Pacific Island Books
Books for Children and Teens

Books for Children and Teens

Abby and the Hopplescotch Realm by Julie Folkers. Published by National Pacific Press. ISBN 0958244839. Recommended retail price $16.95.

Adventures, The of Horace-Thomas The Magic Horse by David McGill. Published by Silver Owl Press. ISBN 0959797912. Recommended retail price $8.95.

Out of a secret Kiwi paddock comes a magic horse on an animal freedom ride. Saved from a gin trap by local kids, Horace-Thomas the Magic Horse takes them on a balloon flight to Australia, Antarctica, America and England, collecting along the way an assortment of threatened animals.

They land in Regent's Park Zoo to launch England's second great anti-slavery movement. Massed against this ageing horse with waning magical powers and his keen young contingent are the forces of adult authority with their high-tech animal control arsenal. Can a few animals and rhyme-cracking kids survive, let alone triumph?! Soft cover, 72 pages. Published in 1991.

At the Big Red Rooster by William Taylor. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135208. Recommended retail price $13.

Ever had to be a pall bearer? Gone pig hunting with a desperate uncle: Had to dance with a giantess in public? Had the world’s most boring job? Been ripped off by a little old lady?

These stories will take you places you’ll never want to visit in real life – the first dance to the first funeral to the first job and the first sexual experience… well, okay, maybe that last one.

A great collection of short stories from one of New Zealand’s foremost writers for teenagers. At the Big Red Rooster offers varied stories about the old and young, funny, sad, gay, straight, good and bad. All written in Taylor’s distinctive, wry and compassionate style. Ideal for schools, a companion volume to Westaway’s Reliable Friendly Girls. Young adult fiction. Short stories for 13 years +. Soft cover, 160 pages.

Australian Birds Jigsaw Book by Shirley Barber. ISBN 1865037184. Published by The Five Mile Press. Recommended retail price $20.00.

This superb book consists of six jigsaws of birds opposite a description of each. Each piece is color coded to ensure that they are not confused with pieces from neighboring puzzles.

Hard cover, published in 2002.

Because We Were the Travellers By Jack Lasenby. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 187713502X. Recommended retail price $13.

Honour Award, 1998 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards Finalist, 1998 Esther Glen Medal

‘…a wise novel. Original, deeply mythic, warmly human and thought-provoking. …At last a New Zealand novel that boys can enjoy, yet with a strong female character!’ Trevor Agnew, Magpies

A marvelous, futuristic story of Ish and Hagar – tame boy and old woman – who are cast out from their tribe and must survive in the hostile landscape alone. A tale of rejection, of survival against the odds, of growing up in an age when much is feared, and few can be trusted. Young adult fiction: 13 years +. Soft cover, 160 pages.

Bush Alphabet, The by Will Douglas. Published by Hale and Iremonger. ISBN 0868064068. Recommended retail price $ 9..

Australian animals celebrated alphabetically in verse and illustrated in color. Includes a glossary of all the terms used in the book. And also includes the game of Spiders and Vines on the back cover, which includes a hidden secret riddle. We recommend this book very highly. Hard cover, 32 pages.

Cranky Granny by Eleni McDermott. Published by Ages to Ages Publications.   Recommended retail price $13.95

A delightful story that captures the attachment Lily and her Grandmother share, despite the opposition! According to Lily’s parents, her Grandmother is cranky, absent-minded and a little weird. But all is not what it seems, because when Lily is with her Granny, she sees a very different person.

The rhythm and rhyme of this story will capture children’s love of repetition and humor, and as the plot unfolds we learn that grandparent relationships have unique qualities of their own!

This lovely book includes a page listing benefits for children and adults and a page of strategies for reading Cranky Granny to children.

This is the second collaboration by Eleni McDermott and Suzy Brown. Their first book “Tears In A Treasure Box” was published in 2002 by Ages to Ages Publications. “Where children tell the stories and adults to the learning.”

Eleni McDermott has eighteen years experience working in children’s services. This includes, Preschool and Kindergarten teaching, Director of a Childcare Center and Manager of Family Day Care and In-home Care services. She is also a qualified Adult Educator who has written and delivered pre-service learning material for early childhood students. Currently Resource & Advisory Officer for Family Day Care services in Queensland, Australia, Eleni also writes and delivers In-service Training packages for early childhood professionals.

Besides children’s story books, Eleni has written many articles and contributed to resource documents for early childhood professionals. She has a strong interest in Attachment Theory and believes children need to develop strong emotional attachments with significant adults in the early years, as a readiness for formal schooling and as a template for future relationships.

Suzy Brown, the illustrator, is a professional artist with a number of years in the field. In addition to childrens’ book and magazine illustrations, her work includes digital art and design, public mural painting, mask and puppet making, and graphic design. Suzy also has a Bachelor of Arts in Education, in which she focused on learning theory and child development.

Having moved from her home country of New Zealand, she now lives in The Netherlands with her daughter and partner, and focuses solely on creating artwork for children’s publications.

I enjoyed your book. Such an energetic, feisty grandmother who is so strong in her value base … it is a bit sad though that her son – Dad – has always seen her as ‘cranky’ but you paint a great picture of the special relationship and deep innate understanding that exists between grandma and grandchild. The illustrations are excellent as are the reading strategies at the end. – Diana East: Project Officer, Council of the Aging, Queensland, Australia

It’s absolutely wonderful! It describes me just right. I have five granddaughters, and don’t get to see them often because of the vastness of our country, so I rage on behalf of their futures. – Winnie Loucks, Ragin Grannies Coordinator, Ontario, Canada

A story most adults will recognize and with which most children will identify. Full color illustrations that highlight the red headed granny. Valuable comments about reading aloud conclude this book. – Steve Austin Program, Radio ABC, Brisbane, Australia

We were looking forward to another offering and this book has far exceeded our expectations. It has rhythm, it has purpose and it has depth. After a week, my 4 year old had nearly memorized the book! -- Heather Smith Playgroup Association, Queensland, Australia

Soft cover, 28 pages. Published in 2003.

Dark by Penelope Todd. ISBN 1877135968. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00.

For a moment the Joss of last summer flashed close, the sun-and-salt smell of his skin, the lupin-flower taste of his mouth.

It’s been a year since Zillah visited Roimata, the place on the wild West Coast which changed ler life last summer. Now she’s back, expecting to meet up with Joss and Hep, the brother and sister who both challenged and bewitched her those strange, magical and sometimes terrifying few days.

Yet this time, not only have Joss and Hep asked along another guest – who’s like the bad fairy at the banquet – the changes Zillah sees in Joss are disturbing. It seems he’s heading into a downward spiral: a breakdown he wants to handle in his own way…

Dark, an elegantly written, stand-alone sequel to the acclaimed novel Watermark.

Penelope Todd lives in Dunedin with her family. Dark is her fifth book about teenagers. Her work has twice been short-listed for the New Zealand Post Book Awards and in 2001 she was Writer in Residence at the Dunedin College of Education. All of her novels have been listed by the Children’s Literature Foundation of New Zealand as ‘Notable Books.’ Soft cover, 195 pages. Published in 2004.

Duffle Bag Kid, The by Hank Venrooy. ISBN 0958212600. Published by Horizon Press. Recommended retail price $22.95.

The Duffle Bag Kid is a tale of intrigue, action, romance and adventure set in rural New Zealand.

Young Danny Duncan runs away from home and hitch hikes to a new life. He is soon involved in an exciting series of adventures, and becomes unwittingly entangled in an international drug-running operation. This is a book that can be enjoyed by adults as well. Soft cover, 150 pages. Published in 1999.

Eddie’s Mistake by Mark Chamberlain. Published by National Pacific Press. ISBN 0958244871. Recommended retail price $11.95.

Eddie’s Mistake is the story of a group of boys and the adventures they have one summer. Initially cautious and self-preserving, Eddie Sinclair, a boy from an affluent family, is driven by a need for acceptance among friends from the poorer side of town.

