The Great Piratical Rumbustification, The Boy with two Shadows, The Great White Man-Eating Shark, Jam, The Three-Legged Cat, The Boy who was Followed Home, The Librarian and the Robbers, and The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate.

This is the sort of Treasury that Grandparents would buy their mokopuna, teachers would keep in their class to read to their students, and parents would buy for their children and keep afterwards for the next generaton. It contains all your favourites with original illustrations.

Margaret Mahy has won the Carnegie Medal twice, the IBBY Honour Book Award, the Hans Christian Andersen Award and numerous other international and national awards. Her books are loved by several generations. Every library should have this Treasury (along with her Poetry collection).

Three New Non-fiction Books

2011-10-31T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Book of New Zealand Records and Firsts by Stephen Barnett (Scholastic)

On the front cover the book promises Biggest, Fastest, Most Unusual and More - and you certainly get that. First we find out which Kiwis have set records for the fastest, deepest and longest. We meet adventurer Shaun Quincey who rowed the fastest across the Tasman, 17-year-old Elliot Nicholls who broke the world record for the fastest texting whilst blindfolded, then two young lads who dove the deepest depths, the boat that set a new world record for the fastest time around the world in a powerboat, and the tap dancer who danced 610 taps a minute, and lots more. Next, we see the biggest and most such as the world record chocolate bar, the world's record price for a bird's feather, the largest wasp nest recorded in New Zealand, the man who learnt more than 58 languages, the biggest ball of tape, the most expensive tiny piece of paper, the biggest children's sporting event in the world, and the cricketer who set the world record for the greatest number of tennis balls caught in one minute. Thirdly, we're treated to some of the most unusual records (didn't we just have some of those). Like the Twisty Twinz who climbed into a perspex box and set a new world record, the seven-legged lamb, and the World's steepest street (in Dunedin). Lastly, are the New Zealand firsts such as the pigeon post, the coach who took jogging to the world, the adventurer who climbed the highest mountain, the bungy jumpers and more. Great reading for kids who like their facts. Ideal for Middle, Senior Primary and Intermediate-aged classrooms.

RRP $17.00 ISBN: 978-1-77543-031-5

The Small Blacks Annual by Peter Harold (Penguin)

Printed on glossy paper in A4 size and 96 pages long we have another rugby book for kids. This time the focus is not on the All-blacks but rather the kiwi kids aged 5-12 who play rugby. There's loads of photographs of kids playing rugby, stories, articles about famous rugby players, activities, interesting facts such as why do we get stitch and how do we get rid of it, tips on rugby skills, recipes, quizzes, jokes, Maori vocabulary, cartoons, poetry, songs, and news articles - phew! A lot is packed in for rugby fans to saviour. For ages 8-12 year olds who are rugby mad.

RRP $19.99, ISBN: 978-0-1433-0657-3

The Big Book of New Zealand Wildlife by Dave Gunson (New Holland)

The Big Book of New Zealand Wildlife is a comprehensive collection of birds, animals, insects, fish, plants and fungi in one single volume. If it looks familiar - yes, it is a compilation of all the 'All About' series books produced in encyclopaedia format. You'll find over 400 species of New Zealand natives brought to life with colourful illustrations and interesting facts. Designed to be easily accessible for 7-14 year olds. An excellent reference book that would be useful in every Primary classroom and home.

Dave Gunson wrote the successful All About series, produced colouring-in books to complement them, and illustrated numerous books (approximately 150) over the years. Dave is a keen artist and has been involved with a number of group and solo exhibitions over the years.

Hardback $39.99, 160 pages, ISBN: 978-1-86966-297-4

Christmas Books

2011-10-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

There's a Hole in my Bucket sung by The Topp Twins, pictures by Jenny Cooper
(Scholastic) CD inclusive

There's a hole in my bucket,
dear Liza, dear Liza
There's a hole in my bucket,
dear Liza
a hole.

You've probably heard the song before - it's a favourite with pre-schoolers. What makes it special is having a book and CD for children to read and play over and over again. Jenny Cooper's illustrations are a treat - the expressions of the two characters are hilarious (especially Liza getting more and more annoyed with Henry). Lots of fun for 4-6 year olds and will be popular in the kindergarten and Junior Primary school classes.

The Topp Twins are a truly original comic and musical duo - this is their first book for children. They see There's a Hole in My Bucket as a fun way to encourage kids to pick up a book, believing that learning to read is vital, no matter who you are or where you are from.

Illustrator Jenny Cooper has illustrated numerous children's books. Jenny said that while she drew pictures for this book she listened to the song over 200 times!
RRP $26.00

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth by Don Gardner, illustrated by Katz Cowley, sung by Craig Smith (Scholastic) CD inclusive

Everybody stops and stares at me,
These two teeth are gone as you can see,
I don't know just who to blame for this
catastrophe!
But my one wish
on Christmas Eve
is as plain as can be...

You've probably guessed it - it's his two front teeth. Little chimp thinks about all the things he could do if he had two front teeth; whistle, sing songs, wish people Merry Christmas... Will he get them?

Another bright and beautiful book from Scholastic.They've taken a well known Christmas song and paired it with popular duo Katz Cowley (illustrator) and Craig Smith (singer/songwriter). Don Gardner penned the song in 1944 and asked a class of 22 second graders to complete the sentence: "All I want for Christmas is...' and then 'began smiling as he heard 16 of them lisping wishes without the help of one or two both front teeth' (LA Times, 2004). That was his inspiration for the song in this book. Katz Cowley went through two earthquakes in Christchurch while illustrating this book and moving six times across two countries. Craig Smith wrote 'The Wonky Donkey' which was co-winner of the APRA Children's Song of the Year award in 2008.

Sure to be another popular book for 4-6 year olds for Christmas. A must have for all kindergartens and Junior Primary School classes.

Christmas in the Bush by Lindy Kelly, illustrated by Lyn Kriegler
(Harper Collins)

What will Christmas be like this year?
Josh wondered as he arrived at his dad's farm. Christmas with Mum in the city was always fun.
The farm was a fun place for holidays, with Dad, his dog, Scout, and the bush near the house. But Christmas?

Christmas with Dad is going to be different alright; no christmas tree, no big christmas dinner with ham and turkey, and apparently Santa doesn't even come this far out in the woods. His father says he has something a bit special up his sleeve - but what could beat a traditional Christmas...

At first Josh thinks this is going to be the worst Christmas ever but though it doesn't start with all the traditional trimmings it turns in to the best Christmas he has ever had. What beats presents under a christmas tree - read out to find how to have a bush Christmas. An enjoyable read for children from 4-6 years. Helpful for those children from recently separated families especially if they're experiencing a different Christmas for the first time.

Lindy Kelly has written numerous short stories for Learning Media, picture books for educational companies and several children's books for Harper Collins. Lyn Kriegler has illustrated 22 picture books, seven chapter books and 25 readers. Lyn's artwork is bright and busy - plenty to keep young children's attention.

RRP $19.99 Release date November 2011

Willbee the Bumblebee, story by Maureen Thomson and Craig Smith, illustrations by Katz Cowley, music by Craig Smith (Scholastic) Includes book, CD and Willbee toy.

Willbee the Bumblebee came out in 2010 and now it is back packaged together with toy, book and CD in gift box format - sure to be a popular present for the under 5s.

RRP $31.00

Beach Bag Boogie by Lindsay Wood, illustrated by Rebekah Holguin
(Harper Collins) RRP $19.99

When Jasper woke up, things felt very
strange - there were whoosh-whooshing
sounds and his bedroom had changed.

Jasper wakes up in a tent beside the sea. Everything is new and different and exciting. Jasper can feel tingling over his skin and a jig-jiggling urge to get dancing set in... He does the sleeping bag shimmy,
the slip slop slap samba, the beach bag boogie... Lots of fun alliteration as she read about a young boy's fun day camping at the beach.

A fun book for 4-6 year olds - sure to be popular in kindergartens and Junior Primary School too. I can see lots of children bursting to get up and doing some of those jiggling dances while listening to the story. The illustrations are bright and colourful with some white spaces for the text. Recommended for the holidays!

RRP $19.99

Christmas Books

2011-10-16T12:33:00.000-07:00

Bruiser by Gavin Bishop (Random)

Bruiser was a machine on a mission.

"Oi! Get outof my way!" he said.

"I've got a motorway to build!"

On Monday he ploughs through five hills, Tuesday he crushes ten rocks, one Wednesday he tears up three forests ... until Friday when he gets stuck in a ditch. He makes such a racket trying to get out he wakes up the magpie chick and Mother Magpie is not impressed. Will he get out and what will happen to the magpie family?

A digger story for the four-year-old boy who is impressed with big machines. I remember my son being obsessed with road machinery - he would have adored this story. I love the way Gavin has woven an environmental message into the story; with the digger changing his ways and caring for nature after his experience with the magpie family. Sure to be a hit!

Gavin Bishop is one of New Zealand's best-loved author/illustrators for children. He has written and illustrated many books and won numerous national and international awards.

PB $22.00 HB $34.00 ISBN: 978-1-86979-451-4

Stuck in the Mud by Brett Avison, illustrated by Australian Craig Smith (Five Mile Press)

On Mum and Ted's farm

there's a very large barn,

where the hay and the horses

are kept.

And right at the back, past some seeds in a sack, is where Milky the cow often slept.

Milky liked to stay nice and warm in the shed chewing her cud. But one day she goes out and gets stuck in the mud. The family rush over to help her with their assorted wheels: quad bike, pick-up Ute, bigger truck, and then they bring in friends and the services with their big metal pulley, the fire brigade, crane, and chopper. Will Milky get out and will they ever be able to salvage the rest of the wheels ...

Brett Avison has written another successful picture book that will appeal to the under five year old. Children will love the surprise pop-up twist at the end. The paper is nice and thick, which will ensure it will last those excited fingers turning the pages. Australian Craig Smith's (not to be confused with New Zealander Craig Smith) wonderful colourful artwork fills every large page. Children will enjoy looking at the detailed scenes on every page.

Aucklander Brett Avison's first book 'A Bigger Digger' sold out on its first print run. Both books are being published together in the United Kingdom. This is his second book and will most likely be the basis for an ongoing series.

Australian Craig Smith has been a prolific, award-winning illustrator. His witty, humorous artwork is enormously popular with children. He has a wonderful sense of the absurd and a terrific eye for detail.

Hardback $24.99 ISBN: 978-1-74248-642-0

Two new Chapter Books by two talented Nz authors

2011-10-09T01:33:00.000-07:00

The Half Life of Ryan Davis by Melinda Szymanik (Pear Jam Publishing) E-book

Apparently my older sister Mallory was perfect. That's not how I remember her, but it's what my mother tells me when I'm doing something wrong. My sister certainly looks perfect in all the photos mum has plastered her bedroom with ... But I guess it doesn't matter whether she was perfect or not. It's impossible to be as good as someone who's just a memory.

Ryan feels the weight of his sister Mallory's disappearance on his shoulders. Instead of hanging out with his bestfriend Alex he has to babysit his younger sister Gemma all the time. It kind of cramps his style when trying to chat up Kim - the girl he has set his sights on. Mallory has been gone for a couple of years now. His father left home not long after and his mother still hasn't given up hope Mallory is still alive. Ryan stopped believing that ages ago.

Was she murdered, abducted or did something else cause her disappearance? Will Ryan's life ever return to normal? And does it have anything to do with that stranger who watches him at the skate park... Author Melinda Szymanik keeps you guessing right until the very end in this contemporary thriller for 11 - 15 year olds. An exciting read for boys and girls, and for parents who'd like to know how a 15 year old boy thinks. (I have a 15 year-old-son and I thought Melinda got into the head of a teen boy very convincingly.) One of the first books from the new Pear Jam Publishing House. Watch out for the website, audio book, and printed books coming soon... E-book available now through Amazon and Barnes & Noble now for $6.85.Paperback available 1st December. A must buy!

The very talented Melinda Szymanik writes picture books (her second picture book The Were Nana won the Children's Choice in the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards, The House that went to Sea came out in September), chapter books (Jack the Viking), short stories (for numerous Australian and New Zealand Anthologies), including educational stories for Learning Media. She has a Masters in Zoology but chooses to write children's books full-time.

Yes by Deborah Burnside (Harper Collins) Available November 4th 2011

Luke is what you would call my only friend. When we were little kids our favourite game was pirates and that's when I started calling him 'Legless, because that's definitely a pirate name, and he called me 'Ahoy there, Marty'. Well, he didn't call me 'Ahoy there' but 'Marty' with the 'Ahoy there' first, get it? Just like pirates, or how we thought pirates would talk. Sometimes he'd say, 'Ahoy there, Mixed-up Marty!' Mixed-up Marty, that's me all right, and Luke is Luke with only one-and-a-half legs.

Marty has a lot on his plate. His mother is leaving home to fly around the world for three months. This leaves his dad in charge and he thinks Marty is a loser. He's also just started an Enterprise group with his bestfriend Luke, and three others, which with all the in-fighting and crocheting doesn't leave much time for his overdue homework. On top of all that Marty is autistic; he finds faces hard to work out and he doesn't like to be touched. How will this help him get to first base with Francesca? How will get on without his Mum? Will the Enterprise group ever got on long enough to make a decision?

A moving and sometimes funny book about an Autistic teen boy navigating adolescence and making sense of the world through his mixed up mind. Author Deborah Burnside checked out the Young Enterprise Scheme at her local high school while researching for the book. While dwelving into the mind of an autistic teen boy she discovered that her own son had similar problems (and as Deborah emphasises - its not about her own son). Highly recommended for 11-15 year olds.

Deborah Burnside lives in Taradale and is the mother of three sons. Her first novel On a Good Day was shortlisted for the 2005 LIANZA Awards and was a Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book the same year. Her first junior novel Night Hunting was a 2009 Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book. Her children's non-fiction book It's True: This Book is a Load of Rubbish was part of the popular 'It's True' series in Australia.

RRP $22.99 ISBN: 9781869509255

Scholastic's Picture Books for Christmas!

2011-10-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear by Juliette MacIver, illustrations by Sarah Davis

On Hollyhock Hill, at the very tip top,
Marmaduke Duck had a marmalade shop.
Marmalade jam, from the roof to the floor!
A matchless, marvellous marmalade store!

Marmaduke Duck's marmalade store is a roaring success. Animals queue up for miles to buy his wares until Bernadette Bear opens up a honey shop next door. Then everyone troops to the newest and trendiest store to buy Bernadette Bear's honey. Poor Marmaduke is devastated. He closes his shop and walks off in despair until he sees something that makes him stand up and fight for his store. But sometimes what you wish for doesn't feel that good when you get it. How do Marmaduke and Bernadette resolve the issue? Read and find out...

What a wonderful story to show children that being cooperative and not always competitive helps everyone be happy - a win-win situation for all. In today's competitive economic market people sometimes do resort to devious means to get attention from the public - at the expense of others. Though this message will be lost on the very young - they'll enjoy it just because it is a good story, older children will possibly see the moral link.

The book is even more likeable with Sarah Davis's illustration: the expressions on the animal's faces, and the wonderful bright use of colour. I love it when the duck is reading a book on 'Know Your Predators' while a fox and a stoat walk into the shop. Instead of being scared of them, Marmaduke Duck hand feeds them some marmalade. There's lovely touches of humour in the pictures and the text. Highly recommended for kindergarten and Junior-Middle School children.

This is the second in the Marmaduke books. 'Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam' was a finalist in the NZ Post Children's Book Awards in 2011. The judges said it was, 'A real romp of a story ... gorgeous and vibrant ..."
Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig and the Christmas Baby by Diana Neild, illustrated by Philip Webb

Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig
was a festive-y name for a small sort of pig.
His home was emblazoned in red, gold and green
and quite dazzled the eyes with its tinselly sheen.

Piggity and his clan get ready for Christmas. Relatives arrive with presents and children prepare for the concert. Though, Piggity is clearly not pleased with the role he is given. Who will take his place and will there be another role for Piggity?

A lovely story about families getting together and everyone working co-operatively to make an event happen. Diana Neild expertly jiggles the language to make it rhyme and keep to the rhythm - making it fun to read. A great read-aloud story for kindergarten and Junior School children.

This is the fifth story in the Piggity-Wiggity (not including the Book of Pigtivities) series. Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig was a NZ Post Book Honour award, plus Storylines Notable Book in 2009. Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig Goes to Dad's Cafe was a finalist in he 2010 NZ Post Book Awards.

On the Road to Tuapeka by Ben Brown, illustrated by Scott Tulloch

Heka the weka
and Reka the weka,
on the road to tuapeka,
saw a bus ...
a double decker!

The two wekas jump on board the bus along with several other animals along the way. None of them know where they want to go but are content to enjoy the view along the way. When Possum Pete pulls into the caravan park for the night they meet a strange little man with a barbecue and pan. He invites them for dinner - they are thrilled, until they find out they are on the menu. Will they get away or will the funny little man have a delicious stew?

The story reminds me of Wombat Stew but is a thoroughly kiwi version. Kindergarten and Junior school students will enjoy the rhythm and and rhyme and will have a chuckle over the amusing illustrations.

Ben Brown writes children's books, non-fiction and short stories for children and adults. Ben Brown's 'Fifity-Five Feathers' was shortlisted for Te Kura Pounamu and Russell Clark Awards in 2005, A Booming in the Nigh won Best Picture Book award at the 2006 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. Scott Tulloch is the author/illustrator of the recent Scholastic title 'Tom and the Dragon' as well as the Willy books. He has illustrated for other authors numerous other books too.

The Elves and the Cloakmaker by Chris Gurney, illustrated by John Bennett

Kahu the Cloakmaker toiled night and day,
an honest and hard-working man,
weaving his cloaks in his own special way
with his knotted and gnarly old hands.
There is a lot to do weaving cloaks - it keeps Kahu and his wife busy all day. So much so, they are exhausted at night and fall asleep during their toil. Over the night, four little fairy elves come and finish the cloak, weaving special bird feathers into it. It's a beautiful sight and the owner is thrilled. Soon lots of orders come in for their cloaks and luckily for them the elves come in and finish them off. One night Kahu and his wife hide in the pantry and watch the elves at work. They hatch a plan to thank the elves ...

The Elves and the Shoemaker tale is transformed into a New Zealand story with not shoes but Maori cloaks as the magical product. Instead of elves it's the special fairy folk from Maori tales called the Patupaiarehe - pronounced: Pah-too-pah-ee-ah-reh-heh.'The Elves and the Cloakmaker' is bound to be enjoyed by Kindergarten and Junior-Middle Primary School children. They'll love the language and humorous illustrations.

This is Chris Gurney's sixth book in the Kiwi Corker series. That's half of the books in the series plus she has written another two books: 'Hester's Blister' and 'Giraffe Attack'. Chris writes with a faultless sense of rhyme and rhythm and shows great humorous talent.

Former BBC animator John Bennett has illusted two other books: Hinemoa Te Toa and The Boxing Day Test. He now works full time as a cartoonist and illustrator.

Picture Books for Early Childhood

2011-09-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

Stomp! by Ruth Paul (Scholastic)

STOMP through the swamp
Over the hump JUMP
In the jungle ROAR
Swish your tail and THUMP

So go the dinosaurs on their stomp through the swamp. They squish-squash berries, hop over rocks, until they stop and cause a dinosaur jam. Then they turn around and swing through the swamp the other way until something happens to their leader...

Ruth Paul's artwork is gorgeous - totally appealing to the four and under target audience. I can see kindergarten's having a lot of fun with this book. The kids will take turns being the leader as they stomp around the kindergarten doing all the fun things dinosaurs do. On further readings children will notice the onomatopoeia words in smaller print; and perhaps will come up with some of their own.

Scholastic has published the book on glossed card, which will ensure little hands won't bend the pages in their excitement to read the book. The book's A3 size enables groups of 40 children to see the illustrations and print easily too. Ruth Paul has created the illustrations in pencil and then coloured it in Photoshop on the computer. She co-designed the book with Vida Kelly.

Ruth's other books include: The Animal Undie Ball, Superpotamus, Two Little Pirates and The King's Bubbles.

A must have for Under fours and all kindergartens!

Tarantula Boo! by Lucy Davey, Illustrated by Philip Webb (Scholastic)

Safe behind glass at Zurlington Zoo,
lived loveable larrikin Lenny Lassoo.
Lenny was furry and fuzzy and hairy,
and liked to play tricks that were frightfully SCARY.

Lenny Lassoo loves to play tricks at the zoo - his favourite game is Tarantula Boo! He waits until school children press their noses against the glass then out he jumps from hiding to scare the wits out of them - all in fun, of course. But though he is a trickster he really is a lonely Lenny Lassoo. He dreams of a friend to share his home and fun. He gets the chance to look for one when the glass on his cage is cracked and he escapes. Does he find a friend at the zoo or does he get a surprise himself?

Another great book for Under Fives (and will also be appreciated in the Junior School at Primary too). There's rhyme, alliteration and use of onoomatopoeia to keep the children interested in the language. Along with changing font sizes and Philip Webb's playful illustrations that are bright and fill the A3 sized page. A wonderful read-aloud for the kindergarten and Junior School.

Watch the mini movie here
This is Lucy Davey's nineth book for children. She won the Joy Cowley Award with her book 'Out of Bed, Fred!' in 2011.

The Treasure Thief by Beatrice Rodriguez (Gecko Press)

Rooster, Hare and Bear bid adieu to their friends Fox and Chicken and start their sea voyage back home to the farm. En route they wash up on a desert island where Rooster discovers a mysterious white orb. Oblivious to his companions, Rooster is possessed by the orb. His faithful friends follow him home, surviving toxic toadstools, piranhas and tiny bats. What is the powerful orb and what will they discover when it cracks open?

This is the second picture book from Beatrice Rodriguez following after The Chicken Thief. Again there are no words but the illustrations tell plenty of what is happening. Children at Kindergarten and Junior School will enjoy making up their own words; and putting their own spin on the story.

Giraffe Attack by Chris Gurney, illustrated by Aki Fukuoka (Scholastic)

"Goodness me!" said Mum.
Will you listen to that din?
There's a nasty old giraffe outside,
trying to get in!"

