New from Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird - anothr zany picture book

NZ Writer and Illustrator 

Dawn McMillan, illustrated by Ross Kinnaird

Squeakopotamus

Oratia 2016    $19.99pb  32pp

ISBN 978 0 9475 0611 7

Themes: Pets/ Size/ Stories in rhyme  

The children think they want to keep their very large hippo- like pet.  Mum and Dad are not so sure - it is the food and the size that is the problem.  It’s a scary feeling too if you wake in the night and discover your new pet is licking his lips and obviously hungry. Could it be that he actually wants to eat YOU? Fortunately nature intervenes and provides a happy ending for everyone. Another totally zany story from this inventive team and I want to start reading it to children ASAP.   

Preschool up/ Age 4 up

Note: This was published on October 6^th but my copy has only just arrived – caught up in the postal system somewhere.  

Illuminae - the sequel

Australian Writers 

Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

Gemina  - The Illuminae files - 02

Allen & Unwin 2016    $25.00pb 659pp

ISBN 9 781 9252 6657 3

Themes: Series/ Space stations/ Survival (of course!)  

There have been so many stories over the years about space stations and the survival of the universe that I must confess I did pick this one up (and it is a weighty book with its 650 pages) with a bit of trepidation. I am not a space story addict. However, from about three pages in, the unusual combination of emails/ photos/transcripts/ IMs and schematics and above all the youthful energy and wit of the writers who have brought it all together had me totally in thrall. I couldn’t wait to go on reading and looking as soon as I had a spare moment (and ordering the first book Illuminae). Hanna - the once social butterfly-  and Nik the not so enthusiastic member of an active crime family, make characters we care about as they prepare to defend their home. I predict this will be a book young adult readers will either reject out of hand or will fall upon it, read it to death (library copies will get very worn after a couple of issues)  and clamour loudly for more.

Year 8 up/ Age 12 up    

The Original Children's Bookshop Christchurch closes its doors today. Hurry there now...

Do you live in Christchurch?

If so you will know the Original Children’s Bookshop in Blenheim Square.  It’s a shop I have always made a point of visiting each time I have been in Christchurch both in Victoria Street and in Blenheim Square  (post earthquake) .

After 37 years of trading this unique and amazing bookshop will almost definitely be closing down in just a few short hours -  yes, and on NZ Bookshop Day 29^th October too after their all day Tiger Who Came to Tea Party.  (See also yesterday’s post for another Tiger Who Came to Tea Party – in Wellington at the Children’s Bookshop, Kilbirnie!)

It seems half of Christchurch will be visiting to pay their respects but please join them. Take a cupcake, a pot plant, a bag of sweeties and above all BUY A BOOK (or several books)

Here’s the link to The Christchurch Press report: http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/85854352/the-childrens-bookshop-goes-into-liquidation-after-37-years-of-trading

The then office manager Mary Sangster, left, and former owner Sheila Sinclair in 2012. 

Image: Fairfax Media

New Zealand Bookshop Day 2016

This Saturday, October 29^th 2016,

 is New Zealand Bookshop Day

Image: Matt Bialostocki

Please Google to find  the positive wealth of activities (for children AND adults) that will be mounted.

From South to North here is a very very small sample. Each place seems to have nearly all their bookshops involved (sourced from Booksellers NZ):

DUNEDIN - in the University Bookshop

Love letters, fairies and red velvet cupcakes

CHRISTCHURCH  - Scorpio Bookshop Riccarton

Children’s illustration workshop (booking essential)

BLENHEIM– Paper Plus

Author Brett Avison will be in store for a book signing/chat - his books include Bigger Digger, Stuck in the Muck

WELLINGTON- Unity Books  

Terra Incognita  A handful of savvy explorers will strike gold on Saturday!

The Children's Bookshop Kilbirnie

WELLINGTON- The Children’s Bookshop Kilbirnie

Tiger Who Came to Tea party from 2pm until 3pm for age 8 and under, with stories first. Juliette MacIver will read some of her new books including Gwendolyn! and That’s Not a Hippopotamus

WELLINGTON– Marsden Books, Karori

Local  authors Ned  Barraud and Gillian Candler ( In the Bush, At the Beach )will run a quiz, talk bout their books and give out goody-bags. Adults will receive a blind-date book!