Frustrated by feelings of inadequacy among new friends from a tougher environment, Eddie must overcome his fears and prove his courage. But pulling off a crazy stunt has mixed results, and his real challenge comes when he falls foul of local criminals and has to face up to the much-feared school bully.

In a story full of danger and suspense, Eddie gains new skills and learns a valuable lesson about real courage.

The character of Mr. Corleone is marvelous, first introduced with all the frightening contradictions children see in adults, only to be revealed as an elderly man as eager for adventure as are the young protagonists. All the fears and joys, triumphs and tragedies boys experience are wrapped up in these delightfully realistic young characters. Qualities of loyalty, honesty and compassion reverberate throughout the story and underlie even the most madcap adventure. Eddie’s Mistake is a true boys’ book, replete with hilarious hare-brained adventures and a minimum of interference from tiresome adults.
– Lynn Wytenbroek, Professor of English Literature, Malaspina University-College, British Columbia, Canada.

Soft cover, 86 pages. Published in 2003.

From Whatever Shadows They Come by Agnes-Mary Brooke. ISBN 0958219877. Published by The Medlar Press. Recommended retail price $12.95.

"Myth, legend and science fiction are melded together spanning centuries and planets in an imaginative, sweeping story...An interesting and challenging read." Mary-Anne Barker.

"From here it is said that once more he can look to the shores of this land and beyond where armies still fight, and will - until these times are gone. Those who have seen him say that if all is well, and if the land will withstand the forces which threaten it, from whatever shadows they come, the king will stand high in his stirrups and drink from the silver goblet to the King of Kings, Lord of Complexity and Chaos. But for him to drink to his liege lord, the cup must be there in time, with its bearer. And herein lies these stories."
* * *
From the House of Elix, three brothers of the royal blood have spent centuries in a search involving a lost silver goblet, a cup crafted long ago, which somehow holds the key to their past and their future. As guardians to the planet Earth, their heraldic colors grant each of them powers whose limits they do not know. Yet there are others from ages past in time and space who know of their search, and have both their own powers, and their own designs. With the disappearance of the King and Queen, some seek balance, some seek power, but the wrath of a Prince can be deadly.

From the planet Complexity, through the Dark Passages, to ancient and modern-day Earth, the quest maps new worlds and old, as the princes Dragos, Gerwin and Meer seek the goblet, before the ghost of the High King rides out once more.

For older young readers. "...superb fantasy...a wonderful read."

"...A wonderful read ...exciting and intellectually stimulating.... It's true a good children's book can be read with pleasure by a reader of any age..." Ann Macrae. Soft cover, 211 pages. Published in 2002.

Hairy Maclary's Bone by Lynley Dodd. Published by Tricycle Press. ISBN 1582460604. Recommended retail price $5.95.

Hairy Maclary is a favorite of all New Zealanders. Many of us either had Hairy Maclary read to us when we were young or did the reading. Who could resist the wonderful illustrations and the hypnotic verse.

Then off up the street
on scurrying feet,
on his way to the dairy
went Hairy Maclary

Soft cover, 32 pages. Published in 2001.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd. Published by Tricycle Press. ISBN 1582460590. Recommended retail price $5.95.

See above. This is the first of the wonderful Hairy Maclary series.

Muffin McLay
like a bundle of hay
Bottomley Potts
covered in spots,
Hercules Morse
as big as a horse

and Hairy Maclary
from Donaldson's Diary

Soft cover, 32 pages. Published in 2001.

Hinemoa & Tutanekai: A Te Arawa Legend retold by Hepora Young illustrated by Kerry Gemmill. ISBN 0908975139. Published by Huia Publishers. Recommended retail price $8.95.

The people in this love story, what they did and where they lived have a special place in the folklore of Te Arawa whose ancestral lands surround Lake Rotorua. To this day the descendants of Hinemoa and Tutanekai live and work among their kin of Te Arawa. Soft cover, 32 pages, published in 1995.

Also available as Hinemoa raua ko Tutanekai, A: He korerohanga ano o tetahi o nga pakiwaitara rongonui o Te Arawa. ISBN 0908975120.

Hippa Comes to Beauty Point by Nigel Forteath. ISBN 0957804466. Published by Omlas Pty Ltd. Recommended retail price $14.95

This beautifully crafted picture book engages children in a whimsical story about a seahorse living off the coast of Tasmania.  Named Hippa, his life is suddenly threatened by an oil spill until he is rescued by two children. He alone survives from his colony, and when he is returned to the wild he has to establish himself in a new colony. The story is greatly enhanced by the weaving of fiction and scientific fact relating to the unique biology of the pot bellied seahorse, supported by a final information page explaining the behavior of seahorses in the story. Written by Professor Nigel Forteath, who has studied seahorses for 15 years and illustrated by Arne Brewster, a celebrated marine artist.

The largest seahorse farm in the world is located at Beauty Point, Tasmania, Australia.  Over 250,000 seahorses are born at the farm each year.  This delightful story with beautiful illustrations, weaves the biology of the pot-bellied seahorse into it.  Subsequent adventures of Hippa will add to the biological information of this extraordinary fish.

Nigel Forteath was born in Shillong, India, the family returning to Scotland in 1947.  He was educated in Scotland, and started his career by working on trout farms and eel fisheries.  He arrived in Australia in 1969 and obtained his BA (Zoology) degree from the University of New England, NSW in 1974 and Ph/d from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland in 1977.  Nigel was appointed Foundation Lecturer in Aquaculture at the Tasmanian Institute of Technology, Launceston, in 1983, Professor of Aquaculture at the University of Tasmania in 1993 and was Director of the National Key Centre for Teaching and Research in Aquaculture etween 1987 and 1997.  He was Tasmanian of the Year in 1997.  Nigel started studying seahorses in 1993 and has played a key role in the establishment of the world’s largest seahorse farm and seahorse education centre at Beauty Point, Tasmania, Australia.  Nigel’s hobbies include trout fishing and gardening.

Arne Brewster, who illustrated this beautiful children’s books, was born in Tonsberg, Norway.  He has spent a length of time at sea, sailing for Antarctica at the age of 14.  He worked for three years at Husbik Harbour Whaling Station in South Georgia.  On returning to Norway he served in the Royal Norwegian Navy, and later spent several years on tankers, cargo ships and fishing boats.  He is a qualified sailmaker, wire splicer and rope worker.  While at sea he spent his spare time studying anatomy by correspondence and later studied Commercial Art in his home town of Tonsgerg.  Arne arrived in Australia in 1957 and lived in Melbourne, later moving to and eventually settling in Launceston in 1971.  His love of art led to further studies and his becoming a professional artist specializing in marine art and history.  Arne’s hobbies include building model ships to museum standard and cartooning.

"Prof. Forteath has translated his love of seahorses in a story that will have broad appeal - from adults reading to toddlers through to children aged seven and upwards." - Danielle Blewett, The Examiner.

Home Run by Paula Boock. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135275. Recommended retail price $13.

Bryony never thought of herself as privileged. Until she started at Merimeri High, that is. In the new school, and new city, Bryony discovers she’s a rich white kid. Being clever is despised, causing trouble is a ticket to popularity. There’s always softball, but even there the rules have changed. Bryony’s no quitter, but how far will she go to fit in?

Home Run explores the widening gap between rich and poor, and the two teenagers’ battle to bridge it with their friendship.

Home Run was a finalist in the senior fiction category of the AIM Children’s Book Awards.
Soft cover, 115 pages. Published in 1999.

Honu by Marion Coste illustrated by Cissy Gray. Published by the University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 0-8248-1507-6. Recommended retail price $14.99.

Marion Coste describes the life cycle of the Hawaiian green sea turtle--from the emergence of the female from the water to scoop a nest in the sand, to the return of the hatchlings to the sea, to the perils of the feeding grounds, and return to the nesting beaches. The second part of the book provides further scientific information about the habitat, feeding habits, adaptations, and breeding cycle of the green turtle.

Hard cover, 26 pages. Published in 1993.

I Am Not Esther by Fleur Beale. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135101. Recommended retail price $13.

