Weekend Reads round-up: 11 October: part three

People power: peaceful protests that changed the world.

Written by Rebecca June.

Illustrated by Ximo Abadía.

Translated from Spanish by José Enrique Macián.

Prestel, 2023.

Illustrated nonfiction.

From Gandhi to Black Lives Matter. Includes the 1978 Pureora forest protest.

Possible read-alikes:

• Protest!: shaping Aotearoa by Mandy Hager.
• Protest!: how people have come together to change the world by Alice and Emily Haworth-Booth.
• How to change the world: real-life stories of the incredible things humans can do - when we work together! by Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Annabel Tempest.
• Make good trouble: discover movements that sparked change by Jamia Wilson and Devon Blow.

 

Dad.

Written and illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Two Hoots, 2026.

A celebration of different sorts of dads.

Possible read-alikes:

• Dadapalooza: a celebration of dads by Sarina Dickson and Ant Sang.
• Wild about dads by Philip Bunting.
• The thing about dads by Deborah Frenkel and Daniel Gray-Barnett.
• What do you call your dad? by Ashleigh Barton and Matina Heiduczek.

 

The Green Child.

Written by Hollie Hughes.

Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup.

Post Wave, 2026.

Climate change and hope.

Possible read-alikes:

• The last tiger by Becky Davies and Jennie Poh.  
• Dear Earth ... from your friends in room 5 by Erin Dealey and Luisa Uribe.
• I saw a tree by Kes Gray and Jim Field.
• The tree and the river by Aaron Becker.
• A song of gladness by Michael Morpurgo and Emily Gravett. 

Brain is not always right.

Written and illustrated by Scott Stuart.

Scholastic Press, 2023.

Picture book.

Heart brain dichotomy as a battleground – as it were. And Brain’s need for perfection.

Possible read-alikes:

• The good decision by Jo Dabrowski and Cate James.
• Would you rather? by Claire Philip and Abigail Tompkins.
• Blob by Anne Appert.
• Perfect by Waka T. Brown and Yuko Jones.
• Phoebe Dupree is coming to tea! by Linda Ashman and Alea Marley.  
• My thoughts have wings by Maggie Smith and Leanne Hatch.

 

Origin.

Nat Cardozo with the collaboration of María José Ferrada.

Translated by Ian Farnes and Layla Benitez-James.

Red Comet Press, 2025.

Illustrated nonfiction.

Portraits – in words and incredibly detailed illustrations – of children from indigenous cultures around the world, including Aotearoa.

Possible read-alikes:

• The history of we by Nikkolas Smith.
• Remember by Joy Harjo and Michaela Goade.
• Ancestory: the mystery and majesty of ancient cave art by Hanna Salyer.  
• Lessons from our ancestors by Raksha Dave and Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong.

 

Cass and the beast.

Written by Claire Mabey.

Illustrated by Jill Calder.

Gecko Press, 2026.  

Aotearoa.

Picture book.

Fear of the unknown and finding a friend.

Possible read-alikes:

• Black dog by Levi Pinfold.
• Find the sun by Andy Harkness.
• Pebble and Po by Emma Simpson.
• Ogg by H.P. Fryer. 

Bookrapt's treasury: a collection of delightful tales for children and young people from Bay of Plenty storytellers.

Compiled by Debbie McCauley.

Supplementary illustrations by Debbie Tipuna.

Mauao Publishing, 2026.

Aotearoa.

Mixed age anthology.

Bookrapt has been a champion of Aotearoa children’s literature since 1983. This collection celebrates their members.

Possible read-alikes:

• 30 New Zealand stories for children edited by Jo Noble; illustrated by David Elliot.
• A treasury of NZ poems for children edited by Paula Green; illustrated by Jenny Cooper.
• Pick 'n' mix : assorted Kiwi stories [2 volumes] illustrated by Jenny Cooper.

 

 

Once upon a harbour.

Written by Fiona Farrell.

Illustrated by David Elliot.

Allen & Unwin, 2026.

Aotearoa.

Illustrated large sophisticated picture book.

Beautifully presented.

 

Old Blue: the rarest bird in the world.

Written and illustrated by Mary Taylor.

Scholastic New Zealand Limited, 2014. First published in 1992.

Illustrated picture book nonfiction.

I fell in love with Old Blue and the plight of the Black Robin when I first read this book. The years haven’t changed that. I have always voted for the Black Robin in Bird of the Year and - finally! – enough people joined me this year for them to win!

Possible read-alikes:

• Pekapeka: secret forest bat by Katie Furze and Ned Barraud.
• Sirocco: the rock-star Kākapō by Sarah Ell.
• A bird in the hand: keeping New Zealand wildlife safe by Janet Hunt. 

Hometown.

Written and illustrated by Shaun Tan.

Allen & Unwin, 2026.

Sophisticated picture book.

There is nothing like it. Except, maybe, other Shaun Tan creations.

There are few books I buy on release day – and this is one.

Possible read-alikes:

• Home by Matt de la Peña and Loren Long.
• I am a little voice by Linda Tuhiwai Smith and Isobel Joy Te Aho-White.
• Rose wolves by Natalie Warner.
• Lunar boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo.
• Star*Beasts by Stephanie Young and Allyson Lassiter.