Jack overhears members of his family talking about the fierce and flustery giraffe making things go clang, or trying to get his Grandma by the ankles, and shaking the house to its knees. Poor old Jack is terrified by the time he goes to bed. When something goes clump, thump, kerplunk on the roof he thinks the giraffe had come to get him. He hollers for help!

A wonderful story for children to understand that sometimes you can misunderstand what grown-ups are saying. Sometimes words that sound the same don't mean the same. And sometimes you have to rein in your imagination because it can get out-of-control.

Chris Gurney is a master of clever use of language. She uses rhyme, alliteration and lots of onomatopoeia - making it a great read aloud for kindergarten and Junior School children. Children will delight in guessing what is really making all that noise. This is Chris Gurney's nineth book with number 10 coming out just in time for Christmas (and yes, it does have a Christmas theme).

Robby & Hoot by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Phillip Fickling (Puffin)

Come, little robots! Stop clanking and clattering!
Switch on your ears and switch off our chattering.
I have an interesting story for you
about a long friendship that's trusty and true.

The teacher robot tells them a story about Robby Robot looking for a second-hand toe. While searching in the junk yard he hears a little blue car wailing just before it is about to be crushed. In a daring move, Robby jumps into the car and drives it to safety. That's not the end of the journey, though, as swarms of security droids chase them. The two have to problem solve how to get out of the yard undetected to safety - can they do it?

Four to six year old boys are going to love this book about robots and chases. They'll enjoy the tension when it looks like the escaping pair are caught, and realise it is important not to give up hope. At the back of the book there are cut-outs for the boys to pull-out then they can enact the story with their own Robby Robot and Little Blue car figures along with the Security Bts and shrieking Crusher. Will keep boys amused long after the story has been read.

Joy Cowley is one of New Zealand's greatest authors. She's had over 200 children's books published and received awards from here and overseas. Joy had a son who was a reluctant reader (she was slow to read herself when young) so she really knows how to motivate them with great story, wonderful use of language, and that little bit extra - cut-outs to encourage them to listen to stories.

GUEST INTERNATIONAL BOOK

Hairy Nose, Itchy Butt by Elizabeth Frankel, illustrated by Garry Duncan (Exisle Publishing)

Late one afternoon, down in the ground,
Hairy-Nosed Wombat woke up with a frown.
He stretched and yawned, rubbed his eyes and scratched his ear.
Then a strange sensation came over his rear.

Hairy-Nosed Wombat goes in search of a tree first, then a salt bush, next a big log, and then an old mallee stump each time they have been cleared by loggers and bulldozers. He had run out of ideas of how to scratch his butt and was on the way to his burrow when he found that was gone too. Poor old Hairy-Nose Wombat was devastated - what will he do?

A perfect story to have in the classroom (Junior through to Intermediate) because it is a great conservation conversation starter for children. It will help children understand the effects logging and clearing of land has on wildlife. On the back page is information about how the Southern hairy-nosed wombat is one of only three wombat species found worldwide, all of which occur in Australia. Plus information about their behaviour and how it sometimes gets them into trouble.

New Non-Fiction for Children

2011-09-20T03:58:00.000-07:00

New Zealand Bird Calls by Lynnette Moon, Geoff Moon, John Kendrick, and Karen Baird

Listen to the calls of 60 of our native New Zealand birdcalls. Read about those birds and look at their photographs to find out more about them. Each bird entry includes information about habitat, distribution, appearance and behaviour of the bird, along with a description of its call.

New Zealand Bird Calls is an essential guide for any beginner or bird enthusiast to enjoy in the field or at home. Schools will find it helpful for native bird studies. Its handy size makes it easy to carry on a bush walk.

This is Lynnette Moon's third book on the subject of birds. Her late husband Geoff Moon, was an outstanding bird photographer with many books to his name.

Notable wildlife sound recordist John Kendrick has been capturing New Zealand birds on film and tape for half a century. His daughter Karen Baird, who prepared his calls for this collection, has worked for both the Department of Conservation and the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society, as well as running private wildlife tours with her husband.

ISBN: 978-1-86966-310-0 RRP $29.99

I Spy NZ Art published by the Auckland Art Gallery

Play 'I spy with your little eye something beginning with... the 26 letters of the alphabet. To complement the letters you'll find artwork from New Zealand's most well-known artists. For example, in - 'I spy Aa ... You'll see John Pule's oil on canvas 'Take these with you when you leave'. Keen eyes can see that there is an aeroplane, animals and an automobile in the painting.

This book could be used throughout the Primary and Intermediate as a starting point of looking at different types of art. However, the book is small (slightly bigger than a board book) so not big enough to share with the whole classroom. Also, the concepts are quite difficult, for example, 'a' for 'abstract' so though the alphabet would appeal to young children they're not going to get those more 'abstract' ideas.

I love the front cover though, with its cut-out 'NZ' and koru design behind. I also like the answers with small paintings at the back to see what objects you'll find for that alphabet. A book for art teachers and children who have an interest in art. To commemorate the opening of the newly refurbished and expanded Auckland Art Gallery.

Order enquiries to Judy Davies, Retail Manager: judy.davies@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Party Food for Girls by Alessandra Zecchini & Arantxa Secchini Dowling (New Holland)

This book is a delight to behold. From the scrumptious cover, gorgeous use of colour and design, and photographs to make you salivate. The book hadn't been in my house half an hour before my 12-year-old daughter had pilfered it and begun whipping up cupcakes with icing (very delicous, I might add). We've been leaving it around the house for her to make more yummy cakes and sweeties.

This book will inspire many young chefs and will make a wonderful birthday or Christmas present. With 50 recipes, tips and variations, and a full A4 photograph for every recipe (plus step-by-step photographs) - the young chef will find plenty of ideas to prepare party food. At the back of the book you'll find conversion tables, a glossary, an index, stencils and patterns.

Alessandra Zecchini is a food writer and travel journalist living in New Zealand with her husband and two children. This is her third cookbook and the first written with her 12-year-old daughter Arantxa.

Shaun Cato-symonds has worked with Alessandra on all three of her books, and his food photography graces many more quality publications and advertising campaigns worldwide.

ISBN: 978-1-86966-299-8 RRP $29.99

The Raupo Phrasebook of Modern Maori by Scotty Morrison (Penguin)

Written in a user-friendly manner, with everyday New Zealanders in mind, and with a focus on modern-day language, The Raupo Phrasebook of Modern Maori is the guide that no home or school should be without.

As well as common phrases, the book covers dialects, grammar and pronunciation; answers to key questions; idioms and slang; proverbs and speeches; and provides information on the ever-changing history of te reo Maori. Useful vocabularly lists are also given for each section. Whether you're a beginning speaker of te reo Maori, a visitor, or fluent in Maori - you'll be surprised at how much you can learn from this book. Schools will find this a very useful resource for every classroom and library.

Author Scotty Morrison is the well-known presenter of the Maori current affairs programmes Te Karere and Marae Investigates. He holds a Diploma of Teaching, Bachelor of Education and Masters degree (Education) from Waikato University and is currently working towards his PhD at Massey University.
ISBN: 978-0143566106 RRP $35

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Brian Falkner's Latest Title

2011-09-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Northwood by Brian Falkner (Walker Books)

When Rocky the Samoyd tells Cecilia Undergarment that he is starving to death, Cecilia can only do one thing - save him. It requires subterfuge, daring and innovative thinking - talents Cecilia can draw upon easily. She doesn't expect it will lead to her getting lost in the dark forest of Northwood though. The same forest her doting parents had always told her never to go near. The same forest where ferocious black lions roam. How will she get out and what else does she find in that dark forest...

Brian Falkner has tried a different style from the rest of his books. Firstly, he uses the third person omniscient (universal) - narrator talking to the reader, and secondly, his main character is female. Thirdly, it is also a fantasy story whereas his others have had a science fiction or contemporary feel. But like most of his characters Cecilia does have a special talent - the ability to talk to animals. The story is about the little guy (in this case Cecilia) overcoming the odds - she problem solves how to get out of the forest; listening to her intuition on how to do it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story and girls 8-12 years old will do also. I can imagine this book having universal appeal. It will be for sale in New Zealand, Australia, America and England (and I am sure many other countries). I'm really proud of how successful Brian Falkner has been and he deserves to be - he's put the miles in. He spends most of his year touring schools and he's so good at giving talks he's booked up months in advance in Australia and New Zealand (and probably America too).

The book is also illustrated with Donovan Bixley's illustrations and they're perfect for the story. They look slightly sinister helping to build the spookiness of the Northwood Forest but he also draws very likeable characters. Donovan's illustrated over 50 children's books and he's a real star (you've got to see him in person - he wears a tophat for the occasion and he puts on a real funny show for the kids). We call him the 'Talented Mr Bixley'.

Highly recommended!

ISBN: 978-1-921529-80-1 RRP $22.99

2011-09-07T01:30:00.000-07:00

Wings by Raymond Huber, Walker Books Australia
I haven’t read the first book in this series, called Sting (a finalist in the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards Junior Category for 2010) but that didn’t matter. I had no trouble picking up the characters and the story. Ziggy the honey bee, together with several others of his family, are taken by their human keeper to Tokyo to solve the problem of local bees going missing. They meet Mitsu, a local bee, who tells them about the mystery. After some adventurous investigations the bees discover that a scientist has invented a pesticide fatal to bees. Ziggy and Mitsu end up hunting for the mystical ice orchid which contains life-saving pollen – but first they must solve the riddles of a guardian snake. Most of the story is successfully told from the point of view of Ziggy, but the focus is necessarily limited. So additional background information is provided through extracts from the diary of Dr Sophie Domisse, the keeper of Ziggy’s hive. It’s a straight-forward easy-to-read adventure story for readers of about eight to ten, with a smart, eye-catching cover. Interesting information about bees and their importance in our environment is included at the end. Raymond Huber’s website at www.raymondhuber.co.nz offers background information and activities.
ISBN 978 1 921720 20 8 RRP $17.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

T-wreck-asaurus by Kyle Mewburn, illus. Donovan Bixley, Scholastic NZ
Stego-snottysaurus by Kyle Mewburn, illus. Donovan Bixley, Scholastic NZ
These are books 1 and 2 in a new series called Dinosaur Rescue. The combination of all things revolting and dinosaurs is bound to be a winner – with boys aged about 8 to 11. Girls won’t be interested. Each book is 96 pages so they look quite solid, but there’s not much text on the pages and a lot of space is taken up with black pen pictures, boxes, maps, diagrams, etc. Arg is a Neanderthal boy – but he happens to be a genius. Well, a genius compared to the rest of his tribe. He even wears clothes! In the first book Arg discovers a secret valley where he meets a genius-level T-rex who can actually speak. Arg calls him Skeet. In the second book Arg and Skeet try to prevent a flu outbreak among the dinosaurs. All adventures include copious amounts of poo, snot, farts, slime, and stink – so be warned. Donovan Bixley’s action-packed cartoon illustrations are a perfect match for the text – gross is the best word to describe the whole package...
ISBN 978 1 77543 019 3 RRP $12
ISBN 978 1 77543 020 9 RRP $12
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Lily Gets Her Wings by Elizabeth Pulford, illus. Aki Fukuoka, Scholastic NZ
Lily Has a Secret by Elizabeth Pulford, illus. Aki Fukuoka, Scholastic NZ
Books 1 and 2 in a new series for girls called The Littlest Angel, these can only be described as sweet. However I was impressed by the excellent book design. Lily features on the covers as a cute little redhead, flying against a sparkly pastel sky, with her name in silver and her halo rather askew. The inside pages are tinted with pastel colour, as are the numerous cartoon illustrations, while the edges of the pages have a sparkly foil coating. Writing about angels involves creating a supporting theology, and I was interested to see that there is no religious aspect whatsoever included in these stories. Lily and her cohorts are more like traditional fairies than traditional angels – and they have all the foibles and faults of young humans. In the first book Lily is trying to get into an Angel Academy, and is competing for one vacant place with another angel. But things keep on going wrong for Lily – she gets in one scrape after another. In the second book Lily breaks an Academy rule by smuggling an injured kitten on to the premises – her attempts to keep it hidden are complicated by some terrible damage she causes to a precious harp... Lily is always in trouble, but everything works out in the end. Girls of around 7 to 10 who love reading traditional books about fairies will be attracted by the pretty covers and should thoroughly enjoy the series.
ISBN 978 1 77543 022 3 RRP $12
ISBN 978 1 77543 023 0 RRP $12
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2011-08-20T02:26:00.000-07:00

Goodnight Pumpkin by Belynda Smith, illus. Marie Sanders, Duck Creek Press (distributed by David Bateman)
Belynda Smith has lots of experience as a children’s librarian, so she knows what works in a picture book and what doesn’t. Her first book is based on a true family event. It’s a peaceful, repetitive story about a little girl who won’t stay in her bed. Her long-suffering and increasingly tired mother carries Polly back to bed several times. But the last time it happens, Mum is so tired she gives in and lifts the bedclothes for the visitor to slide in – but a twist in the tale reveals that Mum is sharing her bed with someone other than Polly... Marie Sanders’s pastel illustrations are obviously intended to be calming and non-eventful – as befits a bedtime story – but I think I would have preferred more variety in the format rather than having very similar pictures for each repetition of the text. However congratulations go to Duck Creek Press for choosing a sturdy hardback format. This book is best for the littlies, aged about three to five.
ISBN 978 1 877378 49 2 RRP $29.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Phoebe and the Night Creatures by Jenny Hessell, illus. Donovan Bixley, Scholastic NZ
This quirky tale picks up the age-old theme of monsters in the dark. Phoebe needs to go to the toilet – but she can’t get out of bed because there’s a wolf under it. “Take the wolf with you,” calls her nonchalant mother. So Phoebe sets off, wolf in tow, but then they bump into a smelly troll at the end of the bed. Phoebe decides he needs to come to the bathroom too, for a wash. And so the story proceeds until Phoebe reaches the bathroom door with an amazing procession of creatures behind her. But when she turns on the bathroom light ... well, I won’t give away the plot twist. Parents might need to explain the fate of the monsters and the moral of the story to very young readers. Donovan Bixley’s computer-generated cartoon illustrations are striking and colourful and very contemporary – they will appeal hugely to children familiar with modern TV cartoons. Should be suitable for children of about five to eight, though Scholastic thinks four to seven.
ISBN 978 1 86943 976 7 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Weta by P. Crumble, illus. Errol McLeary, Scholastic NZ
Scholastic are on to a pretty good thing with their Kiwi Corkers hardback series (Great New Zealand Yarns). This one is based on a perennial favourite. Of course it will be a joy to read/sing aloud, as the intrepid old lady swallows a bat, jandal, stoat, tuatara, hawk, sheep ... and a kiwi. This pedantic reviewer found a couple of hiccups in the scansion (tuatara just doesn’t fit) and the final throw-away line isn’t quite as satisfying as, “She’s dead, of course.” But adult readers (especially teachers) should read it with heaps of enthusiasm and verve – and they’ll get away with it. Gentle souls will be pleased to see the animals all escaping on the last page. The black ink and watercolour cartoon illustrations are suitably gross and over-the top – and those previously mentioned gentle souls will appreciate the addition of a window on each double spread which shows the consumed animals still alive and kicking. Fun for kindergartens and primary school classes.
ISBN 978 1 86943 992 7 RRP $18.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2011-08-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

Grandma McGarvey Surfs the Net by Jenny Hessell, illus. Trevor Pye, Scholastic NZ
“Celebrating 20 years!” announces the cover – wow! Grandma McGarvey is starring in her 11th book and she’s still going strong. How does she do it? Maybe it’s her ability to get in and out of scrapes, leaving everyone gasping in her wake. In this rhyming text story, Grandma receives a flyer saying, “Surfing for seniors”. She drags out her surfboard, diving suit and flippers, and turns up at the computer classroom. Grandma has her own special spin on Googling, going on the Net, using a mouse, and consulting a Blackberry. But when Grandma finds that the internet comes up with pages and pages of info about her, she’s suddenly the keenest surfer in the class! Trevor Pye’s wild and whacky cartoon illustrations are the perfect vehicle for this irrepressible grandmother. Best for youngsters who use the internet, but these days that probably means pre-schoolers...
ISBN 978 1 86943 993 4 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Milly Maloo and the Miracle Glue by Melanie Koster, illus. Sarah Nelisiwe Ande rson, Scholastic NZ
Imagine a monkey “with fashion and flair, and gardens as wild as her frizzy red hair.” Milly the monkey is invited to a posh garden party and has to wear a hat. Woe, she has nothing suitable – so she borrows one from her plain and prim neighbour, Penelope. She jazzes it up with feathers and flowers – but when it’s time to return the hat, she can’t remove the decorations – woe again! But Penelope loves the refurbished hat – and it becomes the catalyst for her to break free of her prim and proper ways and become just as outgoing as Milly. The illustrations, created with digital drawing and painting, are as over-the-top as Milly herself – using fine lines, rich detail, a range of candy colours, speech bubbles, and unusual perspectives. The rhyming text bounces along with gusto, and would be fun to read to pre-schoolers.
ISBN 978 1 86943 965 1 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

New Picture books from Duck Creek Press

2011-08-07T00:56:00.000-07:00

Duck Creek Press have three new hardback books:

The House that went to Sea by Melinda Szymanik, illustrated by Gabriella Klepatski

Isbn: 978-1-877378-51-5 HB $29.99

Granny Gale's house smelt of fish, and

rocked with the booming of the waves.

Built out of timber taken from old

boats, the cottage leaned towards the

sea, as if at a moment's notice it would

leap into the water and sail away.

And sail away it does with Michael Mariner and Granny Gale. At first Michael is reluctant to try anything new and spends all this time watching TV. Granny Gale unsuccessful tries to get him to race paper boats and pick pipis with her but he's not having a bar of it until the day Granny upped anchor. A delightful story about a boy finding himself (as well as his parents along the way). Gabriella's European-style drawings give the story a lovely old-worlde feel to this beautiful book. Will be cherished by 4-12 year olds. Some boys may recognise themselves in Michael and perhaps may up anchor themselves... A very relevant story for our technology-mad kids.

Melinda Szymanik is the award winning author of The Were Nana. She's also written other picture books, short stories and novels for young people including Jack the Viking. She lives in Auckland with her family, a cat and a dog, and blogs/facebooks in her spare time.

Gabriella Klepatski has been sketching and drawing for as far back as she can remember. In her twenty-five years in New Zealand she has been illustrating books and filling her life with other interests.

Whetu: The Little Blue Duck by Jennifer Beck and Renee Haggo

ISBN: 978-1-877378-52-2 HB $ 29.99

In the beginning, he didn't have a name.

The little Blue Duck was just lucky to be alive.

Even before he'd hatched in the nest beside the river,

the other eggs were washed away in a spring flood.

While growing up little Blue Duck manages to survive other near disasters such as being snatched by a stealthy stoat and being drowned by a white water raft. Lucky for him his parents stuck by him and taught him how to hide, find his food, and swim through the swift mountain river. Then comes the day he must find his own territory and mate...

At this point in the story the little Blue Duck's life intercepts with a lost traveller's life. He helps her find the river unwittingly with his call, and she helps save his river.

Six to Ten year old readers will enjoy this conservationist tale. Teachers could use it as a lead-in to a native bird study in the social studies curriculum. Renee Haggo's artwork is stunning in this picture book; she manages to capture the movement of the water, whilst also the characters of the blue ducks.

Jennifer Beck has written numerous picture books; many of which have won awards including The Bantam and the Soldier, and Nobody's Dog.

Renee Haggo is a graduate of AUT University in Auckland where she majored in Graphic Design. Renee primarily illustrates with pen and ink, watercolours and acrylics. She recently illustrated Maurice Shadbolt's The Mountain who wanted to live in a house.

Activity Books

2011-08-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

2011 seems to be a year for activity books - perhaps cheaper to publish than non-fiction books.

The Great Animal Puzzle Book by Barbara Telfer (Scholastic)

A great activity book for the holidays. It contains 100 puzzles including wordfinds, true and false statements, dot-to-dots, codes, crosswords, clue boxes, alphabet animals, colouring-in puzzles, unscrambled letters and lots more. All done in black and white, in an A4 sized book.

The Great Rugby Activity Book by A. Barry (Scholastic)

An activity book for all those rugby fans (boys and girls). First, you put your family into the Family Sports Tree, enter your own player profile and record, play a few puzzles, codes and wordfinds, draw a tackle, exercise your brain, and end with a bit of rugby trivia.

The What Now Big Book of Fun by the What Now Team (Scholastic)

A colourful activity book that includes photographs of the What Now team, a play to act out, tips on how to draw, pictures to colour-in, info on behind the scenes, puzzle activities including mazes, sudoku, things to make, and a joke on each page. Will be popular with children 6-8 years.

501 Great Kiwi Jokes illustrated by Donovan Bixley (Scholastic)

Proceeds go towards CureKids.

There's jokes from New Zealand: What kind of letters do you send to Wellington? Capital letters.

There's sport jokes: What can you serve but never eat? A tennis ball!

Foodie jokes: What's a sheep's favourite thing to eat? A baaaanana.

Animal jokes: Why did the dairy farmer ride his horse? Because it was too heavy to carry!

Music jokes: What kind of music does your father like to play? Pop music.

And lots of other types of jokes (actually 501 of them).

109 pages, black and white. For everyone who likes a good laugh.