LOWER HUTT-  Paper Plus

Local children’s  authors Juliette MacIver and Robyn Cooper will read from their books and Dr Seuss will be celebrated in a BIG way

PALMERSTON NORTH – Bruce McKenzie Booksellers

All day printing demonstrations from Printmaker Heather Partell backgrounded by folk music and a classical trio.

NAPIER– Wardini Books

Book coconut shy/ self recording videos/ Hook a Book

TAURANGA – Books-a-Plenty

Stacey Gregg will talk and sign books

HAMILTON– Penny’s Bookstore

A pirate treasure hunt through the store and mall collecting golden letters.

AUCKLAND–The Dorothy Butler Children’s Bookshop

Non-stop Stories. Local authors including Melinda Syzmanik, Paula Green and Joy Davidson reading books and telling stories all morning.

But this is only a small selection and for the full progamme go to:

http://booksellers.co.nz/bkshop-day/participatingshops/whatson

Mal Peet's last book

UK Writers

Mal Peet (deceased) with Meg Rosoff

Beck

Walker Books 2016  $24.99hb 267pp

ISBN 978 1 4063 3112 7                                                   Themes: Black teenagers/ Canada 1900s/ Catholic church/ Depression USA 1900s/ Sexual abuse of children 

Beck was born as the result of a brief encounter between an African American soldier and a young woman from Liverpool in the early 1900s and spends his life trying to find his real place in the world. This takes him to Canada and to conditions even tougher than those he has left behind – including a spell in a Catholic boys’ boarding school and a trip across the whole Canadian continent. This is a painful (and graphic) story to read but the conclusion is something not to be missed. Meg Rosoff, a close friend of Mal’s, worked on his unfinished novel after his death at his request and the seamless result is a tribute to both of these amazing writers for young adults. In my opinion it would be very wise to be really sure of the maturity of the reader to whom I was recommending the book.

Mature readers only

Watch for Susan Price's first children's book - coming next week:

 

Goodbye Timmy Failure?

USA Writer & Illustrator Stephan Pastis Timmy Failure- the Book You’re Not Supposed to Have Walker Books 2016  $19.99hb 274pp ISBN 978 1 4063 6976 2                                Themes: Detective work/ Funny stories/ Series  

Although Timmy was meant to be focusing on his school work (a very hard ask for him) he was forced to work from his family garden shed and continue with his detective memoirs amongst the compost and seedlings. Then the memoirs are stolen. The plot? Hard to say really but I am convinced this is the sort of OTT humour that children of around 8 to 10 (and of course older adults like me) really enjoy. After four other Timmy Failure books, the first of which was listed as one of the 100 Children’s Modern Classics by the Sunday Star Times, it reads as though this may be the last in the series of five books but children will happily go back to the beginning again…  

Year 4 up/ Age 8 up  

Robyn Cooper's First Children's Book

NZ Writer  Robyn Cooper Snails, Spells and Snazzlepops Submarine (Makaro Press) 2016    $25.00pb 164pp ISBN 978 0 9941 3793 7 Themes: Bullying/ Cooking/ Family life/ Fantasy/ Funny stories/ Money (lack of)

Charlie has a lot to put up with - his mother’s boyfriend/ a house that seems to be falling around his ears and worst of all – a lack of money.  For Charlie (and his close friend Millie who lives next door) the solution may be through his skills in the culinary arts and serving up some really wild and unusual foods  - like the snails that live just outside the garden window. Then, while searching for a fail-safe recipe Charlie and Millie come upon a magical site on the net which may enhance their efforts even further. This is a truly funny story with characters with whom we can empathise and a storyline of which we believe every word.  A good story to read aloud to a class as a special treat!!

Excellent teachers’ notes are available for this book on the Makaro Press website. Go to: www.makaropress.co.nz/teachers/

Year 5 up/ Age 9 up  

The Makaro Press Team at the launch. Robyn is second from the left. Photo acknowledgments to Robyn Cooper