Blog Archives

Drawing pictures in the mind, Barbara Else

Posted on August 31, 2016 by NZ Books

Coming Home to Roost Mary-Anne Scott Longacre Press, $20.00, ISBN 9781775538592 The Road to Ratenburg Joy Cowley Gecko Press, $20.00, ISBN 9781776570751 Twice now I’ve been a marker at a regional Lit Quiz where teams of top intermediate age readers…

Tagged with: Barbara Else, Gecko Press, Issue 115, Joy Cowley, Longacre Press, Mary-Anne Scott, Spring 2016
Posted in Children, Literature, Review

Glory or gory? Caitlin Walker

Posted on August 31, 2016 by NZ Books

The Bakehouse Joy Cowley Gecko Press, $20.00, ISBN 9781776570072 Viewed from a distance of seventy-plus years, 1943 was history soup, everything mixed up, and it was difficult to separate reality from what he had read or been told. One event,…

Tagged with: Caitlin Walker, Gecko Press, Issue 115, Joy Cowley, Spring 2016
Posted in Literature, Review, YA Reviewers, Young adults

Foreign countries, Kathryn Walls

Posted on March 13, 2016 by NZ Books

The Bakehouse Joy Cowley Gecko Press, $20.00, ISBN 978177650072 The Knot Impossible: A Tale of Fontania Barbara Else Gecko Press, $25.00, ISBN 978177650041 The Girl Who Rode the Wind Stacy Gregg HarperCollins, $25.00, ISBN 9780008124304 Joy Cowley’s The Bakehouse…

Tagged with: Autumn 2016, Barbara Else, Gecko Press, HarperCollins, Issue 113, Joy Cowley, Kathryn Walls, Stacy Gregg
Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review

Reading, writing and arithmetic, Barbara Else

Posted on June 9, 2015 by NZ Books

Speed of Light
Joy Cowley
Gecko Press, $20.00,
ISBN 9781877579936

Teddy One-Eye: The Autobiography of a Teddy Bear
Gavin Bishop
Random House, $35.00,
ISBN 9781775537274

The ACB with Honora Lee
Kate De Goldi (drawings by Gregory O’Brien)
Longacre, $25.00,
ISBN 9781869799915

Three stars of New Zealand literature, three award-winning books, three very different approaches and audiences: how is any reviewer to manage this daunting assignment?

Tagged with: Barbara Else, Gavin Bishop, Gecko Press, Gregory O’Brien, Issue 110, Joy Cowley, Kate De Goldi, Longacre, Random House, Winter 2015
Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review

New seeds for old, Kathryn Walls

Posted on February 27, 2014 by NZ Books

The Mijo Tree Janet Frame (Deidre Copeland illus) Penguin, $25.00, ISBN 9780143569428 A Book is a Book Jenny Bornholdt (Sarah Wilkins illus) Gecko Press, $25.00, ISBN 9781877579929 Dunger Joy Cowley Gecko Press, $20.00, ISBN 9781977579462 Janet Frame sent the typescript…

Tagged with: Autumn 2014, Deidre Copeland, Gecko Press, Issue 105, Janet Frame, Jenny Bornholdt, Joy Cowley, Kathryn Walls, Penguin Books, Sarah Wilkins
Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review

Withholding and unfolding, Ashleigh Young

Posted on June 1, 2011 by NZ Books

Mune: An Autobiography Ian Mune Craig Potton Publishing, $49.99, ISBN 9781877517334 Navigation: A Memoir Joy Cowley Penguin Books, $45.00, ISBN 9780143205715 Searching for Grace: A Woman’s Quest for her True Identity Carol Henderson and Heather Tovey Steele Roberts, $39.99,…

Tagged with: Ashleigh Young, Carol Henderson, Cath Tizard, Craig Potton Publishing, Heather Tovey, Ian Mune, Issue 94, Joy Cowley, Penguin Books, Random House, Steele Roberts, Winter 2011
Posted in Autobiography, Memoir, Non-fiction, Review

Ephemera and treasure, Eirlys Hunter

Posted on June 1, 2010 by NZ Books

The Wonky Donkey Craig Smith, music Craig Smith, illustrations Katz Cowley Scholastic, $24.99, ISBN 9781869439262 Old Hu-hu/Huhu Koroheke Kyle Mewburn, illustrations Rachel Driscoll Maori text Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira Scholastic, $18.99, ISBN 9781869435189 / 9781869438975 Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig Goes to…

Tagged with: Diana Neild, Eirlys Hunter, Gavin Bishop, Issue 90, Joy Cowley, Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira, Kyle Mewburn, Michael Hight, Paula Green, Philip Webb, Rachel Driscoll, Random House, Scholastic, Winter 2010
Posted in Children, Literature, Review

Debuts and returns, Linda Burgess

Posted on June 1, 2009 by NZ Books

Enemy at the Gate Philippa Werry Scholastic New Zealand, $17.99 ISBN 9781869438135 Old Drumble Jack Lasenby HarperCollins, $16.99, ISBN 978169506742 Chicken Feathers Joy Cowley and David Elliot (illus) Puffin Books, $17.95, ISBN 9780143303909 Five (and a bit) Days in the…

Tagged with: David Elliot, HarperCollins, Issue 86, Jack Lasenby, Joy Cowley, Linda Burgess, Michelle Kelly, Philippa Werry, Puffin Books, Random Books, Rebecca Cundy, Scholastic New Zealand, Val Bird, Winter 2009
Posted in Children, Literature, Review

Illustrating the gaps between words, Raymond Huber

Posted on June 1, 2008 by NZ Books

Rats! Gavin Bishop Random House, $30.00, ISBN 978869419028 Tahi: One Lucky Kiwi Melanie Drewery, illustrations Ali Teo and John O’Reilly Random House, $30.00, ISBN 9781869419301 To the Harbour Stanley Palmer Lopdell House Gallery, $35.00, ISBN 9780958228442 Snake and Lizard Joy…

Tagged with: Ali Teo, Gavin Bishop, Gecko Press, Issue 81, Jenny Cooper, John O’Reilly, Joy Cowley, Lopdell House Gallery, Melanie Drewery, Random House, Raymond Huber, Scholastic, Stanley Palmer, Winter 2008
Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review

Off the page, Barbara Murison

Posted on March 1, 2006 by NZ Books

Hunter Joy Cowley Puffin, $16.95, ISBN 0143318292 Super Freak Brian Falkner Mallinson Rendel, $16.95, ISBN 0908783981 Chinatown Girl: The Diary of Silvey Chan, Auckland, 1942 Eva Wong Ng Scholastic New Zealand, $16.99, ISBN 1869436598 Ask any publisher of New Zealand…

Tagged with: Autumn 2006, Barbara Murison, Brian Falkner, Eva Wong Ng, Issue 73, Joy Cowley, Mallinson Rendel, Puffin, Scholastic New Zealand
Posted in Children, Fiction, Literature, Review