2011-07-31T03:46:00.000-07:00

The Wolf in the Wardrobe by Susan Brocker, HarperCollins NZ
The title is a great enticement and the cover (incorporating a stunning photo of a wolf’s face) is guaranteed to attract readers – the story will not disappoint. Thirteen-year-old Finn has always wanted a dog. He witnesses a huge dog being hit by a car and disappearing into the bush. Finn tracks it down and recognises it as a wolf called Lupa, a fugitive from a recent circus in the area. Finn is determined to look after Lupa, but it’s a difficult task when he has to keep her secret from his family. He initially hides her in his wardrobe, but eventually shifts her to the garden shed. Things get complicated when Finn’s forgetful old Nana discovers the dog and takes a fancy to her. How can Finn keep a tame wolf well and happy when he doesn’t want his mother to know – and he’s paying a fortune for dog food? Then Cackles the Clown, the previous owner of the wolf, appears on the scene and makes Finn’s life a misery... The tension never slackens in this riveting story for intermediate-aged readers. The author has obviously done her homework, and the information about wolves is engaging. Recommended as an excellent fast-paced read, especially for boys.
ISBN 978 1 86950 906 4 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

My First Car Was Red by Peter Schössow, Gecko Press
This is certainly not your ordinary picture book, and it might be another one for the “Complex Picture Books” collection. My first impression was “old-fashioned” but further reading indicates that the book is a lot more subtle than that. Written from the point of view of a primary-aged boy, it tells how Grandpa gives him a rusty old pedal car which is then renovated to driveable standards. The boy and his little brother (who manages to issue plenty of concise instructions through the dummy in his mouth) set off on a drive. It doesn’t take long for hazards to appear and the drive turns into a helter-skelter dash from reality into a strange world where nothing is quite what you’d expect. The text is simple (lots of dialogue) but the humour is tongue-in-cheek and fairly advanced, so I don’t think it’s suitable for pre-schoolers.
The illustrative style also appears to be more suitable for older children, maybe about six or seven. It’s an unusual cartoon style involving thick black outlines and camouflage colours of brown, olive green, muted red, dull yellow, burnt orange, khaki and pale blue. There’s a lot going on in the pictures, including the addition of relevant (European?) road signs on each page. I suspect children will either love or hate the illustrations, with not many in between. Gecko’s presentation is excellent, using top-quality paper and turn-in flaps on the cover. Also available in hardback, and not released till 5 August.
ISBN 978 1 877467 69 1 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Harry’s Hair by Jane Buxton, illus. Jenny Cooper, Puffin NZ
In this whacky cautionary tale we read about Harry, who wouldn’t brush his hair. First of all birds come to nest in his hair – then chinchillas, then a whole host of weird creatures. The smell is disgusting because the inhabitants of Harry’s hair do their business down his neck. Having been banished from school, Harry ends up with his hair turning into an art installation – and then he’s interviewed on TV. Eventually he finds that being a celebrity isn’t all that marvellous...
Children will enjoy the suggestion of the dire events can happen to you if you don’t brush your hair, especially having poop going down your neck. The story is told in rhyming text, and Jenny Cooper’s bright, cheeky illustrations add an extra zing to the outrageousness of the plot. Best for children of about four to seven – and it would make a popular read-aloud as long as you don’t mind some degree of chortling and nudging from the boys in your audience.
ISBN 978 0 14 330616 0 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2011-07-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

The kiwi kid’s ABC by Rebekah Holguin, HarperCollins NZ
ABC books are always popular, especially with grandmothers like me! As I read it, I was imagining how I’ll share it with my 3-year-old grandson, who already knows his ABCs. I think he’ll be most intrigued, firstly with the bright, bold, in-your-face style of the illustrations, and secondly with the distinctly New Zealand flavour. The letters of the alphabet (shown in heavy black print, both small and capital) have either a single or double spread, with the doubles being particularly striking. For A we get aroha, for D we get dolphin, for J we get jandals; also rugby for R, and ukulele for U. The double spread for B gives us bucket, bare feet, beach, ball and bay. The illustrations are done with eye-catching colours and strong black outlines (to my mind, the black outlines look rather retro).
I tried to find out a bit about the author/illustrator but couldn’t detect much, not even on the publisher’s website or her own. This is obviously her first book. Her previous work seems to lean towards fantasy illustration, and she has trained with Weta Workshops. I suspect we may see more of her work, so I hope the publishers update their website. If you’re looking for an ABC book for New Zealanders, this is a good one to try.
ISBN 978 1 86950 895 1 RRP $16.99 (pb)
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

100 Things by Masayuki Sebe, Gecko Press
This counting book (by the author/illustrator of Dinosaurs Galore) for ages 3 to 6 is typical of what we’ve come to expect from Gecko Press – bright and funky, eye-catching and very 21st century. On each double spread you will find 100 whatevers – mice, moles, children, cars. As well as exhaustive counting, you will also find other activities such as “Can you find 1 rabbit?” on the sheep page, and “Where is the other cat?” on the children page. The last double spread offers ten subjects arranged in 10s, followed by a page of extra location challenges – “Who lives in this house?” The illustrations are done in simplistic cartoon style, and are very appealing.
This book would be best shared with children who understand the concept of counting to one hundred. It would be a bit too much for children who can only go up to 10 or twenty, so not many 3-year-olds would appreciate it. But I’ll be keeping it safely on my bookshelf for when grandson Lachlan develops his counting skills a bit more – and I’m sure we’ll both have lots of fun with it. It would be a popular buy for preschool centres and kindergartens.
ISBN 978 1 877467 82 0 RRP $19.99 (pb) $32.99 (hb)
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2011-07-12T12:43:00.000-07:00

The Bear and the Wildcat by Kazumi Yumoto, illus. Komako Sakai, Gecko Press
Gecko Press specialises in “curiously good books from around the world” and this is definitely at the high end of the curiousness scale. It’s a story about death and grieving (for ages 4 to infinity, originally published in Japan). Bear’s best friend, a little bird, dies – and Bear is full of grief. He carries the bird round in a box, much to the dismay of the other animals in the forest. He withdraws into his house and sits in the darkness. But eventually he emerges and meets a wildcat who is also a roving violinist. This strange character enables Bear to grieve properly and find the courage to finally bury his friend.
This is not a book that children will select off the shelf, and I imagine libraries will have problems working out where to shelve it. I heard of one library putting it in a collection called “Complex Picture Books”, which sounds like a good idea. It will be useful as a resource for counsellors, teachers, hospices and grief services.
It’s a gentle, touching story, delicately told. As always with Gecko Press, the presentation is superb – hardback, book jacket, and luxurious heavy-duty paper. The illustrations are totally in tune with the story – done in fuzzy black and white (with pink touches on the “happy” pages) using heavy shading and lots of texture. Whether deliberate or not, the sombre illustrative style will probably deter youngsters from reading the book independently. If libraries and schools wish to add to their collections relating to death and loss, this is definitely one to buy.
ISBN 978 1 877467 70 0 RRP $29.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Three Cheers for No-Ears by Kyle Mewburn, illus. Deborah Hinde
Once there was an elephant with very small ears. Kind friends tried to create new ears for him with feathers and leaves and bananas and fur and flowers – but nothing worked. No-Ears was very sad. But then the elephant leader was buried under a rock slide, and No-Ears was the only elephant who could stick his head in far enough to touch trunks with the big guy. Of course, he manages to pull the prisoner out – and something strange happens – but by this time No-Ears has obviously learned to live with his differences...
It’s a very light story, but its theme of accepting physical differences in others is an important one for pre-schoolers. Deborah Hinde’s illustrations are big and bright and colourful, with plenty of action involved, and would be good for reading aloud to a group. Also available in a Maori edition.
ISBN 978 1 86943 978 1 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig and the Camping Holiday by Diana Neild, illus. Philip Webb
This is the fourth title in the series which began with Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig – a wildly popular book that won awards and plaudits. In this story the Jig family go camping. As you can imagine with 11 family members it’s a logistical nightmare, especially when Piggity-Wiggity’s little tent proves impossible to erect. But clever brother Jim saves the day. Fans of the series will be familiar with the friendly tone and cheeky rhythm of the rhyming text, and Philip Webb’s exuberant cartoon illustrations carry the story along at a great rate. It will be a popular read-aloud for pre-schoolers who already like the series. Just one quibble from this pedantic reviewer – I didn’t understand why the tent couldn’t go up until I read the blurb on the back which referred to a missing tent pole. Then I looked back through the illustrations and saw the pole lying on the ground as the family’s van pulled away. This plot development could have been made clearer, and some smart pre-schoolers may pick up on this...
ISBN 978 1 77543 016 2 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Board Books

2011-06-28T21:38:00.001-07:00

The Little Yellow Digger by Betty and Alan Gilderdale, Scholastic NZ
Yes, it’s been around for yonks and there have been over 400,000 copies sold – but this is the board book version!! It’s a nice size for little hands, and is well laid out with big black print and lots of white space. What more can I say about this classic picture book? Maybe that it was the winner of the Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-Loved Book in 2003? Or that the idea came from a real event, when one of the Gilderdales’ grandchildren told them about a digger getting stuck and a bigger digger had to come and dig it out...? My copy will shortly be in the hands of my 15-month-old grandson – who will love it.
ISBN 978 1 77543 034 6 RRP $17.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

My First All Blacks Book, Penguin NZ
When is a book not a book? When it’s a twelve-page board book in the shape of a rugby jersey! Flip up the pages to see colour photos of The Jersey, Boots, Field, Whistle, Flag, Referee, Socks, Fans, Shorts, Goalposts, Rugby Ball (Adidas), and the Silver Fern (no All Blacks, though). Okay, it’s a publicity device, but I bet lots of people will buy it. Overseas tourists will take it home for their grandchildren, while rugby-mad parents will give it to their toddlers and salve their consciences while they watch the Cup games on TV. And with some parental help, these toddlers just might make the mental connection between the pictures in their book and what they’re seeing on the screen...
ISBN 978 014350494 8 RRP $12.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Lorraine Orman reviews

2011-06-26T00:02:00.000-07:00

Gumdigger: Northland, 1899-1900 by Kath Beattie, Scholastic NZ
This is the latest book from the original My Story series to be re-titled, re-jacketed, and re-issued in Scholastic’s My New Zealand Story series. In 2008 it was published as Poor Man’s Gold. The new cover shows a towering kauri tree, and looks more up-to-date and environmentally conscious than the previous one which featured a boy in an old-fashioned hat. I’m pleased to see the author’s name on the cover (amazing how many people commented that the author’s names were not on the covers in the first series). The surface of the paper is smoother and feels nicer than that used in the original edition. These are the only differences – the contents and layout are the same.
When the family store in Waipapa goes bust, 13-year-old Reuben heads north with his father and joins a gang of Dalmatian gumdiggers. It’s a tough, filthy job and Reuben is forced to grow up very quickly, especially when his younger brother dies on the gum fields. Librarians and teachers who like the My Story series may be glad to update their collection.
ISBN 978 1 77543 036 0 RRP $18.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

The Last Summoner by Sherryl Jordan, Scholastic NZ
Dragon stories are always popular, and it’s great to read one written for younger children by this multi-award-winning fantasy writer. Twelve-year-old Ari cannot understand why being a girl prevents her from becoming a dragon summoner. Her father, her grandfather – the whole line of males in her family – were summoners, with the responsibility being handed down from father to son. Now her father is missing, presumed dead, and her grandfather is old and blind – and there is no son to take on the task. When the king calls on the old man to summon the dragons to help him win a war, Ari is overjoyed at being asked to act as her grandfather’s eyes. When her grandfather fails, Ari proves herself by summoning the group of dragons out of the swamp. But when she sees how cruelly they are treated by the king and his soldiers, she devises a cunning plan to enable the glorious creatures to return to their homeland.
It’s an absorbing read for dragon-lovers aged about 8 to 10. There’s plenty of action and emotion, and the happy ending is very satisfying. I love Sherryl Jordan’s beautiful black pencil illustrations that adorn the beginning of each chapter. Recommended.
ISBN 978 1 77543 017 9 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Two new books by Maria Gill

2011-06-05T00:38:00.000-07:00

New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 Remarkable Kiwis by Maria Gill, illus. Bruce Potter, New Holland
Okay, Maria is a friend and Bruce is a colleague – but I have no qualms about writing this review. I know how much hard work went into this book’s inception and development, and the final result is a good-looking hardback volume that teachers and librarians will welcome with cries of delight. Choosing the list of eminent New Zealanders was difficult – there couldn’t be too many dead people, or too many men, or too many athletes, etc. The final list has been divided into categories: Adventurers, Leaders, Pioneers, Scientists, Inventors, Artists, and Sportspeople. Each celebrity gets a double-page spread offering around five or six paragraphs of biographical details, some direct quotes or journal entries from the person, a biographical timeline, honours and awards, interesting snippets (in boxes), a formal photograph, and a caricature by Bruce Potter. There is a lot of information – which means the book is more likely to be used for research and dipping into, rather than as a straight read. Librarians will be pleased to see it contains a Contents page, an Index, and a Bibliography.
The author has kept her young readers firmly in mind – she takes care to include information, stories, and quotes about the subjects’ childhoods. There is a very strong theme throughout that these people started life as ordinary Kiwi kids and achieved success through hard work and dedication. Bruce Potter’s superb caricatures are more realistic than humorous, and render the book very user-friendly and approachable. I can see this book being useful in all public and school libraries, but intermediate-aged pupils will probably get the most out of it. Heartily recommended.
Free teaching unit. See inside the book on http://www.mariagill.co.nz/
ISBN 978 1 86966 312 4 RRP $34.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

The Call of the Kokako by Maria Gill, illustrated by Heather Arnold (New Holland Publishers)

Coming to shops this week, is Maria Gill's other book 'The Call of the Kokako'. Half the book is non-fiction with information about how the kokako is being saved, why they are so important to New Zealand, who is saving them and who are their predators. The second half of the book is a true story about how one man saved ten kokako in the Matahina Forest and because of his efforts managed to save something much bigger in the process. With the teacher in mind, Maria has timelines, journal recounts, newspaper articles, text boxes, and a Maori legend at the back of the book. In the classroom, it could be used as a read aloud, a teaching resource with a Native Bird unit, and as an example of different styles of non-fiction writing. For children and bird enthusiasts it is a beautiful book to read and treasure. Award winning illustrator Heather Arnold's illustrations are breathtaking.

Native Bird Teaching Resource for teachers, and 'The Call of the Kokako' teaching resource

Hear a kokako sing Draw a kokako activity

ISBN 978-1-86966-294-3 RRP $29.99

2011-05-29T00:44:00.000-07:00

Diary of a Pukeko by Sally Sutton, illustrations Dave Gunson (Scholastic)
At last, it's Christmas! Problem is, the Wekas are coming for lunch. Dad says, 'Can't we just uninvite them this year?' and Mum says, 'Of course we can't they're family,' but I can tell she's tearing her feathers out because she knows Aunty Weka will drink too much swamp water and go on and on about how weka are a threatened species.
Sure enough, this is exactly what happens.

A humorous chapter book for 6-8 year olds about a young pukeko's life. In Pukeko's diary he writes about the Christmas party gone wrong, training for the Swim-Run-Fly competition and trying to win the attentions of Indigo Tuk Tuk a hot young chick in the wetlands. Will Pukeko get the girl or will he lose out to his rival Billy Flicktail...

Author Sally Sutton uses lots of bird humour to get a chuckle. Just about each double page spread includes a Dave Gunson's full-page illustration, which will also get a laugh. I hope we'll see more of these young chapter books from Sally Sutton. They fill the gap that Kiwi Bites left when they were stopped by Penguin NZ.

Sally Sutton has written several books. Her book 'Roadworks', illustrated by Brian Lovelock, won the NZ Post Children's Picture Book Award in 2009.

Auckland author/illustrator Dave Gunson has illustated many children's books for himself and other authors including: Lucy Davey’s Pandora’s Potato Romp, Santa and the Reindeer by Maria Farrer, and the charming Will and Woof by Tanya Warren. In addition, he has illustrated two of the popular Kiwi Corkers series. Dave Gunson’s Mr Muggs the Library Cat was the Read-
Aloud title for NZ’s Biggest Storytime as part of LIANZA
Library Week 2010.

Teacher Notes here

ISBN: 978-1-86943-975-0 RRP $16.50

Resurrection by Mandy Hager

2011-05-22T01:16:00.000-07:00

Resurrection by Mandy Hager (Random House)

In 'The Crossing' Book One Maryam discovers that the elders who govern their island are really a religious cult that use and abuse the native islanders. Maryam flees Onewere Island with Ruth, Joseph and Lazarus in a boat to the unknown...

In 'Into the Wilderness' Book Two the foursome land on an isolated island and find the remains of a slaughtered tribe. The foursome patch their boat and set off determined to find help for Joseph, whose reoccurence of a deadly illness worsens. They are struck by a vicious storm and drift for days until they are rescued by people who treat the refugees as prisoners. They are thrown into a detention camp and Lazarus shows sign of the illness that killed his brother Joseph. Maryam looks for a cure to save Lazarus and to take back to her people...

In 'Resurrection' Book Three Maryam willingly asks to be taken to where she was picked up by the boat people. She spends several days back on the deserted island until Lazarus joins her in his yacht. Together they sail back to their island and endeavour to tell their people they do not have to be slaves to the elders any more...

The trilogy deals with a variety of issues including rape, unwanted pregnancy, slavery and religious fanaticism. Tough issues for teenage readers but Mandy Hager tempers it with hope, love, excellent writing and a powerful ending.

Mandy Hager won the Esther Glen Award for Fiction for her novel 'Smashed' and Best Young Adult book in the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 for 'The Crossing'.

ISBN: 9781869795221 RRP $19.95

2011-05-15T01:33:00.000-07:00

Pyre of Queens by David Hair (Penguin NZ)
David Hair’s first fantasy/horror series was set in New Zealand and began with The Bone Tiki. He will have accumulated a fan base (mainly teenage boys) who will be keen to try his latest four-volume series set in India – called The Return of Ravana. The first book in the series is Pyre of Queens. The author draws upon the Indian epic, the Ramayana, to provide a mythological background for his plot. The timeframe alternates between present-day India and an eighth-century kingdom called Mandore. The ancient story involves a wicked raja who attempts to burn himself and his seven wives as part of a spell to give him eternal life. However one wife is rescued at the last minute by a love-struck poet, thus interfering with the spell and turning the raja and the other wives into zombie-like demons. The poet and the queen are hunted by imperial soldiers, but the military commander is also in love with the queen and ends up helping the pair. However the three fugitives are also being hunted by something much worse than mere soldiers – the furious demon-raja and his hideous demon wives... The present-day story involves a similar triangle of teenagers – two boys and one girl. Eventually they realise they are reincarnations of the ancient Mandore characters, and they doomed to re-enact the old story. Or maybe not...

It’s a very complex plot, best for fantasy/horror fans of about fourteen and upwards. Be prepared for plenty of action, suspense, violence, bloodshed and death. My advice to readers is to first read the section at the end called A Brief Introduction to the Ramayana. That really helped me understand what was going on.

ISBN 978 0 14 330612 2 RRP $25

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

A Bigger Digger by Brett Avison, illus. Craig Smith, The Five Mile Press

My two little grandsons are in the target audience for this excellent picture book, so I was delighted to be given a copy to review. Yes, it does evoke memories of the Gilderdales’ classic book The Little Yellow Digger but there’s enough of an individual spin in this story to allow the two to compliment each other. Bryn and his dog Oscar are digging in the back yard when they discover ... a dinosaur head! The museum sends round a digger, but dinosaurs are VERY big – soon they need a bigger digger. And so on. I don’t want to give away the twist at the end of the story – suffice to say that things keep escalating. The very last double-spread contains a superb paper-engineered digger – librarians beware, because little fingers will poke and prod at it.

The rhyming text flows well and will be great fun to read aloud. The book’s hardback presentation and lavish design make it a joy to handle. Craig Smith’s illustrations are colourful, action-packed, and extremely inventive – they reward careful study. Heartily recommended for children of about four to eight. I can’t wait to read it to my grandsons...

ISBN 978 1 74248 410 5 RRP $24.99 (Publication date 18 May)

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

The Loblolly Boy and the Sorcerer

2011-05-12T04:22:00.000-07:00

The Loblolly Boy and the Sorcerer by James Norcliffe, Longacre (Random House)
This is the sequel to The Loblolly Boy, published by Longacre in 2009. Readers should hunt out the first title before they read this – the basic premise might be confusing if you haven’t read the first book. Ben has lost his real identity and has become the loblolly boy – an ethereal and magical being who flies on big green wings, is invisible to all but a handful of Sensitives, and doesn’t have normal human functions. Ben longs to become human again by exchanging his loblolly identity with the boy who took his place, Benjy. But unscrupulous Benjy likes Ben’s life and doesn’t want to give it back. Ben haunts the city where Benjy lives, enlisting various strange characters to help him retrieve his identity – three blind jugglers, a treacherous sorcerer, and an inventive but unreliable gadget man. There are many mistakes, shocks and surprises before Ben finally gets what he wants.
As with the first book, I enjoyed the elegant writing and the extremely inventive plot. But I have a niggling urge to regard these stories as allegories – and if they are, then I can’t identify their message. Why does a succession of unhappy boys become the loblolly boy? Should they have stayed in their own lives and coped with whatever came along, rather than retreating into some detached and fantastical identity? James Norcliffe’s world is a puzzling and intriguing one - I’d love to hear him talk about it. Best for dedicated readers of intermediate age who like magic and fantasy.

For more information see RandomISBN 978 1 877460 69 2 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

I (Maria Gill) asked James Norcliffe a few questions about his latest book:

1. Lorraine Orman wondered ifthese stories are allegories – and if they are, what is their message?

Iimagine the question relates to the two Loblolly books, although it probablyhas application to a lot of my work...

‘Allegorical”suggests a double-barrelled narrative along the lines of Gulliver’s Travelsor The Pilgrim’s Progress. In that sense – where a surface story isessentially a cover or decoy for a “real” story, the Loblolly books are notallegorical. That said, I am a poet so tend to write with a poet’s take on theworld, so my stocks in trade are metaphor, allusion, layered meanings, andflights of imagination. So, quite naturally, these elements, are woven into andoften inform the books. The ideas of flight & invisibility (everychild’s and not a few adults’ dreams) represent ultimate freedom (escape) andsecurity (safety in invisibility). The catch is if we were granted either ofthese meta-human gifts we would become beyond human... no longer part of thereal world, an aberration. Yet it is such a beguiling dream, and such adangerous one, for such gifts allow us to break rules with impunity. Absolutepower – that sort of thing. That’s why Superman, an obvious precursor, had tohave kryptonite. The books spell out that ultimate freedom, while a wonderfulidea to those who are trapped and unhappy, is an illusion – and a morallyfraught one as Suzy found when she reduced her teacher to an ambulance case. Tobe a loblolly boy can lose you your humanity in both senses.