‘The women of our faith all have Biblical names. We have given you the name of Esther.’
‘…this is powerful writing. It is a book that will provoke much discussion…’ Reading Time

Kirby’s mother can’t cope – she leaves Kirby with her uncle and disappears. Even worse, Uncle Caleb’s family are a closed sect of fundamentalist Christians, and Kirby is in for the biggest and most shocking upheaval of her life. Young adult fiction 13 years +.Soft cover, 160 pages.

Jasper and Granny May by Agnes-Mary Brooke. ISBN 0958219950. Published by The Medlar Press.  Recommended retail price $10.95.

Granny May has lost her purse, and the cupboards in her small cottage are nearly bare. So Jasper sets off to get cream from their jersey cow; Amber. Granny May will make them an apple pie from the apples still left in the old orchard.

Along the way, however, Jasper unwittingly enlists the help of their small village community, with surprising and heartening results.

These six stories featuring Jasper and his beloved Granny May belong to the childhood of all who once swung on the front gate, knew all the neighbours in the street, built a tree hut, and went hunting for tadpoles.

Written in the classic style of the much-loved Milly-Molly-May stories, the Jasper and Granny May stories are safe, happy stories for children everywhere, universal in appeal.

New Zealand author Agnes-Mary Brooke's previously published books are A Ring Around the Sun; Night of the Medlar; The Last Chance, and The Keeper Sleeps (published under the umbrella title, The Owl, the Two and the Medlar); The Duck Who Went to Heaven; Dragon Moon, and The Mora Stone. The latter is listed by the Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand as a Notable Senior Fiction Choice 2000, and has been included in the initial list of nominees for the International Mythopoeic Fantasy Awards for Children's Literature. Soft cover, 88 pages. Published in 2001.

Jolt by Bernard Beckett. ISBN 187713550X. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00.

Finalist, 2002 New Zealand Post Children¹s Book Awards

We ran, down through the thick bush below the slip, Rebecca leading. Lisa¹s light pack slung over one shoulder and bouncing wildly, as if it was as frightened as the rest of us. Below me I could hear the chatter of a stream, mixed with the heavy breathing of the others. Above me I could hear the men giving chase.

Marko surfaces from a drug induced haze to find himself hidden from the world in a psychiatric ward. He is certain the "Doctor" means to kill him, and he in turn has vengeful plans of his own.

But how is it he came to stop taking his medication? Who can Marko trust and how much time does he have? Time enough to write it all down, his story of a coast to coast trip, and the earthquake which ripped his world apart.

A thriller that will breathe cold air under your collar. Jolt is a chilling psychological thriller. Here Beckett addresses serious themes; death, revenge and morality. He delves into the primitive side of human nature and looks at how people respond when pushed to the edge of survival.

Jolt is a fast-paced powerful story, the third novel from Wellington based teacher and writer, Bernard Beckett. It follows his successful debut novel Lester, and Red Cliff released in 2000. Red Cliff was featured in the List of Notable New Zealand Young Adult Books of 2000.

Bernard Beckett has been described as having a mainline to contemporary boys. He captures their voice perfectly and treats them like the sophisticated readers they are. Soft cover, 174 pages. Published in 2001.

Journey Under Warning by Elsie Locke. Published by Addenda Books. ISBN 0195580966. Recommended retail price $9.98.

When fifteen-year-old Gibby Banks leaves the family farm to work as a camp boy with a survey party, he doesn’t know that he is going on a ‘journey under warning.’ But he is puzzled by the strange behavior of his guide, the Scotsman Will Morrison, and even before they reach Nelson where they will board ship he senses the echoes of threat surrounding their expedition into unknown country. From the talk of the surveyors, and of whalers and missionaries at Port Underwood, he pieces together the truth: the land they are to survey, the Wairau Plain, will not be yielded lightly by the Maoris who claim it. When the expedition proceeds despite the warnings of the chief T Rauparaha, Gibby soon finds himself caught up in a dispute which becomes dangerously explosive.

Elsie Locke is one of New Zealand’s best known children’s writers and is the author of many books including The Runaway Settlers (Puffin), The End of the Harbour (Cape), and The Boy with the Snowgrass Hair (Price Milburn). Never satisfied with city life, she has always enjoyed camping and hiking. Hard cover, 192 pages. Published in 1983.

Ko Toku Whanau (This is My Family) by Manu te Awa illustrated by Debe Mansfield. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877266434. Recommended retail price $12.95.

Written in Maori, with an English glossary in the back, this lovely child’s first book is a great introduction to the people in the family. Children’s board book, 10 board pages. Published in 2001.

Legend of the Kea, The by Philip Temple and Chris Gaskin. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1-877135-33-X. Recommended retail price $8.95.

Long ago, the sun shone all the time and there was neither night nor cold. The land was covered by one enormous forest, and all the birds sang in harmony. There were rainbow parrots, tall moas, fantails so big they could catch dragonflies, ducks that flew with their feet - and Kritka the kea and his friends, who were always playing practical jokes on the other birds.

But one day, some birds become greedy and want the forest for themselves. So begins the terrible Time of Quarreling that threatens the forest.

A great shadow then falls on the land - the shadow of Ka, the great bird of all birds, and keeper of the forest. He is angry at what the birds have done and he punishes them, and Kritka, the most mischievous of birds, finds that he has been too cheeky for his own good. Soft cover, 31 pages. This edition published in 2000.

Lester by Bernard Beckett. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135216. Recommended retail price $13.

Michael Patts is sixteen; mouthy, insecure and too smart for his own good. When the small town he lives in turns against Lester, an old visiting tramp, Michael decides to make friends with the man. But Lester harbors a secret that will change Michael, and the town, forever. A powerful and engaging novel introducing a vibrant new voice.

Lester is an impressive debut novel introducing the talent of Bernard Beckett, a writer and teacher from Wellington, New Zealand. Young adult fiction: 13 years +, soft cover, 160 pages.

Lies of Harry Wakatipu, The by Jack Lasenby. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135410. Recommended retail price $13.

Harry Wakatipu is a lazy, bad-tempered pack-horse and the biggest liar in the history of the Vast Untrodden Ureweras. He’s hopeless and needy and greedy and never does his share of the work.

The Lies of Harry Wakatipu is a collection of fantastic stories – like how the first wasps got into New Zealand, or how the Kaingaroa wild horses got there in the first place or how Freddy Stromboli could walk under a Merino wether without taking off his hat. It’s true, just ask Harry Wakatipu.

This is Lasenby at his playful, inventive best. Harry Wakatipu is a legend in his own sleeping bag. Softcover, 152 pages. Published in 1993.

Lifetimes (in Samoan, Tongan and English) by Bryan Mellonie with illustrations by Robert Ingpen and Dineke Kaye. Recommended retail price $10.

There is a beginning and an ending to everything that is alive. In between is a lifetime. It is the same for people as it is for plants and animals, even for the tiniest insects. Lifetimes helps both children and parents to remember, to understand and to explain that dying is as much a part of living as being born. A moving and beautiful book. Soft cover, 35 pp.

Little Kowhai Tree, The by Witi Ihimaera & Henry Campbell. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877283649. Recommended retail price $15.95.

A lonely little kowhai tree longs for a baby brother to keep her company. When her wish is granted, she is left to protect him in a forest crowded with fairy tale creatures, nosy weak, inconsiderate pigs and chainsaw-weilding woodcutters. Will he survive?

Much-loved author Witi Ihimaera and internationally honored illustrator Henry Campbell have joined forces to produce a great book filled with fun rhymes and rich illustrations that will keep children entertained for hours. Hard cover, 32 pages. Published in 2002.

Love and Other Excuses by Jane Westaway. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135. Recommended retail price $13.

Love. It seems to Zoe that people use that word to excuse the inexcusable. Like her mother. Like her friends. As if they have no choice, no control over themselves. Well, not her.

And then she meets Tom. Intense, exciting and scaring her half to death. Love, when it comes, is nothing like what she expected.

