October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 31

Here endeth the month in which a group of New Zealand children's literature people shared NZ books for children or teens.

The bingo card challenge for today is: 

share a New Zealand book for children or teens that you learned about during this challenge. 

After 20+ years in children's librarianship, with a few of them spend in children's literature charities, and judging panels - that's a hard ask. 

And, as the participants dropped off - as they do - the spread and chance of finding a rare gem has lessened. 

So - this is offered as pretty much the only book I hadn't heard of. 

Here upon the tide 

By Blair McMillan. 

Bateman Books, 2023.
ISBN 9781776890613

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 30

Share a NZ book for children or teens you saw at a launch, event, or book signing
Hideout 
Written by Lorraine Orman. 
Longacre Press, 2007. 
ISBN 9781877361814. 

I'm sure I've been to more launches and events - but I wanted to highlight my friend Lorraine's book. 

 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 29

Share a NZ book for children or teens you wish you'd read earlier. 
Pōtiki. 
Written by Patricia Grace. 
First published Penguin, 1986. 

Maybe I'm mis-remembering, but I *think* Pōtiki was an assigned book at high school. (In which case, it counts as for teens.) 

If it wasn't, it represents what NZ literature came to mean for me: books I was supposed to read - the 'good for you' books - which were forced on me, at a time when I wasn't ready for them. 

To be honest, it could have been Witi Ihimaera's Pounamu, pounamu. 

But, to teenaged me, they all had the flavour of good-for-you vegetable reading. 

Now, reading them, I appreciate them so much more. I am older, and my world view has grown. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 28

Share a NZ book for 15 to 18 year olds. 
Smiling Jack. 
Written by Ken Catran. 
HarperCollins, 2010. 
ISBN 9781869508128.  

So chilling and terrifying. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 27

Share a NZ book for children or teens: that you borrowed from the library
Miles and Jones. 1, The anaconda attack. 
Written by Sam Smith. 
Illustrated by César Lador. 
Little Moa 2024. 
ISBN 9781869715564. 

Tongue-in-cheek, self-referential, completely over-the-top.... with a cliffhanger ending! Where is the sequel?! 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 26

Share a NZ book for children or teens: that is a seasonal read (any season). 
Remember that November. 
Written by Jennifer Beck. 
Illustrated by Lindy Fisher. 
Huia 2012.
ISBN 9781775500100. 

Remember Parihaka. 

 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 25

Share a NZ book for children or teens: published this year
The hunt for the whistle: a cleft adventure. 
Illustrated by Scott Pearson. 
Huia, 2024. 
ISBN 9781775508236. 

I think this is a well-meaning book. 

I also think you can tell that is is written for a purpose, and by a committee. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 24

Share a NZ book for children or teens that you bought in a local bookshop. 
Atua: Māori Gods and heroes
By Gavin Bishop. 
Puffin 2021. 
ISBN 9780143775690. 

How could I not? 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 23

Share a NZ book for children or teens by an author you discovered this year. 
The three little tardigrades: a slightly scientific fairy tale. 
Written and illustrated by Sandra Fay. 
Godwin Books / Henry Holt and Company 2024. 
ISBN 9781250776099. 

Ok, the author has only released two books. And they were published overseas.

This one was a chance discovery. I picked it because... tardigrades! 

And, so good! 

PS I'm currently listening to a podcast about tardigrades, ie Invincible Moss Piglets. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 22

Share a NZ book for children or teens by an illustrator whose work you enjoy: 
Vasanti Unka. 

I first came across Vasanti's work with The Bean's Story (text Tatiana Aslund; Scholastic 2007).

I used it for talks I gave on picture book design. 

Then, each book I saw added to my admiration.

Vasanti has a style that is all hers - but not the same. 

Each book's style is distinctly its own.

Vasanti has also illustrated: 

• Hill & Hole (text Kyle Mewburn; Puffin 2010). 
• The Boring Book (Puffin 2013). 
• Stripes! No, Spots! (Puffin 2015). 
• Who Stole the Rainbow (Puffin 2018). 
• I am the Universe (Puffin 2020). 
• My Elephant is Blue (text Melinda Syzmanik; Puffin 2021). 
• Lucy and the Dark (text Melinda Syzmanik; Puffin 2023). 

    

    

         

    

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 21

Share a NZ book for children or teens that deserves more attention: 
When the Kehua Calls / When the Kēhua Calls
Written by Kingi McKinnon.
First published by Scholastic, 2002. 
ISBN 1869435222. 
Republished by Scholastic, 2024.
ISBN 9781775437734. 