Othercharacters in the book do have symbolic overtones – in a broad-brush cartoon-likeway. Captain Bass represents omniscience somehow. He can see what is and whatwill be, but does not interfere in the process. The Collector? He representsthe unbridled pursuit of what psychologists call crystallized knowledge(knowledge without understanding). He’s also a deliciously nasty character andI had fun imagining him. The jugglers in the second book represent poetry to anextent: they create patterns of harmony and beauty, patterns that are beyondseeing; the Gadget Man represents technology and the idea that some new devicecan solve problems. His is the approach that is more concerned with the gadgetthan the consequences. In an earlier version of the book he was a darker figureand spent time developing military gadgets. The Sorcerer is my tale on thearchetypal trickster. The mixer-upper who behaves with utter amorality in orderto make his own mischief. One of the ironies of the book (and I love irony) isthat it is the Sorcerer who ultimately restores Ben to his father and he does sofor utterly amoral reasons.

Havingwritten the above, I should stress that these are retrospective musings. I amvery much an organic writer and there was no programme followed in themaking...

2. She asks why does a succession of unhappy boys become theloblolly boy? Should they have stayed in their own lives and coped withwhatever came along, rather than retreating into some detached and fantasticalidentity?

Well,of course they could have. But where would be the magic and the fun. There are suchbooks but I consider them moral tracts and I’m incapable of reading them letalone writing them. I did try once at the insistence of my agent but I foundthe experience utterly depressing. Rather like soviet new realism inarchitecture.

3. Will there be any more in the series?

Whenshe reviewed The Loblolly Boy in NZ Books, Diane Hebley picking up on theoriginal meaning – an assistant to a ship’s surgeon in British warships inNapoleonic times – wondered about the origin of the first Loblolly Boy (myversion) and whether there could be a connection. There wasn’t, but the ideahas taken hold and I’m playing around with a Roderick Random type adventure with the Captain the Sorcerer & the very first loblolly boy.

I’mnot sure what will come of it, but it’s lovely and fizzy at the moment.

4. Where did you get the idea for these wonderful books?

Dunno...I do have a hyper-active fantasy life and I love playing around withcharacters, situations, and odd juxtapositions and squirreling around for themost unlikely but really most likely explanation. Sometimes I get a poem, butevery so often a story starts to emerge. When the story really gets going, it’slike taking dictation & it’s just delicious. That’s why I do it.

2011-04-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

Super Finn by Leonie Agnew, Scholastic NZ
Last year this appealing story won the Tom Fitzgibbon Award for a junior novel by an unpublished author (awarded by the Storylines Foundation). Finn is one of those kids who’s always trying to do the right thing – but manages to get into more and more trouble because things never turn out the way he plans. The story begins with Finn trying to achieve two goals: 1) to turn himself into a superhero, and 2) to earn enough money to sponsor a World Vision child in Africa. Unfortunately for Finn (and fortunately for the reader!) his ideas result in some very funny disaster scenes. In an attempt to give himself super vision he overdoses on carrots and ends up with carotene poisoning. This episode is followed by a brilliant plan to raise money – he and his mate Brain smuggle lollies into school and sell them to the other kids. But what happens when they have to go to P.E. before they’ve managed to remove the bags of lollies taped around their waists... This is a genuinely funny, warm-hearted easy-reading story suitable for upper primary and intermediate ages, especially boys. It would also be great as a classroom read-aloud. Tom Fitzgibbon Award winning book!
ISBN 978 1 86943 999 6 RRP $19.50
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Just One More, by Joy Cowley, illus. Gavin Bishop, Gecko Press
This is another delightful feel-good book from Gecko Press, with its luxurious paper, fold-over cover flaps, attractive endpapers, and excellent design. Not to mention Gavin Bishop’s bold and colourful illustrations which pop up everywhere (I’ve got the paperback version but a little bird told me to check inside the jacket on the hardback edition). Over half the stories were originally published as educational readers by Shortland Publishers and Wendy Pye Group – which gives a good indication of the age level of the intended audience. They could be enjoyed by newly-confident readers, but the book is possibly more useful as a read-aloud for primary teachers. The stories vary in length, the shortest being one page and the longest about six pages. They’re all funny and definitely a bit quirky (how does she think them up?) and they cover subjects such as a moving hole, a horse in a department store, a grumpysaurus, and a travelling bath. Definitely a book to share with my grandchildren.
ISBN 978 1 877467 67 7 RRP $22.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

The Lost Tohunga by David Hair, HarperCollins NZ
This is Book Three in the series which began with The Bone Tiki and continued in The Taniwha’s Tear. The ending is slightly open, so I wouldn’t be surprised if another title in the series comes along. The Maori Gothic genre is an acquired taste, and I do have trouble swallowing the author’s free-wheeling interpretations of Maori mythological and fairy-tale characters. But obviously the intended readership (teenage fantasy fans, primarily male) have no such qualms. The action comes thick and fast as a band of evil warlocks compete to locate the hideout of the dead tohunga, Puarata – whoever finds it will assume his mantle of power. The wizard hero, Mat, along with his magical and non-magical friends, races to get there first and free the trapped souls whose essences provide the magic power. There’s heaps of violence, plenty of bloodshed, a few dollops of horror, and several gory deaths – so don’t recommend this series to readers of tender age. Teens should read the books in the series consecutively – the plot is complex and the cast of characters is wide. It’s hard to know who’s who if you haven’t read or don’t recall the story in the preceding volume.
ISBN 978 1 86950 827 2 RRP $24.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

New Zealand non-fiction children's books

2011-04-10T02:44:00.000-07:00

The Life cycle of the Tuatara by Betty Brownlie (Scholastic) - new!

The life cycle of the Frog by Betty Brownlie (Scholastic) - reprint

Other books in the series include Life Cycles of the: kiwi, Monarch butterfly, pukeko, royal albatross. Some of these books were printed in the early 1990s with Betty Brownlie's intricate illustrations. The books are back with new covers and sumptious photographs. The photographs can be small, clipped out to go with relevant text or take up a whole page. The design is uncluttered , simple and colourful. Subjects covered are: where they live, what they look like, a close look at their legs and feet/eggs and hatching, how they sound, the life cycle, mating, different stages of growth, what they eat, threats and where relevant how they are being saved.

An excellent resource for the Primary classroom.

Betty Brownlie is an Illustrator, author, and wildlife artist. She formerly worked as a dental nurse. Betty's books have won the: Aim Children's Book Award shortlist, 1993, for The Life Cycle of the Common Frog, The Life of the Monarch Butterfly, The Life Cycle of the Common Sparrow, and The Life Cycle of the Hedgehog, and 1995, for The Life Cycle of the Praying Mantis; New Zealand Library Association Book Award Honor award, 1995, for The Life Cycle of the Grasshopper; national awards for watercolor painting and pencil drawing. The Life Cycle of the Pukeko is a shortlist in the 2011 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards.

ISBN: 978-1-86943-964-4 RRP $19.50

Reviewed by Maria Gill

2011-03-26T20:51:00.001-07:00

The Travelling Restaurant: Jasper’s Voyage in Three Parts by Barbara Else, Gecko Press I’ve been tossing round words like quaint and quirky and original – they all apply to this light-hearted fantasy set in a country called Fontania. Twelve-year-old Jasper Ludlow is suddenly bundled away with his family on to a sailing ship but unfortunately he is left behind – with no idea what’s going on or what caused the panic. He manages to get aboard a peculiar circular multi-coloured ship called The Travelling Restaurant, crewed by a secretive young woman and captained by a gruff elderly man. Weird things start happening as TTR sails eastwards to re-unite Jasper with his family. Non-stop adventures ensue – involving a wicked, witchy woman who is determined to become queen, a missing baby, pirates, monkeys, spying seagulls, an unreliable uncle, a magical dragon-eagle – and a whole lot more. The book is excellently presented by Gecko Press, with an eye-catching cover, cover flaps which unfold to reveal two maps (very useful), and even a postcard to use as a bookmark. The writing is lively and the plot inventive but it’s a solid read that will appeal mostly to smart readers of intermediate age who don’t mind tackling something a bit different. To be released in April. ISBN 978 1 877467 77 6 RRP $24.99 Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2011-03-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

f2m:the boy within by Hazel Edwards and Ryan Kennedy
ISBN:9781876462901 , Publisher: Ford Street Publishing

"Tick the box. M or F. Male or Female are the only options 'ordinary' people know about. M for Male. F for Female. You're one or the other. But what if you're not? Like me. As I'm finding out."

All adolescents face the quest for identity, but gender change complicates 'coming of age'. Meet school-leaver Skye who is transitioning from female to male. Skye plays guitar in her all-girl band, The Chronic Cramps. Making her name in the punk music scene is easier than FTM (female to male) transitioning: from Skye to Finn, from girl to man. At the school reunion, Finn faces victimisation, but challenges the bullies.

Uncovering genetic mysteries about family heritage tears the family apart. Gran’s loved sibling Al was also Alberta. Transgender identity is more than hormones and surgery, it’s about acceptance. Going public, Finn sings FTM lyrics on TV.

With a little help from bemused mates and parents who don’t want to lose a daughter, but who love their teenager, Finn is transitioning.

Read the first 12 pages for free here. See the trailer.

Awards & Recognitions: Included in White Ravens 2011, displayed at Bologna Book Fair.

Top Five YA novels for 2010 on Literary Clutter review blog (George Ivanoff)

Hazel Edwards and Ryan Kennedy co-wrote the novel f2m:the boy within and collaborated via Skype using a webcam. By writing together online and using web conferencing, they developed the entire novel using web 2.0 tools.

Australian Author Hazel Edwards has written over 200 books for children and adults. This is New Zealand author Ryan Kennedy's first book.

Book Reviews

•The Great Raven - Book Review "It’s well-written and answers a lot of questions"
•The Reading Stack - Book Review:"Give it a try. f2m blew my mind"
•Read Plus - Book Review: "Recommended"
•Aussie Reviews - Book Review: "A groundbreaking novel"
•Paper Tigers Blog - Book Review: "It’s a fast-paced and compulsive read"
•The Gender Centre, Australia - Book Review: "F.T.M. the boy within is a valuable addition to teen literature and should be in every school and public library"
•Reader's Corner – Book Review: "superbly written and well researched"
•Mortal words - Book Review: "a great, easy read"
•Cheryl Morgan - Book Review: "very approachable and non-confrontational."
•Bookie Monster - Book Review: "should be mandatory reading"
•Rooster Tails contains 'fan art' . 'going to recommend f2m to my Mum.'
•The Year in Review' ' delighted to see the YA market producing good books about trans characters'. Cheryl Morgan

Three new non-fiction books

2011-03-19T14:50:00.000-07:00

In love with Moko: The story of a New Zealand dolphin by Val Bird & Nikki Slade Robinson

This 100 page fact/fiction book tells stories about Moko the dolphin from Whakatane. First is the fictional diary of Aroha's diary:

Dear Diary
I hate to start this diary off in a grim tone BUT:
Mum's a bi grouchy and bad-mooded.
"All you can think about is Moko," she complained while we were having dinner.
"He loves me," I told her.
Then she gave me a nasty squinty-eyed look and said ...
"I wish that big fish would go live somewhere else!"
"He's NOT a fish," I told her, "he's a MAMMAL."

Author Val Bird combines fictional diary entries with facts and true stories about Moko. Another section of the book includes Moko's diary - giving a timeline of his short life. The third part includes 50 stories and poems from local people, who had the fortune to experience Moko. The last half has facts about dolphins and information about how you can help them. "Entertaining, poignant and educational, In love with Moko is a heartfelt tribute to this unforgettable dolphin and all the friendships he forged in his short but meaningful life." Younger children will enjoy the many photographs and illustrations, older children will like to dip in and out reading the different parts of this book.

A portion of the money raised from this book will go to WWF, which is involved in dolphin conservation and marine ecology.

Nice day for a war: Adventures of a kiwi soldier in World War 1 by Chris Slane and Matt Elliott (Harper Collins)

Nice Day for a War is based on the diaries of author Matt Elliott's grandfather. Corporal Cyril Elliot enlisted for war at aged 17/18 years lying about his age so that he would be old enough to join. Cyril served nearly four years in the army; training first at Trentham, sailed to Egypt and then travelled overland to France; where they fought the Germans from the trenches. He suffered injuries, rested in Britain for a while, then returned to Europe until trench fever overcame him and he had to spend more time in hospitals. Just after he was discharged on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the Armistice agreement was signed and Cyril Elliot was able to return to New Zealand. Using information from Cyril's diaries, army personnel file and army pay books author Matt Elliott tells the story of Cyril's war experience relaying it in award-winning Chris Slane's cartoons, non-fiction text, photographs, and scans of other war material. It's a fascinating read for 10-14 year old boys and adults. Will be an excellent teaching resource for ANZAC Units for Intermediate and High schools.

See Nice Day for a War on Facebook and some of Chris Slane's illustrations at http://www.slane.co.nz/

ISBN: 978-1-86950-901-9 RRP $ 29.99 Release date April 2011

Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Nic Bishop (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children)

American Author Sy Montgomery and New Zealand photographer Nic Bishop travelled to remote Codfish Island off the southern coast of New Zealand to observe the Kakapo Recovery Team in action saving the kakapo.

It's hours past midnight. You'd think any self-respecting parrot would be asleep. But not Lisa.

No, despite, the late hour, this huge, soft, moss-green bird, looking somewhat like a parakeet who has eaten one side of the mushroom in Alice in Wonderland and grown into an eight-pound giant, decides this is a great time to waddle out of her nest - a nest that's not in a tree, like a normal parrot's, but underground ...

Creative non-fiction recounts like above, interspersed with fast fact boxes, and Nic Bishop's breathtaking photography ensures that this is a captivating read. Targeted for intermediate-aged children and above (including adults) you'll read about the intensive breeding programme, meet some comical kakapo characters and some of the dedicated people living on the island to help the kakapo have more offspring. Highly recommended. (Maybe difficult to buy in New Zealand - I bought mine through Amazon.)

Nic Bishop will be at the Storylines Family Day in Kerikeri on Saturday 27th August and Auckland on Sunday 28th August.

Classroom Activities

ISBN 978-0-618-49417-0

For intermediate-aged readers

2011-03-11T20:44:00.000-08:00

Chronicles of Stone by Vincent Ford, Scholastic NZ
This is a bind-up (or compilation) of the three books in this acclaimed series, Scorched Bone, Set in Stone, and Tribal Ash. Given that the individual titles are still selling for $21 each, it’s is a good buy at $36. For those who haven’t read the series, it’s set in the Ice Age (around 10,000 years ago) and describes the adventures of twins Trei and Souk as they leave their diminishing tribe and travel north to discover the secret of another tribe’s superior weapons. These weapons have enabled the fearsome Northmen to kill mammoth and dominate the neighbouring tribes. Meticulously researched, the book provides fascinating details of human society in ancient times, as well as telling a suspenseful tale of adventure, sacrifice, friendship, and family obligations. Aimed at confident readers of intermediate and early teenage levels, this is a story that will keep youngsters reading hour after hour, day after day... Teaching Notes available via www.scholastic.co.nz/Club/educate.html .
ISBN 978 1 86943 824 1 RRP $36
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Pick ‘n’ Mix: Volume 2, Scholastic NZ
Luckily for New Zealand authors, the Scholastic editors had too many stories for one anthology (Volume 1 was published at the end of last year) so they published a second volume. I have to confess a bias – I was fortunate enough to be included in this anthology. Like all good assortments, there’s a theme to suit everyone – humour, adventure, fantasy, animal, family, plus blends of everything. Favourite contributors include David Hill, Elizabeth Pulford, Janice Marriot, Kyle Mewburn and William Taylor – to name just a few. Each story is suitably illustrated by Jenny Cooper, and I was intrigued to see the different fonts used for the titles of each tale. The cover is attractive (lollies!!), and the subtitle “assorted Kiwi stories” invites the reader to dip in. This would make an excellent read-aloud for teachers needing to fill in ten minutes with their primary and intermediate classes.
ISBN 987 1 86943 994 1 RRP $21.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Three new NZ non-fiction children's books

2011-03-04T17:18:00.000-08:00

I am a Whale by Barbara Todd illustrated by Helen Taylor

I swim through the sea

Then I lift up my tail

And dive down to the deep

I AM A WHALE!

The fourth book in the I am a ... series introduces 4-6 year old children to interesting facts about whales in rhyme. The reader learns the difference between toothed and baleen whales, their feeding habits, what makes them a mammal, how they use echolocation to find their prey, and problems they face. On the last three pages are more facts and activities for children to learn more about whales. A useful resource for Junior Primary and kindergarten classes, and parents with children who crave facts.

Barbara Todd has written more than 10 books on marine wildlife, covering topics from albatross and penguins to whales and sea lions. Based in Nelson, she spends several months of each year researching orca off the Pacific coast of North America.

Illustrator Helen Taylor has illustrated many natural history books. A Booming in the Night co-produced with her writer husband Ben Brown, won the NZ Post New Zealand Best Picture Book Award in 2006.

ISBN: 978-1-86966-298-1 RRP$16.99 (New Holland)

All About: New Zealand's Sea Life by Dave Gunson

This is the sixth book in the All About series. Other books in the series include birds, plants, insects, seashore and The Past. Dave Gunson introduces 60 of our most interesting sea creatures and plants. Written for the 6-9 year old reader each double page includes one large or several small coloured illustrations and 100 words of text about the sea creature being featured. Some pages also include text boxes with additional interesting facts. An index is included on the back page.

An excellent resource for middle school Primary and for children who enjoy devouring facts.

Dave Gunson is a prolific author of children's books. His repertoire includes such classics as Dave Gunson's New Zealand Wildlife, Kiwi of the Great Forest, and Lost Worlds of Aotearoa. Dave has also illustrated many other authors' books including Which New Zealand Bird? by award winning Andrew Crowe.

ISBN: 978-1-86966-284-4 RRP $24.99 pp64 (New Holland)

Young Gardener: get your hands dirty by Janice Marriott

Following on from Yates Young Gardener: Growing things to eat, Janice Marriott's latest gardening book is packed full of fun outdoor activities to do in your garden. Children will learn how to make raised beds, things with edible flowers, a worm wheel, a miniature gardem, a bird garden and lots more. To entertain children there are quizes, jokes, interesting fact boxes and many diagrams and illustrations to show how it is done.

A great present for grandparents to give their grandchildren.

RRP $24.99 (Harper Collins)

2011-03-01T16:11:00.001-08:00

QUAKY CAT AND SCHOLASTIC SUPPORT THE PEOPLE OF CHRISTCHURCH

Following the major Canterbury earthquake of September 2010, Quaky Cat brought comfort and much-needed funds to Canterbury children and their families. No-one involved with the book's production could ever have envisaged that, less than six months later, Christchurch would be struck again, this time by an even more devastating earthquake.
15,000 copies of the book were gifted by Scholastic to year 1 and 2 children in the Christchurch region at the end of 2010, and 50% of Scholastic’s proceeds from sales of Quaky Cat are being donated to Christchurch charities.
So far, $50,000 has been raised for the author’s and illustrator’s chosen charities, the Christchurch Women’s Refuge and Te Tai Tamariki.
This fundraising is now in a new phase supported by the Scholastic international community. Scholastic will be donating funds from worldwide sales of Quaky Cat to the Christchurch Mayoral Earthquake Appeal administered by the New Zealand Red Cross. The author and illustrator royalties will continue to be donated to their chosen Christchurch charities.
Through Quaky Cat, we can all support the children and families affected by the devastating Christchurch earthquakes.

Picture Book from Gecko

2011-02-12T20:35:00.000-08:00

Zou and the Box of Kisses by Michel Gay, Gecko Press
Originally published in French, this title continues Gecko Press’s tradition of cute and quirky picture books. Zou is a baby zebra who is going off to holiday camp. He’s a bit unsure about going, so his parents prepare a box of tissues with kisses imprinted on both sides of the tissues. Zou is glad to have his parents’ kisses when it’s time to sleep on the train going to the camp – and all the other little zebras are happy to have a kiss from the box, too. By the time he gets to camp the next morning, Zou has made lots of friends and it doesn’t matter that all the kisses have been given away. The illustrations are appealing, done in calm pastel colours with plenty of restful white space. As always with Gecko, the presentation is excellent, including good-quality paper and cover flaps. Zou’s story will strike a chord with all preschoolers who are nervous about time spent away from Mum and Dad. (Also available in hardback for $32.99)
ISBN 978 1 877467 74 5 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Something for the girls

2011-02-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

Addie Accident by Shirley Corlett, Scholastic NZ
This is a light and easy-to-read story about a girl who is accident-prone. Poor Addie is always in trouble, especially with the neighbours. Her father says she was born under an ill wind, and Addie is convinced she can hear the evil wind sneaking round after her and getting her into trouble. However a visit to a nearby empty house introduces her to a strange boy called Hubert the Hapless – who has been sent from Imagination Land to help Addie. Addie is the one who invented Imagination Land so she has difficulty in accepting Hubert as a magical being. But the two of them eventually join forces to work on a lengthy and complicated spell which will stop both of them getting into trouble. Plenty of action, heaps of trouble, good dollops of humour, a dash of magic - and a likeable heroine - will attract girl readers of about nine to eleven.
ISBN 978 1 86943 971 2 RRP $18.50

Saffron: I Have Everything Under Control by Victoria M. Azaro, Puffin

The first book about Saffron and her international adventures was published in 2009 by Mallinson Rendell, entitled Saffron. This second book is just as funny and entertaining as the first. In the first chapter Saffron’s exuberant Argentinian aunties come to stay because Mum is expecting a baby; in the second Saffron suffers the ultimate in embarrassment in Bangkok; in the third the whole family experiences an earthquake in Mexico City; and finally Saffron (and younger sister Sage) learn to cope with a brand new baby sister who steals all the limelight. Underlying Saffron’s unique and sometimes hilarious depiction of events, the reader can find themes relating to family dynamics and cultural differences. Victoria Azaro adds to the quirky tone of the story with her numerous black ink cartoon illustrations. Recommended for girls aged about eight to ten who like something a bit different.