I knew at that moment that Tom Brannigan would stay a secret. That there were only finite amounts of love and happiness in the world, and that one person’s joy was automatically another’s misery, one person’s love another’s loss. I was simple as a primary school sum.

New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 2000 Finalist. Young adult fiction: 13 years +. Soft cover, 212 pages.

Magic Seashell, The by Makerita Urale, illustrated by Samuel Sakaria. ISBN 1877228060. Published by Steele Roberts Ltd. Recommended retail price $10.95.

Masina, cast away in a storm to a lonely island, finds a beautiful seashell. She loses it in another storm, but the seashell has magical powers...

Makerita Urale was born in the village of Fagamalo on the island of Savai'i, Samoa. She is a producer in the arts, mainly theater. Makerita has two brothers and three sisters and lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Samuel Sakaria was born in the Tokelau Islands. He studied graphic design at Wellington Polytechnic and works as an illustrator in Wellington, New Zealand. Soft cover, 24 pages. Published in 1999.

Malcolm & Juliet by Bernard Beckett. ISBN 1877135941. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00.

‘Sex was a latecomer to the party of Malcolm’s life, and when it did arrive, it didn’t come dressed in any of the usual guises…’

Malcolm is sixteen. With the mind of a scientist, the body of a teenager, and an ambition to reconcile the two, he embarks upon his latest research project – sex. Join Malcolm in his journey, as he meets the cast of characters who will take him a little closer to the center of life’s mystery.

Will Charlotte find true love? Will Kevin get his man? How did Juliet lose her virginity and will the school principal succeed in having Malcolm’s project banned? Malcolm is just the man to find out. Hilarious, with a marvelous sting in the tail. Soft cover, 137 pages. Published in 2004.

Moon Crystal, The by Lisa Shirley. Published by Horizon Press. ISBN 0958212694. Recommended retail price $16.95.

Jade, a young teenage schoolgirl, is staying with her fortune-telling aunt in a small country town. To her amazement, she sitnesses a space craft making a forced landing on the beach near her home. After befriending the craft’s alien pilot, she unwittingly becomes involved in an interplanetary surveillance operation. She embarks on an amazing series of adventures to discover a prized moon crystal and use its seemingly magical powers.

Much more than a story about the triumph of good over evil, Jade’s journey of discovery will captivate children of all ages, and many older readers who enjoy being armchair travelers. Soft cover, 204 pages. Published in 2002.

Mora Stone, The by Agnes-Mary Brooke. ISBN 095821980X. Published by The Medlar Press. Recommended retail price $12.95

Virgo In Proelium Provehetur - A Maid Will Ride Forth Into Battle

On her thirteenth birthday, Willow is given a broken ring in a curious box with a cryptic message. From the moment she slips the ring onto her finger, nothing is quite the same. Summoned back hundreds of years to a Scandinavian country visited in her dreams she becomes embroiled in an epic quest to defend the rightful heir to the throne, the young queen-elect Amise, little older than herself. It will be for the ancient Mora Stone to decide the outcome of a struggle against the abuse of power - and for life itself.

"What a fabulous film it would make! Just loaded with action, color, suspense, exotic stuff, romance, and battles!" Kathryn Asare

" a good solid fantasy for readers who like something they can get their teeth into…I enjoyed this book - it is well-written, very carefully researched, and deserves a place on any senior shelf." JN..Well.Read

"A timeslip novel that offers a very solid read to keen fantasy fans of around eleven to thirteen or fourteen." Lorraine Orman...Story-Go-Round

"I really liked it. Great story! My sort of book! …Keep writing; happy to review any future books!"
Thomas King...10 years

"I read it in three days and it was great." Anna.Powell. 8 years

The Mora Stone, first published by The Medlar Press, cover illustration by Dean Raybould, has been included in the Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand Inc. nominations for the top ten Notable Senior Fiction for 2000.

It has also been included on the initial list of nominees for the prestigious international Fantasy Award for Children's Literature in the US Mythopoeic Awards for Children's Literature. Soft cover, 245 pages. Published in 2000.

  Mr Bluenose by Jack Lasenby.  ISBN 1877361062. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $14.95.

Dad has to go to work, so you go down to see Mr Bluenose; there’s always something to do there.  He tells you stories while you give him a hand to sort apples, feed the pigs, teach Horse how to push the wheelbarrow, and terrify boys who plan to raid the apple trees.

On the way home, you look for empty bottles and sell them for boiled lollies to Mr Bryce at the store.  He pays you more boiled lollies for telling him stories about how Mr Bluenose got his name, how he rode a whale to London, and was so seasick for so long in the crow’s nest that he ran away from sea to Waharoa and planted his orchard.

And then there’s always Freddy Jones and the other kids to scare with stories about vampires, moreporks, and the White Woman of Waharoa who has a face as smooth as an egg…

Captivating and amusing; a rich, fun-filled summer through a child’s eye. Jack Lasenby is one of New Zealand's finest writers for children. Soft cover, 120 pages. Published in 2005.

Nanny Mango by John Walsh. Published by Te Papa Press. ISBN 0909010749. Recommended retail price $19.95.

Nanny Mango is a busybody and a bully, always poking her nose into other people's business. Everyone is sick and tired of her, so we persuade Uncle Rongo, our tohunga, to do something about it. But when he puts a madutu on her, something goes very badly wrong...

This is a wonderfully macabre children's book, full of black humor that will appeal to young and old alike.

Author John Walsh (Te Aitanga a Hauiti) is an artist who works for Te Papa. He was born in Tolanga Bay, and has spent most of his life on the west Coast of New Zealand. He is largely self taught and exhibits regularly and widely. Before he became an art curator his work experiences included: art tutor, sign-writer, cook, erosion controller, marae renovator, portrait painter, crayfisherman, and deep-sea fisherman in the Southern Ocean. He lives with his family in Wellington, near the sea. Hard cover, 32 pages. Published in 2000.

Night Of The Medlar by Agnes-Mary Brooke. ISBN 0958219834. Published by The Medlar Press.  Recommended retail price $12.95.

Two will come when the time’s at hand.
When mischief spreads across the land.
Guide them, fairy cap, at night,
Past all things that flee the light…

"I knew the box would be found," said the old lady. "Oh, child. I hoped you might be the one. And so it has been. Wood calls to wood…Ah, the time for the box is near! And there is so little sand to sift through my hourglass." She held the little box close to her chest as if it was something dear to her.

In a magic, neglected old orchard surrounding a country doctor's house, a strange and ancient tree waits for the time it is needed again. Penny and Justin are caught up in this captivating story of a sequence of events where there is one chance only for a 100 year old wrong to be righted.
Justin and Penny find the cryptic message written on a scrap of paper tucked inside a little carved box hidden in the chimney. But what does it mean? Does it have anything to do with the strange things that have been happening in their old home? And how is it that Maddy Stewart, the remarkable 107 year-old woman, knows about it - and the box?

"A beautiful story of magic, mystery and romance set in New Zealand….This modern yet timeless story of nature personified joining our young champions in their battle of good overcoming evil and restoring harmony is beautifully written. It is exciting from the first to the last page, and has a satisfying ending with all loose ends and predictions tied up…its story line has the potential to become a children's classic. Very highly recommended for primary and junior secondary students who enjoy mystery and magic" - Jackie Pittman. Australian Review

"Ingredients guaranteed to fire the imagination…inevitably invites comparison with Susan Cooper's 'The Dark is Rising'." It is also a pleasure to read a story where children and adults enjoy warm, mutually respectful relationships." Betty Gilderdale. New Zealand Herald

"She writes confidently with a style that builds layers of plot and creates genuine suspense for the reader. Hers is a name to be looked for on the bookshelves." Regan Hemmings. The Press

"This interesting fantasy relies upon the co-operation of brother and sister. Simple language and a constant air of mystery make for a very readable and exciting adventure" C. Sly. Australian review

Night of the Medlar is the first book in the exciting Medlar trilogy, set in the South Island of New Zealand on the edge of the Mackenzie country. It was first published by Ashton Scholastic NZ Ltd in 1992 and has now been re-edited and republished by The Medlar Press, cover illustration by Dean Raybould. Its sequels, The Last Chance and The Keeper Sleeps are available from Hazard Press under the umbrella title The Owl, the Two and the Medlar. Intermediate readers will love this exciting title. Soft cover, 141 pages.