    

I was so pleased to see this has been republished! It blew my mind - and creeped me out - when I read it all those years ago. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 20

Share a NZ book for children or teens that you have read recently: 
My Aunt Mary Went Shopping
Written by Roger Hall.
Illustrated by Daron Parton. 
Scholastic, 2014. 
ISBN  9781775432159. 
Published, with illustrations by Trevor Pye, by Ashton Scholastic in 1990. 

    

I requested this because, from the depths of my memory, it seemed like the perfect book to share with local daycares. A few have been asking me to support their children's speech therapy work - without it looking like that's what I'm doing.

And, this playful, tongue-twisting cumulative tale, would be perfect. And, it is! 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 19

Share a NZ book for children or teens: that you are going to read next: 
 A lot of silly: a book of rhymes and nonsense. 
Written by Joy Cowley. 
Illustrated by David Barrow. 
Gecko Press, 2024.
ISBN 9781776575978. 

The fact this is a Joy Cowley collection is enough to sell it. 

But, the publicity around the book - and the launch - just make it even more irresistible. 

There was this article - content warnings in place - about her life, and this book. 

And, then this wonderful piece, after the launch. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 18

Share a book for NZ children or teens: 
Set on an island in Aotearoa New Zealand. 
Papa's island. 
Written by Melani Drewery. 
Illustrated by Fifi Colston.  
Reed NZ, 2006. 
ISBN 9781869485948. 

Set in Matiu / Somes Island, in the Wellington Harbour. 

During both World Wars, Matiu / Somes Island was used as an internment camp for 'enemy aliens'. 

This story is based on one family's experience of that, in World War Two. 

You can read a bit about the defence history of Matiu / Somes Island on the Department of Conservation website. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 17

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens: 
Picked by a young reader in your life. 
Duffy and the Bullies 
Written by Jeff Szusterman. 
Illustrated by Ant Sang. 
Created from an original play by Lauren Jackson.
Oratia Media, 2024. 
ISBN 9781990042560. 

 

This was highly recommended by a couple of great-niblings*, who attend a Duffy school and have their own copies. 

*a gender-neutral term for siblings' children. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 16

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens: 
for ages 12 to 15 years. 
The Tomorrow Code.
By Brian Falkner. 
Walker Books Australia, 2008. 
ISBN 9781921150340. 

Brian has written many amazing books for this age group (as well as younger, and older), but I chose this one, because it is so much a book set in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and north. The locations and settings are an integral part of the story. 

 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 15

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens: with a laugh-out-loud moment. 
Dazzlehands. 
Written by Sacha Cotter. 
Illustrated by Josh Morgan.
Huia Publishers, 2023. 
ISBN 9781775507185. 
Also published as: 
Rinagkōreko
Translated in to te reo Māori by Kawata Teepa. 

How much do I love this book? 

So much! 

I mentioned it, briefly, when looking at picture books about Dance during World Kid Lit Month this year. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 14

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens: by an author or illustrator you'll always read. 

Dame Lynley Dodd! 

Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack is one of my favourites.  

I've recently bought some Lynley Dodd books for myself - and we have quite a collection of withdrawn library copies at work - because of so many reasons.

One of them is her use of language! 

I've been asked by local daycares to incorporate some speech therapy exercises into our storytime visits. But, without them seeming like speech therapy exercises.

And, Lynley's books are perfect. 

Drowsily

Bumptious

Bustly

Hustly

Shemozzle

Hullabaloo

Fiendish

Blusterous

Her use of the page turn - and building suspension. 

Dame Lynley Dodd has a masterly and deft touch. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 13

Share a New Zealand book for children or teenagers: written for ages 8 to 12 years old. 
Stellar Star
Written by Bridget Feehan. 
Scholastic NZ, 2005. 
ISBN 1869436741. 

Gosh, has it really been 20 years since this was published?! I'm really feeling my age! 

It must be time for a re-read. 

And, it would be interesting to see how it stands up. It felt pretty timeless when I read it the first time. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 12

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens: with a black-and-white illustration. 
The Silent One
Written by Joy Cowley.
Illustrated by Sherryl Jordan. 

Whitcoulls, 1981; ISBN 0723306303. 

Also published: Puffin, 1986; Puffin NZ, 2000. 

And, made into a movie in 1985. 

    

    

There were so many I could choose from - but I thought I'd share a blast from the past. 

Check out Joy's author picture!

And, this was one of Sherryl Jordan's first publications. We are so blessed that she focused on writing in the years to come.