ISBN 978 0 14 330552 1 RRP $21.00

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

A favourite reprinted and a legend

2011-01-23T17:25:00.000-08:00

Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer by Lloyd Jones illustrated by Graeme Gash ISBN: 978-0-908-783755 RRP$19.99 Hardback

When Napoleon Bonaparte, the great Emperor of France, returned to Corsicafor his summer holidays, the whole town turned out to welcome their hero home.

As the procession wound its way past his farmyard, Manoli thought, 'Wouldn't it be nice, just for once, to be somebody else other than a chicken farmer?'

Manoli has a chance to be somebody else at the annual Napoleon Bonaparte look-a-like concert. Of course, once he's had a taste of majestic bearing Manoli is reluctant to give it up. The chickens get drunk and disorderly on peaches, no one can eat cake and the townspeople are unhappy. Can Manoli save the day?

An amusing sophisticated picture book that parents, 6-12 year old readers and students will enjoy. The underlying theme of being happy with who you are and play to your strengths is set in Neopolitan's time. The artwork is bright, expansive and modern with a touch of Picasso influence. The book was first published in 2003 by Mallinson Rendel and won the Honour Award at the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in 2004. In the same year, it also scooped the award for Best Use of Illustration at the Spectrum Print Book Design Awards, and the Russell Clark Award for distinguished contribution to illustration at the LIANZA Children's Book Awards.

Lloyd Jones' bestselling novel Mister Pip won several prizes and awards including the 2007 Commonwealth Writers’ Prize Best Book Award and the 2007 Montana Medal for fiction. It was also shortlisted for the 2007 Man Booker Prize. He has written numerous novels, and has worked as a journalist and consultant.

Illustrator Graeme Gash helped design (with Kevin Wildman) as well as illustrated Napoleon and the Chicken Farmer. Graeme is a graduate of graphic design from AUT, has worked in an agency and now works freelance painting, doing puppet theatre and playing music (singer songwriter of the band Waves).

The Taniwha of Wellington Harbour by Moira Wairama, illustrated by Bruce Potter
ISBN 978-0-14350449-8 RRP $19.99 English and Maori versions

In ancient times in Aotearoa, there was a beautiful lake in which there dwelt two monstrous taniwha.
Their names were Whataitai and Ngake.

Whataitai was an easygoing taniwha.
He liked to cruse slowly around the lake,
stopping often to eat the fat, juicy eels at Te Awa - Kairangi river mouth.
After his meal he would stretch himself out to sleep in the sun on Pito-one beach.

Ngake, however, spent most of his time speeding around the lake as fast as he could swim.
His favourite game was leaping over Matiu Island and doing spectacular belly flops.

One day Ngake's restless nature sees him gauge a way to the sea. Whataitai is too fearful at first to join him until he realises the lake has changed since his friend left. He follows the throughfare but doesn't find it an easy journey.

A legend that creatively tells the making of Wellington Harbour. Author Moira Wairama uses colourful language to give us insights into the two taniwhas' characters. Illustrator Bruce Potter's water colour paintings capture the light in the water, the colours of a coastal landscape and the intricate scaling of sea creatures beautifully. The design of text adds to the movement and texture of the story.

Moira Wairama tells the legend for the first time in written form. She says the story was originally told to her thirty years ago by Tipene O'Regan and she has been storytelling it for many years. Moira’s first book Alphabet Art was a collection of poems for children written in collaboration with artist Austin Whincup. Her second book, The Puppet Box, received the Joy Cowley Award in 2006 and was published, with a Maori version, Te Pouaka Karetao, in June 2007. Moira also writes for both the English and Maori School Journals.

Bruce Potter has illustrated over 100 children's books. His illustrations for Papa's Donuts gained him a second place in The World's Best Illustration at the 2007 Gourmand World Cookbook awards. He holds a two-man deadlift world record and has a Bronze medal in the World Masters Bench Press Championships. He has also sung baritone in many musical productions.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Teen Reading for Summer

2011-01-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

Fierce September by Fleur Beale, Random House NZ
This is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the futuristic Juno of Taris. It’s not strictly necessary to have read the first book, but I would recommend reading Juno first to provide necessary background information and characterisation. Juno and the 500 inhabitants of Taris (an isolated island protected by a dome) are rescued by a ship after Juno’s friend Vima sent out a radio message for help. The ship takes the group to Wellington where they are set up in a refugee centre. It is immediately obvious that there is strong opposition among some Outside people to the support being given to the Taris group. A fatal artificial virus is introduced to Wellington, and a malicious media and internet campaign blames the Taris people. In the midst of this hate campaign, Juno and her friends and family struggle to adapt to a whole new lifestyle.
In an interesting initiative, this book uses a cross-media technique to add depth and interest to the story. At the end of each chapter readers are referred to online blogs featuring additional conversations and commentary on the unfolding events of the plot. This technique offers some interesting learning opportunities for innovative teachers, as well as extending the general reading experience.
Fierce September is an excellent and very satisfying study of the power of modern communication technology – heartily recommended for teens.
ISBN 978 1 86979 328 9 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Journey to Tangiwai by David Hill, Scholastic NZ
It’s a bit of a surprise to see this story, originally published in Scholastic’s My Story series in 2003, being re-designed and re-issued. Even the series seems to have undergone a change - it’s now called My New Zealand Story. Still, given that the Tangiwai train disaster happened on Christmas Eve 1953, Scholastic’s timing is not surprising. It’s not a new edition, just a new design with a more striking cover and more up-to-date fonts. It’s still one of the best My Story titles, with its descriptions of a boy’s life in 1953 and its inexorable climb towards the train crash climax. It must surely have long-term appeal to boy readers. Intermediate and secondary school libraries that don’t have it should buy a copy, and other libraries could take the opportunity to replace their (probably) worn-out copies.
ISBN 978 1 77543 006 3 RRP $19
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Should I Kiss Tommy Aitken? by Dawn McMillan, Penguin NZ
In the old days a book like this was called a Twist-A-Plot book. Penguin are being a bit coy about the format – on the back cover they simply say that the reader makes the choices. Basically the story starts with a few pages of plot (13-year-old Georgia is having an icecream with a boy and gets an urge to kiss him) and then imposes a choice – if she kisses him, turn to page 20. If she doesn’t, read on. Several choices later the reader can reach one of several endings – but there is only one path that takes the reader right to the last page of the book. The book is more of a game than anything else – traditionalists who want to read a proper story will find it frustrating. However it provides a light-hearted look at the intricacies of early teenage dating, and it may be a suitable present for a girl of 11 or 12 who simply doesn’t want to read a book from cover to cover.
ISBN 978 0 14 330571 2 RRP $17.99

Top Five Christmas books for children and young adult

2010-12-17T17:45:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for an entertaining children's or young adult book to give as a Christmas present, if so check out these books:

Five entertaining books for 3-6 year olds.

Hannah Bandanna's Hair by Nikki Slade Robinson
Daisy's Maze by Kyle Mewburn
The Fidgity Itch by Lucy Davey
Witchy Goes Shopping by Dianne Boles
The Moon & Farmer McPhee by Margaret Mahy

Plus any of The Kiwi Corker series books (by authors Chris Gurney and Sher Foley)

A great book for bedtime: The Rain Train by Elena de Roo, illustrated by Brian Lovelock

Non-fiction books for this age group - I am a ... series (seals, dolphin, penguin).

Want to give a book that gives back? See Quaky Cat by Diana Noonan - all proceeds going to Christchurch Quake Relief Charities.

Five entertaining books for 7-9 year olds:

Boy Zero: Wannabe Hero by Peter Millet
Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot
Finnigan and the Pirates by Sheryl Jordan
Hollie Chips by Anna Gowan
Organ Music by Margaret Mahy

Plus Victoria Azaro's series for Saffron.

Non-fiction books: The Naughty Kids Book of Nature by Des Hunt, and 'Sensational Survivors' by Sandra Morris, House by A. Machowiak

Five entertaining books for 10-12 year olds include:

The Shadow of the Boyd by Diana Menefy
Tussock by Elizabeth Pulford
Ebony Hill by Anna MacKenzie
Dreams of Warriors by Susan Brocker
Jonty & Choc by Vince Ford

Non-fiction books include:

'It's my turn to cook' by Margaret Brooker, The Kiwi Fossil Hunters Handbook by J. Crampton & M. Terezow, 'Brave Bess & the Anzac Horses' by Susan Brocker

Five entertaining books for teenagers (13 years +) include:

The Project by Brian Falkner
The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe
Ruined by Paula Morris
Into the Wilderness by Mandy Hagar
The Limping Man by Maurice Gee

A non-fiction book for this age group: 'Who's Cooking Tonight?' with Claire Gourley

Books for Teeagers

2010-12-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

Who's Cooking Tonight? with Claire Gourley (Penguin)

ISBN: 978-0-143-20542-5 RRP$36.00

Hungry teeangers will find plenty of scrummy recipes to cook up quickly and scoff down with siblings and friends. Claire's mother Glenda supplied the recipes and teenage author Claire has written the recipes in a way that makes them appealing and talks the language of her peers. Teenage cooks will find snack recipes such as omelette for one, Tuscan chips with guacamole, seafood chowder; dinner for the family - chicken and tomato wedges, vegetable slice, beef fried rice, rapid ratatouille with lamb chops; classic dishes - meatloaf with scalloped potatoes, cheesy pasta bake, cottage pie, creamy fish pie; quick meals - butter chicken with the trimmings, burritos, spaghetti and meatballs, chilli chicken; and not forgetting sweet things - chocolate brownie, berry nice cupcakes, chocolate cake and berries, fresh fruit platter with toffee caramel drizzle. Teenagers can see how things are done by going to her website: http://www.itsmyturntocooktonight.com/ (she's also on Twitter, Facebook and You Tube). Claire's nine year old brother William edited the video clips and downloaded them on You Tube. Claires other brother and friends helped with the taste testing, and photography. The book is packaged to catch the eye of teenagers with bright colours and lots of photographs. An excellent Christmas present for teenagers who enjoy cooking (or for mothers to buy for their teenagers to give them a hint 'it's their turn to cook tonight').

Claire says she wanted to collect favourite recipes together in one place before she left home, and while she was doing this she started to think she could make them available so that other teenagers could benefit from it too. She imparts a healthy eating message throughout the book but reassures teenagers they had to taste and look good too. This is one media savvy teenager - expect to see more of her in the future.

Cor Blimey, Mate: Action Stories for Young Hunters by Marion Day

ISBN: 978-0-9864680-0-1 RRP $

I'd been waiting a long time for this hunt. Been harassing my old man, begging him to take me, and all I ever got was, "You're too young. You'll be a nuisance. Maybe next year."

I even resorted to showing him some underarm fuzzy bits of hair to prove how ready I really was.

"That's bum fluff, boy," he'd said, throwing his head up like one of those ugly laughing hyenas.

"Cor, Dad. Cor blimey. When can I go then? Please?" I asked straight back, determined.

Cor Blimey, Mate is written for young hunters; full of gory stories of pig hunts, being out in the bush with dogs, riding helicopters and using guns. Marion based many of the 18 short stories on true events and has used the language of the hunter (so expect to see some swearing) to make it realistic. The book is illustrated with colour photographs and black and white cartoons. Would suit boys who are reluctant readers and come from the farming community.

I just want to be ... Me! Building resilience in young people by Timothy and Sandra Bowden (Exisle Publishing) ISBN: 978-1-921497-47-6 RRP$22.99

I Just want to be ... Me! is a self help book for teenagers teaching them the principles of ACT (Acceptance and Commitment therapy). Helpful for teeagers with low self-esteem or depressed. It gives them the tools to deal with their demons and how to get back onto the journey of life. It is told in graphic cartoon style making it appealing to teenagers. It would be a helpful resource for the Health programme for Years 6 upwards. Teachers and parents can download free resources to go with the book on the website: http://www.actonpurpose.com.au/

An assortment of books for children

2010-12-09T11:19:00.000-08:00

Pick 'n' Mix assorted Kiwi stories, illustrated by Jenny Cooper (Scholastic) ISBN: 978-1-86943-956-9 RRP $24.00

Dip into this assortment of 16 short stories. You'll find stories by some of New Zealand's award winning and established writers: Elizabeth Pulford, Joy Cowley, Moira Wairama, David Hill, Janice Marriott, Melinda Szymanik, philippa Werry, Kathy White and Bill Nagelkerke and talented new comers: Tania Hutley, Jaqualine Chapman, Feana Tu'akoi, Jill Brasell, Vicki Hall, and Heather McQuillan. Read about a donkey's revenge, how to get your smarts for a math's test, how to dodge space pirates, go back in time with a sugar-baby boy, find out if Hugo keeps the mutts or ditches the girl, and whether Mike gets his dog-walking business off his sister. There's even some unlikely fairy stories ...

It's my turn to cook by Margaret Brooker (New Holland Publishers)

ISBN 978-1-86966-169-4 RRP $24.99

This book will be very popular with aspiring cooks. They'll read about food safety rules and are given tips on how to do things like peel garlic, grate food, chop an onion, separate an egg, chop herbs, beat egg whites stiff and most importantly melt chocolate. In It's my turn to cook there are recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, desert and yummy treats. My daughter snatched the book on its arrival (the cover invites children to turn its pages) and has already trialed several of its recipes. I can defintely recommend the peanut butter cookies, chicken nibbles and chocolate cake. I've got my order in (for my daughter to cook - no ulterior motive here at all - all in the interests of testing whether the recipes are good or not) for strawberry ice-cream, Moroccan Lamb, and for breakfast French Toast, oh and chocolate mousse and some chocolate truffles ...

An excellent Christmas present for 8-12 year olds (Mothers and Fathers - it is in your interest to buy this book).

H.O.U.S.E. by Aleksandra Machowiak and Daniel Mizielinski (Gecko Press)

ISBN: 978-1-877467-66-0 RRP $ 39.99 hardback

This is a fascinating book for children, and adults who are interested in unusual architecture. The book is colourful, laid out with symbols, maps and drawings of houses from all over the world. There is a huge house with big spikes in Denmark, a burrow house in Switzerland, a bubble house in France, a sail house in Spain, a moon house and butterfly house in England, a pear house in the Netherlands, a starry house in Italy - and that's just Europe. In America there's an upwind house, a house of building blocks, a shipping container house; in Chile a house at the edge of the world, a sand house in Iran, a suitcase house in China, a caterpillar and egg house in Japan, and a zig zag house in Australia - and plenty of other unusual houses. It's the sort of book you can dip in and out many times and find something you missed the last time you read it. The book invites you to find the location for each house, meet the architects, think of the house's ideal name then compare it with the original name on the top right hand corner. You can see what the house is made of, what type of furniture it has (bed, kitchen etc.), whether it is in the country, city, mountains, forest or by the sea. There are 23 icons for the reader to identify what type of house they are looking at. Not surprisingly, Ibby put it on their Honour List - it is a gem of a book.

The authors Aleksandra and Daniel graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Poland in 2008 - this is their first book.

It's a Book by Lane Smith (Walker Books)

ISBN: 978-1-921720-14-7 RRP $29.99 hardback

What do you have there?

It's a book.

How do you scroll down?

I don't.

I turn the page.

It's a book.

Do you blog with it?

No, it's a book.

Jackass asks chimp whether it can text, blog, scroll, wi-fi, or tweet? "No ... it's a book," says Chimp. This is a book for all book lovers who stubbornly hold onto the hope that there will be paper books in the future. In fact, give it to someone young so they can see the funny side of book vs. e-book argument. All that aside ... it is a very clever, simple book with humour. The artwork and design is pared back; there are close-ups and different angles of the three main characters (Jackass, chimp and book). I love the look on Chimp's face as he becomes frustrated with the many questions. The last line is a doozy. An absolute delight. (And yes, I do confess this is not a New Zealand children's book - but as a book lover I had to sneak it in.)

Lane Smith is a gifted picture book writer and illustrator. Several of his books have been on bestseller lists and won awards: Madam President; John, Paul, George & Ben; James and the Giant Peach; Princess Hyacinth; Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Book for Earthquake Charities

2010-12-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

Quaky Cat by Diana Noonan, illustrated by Gavin Bishop (Scholastic) ISBN: 978 1 775 43 0292 RRP $ 19.50

Released 9 December 2010

On a cold Christchurch morning, while the city was sleeping,
before the birds roused him with twitters and cheeping,
curled up on the end of his friend Emma’s bed,
Tiger woke with a start ... and a feeling of dread.

Tiger fled from the house with a leap and a bound
as, louder than thunder, from deep underground,
came a roar and a shudder and terrible shaking!
Around him, the city was rolling and quaking.

Quaky flees through the rumbling rolling city and shoots up a tree to safety. He is joined by many other terrified cats until the city stops rocking. Then Quaky cat returns home to find Emma but what does he find instead ...

Author Diana Noonan and illustrator Gavin Bishop experienced the terrors of the Christchurch earthquake themselves. This is their tribute to help children who were traumatised in the Christchurch region and to help other children around the country understand what it was like. Quaky Cat is an uplifting, heartwarming tale for children, written in rhyme and illustrated with bright colourful pictures. It also includes a note to readers from both the author and illustrator about their personal reactions to the quake, as well as contributions from Mayor Bob Parker, Margaret Mahy and Jason Gunn - who all live in Christchurch. The author and illustrator have generously donated their royalties, and Scholastic has contributed 50% of net proceeds from the book to Christchurch charities. The book was produced using all Christchurch businesses and one free copy will be given to all Year 1 and 2 children in the Christchurch area.

Award-winning Diana Noonan has written over two hundred publications including young adult novels, picture books, non-fiction, poetry, radio stories, television material, feature film treatments, and short film scripts. She lives on the remote Catlins Coast of the lower South Island.

Multi-awardwinning author/illustrator, Gavin Bishop is arguably NZ’s best-known children’s book illustrator.

Picture Books for Christmas

2010-11-20T14:19:00.000-08:00

The Moon & Farmer McPhee by Margaret Mahy and David Elliot (Random House)
ISBN: 978-1-86979-406-4 RRP$36.99 Hardback

Farmer McPhee is too busy to stare at the wondrous moon. At night he just wants to sleep without being woken up by partying farm animals. The animals believe he is missing out and lure him out into the night to do less frowning and more frisking ...

A picture book story about letting go the mundane and embracing the fun in life. From the special cut-outs and fold-outs, humorous faces on the animals and Farmer McPhee, clever use of shadow, space and colour and of course, wonderful use of language comes a winning combination between Margaret Mahy and David Elliot. Sure to be a popular Christmas book with 4-6 year old children and a book to treasure and show the next generation.

Margaret Mahy is New Zealand's most famous children's writer. Two of her books were awarded the Carnegie medal, she also won the Hans Christian Andersen award and many other international and national awards. David Elliot has written and illustrated five award winning picture books and illustrated many other popular books such as the 'Redwall' series and Margaret Mahy's book of poetry The Word Witch.

The Indigo Bird by Helen Taylor (Penguin)
ISBN: 978-014350471-9 RRP $19.99

Before you even start reading the story you are given an invitation: At the very edge of our world, hidden in mist, is a land where the birds dress in iridescent cloaks of purple and red. Turn the pages, come in and find us ... Fantail is searching for his friend the Takahe. He asks different birds throughout the book if they have seen him. The illustrator is also inviting the reader to find the Takehe hidden on each page. Helen's illustrations are stunning; with a clever use of white space and panels of bright colours with 1-2 birds centre-stage.

Helen Taylor was inspired by the history of the Takehe - the bird that in myth and reality had a tendency to get lost, a loner that throughout time has a habit of making dramatic exits and entrances. On the last page she tells the story of how Dr. Geoffrey Orbell rediscovered the throught-to-be-extinct Takehe. Helen Taylor is an award-winning children's book illustrator and an exhibiting artist. She has illustrated several of Ben Brown's - her partner - books. She has twice been shortlisted for the LIANZA Children's Book Awards and won the Best Picture Book in the New Zealand Post Book Awards with their book A Booming in the Night.

Alf Red's Broccoli Rocket by Simon Clearwater & Andrew Dopheide (Penguin)
ISBN: 978-014350472-6 RRP$19.99

Alf Red liked to invent things with food and strings. He also wanted to travel to the moon so he fashions a rocket from vegetables from the fridge. His brother Ted finds the rocket late at night and speeds to the moon. On landing hungry rabbits gobble up his rocket - he has no way of returning. Fortunately, for him his brother comes to his rescue ...

Simon Clearwater has used rhyme to tell the story and it has probably dictated his choice of words at times. The illustrations look computer generated with a colour-scheme of purple and yellow. The designer has slightly skewed the text and encased pictures in white borders. It is busy-looking but the reader will find plenty of interesting images to view. Four to six year old boys will enjoy the unlikely adventures of the two brothers in the story.

Simon Clearwater is a primary school teacher who lives in Mapua with his wife and two young children. This book was inspired by resourceful children with wild imaginations, and the fantastic voyages found in science fiction literature. Illustrator Andrew Dopheide grew up among the trees, wetas and possums of West Auckland. He has always been interested in drawing, photography and art, as well as nature and science. He has studied design, film-making and science, and is a keen tramper and an occasional snowboarder and volcano climber. He has traveled fairly widely to parts of Southeast Asia, Europe, West Africa, and New Zealand's Subantarctic Islands, and has lived in Dunedin, South Korea and California. He currently lives in Auckland, where he works as a science researcher doing difficult things involving molecular biology and microbial ecology, writing research papers, and also using photography, digital imaging and computer animation to produce illustrations of scientific processes.

A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree adapted by Kingi M. Ihaka, illustrated by Dick Frizzell (Penguin)

ISBN: 978-014350479-5 RRP$ 25.00 Hardback includes CD

On the first day of Christmas

my true love game to me

a pukeko in a ponga tree

A reprint in hardback with CD of the popular New Zealand version of The Twelve Days of Christmas. Bound to be popular under the Christmas Tree and no doubt performed in many school Christmas concerts. Music score with lyrics and chords is printed on pages 31 and 32. First published in 1981 by Heinemann Reed.