No Alarms by Bernard Beckett. ISBN 1877135755. Published by Longacre. Recommended retail price $13.00

No Alarms has a strong voice, authentic dialogue and great characterization. It’s a story that will speak to a whole generation of disillusioned teenagers and reveal something to those who are not.

The story revolves around Sharon, who lives with her mother, Kaz, and brother Zinny. Sharon’s in trouble at school, hates her home life and blames the system for her failures. She is in a classic downward spiral and desperate to find a way out. Her escape route is through Justin, who is running a clever burglary scheme with his brother. She convinces Justin to let her in on the scam so she can make some fast money believing that money will solve all her problems. Of course she is double-crossed by her burglary colleagues, and finds herself in a frightening situation. In a surprise ending Sharon manages to turn the tables and finally take control of things, with the help of a sympathetic teacher and unexpected friend.

The outstanding authenticity of Sharon¹s life is superbly handled. Her voice is spot on, as is Kaz’s, and the psychology is sound. The tone is sympathetic but the author never intrudes, allowing Sharon to tell her own story, dig her own holes, and get out of them if she can. There is a wonderful evocation of the mother/daughter relationship all the resentment, jealousy, honesty, and downrightness as well as the fierce loyalty and love. Sharon¹s occasional moments of maturity are well drawn too her attitude to Zinny, her insight into the way the world works. It sits so uncomfortably yet believably alongside her own hopefulness and naivety about what she¹s doing.

No Alarms is the fourth novel from Wellington based writer and teacher, Bernard Beckett. It follows Lester, his successful debut novel, Red Cliff released in 2000 and Jolt, finalist in the 2002 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards. Bernard Beckett is an energetic and prolific writer. Soft cover, 184 pages. Published in 2002.

  Out on the Edge by Anna Mackenzie.  ISBN 1877361038. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $14.95.

“What do you do when you can’t keep going?  You stop.”

Alison’s life is totally together.  There’s not much that can faze her. Not until a guy she barely knows turns up in her backyard – his face looking like someone has been using it as a football.

What can she do but help?

As Garry struggles, not only with the consequences of his actions but this his darker side, Alison is sure she’s done the right thing.  Until the authorities get involved, that is.  And suddenly she discovers that her own complacent existence is not as rock solid as she’d thought.

A frank, clear-eyed story about making your own decisions, and learning the full dimensions of your heart. Soft cover, 192 pages. Published in 2005.

Out Walked Mel by Paula Boock. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 0958340595. Recommended retail price $13.

Mel is short, stroppy and never knows when to keep her mouth shut. When Mel storms out of school she sees it as an escape – from a past and present too messy to deal with. But running to her self-centered father or her Auckland boyfriend aren’t easy answers either; and for Mel, the greatest shocks still lie ahead.

This best-selling novel was a finalist for the Esther Glen Medal and won the AIM Best First Book Award. Soft cover, 80 pages. Published in 1998.

Over in Australia; Amazing Animals Down Under by Marianne Berkes, illustrated by Jill Dubin. ISBN 978-1-58469-136-5. Dawn Publications. Recommended retail price $8.95.

This is a counting book. Hop, dance and zig-zag with the amazing animals of Australia! In the "Down UNder" continent, baby wallabies learn to hop, emus zig-zag, and baby sugrar gliders learn to lap sweet sap. Your children will learen to love these endearing, unique Australaian animals. Cut-paper illustrations add to the fun. 32 pages, published in 2011.

Owl a novel by Joanna Orwin. ISBN 1877135585. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00 .

Winner Senior Fiction, 2002 New Zealand Post Children¹s Book Awards

A dark shape hurtled out of the fog. The bird turned in a curving steep dive, aiming for Tama. The boy was being dragged beneath it, his feet barely brushing the tops of tussocks.

A wild, gripping novel that retells the Waitaha legend of the Pouakai (a brutal, giant eagle creature). The two main characters one a street-smart city kid, the other a studious country boy couldn’t be more different. But after an initial stand-off they learn to work together; they have to. A malevolent force from the past is released threatening all that is known to Owl. Both he and Tama must defeat the brutal creature to save themselves, Owl¹s family and the local farmers.

The story has elements of magic and mystery despite the realistic physical setting the distinctive high country. The setting is underlined by local Maori culture. The two boys learn to act independently to deal with things that adults can’t help them with. As a result they learn to cope, gain self-knowledge and inner-strength.

The author has written four previous novels and won the Children’s Book of the Year Award in 1986. She is recognized for her accurate portrayal of Maori culture and history. Soft cover, 224 pages. Published in 2001.

Owl, the Two & the Medlar, The by Agnes Mary Brooke. ISBN 1877161071. Published by Hazard Press.  Recommended retail price $12.95.

'You are right,' said Morag quietly. She looked at Digby. 'Find it, you young ones,' she said. The old lady leaned forward and took his hand into her frail old one. She looked into his eyes, 'Let the room call its own again . . . Find it,' she said, 'and you will have found . . .' Digby was already nodding. 'Yes. Eve's treasure . . .' he said.

Penny and Justin have gone, but the promise they made in Night of the Medlar has not been forgotten. In The Last Chance, Book One of The Owl, the Two and the Medlar, their young cousins, Digby and John, are now living in the doctor's house in the old wild orchard. In a time of great need for the animals of the surrounding land, the room once again calls its own. Digby finds himself challenged not only in responding, but in learning more about himself and the importance of his younger brother. When they find themselves in dire straits and the old medlar has become dangerously cantankerous, only the promise Justing and Penny made can save their young cousins, and bring back hope to the animals of the land. In The Keeper Sleeps, Book Two of The Owl, the Two and the Medlar, and the third story of the medlar trilogy, Digby and John, now some years have passed, revisit the old house and wild orchard together with their younger brothers, Rory (Boomer) and Merlin. There is evil abroad again. The medlar is dead - or is it? This time, when the room calls its own, with the house and orchard threatened, it is young Toby, now living there, whose very life is in danger. With the help of all the children - and those who were once children there, and had responded to the need before, an extraordinary discovery is made in a race against time, where the past reaches out to the present, and the blessing of the hermit's well still holds…
* * *
"a book in the mould of the much-loved C.S Lewis classics…very highly recommended for children eight to twelve.”
Anne Keenan. The Press

"The book was enchanting, definitely one of the cleverer books written, and others with a good imagination will find the ending very humorous and memorable."
The Northern Advocate

"A children's book that mixes reality with fantasy and comes up with an excellent concoction to keep the most avid young reader amused for quite some time…. Excellent reading for youngsters." Soft cover, 247 pages. Published in 1996.

Puriri Tree, The (a children’s story) by Merito Tawhara and Nikki Slade Robinson. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877266272. Recommended retail price $12.95.

The rain fell, and the sun shone. The wind blew and time passed. One day, a tiny seedling appeared. This is a beautifully illustrated and wonderfully told children’s story of what happens to a small seed. It is the story of how a boy grows with the tree that he plants. Soft cover, 36 pages. Published in 2000.

Also available in Maori as Te Puriri (ISBN 1877266175)

Rangi and his Dinosaurs illustrations by Ali Teo story by Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877241008. Recommended retail price $9.95.

Every night, when Rangi was falling asleep, he has just one thought. I wish, I wish, I wish with all my heart that I could go to Dinosaur Land.

Clickity click click splickity splick
Bluckity bluck bluck spluckity spluck
A one and a two and away we go!

Rangi visits his dinosaurs in his dream. Soft cover, 32 pages, published in 1998.

Also available in Maori as Nga Mokonui a Rangi ISBN 1877241016

Recycled by Sandy McKay. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135496. Recommended retail price $13.

What is Colin doing scrambling about in the rubbish bin? Has he lost
something? His sister thinks he's lost his marbles, his father thinks he's lost his manners, and his mother - well - she's losing her temper very quickly. But Colin wants to save the world. And the rubbish bin seems a good place to start. But his family are NO help at all!

'During a year an average family will probably throw away 1.5 tonnes of rubbish - the equivalent of half the weight of a good-sized elephant'

His Dad has no job, his Mum works too hard (and hang-glides in her spare time!) and Colin's sister, Allie, gets a job delivering junk mail. Saving the world is harder than it looks. And when the council threaten to close down the local recycling center - some drastic action is called for...

A well told story with many hilarious episodes to delight young readers. The text is playful and imaginative, lighthearted and funny, but also intelligent and informative. A high spirited story, playfully told, which includes great recycling tips and startling facts about ecology. Soft cover, 128 pages. Published 2001.

Red Cliff by Bernard Beckett. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135429. Recommended retail price $13.

There is a new feeling now when I wake in the morning. A feeling I am moving forward. I can tell I am growing stronger, and it’s not just physical. Soon, when people think of Carissa, the most popular girl at Stanway, they will think of me too. Samuel and Carissa. Nothing can ruin it. Not the stupid new house, not the designer valley that surrounds it. If I am patient, if I work to a plan, this will be my year.

But plans have a way of falling over, and other people have a bad habit of getting in the way. People like Kurt, with his made-to-order smile, or Leon, bigger than any teenager has a right to be. People like Carissa, who has her own nightmare to live. Then there’s Samuel himself, and all the trouble he attracts. He’ll need to be even stronger than he imagines. This is some year. Whether or not it’s Samuel’s won’t be decided until the very end. Soft cover, 143 pages. Published April, 2000.

Red Dog in Bandit Country as told by Bill Redding to Fleur Beale. ISBN 187713581X. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00.

Warning: This area is frequented by paramilitaries, guerillas and bandits.

But danger only fires the blood of Bill (Red Dog) Redding. He flies a perilous payroll delivery to the heart of Colombian bandit country, then takes explosives work with a construction company where safety last seems the motto.

With a nose for adventure and an instinct for survival Red Dog quickly makes his mark. He gentles a man-killing horse, defuses a potential explosives disaster and dines weekly with the Bandit Queen and her twelve excitable, gun-toting sons.

However, before long Red Dog makes a surprising and hazardous discovery. This, along with complicating factors, sets his shoulder blades twitching and suddenly he must flee for his life through bandit-riddled mountains.

Red Dog’s extraordinary real-life exploits are told in his own laconic vernacular to writer, Fleur Beale. His entire life is the stuff of adventure novels and this story is guaranteed to keep all enterprising daredevils reading till way past lights out.

Note: Sadly Bill Redding died while this book was in production. He was working in Mozambique at the time, clearing land mines.

· This is a ‘wild-west’ non-fiction story. (We’re told there isn’t enough non-fiction for young male readers.)
· It¹s a memoir told as a narrative but written like fiction.
· Written in a clear, succinct and direct style.
· Great sense of drama and story telling.
· Fleur Beale is a well-known, well respected children’s writer and has captured the voice of Red Dog completely.
· Bill Redding is a colorful character; he’ll make good copy.
· Subtle dissemination of hard-earned knowledge and wisdom.
· Excellent survival skills delivered in the course of action.
· Although the readership is listed as 10 to 15 it’s the type of story which can be enjoyed by many. We all enjoyed it here! Soft cover, 240 pages. Published in 2003.

Reliable Friendly Girls by Jane Westaway. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 0958340587. Recommended retail price $13.

Kelly wants to live in Paris, Marama wants to live in Auckland, Jeany wants to live anywhere but with her father. Mariah wants to keep her cat, Hamish wants to keep a dog, Lou just wants to keep her clothes on. Skip's alone, Janine's perfect, Donna's pregnant. These are Jane Westaway's stories, as real and raw and surprising as life itself.

Reliable Friendly Girls by Jane Westaway is a collection of short stories for Young Aduilts and is ideal for use in schools. Written in a clear, spare style these stories are strong and witty with appeal for a range of readers.

"These are stories about real teenagers in real situations. These are compelling, well-written stories that are sensitive to what it's like to be on the verge of adulthood." Iona McNaughton

Soft cover, 128 pages. Published in 2001.

Ring Around The Sun, A by Agnes-Mary Brooke. ISBN 0958219826. Published by The Medlar Press. Recommended retail price $12.95.

"something was afoot, an ancient magic from bygone times, out of place in these last years of the twentieth century."

Twelve-year old Gerry is uneasy. The night of the winter solstice is approaching, and he knows people in the district are planning a huge bonfire. It will beacon forth like the signal fires of long ago, visible along the coast and way out to sea, over the black waters of the night. But he has a feeling that something else is about to happen, something that will challenge him in a way he dreads.

With the finding of a stuffed, mounted pheasant in an antique shop, shortly before the solstice, there begins a chase which has moved through the centuries, from the Greece of Jason and the Argonauts, to seek its final resolution on this night of the solstice. Before he can understand what is happening, Gerry, his brother Ben and their friend, Mara, are caught up in a contest of opposing forces from other times, and from other worlds.

"… reminiscent of Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising" with a conflict between good and evil climaxing on mid-winter's day.. The opening and closing chapters are full of nail-biting tensions…"
Betty Gilderdale. New Zealand Herald

"The skilful blend of Greek legend and local events and people propels the story along. The author has created believable characters in an intriguing story."
Bruce Morris. The Dominion

A Ring Around the Sun, for intermediate readers, set in Nelson, New Zealand, and first published in 1992 by Random Century NZ Ltd, has now been republished by The Medlar Press. Cover illustration, Dean Raybould. Soft cover, 162 pages.

Riotous Riddles by Helen McKay & Berice Dudley. Published by Hale and Iremonger. ISBN 0868066648. Recommended retail price $ 8.

What do blind dinosaurs, witches, frogs with hiccups, Santa Claus, the moon and Ned Kelly have in common? They all have riddles about them!

Chortle over Animal Antics, Nautical Nonsense, Humbugs and Bedbugs, Keys and Coffins. Tease your brain with Witty Word Puzzles. Find out how many chickens you can fit in an empty box, why Dracula was hanging around the computers and what the elephant said to the naked man. Roll about laughing as you ask your friends any of these hilarious riddles.

500 riddles, new, old, traditional, many donated by children, gathered by the authors of About Storytelling. Soft cover, 127 pages.

Roimata’s Cloak illustrations by James Molnar by Esther Tamehana. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 0908975112. Recommended retail price $ 8.95

This is a story of Roimata’s beautifully colored feather cloak, her adventure through the forest to visit her grandmother, or kuia. Her kuia tells beautiful stories but soon Roimata must make her way home through the forest. She has an adventure with the birds and animals of the forest and soon has stories of her own to tell. Soft cover, 32 pages, published in 1995.

Also available in Maori as Kahure, He ISBN 0908975104

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Run for the Trees by Mandy Hager. Published by Steele Roberts. ISBN 1877228117. Recommended retail price $13.

Run for the Trees is an adventure of sabotage and intrigue, self-reliance and courage that takes you on a breathless trip from Wellington to West Coast wasp nests and back to the Capital's Beehive.

Thirteen-year-old dyslexic Ben Costas gets tangled in a campaign to expose political corruption and save native forests from explotiation.

Mandy Hager lives with her family in Wellington. She juggles writing with her work as a teacher of children and adults with learning difficulties. Her first book, Tom's Story, won an Honours Award in the 1996 AIM children's Book Awards.

Soft cover, 147 pages. Published in 1999.

Sandman, The illustrations by Kerry Gemmill story by Esther Tamehana. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 0908975252. Recommended retail price $ 8.95.

“Marama was delighted with her new friend. They played on the beach. They shared their tales of the land and sea. They climbed the highest pohutukawa. From the tree they could see the distant lighthouse, and wished that they could visit there.” A story about Marama and her sandman, imbued with life by the sky father Ranginui. Soft cover, 32 pages, published 1997.