Young MacDonald goes to the Show by Anna Crosbie, illustrated by Scott Tulloch ISBN: 978-1-86950-889-0 RRP$ 20.00

Young MacDonald goes to the show and enters lots of competitions; many of which he fails at miserably but he does bring home one trophy (each show) ...

The second in the series of Young MacDonald stories. The first introduces Young MacDonald and his family and was very popular staying on the bestseller list for many weeks.

Children will enjoy reading/hearing (depending on whether they can read or not) aloud the familiar rhythmic story and also looking at Scott's amusing illustrations. Check out the added humour in the extra prize labels.

Anna Crosbie has returned home after living in the UK and now lives in Nelson with her young family. Scott Tulloch is an artist, author, father and book illustrator, living in Martinborough. This is their second collaboration, after the success of their first book, Young MacDonald Had a Farm.
Reviewed by Maria Gill

2010-11-14T00:58:00.000-08:00

The Noisy Book by Soledad Bravi, Gecko Press
This handy-sized boardbook provides plenty for your money – 112 pages – which means around 50 double-spreads. Originally published in French, it simply goes through the sounds made by various things (“the cat goes meow”) with a sketchy, childlike cartoon illustration for each object or concept. I was able to test the book on my nearly three-year-old grandson, and he sat still the whole time – a definite recommendation. The adult reader needs to put plenty of effort into making the appropriate sounds – and occasional interpretation might also be needed. Noises from objects such as blocks, wolf, monkey, cuckoo, door, baby and cow are fine - and Mummy going “Kiss, kiss” is also likely to produce a laugh. But a snail not making any sound at all takes a bit of explaining, and a tin of spinach going “Yuck” is not a familiar object to a New Zealand child. Nevertheless, this could easily become a favourite carry-round item for your toddler, and would be a great book to go under the Christmas tree. Released in November.
ISBN 9781877467523 RRP $24.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Shadow of the Boyd by Diana Menefy, HarperCollins NZ
Like most New Zealanders, I knew about the burning of the Boyd in Whangaroa Harbour in 1809, but knew nothing of the details. Diana Menefy’s book casts a clear and accurate light on this notorious event. It’s written from the point of view of one of the four survivors, a cabin boy called Thomas, aged about fifteen at the time. The slaughter of the crew is generally regarded as utu for the cruel flogging of a chieftain’s son on the journey to New Zealand, and Thomas’s life was spared because he smuggled food to the stricken Maori after the flogging. The story unfolds on two levels, because Thomas is writing his account of the Whangaroa event aboard the ship that rescued him – the City of Edinburgh – as it sails back to Britain. The City of Edinburgh is nearly wrecked off the coast of South America, so Thomas’s adventures continue for some time. Thomas is a clear-headed and observant narrator, and I enjoyed the interesting historical details of shipboard life at the time. There is an Author’s Note and a Glossary at the back. This story would appeal to readers of about 11 to 14 who like reading historical adventure.
ISBN 978 1 86950 860 9 RRP $19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Chapter Books for 7-11 year olds

2010-11-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

Boy Zero Wannabe Hero: The attack of the Brain-dead breakdancing zombies by Peter Millett (Faber Kids) ISBN 978 0 571 25323-4 RRP

General Pandemonium intends to take over the world with the power of song this time. His rap tunes turn everyone into breakdancing zombies. The only two not buying it are Charlie and his best friend Josh. Oh, and there's Grandpa but he's half help and half hindrance, if you get what I mean. Charlie becomes Boy Zero to stop the General's master plan but is foiled by one tiny thing - which just so happens to scamper around on eight legs - arghhhh.

Another humorous story from Peter Millett. Boys will love the puns and Peter's allusions to music shows and celebrities are very funny. It's a laugh-out-loud every page type of book. Hopefully we'll see lots more in this series.

Peter Millett's a kiwi whose gone international. This is the second book in the Boy Zero series. Peter has a passion for zany English humour and says Spike Milligan is one of his all-time heroes. Peter's written several picture books and many educational books - check them out on his website. Hey kids, the site includes games too! Also check out Boy Zero and the General's twitter pages.

Violet Mackerel's Brilliant Plot by Anna Branford, illustrated by Sarah Davis
ISBN: 978-1-921529-17-7 RRP $ 22.99 Hardback

Violet Mackerel is a young girl on a mission. She wants to buy a blue china bird at the market but she can't play the violin like her brother (he's saving for a camera), or make earings like her sister (she's saving for an expensive haircut) or knit jumpers like her mother. She has to think-outside-the-box to find a special thing that she can do at the market. Violet employs several theories to help her come up with an idea; some are not very successful but her last plan might just do the trick.

This is a delightful story about a little girl and her family surviving after their father has left the family. It is very realistic; brother and sister squabble, they don't have much money and each family member has their own way of dealing with their grief. That's the back story - the real story is how Violet uses thinking skills to achieve her goal. Sarah Davis's black and white sketchings are detailed, warm and full of character. It's a heartwarming story that leaves you hoping that you'll see more of Violet Mackerel and her family.And you will - this is the first of four books in the series and I'm pleased to say that Sarah Davis will also be illustrating the other three too. The next book Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery comes out April 2011. Bound to be a huge success with 6-9 year old girls.

This is Anna Bradford's second book; her first came out August 2010 called Sophie's Salon. She has two more coming out in 2011 Violet Mackerel's Remarkable Recovery and Neville No Phone. Anna teaches sociology at University and makes things like dolls and other crafty things. It is well worth going to Anna's site and Violet's site (yes, they have one each) because you'll find lots of crafts to make and you can even learn how to make poffertjes (very similar to pikelets or drop scones - depending on where you come from). Anna was born on the Isle of Man and lived in many countries until she settled in Australia.

Sarah Davis has also had a very successful year; this is the third book she has illustrated for 2010: Marmaduke, The Fearless Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate, and this one. Her first two books were: Mending Lucille and Fearless (expect to see a sequel to this book next year). And we'll be seeing lots more of Sarah. Her artwork is gorgeous and any book with her illustrations are keepers. New Zealand born Sarah lives in Australia.

Early childhood Picture Books

2010-11-07T01:10:00.000-07:00

Slinky Malinki's Christmas Crackers by Lynley Dodd

ISBN: 978 014 350462 7 RRP$ 21 Boardbook

Christmas was coming.

Out came the tree,

dressed up in finery

splendid to see.

Trinkets and tinsel

with baubles and bows,

a mouse with a hat

and a very red

nose.

A reprint of one of Lynley Dodd's classic stories featuring Slinky Malinky. If you own a cat you will identify with this story - just when you've got the christmas tree dressed in its finery along comes a meddlesome cat to cause havoc... Lynley's stories are a joy to read; the rhythm and rhyme encourage you to recite the story in a sing song voice to young children. Toddlers will delight in the illustrations of that mischevious Slinky Malinky and the sparkles of the Christmas Tree. After reading the story parents can point to different shapes in the story and introduce new Christmassy words to their toddler. I can see this being a favourite with parent and child.

Lynley Dodd's picture books are sold around the world and it's not surprising - they have the right formula of fun, fantasy, rhythm and rhyme - Lynley is a master at the craft.

Hetty's Day Out by Pamela Allen

ISBN: 978 0 670 07447 1 RRP $30,00 Hardback

Once upon a time there was a cat called Hetty.

One morning Hetty woke up,

yawned, washed behind her ears,

then squeezed through her little

door flap into the bright sunlight.

Hetty in sauntering cat fashion goes off for a walk to the neighbours and is given breakfast by seven neighbours and this is where the counting comes in... The first neighbour gives Hetty one plate of baked beans, the second neighbour gives her two pork pies, the third gives her three barbecued lamb chops - you can see where this is leading ... one very fat cat.

Toddlers will love the illustrations of the very fat cat and enjoy counting the meals Hetty is given by her neighbours. Pamela Allen's pared back writing and illustrations are just perfect for the under three year old. They are designed to be read aloud and shared between adult and child. Pamela has been enchanting generations of children for over 30 years - her books have won many awards here in New Zealand and Australia.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Picture Books

2010-10-31T02:47:00.001-07:00

Hill & Hole by Kyle Mewburn, illustrated by Vasanti unka (Penguin)
ISBN 978-0-143504535 RRP $18.99

Hill and Hole were best friends
Hill likes being a hill,
and Hole likes being a hole.
But sometimes they dream of swapping places...

Have you ever had that feeling that it might be fun to be something or do something else? Kyle Mewburn's wonderfully original story explores that theme with two very unlikely characters - Hill and Hole.

Kyle has produced another excellent philosophical book that will encourage 4-8 year old children to think about wanting what you don't have. Teachers could use it to explore the Health theme of being happy with who you are. The illustrations are a perfect fit for this picture book.

Kyle Mewburn has been a full-time writer since 1997. His book Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck! won the Picture Book and Children's Choice Awards at the 2007 NZ Post Children's Book Awards. In 2009 he was a finalist with Duck's Stuck and in 2010 is the winner the Picture Book category with Old Hu-Hu.

Vasanti Unka is a graphic designer and illustrator who works from her home office. In 2006 she won the Best Educational Book Award from BPANZ for her design of the book set, Frontier of Dreams and in 2008 one of her illustrated books The Bean's Story was a Storylines Notable Book.

Kei hea a Spot? na Eric Hill (Penguin)

Ka kino a Spot!
Ko te wa kai.
Hei hea ranei ia?

A classic Where is Spot? book reproduced in Maori. Kohanga reo classes will find this a very useful resource in their classrooms.

Hannah Bandanna's Hair by Nikki Slade Robinson (Scholastic)
RRP $19.95

Fruffled and frizzled,
teased and tizzled,
knotted and knitted,
whorled and whizzled,
is Hannah Bandanna's hair.

Hannah Bandanna has wild hair that keeps getting tangled and tied into knots. She gets rather fed up with her out-of-control hair until Aunt Tallpoppy gives her some advice that changes her outlook...

Having wild hair myself I can totally identify with Hannah and her problems. Lots of curly headed 4-6 year olds will also. Nikki has used mixed media: coloured pencil and gouache on brown paper combined digitally with photographs and digital illusration.

After Nikki Slade Robinson graduated from Wellington’s Visual Communication and Design course she set up as a freelance illustrator in 1989. She has illustrated over 60 titles including children’s books and readers, including award-winning The Puriri Tree/Te Puriri. "The Seven Stars of Matariki" has been a finalst in the Sir Julius Vogel Awards. "That's not Junk!" was one of three titles Penguin has chosen to release internationally as a Q-Book in 2010.

Little Red and the Cunning Kuri by Chris Gurney, illustrated by Sarah Anderson
RRP $18.50

Little Red was a happy and sweet little girl,
and her hair was a mop of crazy red curls.
She was called 'Little Red' from when she was small,
as red was the colour she loved most of all.

Another book in the Kiwi Corker series - this time a retake on Little Red Riding Hood story. This bouncy red headed girl meets not a fox but a cunning kuri. But this dog gets more than he bargained for when he tries to trick Little Red.

Chris Gurney is an expert on writing these rhyming traditional stories with a kiwi twist. Sarah Anderson's illustrations are vibrant and stunning (and very red). Sarah has created the illustrations by combining digital painting and digital collage.

Chris Gurney has had seven picture book titles published in the space of two years. She writes with a faultless sense of rhyme and rhythm and shows great humorous talent. Auckland based illustrator Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson brings a fresh look to picture books with quirky artwork that literally glows on the pages.

More wonderful tales in the Kiwi Corkers Great New Zealand Yarns series are The Tuatara and the Skink, Cindy and the Lost Jandal, Wacko Kakapo, The Ugly Hatchling, Trev and the Kauri Tree, The Little Blue Duck, The Three Little Lambs, The Mayor's Flash New Clothes and A Kiwi Christmas Carol

Joy Cowley

2010-10-24T15:32:00.000-07:00

One week after releasing the following two books, Joy Cowley received the Prime Minister's Award for her contribution to children's literature. Joy Cowley has given an incredible amount not just in this country (giving proceeds for 'Writing from the Heart' and writing workshops to Storylines and volunteering much of her time over the years) she has also travelled the world giving workshops in poor countries so that children, teachers and authors can benefit from her experience and hear her stories - at her own expense.

Navigation: a memoir by Joy Cowley (Penguin)

ISBN: 978-0-14-320571-5 RRP$45.00

When Joy Cowley was asked several years ago to write an autobiography - she said no. Penguin came back and suggested she wrote her memoirs. Joy Cowley quite liked the idea of focussing on a collection of anecdotes. "I'm like a riverbed trying to identify all the stones that make it what it is."

Her life's journey is situated in place: her father's wish to not live far from the sea left an imprint on Joy, she too longed to live near it and by chance found an idyllic place in Fish Bay. She brought her four children up there, and now visits it with her grandchildren. She has written many of her stories there. "I relax in a hot tub and think, 'Wishy-washy, wishy-washy'... An albino eagle ray follows my dinghy. A pet pig develops a taste for tobacco and eats visitors' cigarettes, packets and all. In a screaming nor-wester, a willy-wall picks up two kayaks from the beach and shoots them high in the air like missiles, dropping them in the bush halfway up the hill. On a calm day, I stand in shallow water and small fish, soft as feathers, lie on my bare feet to warm themselves. Stories, stories; and not just the inspiration, either, but also the energy to create them."

In 1958, Joy began writing after her two little ones were put to bed. Her first two stories were published in the New Zealand Daily Exporter. Then stories were published in the Home Journal and School Publications. She also joined a writers group and was given feedback. She continued sending stories to The Listener and after 40 rejections was finally published in 1961.

Joy says stories were everywhere, like the fruit in her orchard. "All I had to do was pick it up and use or preserve it for a later date." It was while trying to find stories that would interest her son Edward that she became interested in writing early readers. She found that the word lists she was supposed to include in her stories contained words that children rarely used. She suggested a change at the International Reading Conference in America. She also engaged with children to find out what interested them. She wrote their stories and discovered that children who experienced failure with reading needed to have text that built up their self esteem. She made them the heroes, included humour and often put a small surprise at the end of the book.

You'll read about how Joy Cowley had her first adult novels published, how she entered a picture book competition and won with The Duck in the Gun, and later tried to rescue a turtle from death in Fiji and though wasn't able to save it, was inspired to write her first junior fiction novel called The Silent One.

If you love Joy Cowley's books - teacher, librarian, mother, or student - you will enjoy reading the many anecdotes she has chosen to share with us. My favourite: she stayed with Roald Dahl in England (coincidentally, his biography 'The Storyteller is out in the same month) while he made a film of her first book Nest in a Falling Tree'. It is a fascinating book: reading how Joy Cowley shaped our early readers in New Zealand and America; her dedication to children's literature globally; and how her connectness to children, family and land were the inspiration for many of her books.

Writing from the Heart: How to write for children by Joy Cowley published by Storylines, ISBN: 978-0-43-17515-3 RRP$ 25.00 Buy online

Joy Cowley shares her 40 years of experience writing for children in this 'how to' book. However, instead of writing it as a 'dry' instructional book, Joy has shared her long experience as writer, editor and facilitator of writing workshops, as a series of warm and witty anecodotes. On the way, learn about plot writing, writing interesting dialogue, about how to be a disciplined writer, using humour in your stories, writing for different genres (earlyreaders, novels, picture books, plays, poetry), using different editing techniques and presenting your manuscript the best that you can.

All proceeds for this book go to Storylines.

Highly recommended for beginning writers.

Picture Books for Christmas

2010-10-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Brian Saves Christmas by Yvonne Morrison and Deborah Hinde, Scholastic
Well, who’s Brian? Answer: he’s the main character of Brian the Big-Brain Romney, which is what this story was called when it was originally published in 2008. This version has been re-titled and re-jacketed, and is a sequel to the bestselling A Kiwi Night Before Christmas. Brian is the sheep equivalent of a nerd – he’s scrawny and brainy and a great disappointment to his father. But when Santa the Farmer is stopped from delivering presents by bad weather, guess who invents a GPS to show him where to drive his flying tractor...? The story is told in rhyming text, and the illustrations are done in cheeky cartoon style – the curly-haired thin-limbed Romney sheep take a bit of getting used to. If you’re looking for a picture book with a Christmas theme, this is one that should appeal to most New Zealand youngsters.
ISBN 978 1 86943 889 0 RRP $19.50

The Boy With Two Shadows by Margaret Mahy, illus. Jenny Williams, Puffin
This is just one of the titles in Puffin’s A Margaret Mahy Classic series – there have been six reprints so far, including old favourites such as The Witch in the Cherry Tree and A Summery Saturday Morning. This story was originally published by Dent in 1987. It’s a bit hard to know what to say about a classic Margaret Mahy story – but it’s an intriguing and imaginative tale about a boy who shadow-sits for a witch and ends up in a lot of trouble. The illustrations have a definite English flavour – which is not a drawback because they are quite beautiful – but wouldn’t it be nice to see Margaret’s stories reprinted with a New Zealand setting? A great buy for libraries wanting to update their Margaret Mahy picture book collection, and for parents wanting a gentle tale to share with their primary-aged children.
ISBN 978 014350440 5 RRP $19.99

A Kiwi Christmas Carol by Chris Gurney, illus. Philip Webb, Scholastic
This is the latest in the handsome hardback series called Kiwi Corkers: Great New Zealand Yarns. Actually, it’s a Charles Dickens yarn retold with a New Zealand setting. Jerry is the skinflint who owns the Kai Corner Dairy, dreadfully underpaying his assistant, Danny Devine. Jerry is accosted in his sleep by a series of ghosts who show him Christmas Past, Christmas Today and Christmas To Come. The last scene shows Jerry his own lonely, neglected grave. This precipitates a complete change of heart and Jerry becomes the good-hearted favourite of the neighbourhood. The story is told in rhyming text and is excellently illustrated in characteristic style by Philip Webb. It’s fun to spot the New Zealand icons in the pictures. This would be a good addition to a library or personal collection of Christmas picture books – children of about six to eight will have fun with it.
ISBN 978 1 86943 942 2 RRP $18.50

20 Winning Kids’ Stories, Scholastic
The Scholastic Short Story Competition for children generated over 1300 entries. The judges (Jill Eggleton, Kyle Mewburn and Charlie Panapa) had the difficult task of whittling this number down to twenty stories across three age groups, choosing a winner, a runner-up, and several highly commended entries for each level. Section 1 was ages 5 to 7; Section 2 was ages 8 to 10; and Section 3 was ages 11 to 13. The judges were impressed by the wide range of subjects tackled by the young entrants – topics included a unicorn’s ball, a terrorist attack in India, the loss of a sister, the effects of war, an escaped budgie, a captured cheetah... This book will be welcomed by teachers who want to encourage their students to write – because it shows that if you learn to write top-quality stories you have a chance of getting your work into print. Each story is accompanied by an entertaining black pen illustration by Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson.
ISBN 978 1 86943 995 8 RRP $19.50

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Three new Picture Books

2010-10-16T14:32:00.000-07:00

Daisy’s Maze by Kyle Mewburn, illus. Michaela Sangl, Scholastic

Daisy the mouse lives in a tower, surrounded by a maze. Whenever she invites her friends to tea, they are grumpy and exhausted by the time they navigate the maze and climb the tower. Unfortunately Daisy doesn’t realise this and decides to cheer them up by making the maze more difficult and the tower higher. This results in her frustrated friends failing to arrive. Daisy goes down to look for them – guess what happens to her? In the end, of course, the friends are able to once again enjoy each other’s company – but Daisy has learned a lesson. This light, entertaining story is considerably enhanced by the imaginative illustrations done in watercolour, pencil, acrylic and collage, using Adobe Photoshop. The pictures offer a whole new layer of entertainment if the reader studies them carefully. There are lots of appealing little extras to be spotted in the backgrounds – such as the penguin sailing past Rangitoto in a boat made out of paper with German text on it. Best for sharing with children of about four to six.

ISBN 978 1 86943 960 6 RRP $19.50

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Dear Toby by Diana Noonan, illus. Linda McClelland, Scholastic

Teddy bears are extremely important to a great number of people (I have actually lost count of how many teddy bears live with me!). So Diana Noonan taps into an almost universal theme with this picture book about coping with teddy bear disasters. Toby the bear runs a kind of teddy bear agony column, and replies to children who write, email, or phone with some desperate question about their bear. Toby reassures anxious inquirers that teddy will definitely survive the spin in the washing machine, and that teddies don’t really need clothes because their thick fur keeps them warm. The illustrations are done in pencil and warm pastel watercolours, and their friendly style reminds me a lot of Shirley Hughes’s classic picture books. This will be a favourite with any teddy-bear fan aged about four to seven.

ISBN 978 1 86943 946 0 RRP $19.50

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Time For Bed Little Kiwi by Bob Darroch, Puffin

Most New Zealand children will be familiar with the Little Kiwi series. This new title in the series has the added advantage of being a lift-the-flap book. However I will put on my librarian’s hat here and say that lift-the-flap books are VERY hard to keep undamaged by eager little fingers. The story is simple – Mother Kiwi can’t find Little Kiwi, so she seeks him all through the bush. Each double spread illustration shows a different bush scene with a flap, and under the flaps we find creatures such as weta, morepork, kakapo, and so on - but no Little Kiwi. I won’t give away the story, but of course Little Kiwi turns out to be perfectly safe. Bob Darroch’s cheerful illustrations are true to the bush environment, and the book could be used with a classroom nature study. I can also see it as being useful as a bedtime story for two to five-year-olds.

ISBN 978 014350430 6 RRP $15.99

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2010-10-14T22:11:00.000-07:00

The Heir of Night by Helen Lowe
In the far north of Haarth, the Derai people garrison the mountains known as the Wall of Night against their powerful eons old enemy, keeping darkness from the rest of their world. But the Derai's Nine Houses are divided: warrior against priest, and House against House, and they have been further weakened by the subversion and loss of their great magical powers. Powers that are now viewed with suspicion. We start the story with Malian, young Heiress of the warrior Earl of Night. She is being trained in the ways of a leader, but has known little of real danger until the enemy attacks her fortress home. Her dormant powers are called forth to protect her people when her home becomes a bloodbath - as women, children, warriors and priests alike are slain. And although Malian saves the keep, her new abilities are anathema and she must choose between exile and escape to find her way in the world beyond the Wall. There, Malian must accept that she has the power to defeat her people's ancient enemy. And that this power comes at a price.

Meet the author in Auckland at Armageddon over Labour Weekend—on Saturday 23. She will be be joining the Whitcoulls team (Stand 45) at 11.30 am to talk about the genesis of The Heir of Night and why I love—and most particularly write!—epic fantasy. So if you live in Auckland or are visting over the Labour weekend break, she would love to see you there.

ASB Showgrounds: Saturday 23 October
Whitcoulls, Stand 45
11.30 am

Here's a pic of Helen so you can recognise her.

Two birdies in the hand ...

2010-10-12T23:06:00.000-07:00

The Very Important Godwit story and song by Jenny Pattrick, Music by Laughton Pattrick, Illustrations by Jez Tuya (Random House) ISBN: 978-1-86979-348-7 rrp$36.99 HARDBACK

The Very Important Godwit book is a mix of song and story. In the story Will walks down to the beach and sees many Godwits. "Why are they so hungry?" He asks his mother. She tells him they need to be fat. Will tries to count all the Godwits but there are too many of them to count until the day they all fly off and there are none left. Will's mother is a scientist and she has attached a transmitter to Pipi - the Very Important Godwit. Will and his mother track his journey around the world. Will soon finds out why they eat so much and where they have their chicks.

Interspersed amongst the story are short stanzas of song. Children can play the CD and join in with the 17 original songs. Teachers could use this book in their Native Bird study. Junior and Middle school will understand the ecological message. Younger children will enjoy the pictures and story. Suitable for 5-7 year old children.

Jenny and Laughton Pattrick's songs for children are sung in schools throughout New Zealand and Australia. They have also written children's musical shows: Capital E, National Children's Theatre and regular tour shows for young children. Laughton was formerly a Primary and Secondary school teacher, a music advisor and College of Education lecturer. More recently he has been a singing tutor at Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School.

Jes Tuya is a freelance illustrator. Her colourful illustrations look like they might be computer generated.

Come along to the book launch of 'The Very Important Godwit' 4pm, Saturday 16 October 2010, Capital E National Children’s Theatre, Civic Square, 101 Wakefield St, Te Aro, Wellington
To be launched by Jack Lasenby, Some songs from the book will be performed; family members are welcome.

Ria the Reckless Wrybill by Jane Buxton, illustrated by Jenny Cooper (Penguin)
ISBN: 978-1-14350-450-4 rrp$30.00 HARDBACK

From the moment that Ria hatched her parents knew she was special - her bill pointed the opposite way to everybody elses. Ria soon learns that it is not so easy being different. It makes it difficult for her to find mayfly eggs but it is her feisty attitude that also makes her stand out too. When her parents give her a lesson on what to do when predators fly down instead of staying still like her brother Rua she jumps up and shouts, 'Look out, predator!' and 'I'm Ria the wrybill and I'm coming to get you.' As you can imagine her attitude gets her into plenty of trouble ...

An enjoyable story complemented with beautiful water colour pictures. Children 4 - 8 years will enjoy this story with an environmental message. Teachers could also use it when studying native birds with the class.

Jane Buxton was born in Otaki in 1947 and grew up in Wanganui. Her first children’s book was published in 1976 and she'se been writing for children ever since. For many years she was a primary school teacher and wrote part-time. She now earns her living as a writer and has had more than 200 stories, plays, poems and articles published both in New Zealand and overseas, mainly by Learning Media and Wendy Pye for the education market.

Jennifer Cooper is a children’s book illustrator with a background in graphic design. She has illustrated numerous picture books, including Rugby for Rosie, written by Frances Adlam, The Mad Tadpole Adventure by Melanie Drewery and Duck Walk by Joy Cowley. Cooper has spent time in Western Samoa, and she enjoys producing illustrations relevant to Pacific Island and Maori children.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Two new books illustrated by Katz Cowley

2010-10-09T21:30:00.000-07:00

The Fidgety Itch by Lucy Davey, illustrated by Katz Cowley (Scholastic)
ISBN 978 1 86943 967 5 RRP $19.50

Down
beneath
the fru-fru trees,
Timpkin was gleefully
gobbling his cheese,
when something began to
bother his knees.

Twas only a niggle ...
the teensiest titch ...
but that fidgety feeling grew to an ITCH!

What is a mouse going to do with an itch? He calls out feverishly for someone to give him a scratch.Thankfully for him Feather McDoo comes to the rescue but then he develops an itch, and so on it goes on down the line - everyone scratching someone elses' scritch - but who is going to scratch the last person at the back of the line?

Lucy Davey's text is playful and rhythmic. A joy to read aloud. Children will delight in her made-up words and names. For example, "Now I've got an itch, a terrible twitch, a bubbly, fizzly, twinge-y, twizzly, horribly hiffle-ish, howlish patch ..." The designer has added emphasis to some of the text by changing the size of the words. The illustrations add charm to the story. Katz Cowley has used water colour to paint the scenes and characters; depicting characters you might find in real life with fantasy characters such as Feather McDoo and the Fru-fru trees. The embossed cover ensures the book is going to be picked up by its target audience 4-6 year old children. Junior and Middle Primary teachers could use the book as an example of team work in action.

Lucy is currently based at home in Auckland with her three young children who provide her with first-hand knowledge of the current preferences and interests of young readers (and their
parents). Her other books include: Pandora's Potato Romp, Fifi la Belle, Fifi la Belle Takes a Bath, Fifi la Belle Ship's Cat, Mr Mayor s Pavlova Palaver, A Right Royal Christmas. In March 2010 she was awarded the Storylines' Joy Cowley Award for her story, “Out of Bed, Fred!” (due out in 2011). Lucy has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and a Bachelor of Technology in Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering.

British-born Katz Cowley has a degree in Illustration from the University of Northumbria. She spent a year and a half travelling around SE Asia and living in Australia before arriving in NZ in
2000, where she has been ever since. Winner 2010 NZ Post Children s Book Awards Children's Choice Award with Wonky Donkey.
Children go here for some printable activities.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Willbee the Bumblebee by Craig Smith & Maureen Thomson, illus. Katz Cowley, Scholastic New Zealand
Following on from the runaway success of The Wonky Donkey, we now have this production in a similar format – a picture book with rhyming text, accompanied by a CD of Craig Smith singing the words. I imagine the hordes of parents and teachers who bought (and are still buying) The Wonky Donkey will be delighted to find this new book. It will be interesting to see if it is as successful as its predecessor.

I found the story cute, the illustrations appealing, and the song catchy. Children of about four to seven will enjoy the striking, close-up pictures of the insects involved in the story (Willbee loses his yellow and black jumper and friends provide a new one), especially the wide-eyed, slightly goofy bumblebee. However the text works much better in a song than it does as a rhyme for reading aloud. The scansion does not flow well in many places, and I found myself tripping up as I read it aloud. My advice is to play the CD and sing along to the song as you turn the pages and follow the text. One small word of warning for teachers – the word “bum” is used a couple of times in the text.
ISBN 978 1 86943 943 9 RRP $26
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Two new non-fiction books

2010-10-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

The Naughty Kids Book of Nature by Des Hunt and Scott Tulloch (Harper Collins)
ISBN: 9781869508029 RRP$29.99

I would have loved to have been in the editor's office when Des Hunt and Scott Tulloch pitched this idea. I imagine it went like this:

"We want to write a nature book for kids," said Des.
"Not a nature book for nice kids, though," said Scott.
"No, one for naughty kids," said Des.
"Ahh, I'm not getting your drift," said Ed.
"Exactly, we want to take kids down another track, altogether," said Des.
"What track?" said Ed.
"We'll take kids on a road journey and examine squashed animals on the road," said Scott.
"Yeah, road kill," said Des.
"Eww," said Ed.
"The gorier the better," said Scott.
"And answer all the questions a naughty kid would ask," said Des.
"Like what?" said Ed.
"Why did the toad cross the road?"
"Isn't that a joke?" asked Ed.
"Yep, we'll tell jokes and explore the scientific reasons why animals do cross the road," said Des.
"And look at the bludgers in nature," said Scott.
"The lovers, the stuffed ones, the living dead ..." said Des.
"And pretty it up with lots of illustrations," said Scott.
"Well, it's highly original ..." said Ed.

Kids - naughty and nice - will love this book. It has lots of humour, gory pictures, and it de-mystifies information children have been told and wondered whether it was true or not and haven't liked to ask. Like, is it true that Daddy Long Legs' venom is very poisonous but they can't bite humans because their fangs are too short? Or how did tuatara end up in New Zealand and nowhere else? And talks about stuff you won't find in other nature books such as, 'Spiders, pee and poo' and 'What has more sense, a pukeko or a rabbit?' As it says on the back blurb: 'Nice kids learn about the life-cycle of the monarch butterfly and tadpoles turning into frogs. Naughty kids want to know about squashed hedgehogs and dead pukeko. Nice kids like to look at books with pretty pictures of puppy dogs and kittens. Naughty kids would rather see blood and guts and maggots. And rats. Lots of rats. Don't forget the rats.' Extensive index and glossary included.

Des Hunt and Scott Tulloch say at heart they're still a pair of naughty kids. They want to show you how exciting, smelly, amazing, revolting and wonderful the world of Nature can be. Des Hunt, a school teacher for forty years, has written 8+ books for children. All his books weave ecological messages into adventure stories for boys (and girls like them too). Many of his books have been shortlisted and won awards in the New Zealand Post Children's Book and LIANZA Awards.

Scott Tulloch has a Bachelor of Science degree from Victoria University, and writes and illustrates children's books. His books: Willy's Dad, Willy's Mum, Piggy Pogget and books he has illustrated: Echo and Hush, and The Naughtiest Puppy; have all been popular with children and adults. Willy's Dad was shortlisted for the BPANZ and LIANZA awards.

Tui: The NZ Kids' Garden by Diana Noonan and Keith Olsen (Penguin)
ISBN: 978 0 14 320498 5 RRP$ 30.00

This kids guide to growing fruit and vegetable in New Zealand covers the basics such as: how plants work, how to start a garden, how to protect plants; grow plants from food you find in the kitchen such as avocado stones, old onions, sprouting beans and lentils; the different ways you can grow plants; dealing with plant diseases; and information about worms, compost, companion planting; and tips on designing your own garden. The second half of the book gives you the low-down on different plants, how to grow them, what you can cook with them and interesting facts about that particular vegetable or fruit. For example, did you know that long before cowboys were cooking their favourite meal of baked beans American Indians were sweetening theirs with maple sugar. Today haricot beans have a little sugar and a lot of tomato sauce to make baked beans. The book is brightened with lots of beautiful photographs and covered in a plastic jacket so you can take it outside when you're in the midst of your gardening. Index included.

A great resource for Enviro schools and Primary schools growing their own fruit and vegetables, as well as any budding gardeners in the home.

Diana Noonan has published over 100 titles for children, from young adult novels to picture books for learner readers. Noonan has won several national awards and has had four titles shortlisted for New Zealand children's literature prizes. Keith Olsen is an illustrator and writer with an interest in the outdoors. He has also worked as a teacher, outdoor instructor and potter. He has illustrated many books for his wife Diana Noonan and the pair co-wrote The Know, Sow & Grow Kids’ Book of Plants, which won the non-fiction category of the 1998 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards. In 2004 his Pick Up a Pack: A Guide to Tramping and Camping The New Zealand Way was a finalist in the non-fiction section of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.

New Non-Fiction from New Holland

2010-09-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

New Zealand's Wildlife of the Past by Dave Gunson

(New Holland) ISBN 978-1-86966-282-0 RRP $24.98

This is the fifth title in the New Holland natural history series 'All About...' Other titles include: All About... Birds, Insects, Plants and Seashore. The book follows the same format; 1-2 drawings per double page spread with text on white space. Includes contents, introduction and index pages.

In this title, students will read about the history of earth including a timeline; and information about the many species of animals and plants that have become extinct in New Zealand and possible reasons for their demise. Children 6-10 years will enjoy reading the fascinating facts - a great resource for topic study or students could pick one of the animals to research for their speech topic i.e. What if... Moa were still around...

Dave Gunson is a prolific writer and illustrator of children's books. Dave has also produced NZ Birds to Read, and Colour and Keep with New Holland.

Ice Ages: When the World Chills Out by Russell Ferrett

(Young Reed) ISBN 978-1-921073564 RRP $ 24.99

This is not a New Zealand authored book but I thought I'd briefly describe the book because it has tackled a subject that no one else has written about for children. Instead of a book on global warming this is about what happens when we go into another ice age. It poses and answers questions like: What would it be like at your home? Will it would be too cold? Where you could move to? It also provides fascinating facts about glaciers, human and animal migrations, and where ice comes from. Readers will find an extensive glossary, some activities and websites to look up further information. A useful resource for science-based topic studies - Primary level.

Reviewed by Maria Gill

Three new Picture Books from a new imprint

2010-09-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

The Mountain who wanted to live in a House by Maurice Shadbolt, illustrated by Renee Haggo (Duck Creek Press)
ISBN: 978-1-877378-42-3 RRP$29.99

Once there was a mountain who lived all by itself.
Sometimes people came to climb it. In winter they came to ski and make snowmen.
In summer they came to have picnics and watch the birds in the trees.
But did anyone ask the mountain how it liked living high in the sky?
No one ever did.
As a matter of fact the mountain wanted to live in a house.

Mountain with a 'woho woho' kind of laugh walked towards the town. Of course, in the process it made a rumbling tumbling sound and scared all the town people away. Lucky for Mountain a sensible little boy stayed behind. He listened to Mountain's wish to live in a house and helped to make it possible.

Well, this is the first time I've read a story about a 'mountain wanting to be a house'. Maurice Shadbolt successfully creates a story arc; the two main characters make three attempts to achieve their goal, and the story ends with a satisfactory resolution. It's a story about 'thinking outside the square'. Teachers could use it to launch their thinking skills or health programme. Primary aged children will enjoy reading the story and exploring the illustrations. It might lead to discussions about whether New Zealand has a similar looking mountain and town - possibly, Edgecumbe...

Maurice Shadbolt (1932-2004) is one of New Zealand's best-known writers and the author of twelve novels, four collections of stories and a number of works of non-fiction. This is his only known children's book and it is published here for the first time. Publisher David Ling says he was given the script by Maurice Shadbolt fifteen years ago but up until now he hadn't found the right illustrator for the book. He came across Renee Haggo by chance. David gave a lecture to students at AUT University in Auckland and gave them the task to illustrate two children's books. He was so impressed with Renee's illustrations it inspired him to publish the book with her illustrations.

Renee Haggo primarily illustrates with pen and ink, watercolours and acrylics. She has a keen eye for realism in her characters and is an avid sketcher and life drawer. This is her first children's book. It wouldn't have been an easy brief to bring a mountain to life but Renee has brought character to the mountain. Like a face with expressions it changes; sometimes Mountain sports a tear, a smile, and an expression of pain, horror, sadness and even exhaustion.

A dog like that by Janene Cooper, illustrated by Evie Kemp (Duck Creek Press)
ISBN: 978-1-877378-41-6 RRP$29.99

Uncle's dog is clever.
He does what he's told.
'Dogs should be like that,' they said.

No!
My dog's not like that.
He does what he likes.

We learn that the narrator's dog is not obedient like other dogs - he does what he likes - which just so happens to fit perfectly with the owner. Her dog sleeps in her bed, he's friendly and licks everyone, he waits for her, eats her dinner when no one is looking, and licks her tears when she's sad. He's her best friend.

A book for preschoolers - a simple story with pared back text and illustration. Bound to be popular with 2-4 year old animal lovers.

Janene Cooper has a background in education and is currently working as an Education Consultant based in Auckland. Her writing is influenced by the experiences she has shared with the many children who have touched her life.

Evie Kemp is a recent graduate of AUT University in Auckland where she studied Graphic Design and illustration. Evie used collage for A Dog Like That! as part of a graphic design/illustration project set by David Ling. David thought Kemp’s concept work was so exceptional, he contracted her immediately.

Kindy teachers could read the book as inspiration for collage art activities with the children. You could even read the story and show the pictures to babies; they won't understand it but they'll like the bright colours and one figure per page illustrations.

Farmer Beetroot's Birthday by D. Butler, illustrated by Lyn Kriegler (Duck Creek Press)
ISBN: 978-1-877378-43-0 RRP$29.99

Molly Muffin was going to Farmer Beetroot's birthday party.
She had bought a present for him.
It was a lovely red bucket.
The sun was shining and Molly Muffin was hot and tired.
Huff-puff, huff-puff, down the road she went and onto the bridge.

Farmer Beetroot's two guests come brandishing gifts but unfortunately fall through the hole in the bridge and into the stream. Instead of being bothered - they're delighted. It's cool in the water and they can use the farmer's present - a bucket - to wash water over themselves. Farmer Brown is tired of waiting for his guests to arrive so goes looking for them...

A story about accepting the unexpected and going with the flow. Preschoolers and junior Primary students will enjoy the story and its brightly coloured illustrations.

As with all three Duck Creek Books, this book is hardback, colour co-ordinated with endpapers and back covers. Some pages are full colour illustrations and some are half page (right) illustration with text on white pages (on the left).

Dorothy Butler is an internationally recognised authority on children's books and literacy. She is a graduate of Auckland University and was awarded an OBE in 1993 for services to literature. She has won numerous New Zealand, British, American and Japanese awards.

Lyn Kriegler is an American-born graduate of Victoria Commonwealth University and holds an honours (BFA) degree in Fine Art and Illustration. She settled in New Zealand in 1974 and formed a happy working partnership with Dorothy Butler in 1978. They have since collaborated on many books together.

Non-fiction books for Young Adults

2010-08-31T22:00:00.000-07:00

Together Alone: The story of the Finn Brothers by Jeff Apter

(Random House) RRP $42.00 ISBN: 978-1-74166-816 336pp paperback

The unauthorised biography of the Finn brothers describes Tim and Neil's middle class upbringing - with parents who were always supportive of their musical ambitions. The brothers began playing instruments from a very young age in an exciting time musically: Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Bob Dylan. After school Tim formed Split Enz with school friends and Neil was invited to join him several years later. The roles were reversed when Neil set up Crowded House and asked his brother to join them. We read about the brother's struggles with fellow band members, sibling rivalry, their world tours and inspiration for their music.

The book is targeted towards the adult market and teenage musos who would enjoy reading about Tim and Neil Finn's musical journey. The book does mention drug usage but does not glorify it or dwell on it. At the back of the book is a discography and historical photographs of the brothers .

Jeff Apter based the book on interviews, extensive research and more than 30 years of watching the Finn brothers performing. Jeff was a journalist for Rolling Stone and Vogue and has written about popular culture for more than 20 years.

Available in Australia and New Zealand. Go to Crowded House's website.

Blue Adrenalin: Life in the New Zealand Police by Bill O'Brien

(Longacre/Random House) ISBN: 978-1-877460-50-0 RRP $34.99

A non-fiction chapter book for teenagers who are interested in joining the police. Find out about the structure of the police, their training, communications centres, emergency responders and see behind the scenes. You'll also read about the other branches of the police such as armed offenders squads, dog handlers, criminal investigation branch, serious crime, traffic, maritime and air support, and search and rescue. At the end of some of the chapters is a problem-solving scenario. You get to decide what you would do if you were a police officer. It helps you to see that for every decision you make another set of options can confront you. The book design is pared back (text and photographs only) with a contents page only (no index). A no-nonsense book for those interested in the police force.

Author Bill O'Brien was with the New Zealand Police for 35 years and has written numerous fiction and non-fiction books for children and adults. He was a finalist in the New Zealand Post Book Awards with his junior fiction novel 'Castaway - the diary of Samuel Abraham Clark' and has held a Fellowship at the University of Otago College of Education. He has also written educational publications on a wide range of topics for the New Zealand, Australian, U.S. and Canadian markets.

Picture Books

2010-08-28T22:37:00.001-07:00

Legends of the Cook Islands by Shona Hopkins, illus. Bruce Potter, Penguin NZ
There never seem to be enough books published for children about the Pacific Islands, so it’s good to see Penguin producing this one. It’s an attractive paperback that looks a bit like a picture book but is aimed at an older readership, probably children of primary-school age. It includes eight legends briefly told, usually four pages per legend. Titles include The Pearls of the South Seas, Ati and the Water Fairies, and Ina and the Shark. There is a Glossary of Cook Island words at the back. Each story has one main illustration by Bruce Potter, done in his uniquely realistic style. The peaceful design of the book and Bruce’s beautiful seascapes imbue the book with a true Pacific feel.
ISBN 978 014 35 0407 8 RRP $19.99

Magpie Mischief by June Peka, illus. Jo Thapa, Scholastic NZ
This lively story was the Joy Cowley Award winner for 2009. It is based on a true story – about the disasters caused by Pie the cheeky magpie. Pop is very proud of his vege garden, so when Pie gets up to her tricks, Pop is devastated. Pie pulls out the seedlings, undoes important knots, and pecks holes in the prize pumpkin. But Pop refuses to put her in a cage. Eventually desperation forces him come up with an unusual but effective solution. The bright, eye-catching illustrations offer some unusual perspectives and interesting textures. This warm-hearted story about the battle of wills between Pop and Pie should be fun to read aloud to children of about five to seven. Also available in a Te Reo edition.
ISBN 978 1 86943 932 3 RRP $18.99

Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

Three new chapter books

2010-08-22T03:30:00.000-07:00

Organ Music by Margaret Mahy (Gecko Press)
ISBN: 9781877467479 RRP$ 19.99

'Watch the road! Watch the road!' screamed David. 'I don't have to,' Harley replied in a strangled voice. Slumping back in his seat, he took his foot off the accelerator and held his hands away from the wheel. The soft hum of the car's motor did not decrease. The car did not lose speed. If anything, it seemed to move even faster than before. 'It's driving itself,' Harley said. A thrilling tale of danger, ghosts and secret experiments hidden deep in the forest.