Also available in Maori as He Tangata Kirikiri ISBN 0908975244

Scarface and the Angel by William Taylor. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1-877135-44-5. Recommended retail price $13.

"If it is your intention to knock me on the head, boy, kindly get it over and done with. If it is robbery you're bent on, I might as well warn you the pickings will be slim, scarce worth your effort …"

There are two sides to Damon. You can see it in his face - Good Face, Bad Face. But which one is the true Damon? The one who hits first and asks questions later? Or the one who acts out of kindness?

When the mysterious Esther enters his life, Damon finds his mask beginning to slip. And even he doesn't know what he'll find behind it. Soft cover, 93 pages. Published 2000.

Shaman and the Droll, The by Jack Lasenby. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135. Recommended retail price $13.

In the harsh land of the Great White Bear, Ish the Traveller finds a rescuer and companion – the Bear Man. Through their friendship Ish discovers the Bear Man is a servant of the village people; their wise one, their healer, their Shaman.

In this timeless, universal story Ish gains wisdom and a place. He learns the profound power of knowledge, the terrifying force of superstition, and witnesses first hand the mysteries of the human spirit. But in this land of blinding light there lurks a dark, menacing presence threatening all who may offend her.

Here is the third title in the award-winning Travellers series by master story-teller Jack Lasenby. Because We Were the Travellers is the first, and Taur, winner of the 1999 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Award, is the second. Larger than life, The Shaman and the Droll is an extraordinary tale. Young adult fiction 13+. Soft cover, 220 pages.

This cover is really worth downloading.

Sina and Tinilau by Vilsoni Hereniko, illustrated by Jasper Schreurs and others. Recommended retail price $20.

This is a quite superb, large-size full color children's storybook of Sina and the Eel. It contains lovingly detailed illustrations of Pacific Island fish, shells, flowers, wildlife, canoes and costumes, all of which are identified. While directed at children this magnificent book will appeal to most adults also. Highly recommended. Click on the illustration and see what we mean. Soft cover, 24pp.

Click here for illustration from Sina and Tuilau ... it's big and will take a while to download .. but it is SO beautiful. (73.19K)

Spider a novel by William Taylor. ISBN 1877135607. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00.

He’s long, lean, lanky, has all the right stuff but has never bothered to make the school rugby team. Yet Matthew Spider Trent has just been voted Number Ten on a teen magazine’s list of the hottest hunks. He¹s got great mates, lusts after a gorgeous girl and on top of all this has an incredible musical talent. Everyone thinks Spider Trent’s got it made but has he? Just a few more days and what will it be? Flat on my face? Knocked for six? Utter disaster? How did I get here in the first place? It’s Spider’s sixth form year, decisions must be made. Will his future be music? To whom can he turn for guidance? Beatrice McKenzie, his gifted and eccentric music teacher? The ghost of Ludwig van Beethoven, his larger than life idol? His family? A father he has never met and a sister who considers music a selfish option? His mother, Annabel Trent? Spider soon discovers something about his mother which throws their close relationship into painful confusion.

Spider takes a bold look at teenage identity and the nature of ambition, the disciplined routine of doing the miles. It is unafraid to deal with difficult topics and reverses the usual stories we tell ourselves about mothers and sons. Do we become adult by breaking away from our families, or does honesty set everyone free?

William Taylor is the author of over thirty novels. He’s won many awards, among them the Esther Glen Medal, the Aim Children’s Book Award and the Italian Premio Andersen Award for best book of the year. He’s held several fellowships and his recent title, Scarface and the Angel was one of three New Zealand titles selected by The White Ravens 2001 for the National Youth Library in Munich. He lives near Mt Ruapehu. Currently William Taylor is the President of the New Zealand Society of Authors. Soft cover, 246 pages. Published in 2002.

Story of the Kakapo, Parrot of the Night, The by Philip Temple and Chris Gaskin. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1-877135-34-8. Recommended retail price $8.95.

Cold, windswept Stewart Island, off the southern tip of New Zealand's South Island, was the last natural home of the very rare kakapo, the parrot of the night - a large, flightless, nocturnal native bird that once lived in forests throughout New Zealand. It is found nowhere else in the world.

The Story of the Kakapo is the story of one male kakapo that lived on Stewart Island - Kairaki. It tells of how, as a chick, Kairaki managed to escape from a wild cat, found a new home for himself, slowly learned to survive alone, later danced and called in the moonlight to find a mate, and how finally he flew (by helicopter!) to the safety of a new home.

Engagingly narrated, beautifully illustrated, and complemented by ornithological notes corresponding to each illustration, The Story of the kakapo is a fascinating, and poignant, New Zealand wildlife story. Soft cover, 31 pages. This edition published 2000.

Taming the Taniwha by Tim Tipene and illustrated by Henry Campbell. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877266523. Recommended retail price $12.95.

Tama needs to find out just how to tame the meanest, greenest taniwha he’s ever met. Tama is being bullied by a nasty taniwha. At a loss for solutions, he goes to his family for ideas about how to tame the taniwha. Taming the Taniwha explores a range of different methods for dealing with bullies and send a fun, positive message to children and their parents.

Tim Tipene (Nga Puhi) has worked extensively with children, helping them develop strategies to deal with anger and emotions.

Henry Campbell (Ngati Ruanui, Te Ati Awa) uses a vibrant style of illustration, building up a textured picture with bright colors, lots of detail and plenty of hidden objects for children to pick out as they read. Soft cover, 32 pages. Published in 2001.

Taniwha, He (A Monster) by Manu te Awa illustrated by Mike Henry. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877266485. Recommended retail price $12.95.

Written in Maori, with an English glossary in the back, this lovely child’s first book is a great introduction to the things in their room.

Children’s board book. Ten board pages. Published in 2001.

Taur by Jack Lasenby. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135186. Recommended retail price $13.

Taur is the riveting sequel to Because We Were the Travellers. Ish is pursued by the hateful Salt men, and flees south with his friend Taur, the mute Bull Man. But nowhere can they find refuge from the brutal Squint Face, who wants his greenstone god back, and wants Ish’s life. Across the icebergs in Cook Strait loom the mountains of the South Land – can Ish and Taur find peace there?

The sequel to Because We Were the Travellers, winner of a 1998 NZ Post Honour Award and short-listed for the 1998 Esther Glen Medal. Young adult fiction: 13 years +. Soft cover, 160 pages.

Tears in a Treasure Box by Eleni McDermott. ISBN 0958141908. Published by Ages to Ages Publications. Recommended retail price $15.95

When Sam was told he was starting child care, he thought his whole world had crumbled. He wanted things to sty the same. Sam missed his mom and his home. The tears just wouldn’t stop no matter how hard he tried. It wasn’t until Maria gave him a special treasure box, that things began to look up!

Includes information on how to get a free booklet on separation anxiety.

My children adored this book and at bedtime, it was read solidly for a month, sometimes several times a night. I have to give this book a very high BUY recommendation because I am sure other families will find it as beneficial as we did. – Heather Smith Playgroup Association, Queensland, Australia

The illustrations match the mood of the child, monotone in the beginning and then more colorful … this is a worthy book that would be useful for many parents and care-givers.
-- Lee Finkelstein “reading Time” Journal Volume 47 May 2003

Bright and realistic illustrations make this a special story. Written by an expert in children’s services, Eleni understands children and their many needs. She thoughtfully reflects on what it is like to be Sam. Many children will relate to Sam as more are placed in child/day care each year. This book allows children to recognize their own emotions and helps them to cope. A special book that any child who is separated from a parent will enjoy. – Jennifer Reed, Wee Ones Magazine Book Reviews, Darlington, MD

This is an excellent book which addresses a problem many parents recognize, but have difficulty dealing with. – Commissioner for Children and Young People

Tears in a Treasure Box produces an easy to read between child and parent or care-giver. Its full page illustrations depict well with actions and emotions of a young boy in his first time in care, which makes the story simple for younger children to follow. -- Kidslife.co.au, Australian Scholarships Group, May 2003

Soft cover, 28 pages. Published in 2002.