Margaret Mahy has written a chilling (read scary) story about taking risks and having to suffer the consequences. David and Harley are taken on a journey into hell, which they can only survive if they trust their instincts and a girl they've never met before. Margaret's masterful play on words comes to the fore in this slim chapter books for 8-12 year olds. An enjoyable read for those who liked to be spooked.

Boy Zero, Wannable Hero: The petrifying plot of the plummeting pants
ISBN: 9780571252473 RRP $15.99
Casey Applejack's career as a superhero might be over before it's even begun. His mother wants him to choose a safe job as a TV game show host and the Super School has rejected him because his super powers aren't super enough. However, when the evil villain and wannabe rock star General Pandemonium captures all of the world's superheroes, and threatens to vaporise every pair of pants on the planet, it's up to Casey to save the day. Will he be a superhero - or will he be a superzero?

Peter Millet has written a hilarious tale for Captain Underpant fans. This is the first in the series - published by Faber & Faber - where school boy with no prospect of qualifying for superhero school saves the day. I love Peter's play on words, and if you're a parent reading to a younger child - jokes aimed for parents. It is the funniest book I've read all year.

This is Peter Millet's fourth book for the retail market (plus he's also had 30 educational books published with Cengage Publishing). He knows how to engage 7-9 year old boys (and girls will like his humour too) with fun easy to read chapter books. Highly recommended for boys who've finished Captain Underpants and want something just as good (if not better).
Download a colouring-in picture

A crack in the sky by Kyle Mewburn (Scholastic)
ISBN: 9781869439347 RRP $ 17.99

When is a sofa not a sofa? When it is the entry to another world ...Nine-year-old Conor's day doesn't start well. His right arm seems to be missing! Then he appears to have grown horns. But it's the next event that proves fateful. His mum catches her skirt on a loose spring in the sofa. It's time to replace the sofa ...obviously. But money is tight. So when Conor sees an old sofa bobbing in the tide as he walks to school, about to strand itself on the muddy shore, it seems like fate is working in his favour. But there's something very strange about this particular sofa ...Kyle Mewburn's imagination runs riot in this humorous novel for young readers, with shades of The Borrowers.

Kyle Mewburn has won numerous awards for his picture books, including Kiss, Kiss, Yuck! Yuck!, The Hoppleplop, No Room for a Mouse, Old Hu-Hu, and Duck's Stuck and written three chapter books before ( Pop Hopper Pet set). He wrote 'A Crack in the Sky' under the New Zealand Society of Author's mentorship scheme - when he wanted to branch out into a new genre.

We find Kyle's quirky sense of humour in this book - with diverse range of characters veering into a highly original fantasy environment - behind the back of a sofa (but children won't know that until they're more than halfway through the book). An engaging read for 8-12 year boys (but again girls will enjoy it because they can handle lead male characters).

Download a teaching resource. Go to Kyle Mewburn's website

2010-08-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

The Ghosts of Iron Bottom Sound by Sandy Nelson, HarperCollins NZ
Eleven-year-old Paddy is haunted by 1,023 ghosts – the sailors who died in the Battle of Savo Island in 1942, the first naval battle at Guadalcanal. The ghosts compel Paddy to ask his grandfather about his experiences of the battle, because he was a survivor of the sinking of HMAS Canberra. His grandfather gives Paddy an account of his experiences which he’d written to calm his recurring nightmares. Shortly after that Paddy’s grandfather dies. But the ghosts still don’t leave Paddy in peace until he tells their story to the wider world.

This first-time author set herself a hard task in writing a book about the sinking of an Australian battle cruiser. Bringing such historical events into the present day and making them relevant to today’s young New Zealanders is not easy. However the author writes fluently and confidently, and she has done a huge amount of research into her topic. Intermediate-aged boys who are keen on war stories should enjoy this story. I look forward to Sandy Nelson’s next historical novel. See Teaching Notes here.

Sandy Nelson lives in Twizel, where she is a busy primary school teacher and mother. With a fascination for the stories of her own family's wartime experiences, she has researched the Battle of Savo Strait and interviewed survivors to bring authenticity to her writing.

ISBN 978 1 86950 867 8 RRP $19.99
Lorraine Orman

Three new non-fiction books

2010-08-06T21:40:00.000-07:00

Scholastic has not published any children's non-fiction for a while so it is with great delight I see Betty Brownlie's series about the Life Cycle of the Pukeko and a reprint of the Royal Albatross - with more to come. This time Betty Brownlie's beautiful illustrations have disappeared and Scholastic have used photography from a range of photographers.

The life cycle of the Pukeko by Betty Brownlie
RRP$18.99 ISBN: 978-1-86943-963-7 pp32 (Scholastic)

Discover how pukeko live together as a tight-knit family group. How everyone feeds the chicks and if their nest is in danger of flooding they build it up higher with more reeds and grasses. You'll find out where pukeko live; what they look like - adult and chick; how they sound, move, mate and build nests;their life cycle, food, and threats to pukeko. This is the standard layout for each book in the series. Illustrations are drawn by Dave Gunson. The books include a contents, index, and bibliography page. The full-length photographs are sumptious, the text simple and easy to read and the layout crisp and pleasing to the eye. A great resource for junior Primary school classes upwards and for children who enjoy reading facts about New Zealand wildlife.

Other books in the The Life cycle series include: Frog, Kiwi, Monarch Butterfly, Tuatara (March 2011). Released at the same time as the Pukeko book - July 2010 - is The life cycle of the Royal Albatross. ISBN: 978-1-86943-904-0

Betty Brownlie was born in Feilding, trained as a dental nurse and includes as her hobbies and interests: traveling, flying her small aircraft, reading, and sponsoring an African family in Kenya. Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) has prevented Betty from illustrating and writing much in the last couple of years but she's back with more in the Life Cycle series (without her illustrations).

Honors Awards
Aim Children's Book Award shortlist, 1993, for The Life Cycle of the Common Frog, The Life of the Monarch Butterfly, The Life Cycle of the Common Sparrow, and The Life Cycle of the Hedgehog, and 1995, for The Life Cycle of the Praying Mantis; New Zealand Library Association Book Award Honor award, 1995, for The Life Cycle of the Grasshopper; national awards for watercolor painting and pencil drawing.

New Zealand Wildlife: To read colour and keep by Dave Gunson

ISBN: 978 186966 2851 RRP $9.99 (New Holland)

Talented Dave Gunson provides the outlines of selected birds, animals and plants from his All About series. Each outline includes 1-2 sentences of basic explanatory text. Children can check they've got the right markings by looking on the 4-colour double-page insert or choose to do their own colour style when colouring-in. Children can rip the pages out easily afterwards (perforated pages) and hang them in their bedroom or on the fridge.

Dave Gunson has contributed illustrations and or text to over 100 children's books over the years. His inspiration comes from nature and wildlife. A number of his books have been finalists in the New Zealand Post Children's Book awards: The Natural World of New Zealand won the NZ Post Children's Book Awards, was a finalist in the Montana awards and a Notable book; Nature's Alphabet - finalist; The Life and Times of the Identification of NZ Land - finalist; Wildlife Stuff - Notable book; NZ Wildlife - finalist (BPANZ).

This is the second book in the series following NZ Birds to Read, Colour and Keep. Aimed for the 4-7 year old child but older children could find the outlines useful when doing native bird projects. A great book for the car or plane to keep children occupied.

2010-08-05T03:27:00.000-07:00

Empire of the Undead by Gary Cross, Penguin NZ
This is the second title in the Chronicles of Blood series. The first was Plague of the Undead. Strangely, the publishers have not mentioned the previous title anywhere on this volume. This may indicate they want it to be regarded as a stand-alone title – but I don’t think it’s successful as a stand-alone. Empire begins with several pages of back story – a technique which only works when the reader recognises it as material from a previous book.
It’s 1666. London has burned, taking a massive horde of vampires with it. The heroine, Mary, recently turned into a vampire herself, has been whisked away by the vampire master on a ship to the New World. They are pursued by Mary’s brother, Peter, who is travelling with the vampire hunter Lucius. Throw in a storm, a bunch of pirates, a pyramid made of gold and jewels, some local natives who can do magic – and a tribe of horrendous creatures called the Vampiri (far worse than your average vampire) – and you have a tasty stew of blood, death and horror. It’s not to my personal taste, but I can see teenage boys of about 14 to 16 lapping it up with enthusiasm (pun intended). Visit the author’s website at http://garycross.com/ to find out more.
ISBN 978 0 14 330517 0 RRP $22
Reviewed Lorraine Orman

Tussock by Elizabeth Pulford, Walker Books Australia
Thirteen-year-old Kate is devastated when her father goes missing after a light aircraft crash. This thoughtful story looks at the few days after the crash when the family members are waiting for news and veering between hope and despair. Kate keeps up her courage by lighting a lamp for her father in the window of an old hut in the hills. While her younger sister Madeline builds a Stone Man (based on a local legend) who is meant to help their father to safety. But both girls are distracted when they meet a mysterious boy at the hut – Troy, who is participating in a nearby boot camp for disturbed teens.
Troy and Kate develop a delicate and tenuous friendship. When Troy’s abusive father appears on the scene Troy sacrifices his own safety to preserve Kate’s. This helps Kate understand the value of her own father at the same time as she finally hears the result of the search and rescue efforts. Beautifully written, this tale is imbued with the slightly eerie atmosphere of the New Zealand high country. Best for girls of about 10 to 13.
ISBN 978 1 921529 45 0 RRP NZ$19.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2010-07-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

A Girl Called Harry by Philippa Werry, Scholastic NZ

Harriet Jasmine Emerald Florence Mabey McDonald likes cats, drawing, and exercising her imagination. She doesn’t like sport, Karl Ballentyne (a boy in her class) or the new girl, whose name is Mallory. So she’s happy when her uncle gives her seven cats to look after while he’s overseas. But she’s unhappy when her best friend Jessica rejects her in favour of Mallory. She also unhappy when her mother starts working for Mallory’s father – Harry’s imagination runs away with her, and she imagines all sorts of terrible things. But everything works out in the end – and Harry is surprised to find that Mallory isn’t so horrible after all.
On the surface this is an amusing light-hearted story about classroom events, but underneath lie themes relating to growing up, friendship, tolerance and keeping an open mind. The phrase “sense and sensibility” even comes to mind. I’m not sure how old Harry is – maybe about eleven? It’s a strongly child-focused story that should be enjoyed by girls aged around nine to twelve who like a solid and entertaining read. Teachers’ Notes are available on Scholastic’s website. Read an excerpt on Philippa Werry's website.
ISBN 978 1 86943 970 5 RRP $18.99
Reviewed by Lorraine Orman

2010-07-15T20:49:00.000-07:00

Quin Majik and the Tidy Street Catastrophe by Fleur Beale, illus. Philip Webb, Penguin

This is the third title in an informal series, with the previous two titles published by Mallinson Rendel. Obviously aimed at young readers of about eight or nine, these slim paperback books are very inviting, with their handy size, easy layout, and friendly cartoon pictures on almost every page. They should work well at attracting the intended readership, particularly boys. The stories follow the same theme of Quin Majik and his offbeat family upsetting the tightly-controlled environment of Tidy Street. In this book, Quin and his friend Fred work hard to rescue the children of Tidy Street from their oppressive parents. With a series of zany inventions they prove that the real bad guy on the street is Mr Spick-And-Span. Light, funny, full of action, and focusing on parents v children, this is bound to be a successful formula.
ISBN 978 0 14 330553 8 RRP $14.99
Lorraine Orman

Swimming With Dishes by Alan Palmer, illus. Scott Pearson, Penguin

It’s good to see a picture book by a new author, particularly a Kiwi Write4Kidz member. Lucy likes swimming in her pool. She doesn’t like washing the dishes. But she hates tidying her room! Add to the mix a very crabby mother and a younger brother who keeps on breaking dishes – and something right over the top is bound to happen. Lucy’s mother threatens to hang her clothes on the tree in the front yard, but Lucy gets in first – she washes the dishes in the swimming pool and hangs them on the tree to dry... The quirky story is enlivened by the colourful cartoon pictures which are full of action and movement. I’m not particularly fond of the emphatic coloured words scattered throughout the text – I would find them quite difficult if I was reading the book aloud, because I think they’d upset my own reading rhythm.
ISBN 978 0143504290 RRP $19.99
Lorraine Orman

Two new non-fiction books

2010-07-11T03:32:00.000-07:00

There are so few New Zealand children's non-fiction books published nowadays that I get excited with every book that arrives in the postbox. These two won't disappoint.

Sensational Survivors: An illustrated Guide to New Zealand's Remarkable Wildlife by Sandra Morris (Walker Books) Release date: 11 August 2010
ISBN: 978 1 921 150661 RRP$29.99 48 pages Target age: 6 years+

We haven't seen anything from Sandra Morris for a while - and she sure makes up for it with this publication. From the stunning cover, illustrated endpapers, beautiful black-and-white sketches, gorgeous water colour paintings, diagrams and interesting text right through to the illustrated glossary, index and recommended reading and website list at the back.

It is a topic that has been written several times before but Sandra brings a new slant to the subject. The information has been grouped in new and interesting ways including those animals who are gone forever and those that made epic journeys to get here, the quirky ways some animals find a mate, have children and the lengths some go to survive. She's covered New Zealand insects, birds, marine life and mammals.

Highly recommended for the school library and for children who like to draw and collect information about animals.

Sandra Morris is an author and illustrator from New Zealand. She gained her Masters in Fine Arts in 1990 where she completed her first picture book, One Lonely Kakapo, which won her the Russell Clark award for illustration in 1992. She has since written and illustrated Discovering New Zealand Birds, which was a finalist in both the Aim Children’s Book Awards and the Non Fiction Library awards. Sandra also holds a Graduate Diploma in Plant and Wildlife Illustration from the University of Newcastle, Australia. It was while she was in Australia that she developed a love for field sketching and this work has been exhibited in museums and galleries. Sandra also runs her own illustration agency promoting New Zealand illustrators overseas.

I am a Seal by Barbara Todd, illustrated by Helen Taylor (New Holland Publishers)

ISBN: 978 1 86966 287 5 RRP$ 16.99

On the land, in the sea

It's no big deal

They are both home to me

I AM A SEAL!

This is the third title in Barbara Todd's 'I am a ...' series. Barbara targets 4-6 year olds with her rhyming text about the seal's habitat, hunting, social behaviour and breeding habits. The simple text is complemented with cute cartoons and stunning photography. Recommended for the classroom to help children learn about seals but also encourage enjoyment of interesting non-fiction facts. The first two titles in the series include I am a Penguin and I am a Dolphin.

Barbara Todd is a naturalist, researcher and educator who for the past twenty years has studied whales and dolphins, seabirds, and the marine environment. She is the author and photographer of eleven children's books on natural history.

Helen Taylor has a flair for illustrating children's natural history books, with a long list of credits to her name. A Booming in the Night, co-produced with her writer husband Ben Brown, won the New Zealand Post New Zealand Best Picture Book Award n 2006.

Anna Mackenzie

2010-07-04T01:26:00.000-07:00

Ebony Hill by Anna Mackenzie (Random House)
ISBN: 978-1-877460-48-7 RRP$ 19.99

From above the gardens that stride in wide stairs up the hillside, I look out over the wreckage of a world I'll never know. Vidya, the city of Devdan's promises, is all and more and none of what I expected.
For all that Dev told me before we left Dunnett Island, I had no scale to fit his stories around. The bared and broken skeletons of buildings sprawl across the heart of the old city, scarred concrete gradually giving way to a creeping carpet of green. Flags mark off the sites that are unstable or toxic, while the dark stain of fire is all that remains of the housing that once cloaked the hills.

Two years after escaping from Dunnett Island Ness still doesn't feel she belongs to Vidya and its people. Her only tie to her past, Dev, seems to regard her as a lovesick puppy. When Ness is asked to move to the country she feels it is to babysit new boy Ronan but realises it might give her a chance to find a place where she can fit in. She also wants to see if tilling the land is where her skills lie or whether it is working in the medical field. She tests both out on Ebony Hill becoming an important member of the team especially when they are attacked.

Anna Mackenzie's prose reminds me of Robin Hyde's writing - descriptive with wonderful use of figurative language. Ebony Hill is a coming of age story that would appeal to teens and young adults. It is the powerful and gripping sequel to the Sea-Wreck Stranger; a finalist in the 2008 LIANZA Children's Book Awards - Esther Glen Award (Fiction), Sir Julius Vogel Awards – 2008 Joint Winner, Young Adult Novel Category, NZ Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults – 2008 Honour Award, Young Adult Fiction Category and CLFNZ Notable Books List 2008.

Mackenzie, Anna (1963 –) writes fiction for young adults. She is a full-time writer with a background in public relations and publishing. Anna's first novel, High Tide (Scholastic) was published in 2003 and was listed as a Notable Book by the Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand. In the Herald, Margie Thompson wrote that ‘Mackenzie has a terrific feeling for dramatic pace, and for the emotional and physical landscape her beleaguered teens are stumbling through.’ Her second novel, Out on the Edge (Longacre, 2005) explores the lives of two teenagers, one the victim of violent abuse, the other totally together – until their lives collide. 'This is an excellent piece of work from an emerging writer - well-written, intelligent, in character and perfectly pitched for the intended reader. Highly recommended!' (Reading Time)

See an interview with Anna Mackenzie on booktv.nz and download a Teachers' Resource

Maori version of Roadworks

2010-06-29T23:49:00.000-07:00

NZ Post Award-winning picture book ROADWORKS to be published in a Maori version - MAHIARA

The boisterous and bestselling children’s book full of noisy fun for machine-mad kids is making another outing!

Roadworks written by Sally Sutton and illustrated by Brian Lovelock is to be published in a Maori version in October 2010 by Walker Books.

It is a retelling in the Maori language by award-winning translator Katerina Mataira.

Roadworks is made with machine-mad pre-school boys in mind, though girls also love the exciting noise-words, rhythms and rhymes. Roadworks differs from other machine books in that it shows an actual project being completed from start to finish, in this case, the building of a road.

MAHIARA/Roadworks by Sally Sutton & Brian Lovelock, RRP NZ $14.99

Two Corker books from Scholastic

2010-06-26T20:45:00.001-07:00

The Three Little Lambs by Sher Foley, illustrated by Deborah Hinde (Scholastic) Kiwi Corker Series

Once upon a time, out in the wop-wops, there were
three little lambs living happily with their mother.
But one muddy, grey day she was taken away in a big
truck. The little lambs feared the truck might come
back for them, so they decided it was time to leave.

In Three Little Pigs tradition, the three little lambs build their houses and instead of a fox comes the wicked weasel who wheezes and sneezes their houses down...

This is another delightful book in the Kiwi Corker series. Other books in the series include: Cindy and the Lost Jandal, The Little Blue Duck, The Mayor's Flash New Clothes, Trev and the Kauri Tree, The Tuatara and the Skink, The Ugly Hatchling, and Wacko Kakapo.

This is Sher Foley's second book. Her first book 'The Cat with No Name' was illustrated by her awarding winning partner Brian Lovelock. Illustrator Deborah Hinde has illustrated three other children's books: The Hopplepop, A Kiwi Night Before Christmas and The Bear in the Room Next Door.

Children will delight in the kiwi humour and will enjoy spotting all the kiwiana in the story. Recommended for 4-8 year old children.

ISBN: 9781869439392 RRP$17.99

The Mayor's Flash New Clothes by Chris Gurney, illustrated by Christine Ross (Scholastic) Kiwi Corker Series

The Mayor of Waikikamukau
was meant to be meeting his Board.
Instead, he preened and he pranced,
in the robe that he so much adored.

Too bad about councils and bylaws,
those meetings in chambers so long,
he'd rmuch rather open a building
where he'd be admired by the throng.

Like the Emporer and his robe, the mayor's vanity gets the better of him. The two clothing designers pretend to make him a costume - to make him the flashest Mayor ever. Instead they pretend to sew and stitch fabric made from nothing. To allay anyone's doubts the conniving designers tell the Mayor that it cannot be seen by the foolish. Of course, everyone thinks they must be stupid if they cannot see it - it takes a child in the crowd to say how it really is.

This is Chris Gurney's fifth book (in just 18 months) with another two coming out later in the year - all with Scholastic:
Cindy and the Lost Jandal illustrated by Ross Kinnaird [Kiwi Corkers series] (2009).
The Little Blue Duck illustrated by Stevie Mahardhika [Kiwi Corkers series] (2009).
Trev and the Kauri Tree illustrated by Dave Gunson [Kiwi Corkers series] (2009)
Hester’s Blister illustrated by Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson (2010).
The Mayor’s Flash New Clothes illustrated by Christine Ross [Kiwi Corkers series] (2010).
Little Red and the Cunning Kuri (2010).
A Kiwi Christmas Carol (2010).

Christine Ross has illustrated books for Scholastic, Reed, Methuen and Houghton Mifflin, and many school readers. Christine has been awarded the Unesco Noma Concours Award, the Russell Clark Award and the Aim Childrens Book Award for her illustration work.

ISBN: 9781869439415 RRP $17.99

2010-06-20T04:13:00.000-07:00

Cuzzie and Bro: The Story of Twin Piglets by Marion Day (Heather Mackay Books)

Laura, a big fat sow, roamed in a paddock of lush grass with a silvery stream running through its middle. She lived on a farm in the Waimana Valley, on the edge of the Tuhoe Nation; a valley that lay amongst mist-wreathed hills.

Laura meets Wilbur and three months later out pops twin piglets Cuzzie and Bro. Mrs Tama looks after the rare twins; bottle feeding them and giving them time out in the sun every day. Then one day tragedy strikes...

This is real life-meets-fantasy-adventure type story. The book is illustrated with delightful photographs of the real twin piglets and other creatures you'll find on a farm. The hardcover title page is very striking and you'll find recommendations from students of St Joseph School, Opotiki on page 1 and from their teacher on the back cover. Confident readers between the ages of 8-12 year old will enjoy this mythical tale.

RRP $27.99 ISBN: 9780958291453