Tekiteora, Kei Hea o Hu? by Ngareta Gabel illustrated by Astrid Jensen. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877283959. Recommended retail price $12.95.

This beautifully illustrated story book is packed full of interesting characters, both people and animals. Written in Maori.

Soft cover, 32 pages. Published in 2003.

Three’s a Crowd by Penny Huber. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135. Recommended retail price $13.

Anna loves being friends with Polly Grant. She’s fun, loyal, a bit crazy, and she thinks Anna’s the best too. After all, she’s a fast swimmer and great horse-rider – isn’t she? When Anna joins Polly’s family on holiday she discovers Polly has another ‘best friend’, one who doesn’t want Anna around…

Penelope Huber says “When I wrote Three’s a Crowd, our family of five was living in a three-roomed crib by the Waianakarua River. Everyone else went to school and I was left to write. I have a husband who reads children’s books, two daughters who, like Polly’s ideal friend, can carry ten kilo packs all day without whingeing , and a son who’s just discovered, like Anna, that you don’t necessarily drown when you jump into deep water. On our urban ‘farm’ we keep bees, three hens and a cat. And there’s the pup who, like Polly, is called Polly. Young adult fiction 13+. Soft cover, 118 pages.

Timo and the Kingfish by Mokena Potae Reedy and Elton Gregory. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 1877266264. Recommended retail price $12.95.

A 2001 Finalist in the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards, this is a Maori story about a little boy who goes out to catch the biggest fish. Suddenly, Timo was woken by a jolt on his fishing line… The rod was bending in half, almost breaking. Timo knew he’d caught a huge fish…. Soft cover, 32 pages. Published in 2000.

Also available in Maori as Timo te Kaihi Ika, ISBN 1877266167.

The truth AT LAST about the Little Red Hen story by Hugh Price, pictures by Isabel Lowe. ISBN 1877228192. Published by Steele Roberts Ltd. Recommended retail price $14.95.

The Little Red Hen has been a popular children’s book for years, but some of its readers now feel uneasy about its thrust, as the central character – Little Red Hen herself – poses as the only industrious member of her household. This book presents fresh evidence and throws new light on the whole affair.

Hugh Price has already written nine children’s books: A Lucky Day for Little Dinosaur, Pterosaur’s Long Flight, The Dinosaur Chase, When the Volcano Erupted, Little Dinosaur Escapes, Gorgo Meets Her Match, A Troop of Little Dinosaurs, The Triceratops and the Crocodiles, The Asteroid (with Beverley Randell).

Isabel Lowe has illustrated about ninety children’s books, including: The Little Snowman, Father Bear Goes Fishing, Blackberries, Choosing a Puppy, Baby Bear Goes Fishing, Honey for Baby Bear, Baby Bear’s Present, Mushrooms for Dinner, Teasing Dad, The Bears and the Magpie, The Lost Keys, House Hunting, Father Bear’s Surprise. Soft cover, 17 pages. Published in 2003.

Twister, Quibbler, Puzzler, Cheat: Ten Tall Teasing Tales by Philip Cam. Published by Hale & Iremonger. Recommended retail price $9.

Explore the truly false and the falsely true in these ten, tall, teasing tales! There’s the spaceship computer that’s a compulsive liar, the bamboozled barber under the sentence of death, a pair of robots who claim to be the same robot, and the spine-chilling experience of the man who crossed the bridge between Kirov and Vorik.

These stories, sometimes humorous, sometimes sinister, introduce the reader to puzzles that have teased the human brain for thousands of years. Join the crazy world of twisters, quibblers, puzzlers and cheats!

Classical paradoxes are presented in dramatic form illustrated by lively cartoons. Soft cover, 72 pages.

Watermark by Penelope Todd. ISBN 1877135836. Published by Longacre Press. Recommended retail price $13.00.

Hey, Zillah,
A dare: come to Roimata.
Be spare. Bring: the less the better.
Be staunch. Be alive.
Be there.

Imagine getting a letter like the one they sent me. Wait, delete that. Don¹t imagine it’s just cut it up, okay? Big scissors. Chop, chop, chop.

But 18-year-old city girl, Zillah, just finished school, pushes fear aside and jumps track. She abandons her safe summer holiday plans, and takes the train to the wild West Coast. Her destination: an empty shack on a dangerous tidal river. Here she meets the authors of the letter, Joss and Hep, a mysterious brother and sister who seem to belong to another more primitive world.

Together, they wield a power over Zillah that she barely understands. Disturbing events begin to cluster around them and even the elements appear to be turning against Zillah. A powerful and compelling story of one young woman ¹s awakening to questions of life, death and her own reason for being.

Penelope Todd lives in Dunedin with her husband and three teenagers. Her first novel, Three’s a Crowd was a finalist in the 2000 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards. During 2001 Penelope was Writer in Residence at the Dunedin College of Education. Her next two books Peri (2001) and Boy Next Door (2002) received wide acclaim. All three books have been included in the annual List of Notable Books compiled by the Children’s Literature Foundation on New Zealand. Soft cover, 176 pages. Published in 2003.

Weta Shed, The by Brian Mossman. Published by National Pacific Press. ISBN 0958244847.  Recommended retail price $24.95.

Two children, William and Kitty, are evacuated from Britain to New Zealand during World War II.  For a time they live happily in their new environment, but when their kindly foster parents are killed in an accident their fortunes suddenly change.  A visiting “uncle” adopts them, but they are forced to live in terror under his sadistic rule in an isolated rural area.

Years later, William discovers that his hated “uncle” Jim, thought to be long dead, may still be alive.  He is desperate for any chance of revenge for the abuse he and his sister suffered as kids, but is Jim really still alive, and if so, how will he ever find him?  The Weta Shed is a gripping story of the hunter versus the hunted that will captivate readers from the first page to the last. Soft cover, 196 pages. Published in 2003.

Whirikoki and his Seal illustrations by Manu Smith story by Mere Clarke. Published by Huia Publishers. ISBN 0908975228. Recommended retail price $ 8.95.

“When Whirikoko and his seal rested on the rocks they would dream, gazing upon the hills above the valley of Turanganui. The longer they looked at the hills, the more they wanted to visit there.”

A wonderful myth of a man and his friendship with a seal. Soft cover, 32 pages, published in 1998.

Available in Maori as Whirikoki me tana Kekeno illustrations by Manu Smith story by Mere Clarke. ISBN 0908975228.

Whistle from the Blunder, A by Diana Noonan. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135402. Recommended retail price $13.00.

She spun round to face the driver but the cab was empty. The men had gone and the train was thundering, uncontrolled, toward a flooded river and a bridge that long ago had disappeared. Cadence reached for the door again and as she did, rust spread over it like lichen and the handle fell away in her fingers.
   
When Cadence arrives to spend the holidays with her uncle and aunt in the remote township of Burchfield, she has no idea of the tragic past that lies buried there. Nor does she understand the significance of the house she is staying in, the old Station Master’s house.
 
But when the haunting whistle of a long-forgotten steam train begins to wake her every morning, Cadence knows that something from the past isn’t ready to be forgotten. And whether she likes it or not, she is going to have to put it right. Soft cover, 124 pages. Published September 2000.

Whole of the Moon, The by Duncan Stuart. Published by Longacre Press. ISBN 1877135054. Recommended retail price $13.

Finalist, 1998 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards Winner, Australian Talking Book of the Year

‘…a powerful and thought-provoking novel about growth and the strength of the human spirit. Full of anger, despair, courage and honesty …highly recommended.’ Magpies

Kirk Mead has it all – including cancer. Now he has to tough it out in the biggest battle of his life. In the chemo ward he finds a new family – Owen the Terrible, Stevie with his crack-up wig, and Marty, the street kid.Young adult fiction: 13 years +, soft cover, 200 pages.

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Last modified on Tuesday, April 16, 2013