Taniwha
By Gavin Bishop (Penguin, $40)
Aimed at a 7-plus crowd, Gavin Bishop’s charming guide to the stories of the country’s mythical beasts is naturally beautifully illustrated, in earthy green and brown watercolours. Taniwha can be guardians or untrustworthy, appear in different guises (whales, sharks, geckos) and many are said to have come from the ancestral homeland of Hawaiki to Aotearoa with waka. Tuhirangi was one of the first to arrive, coming with Kupe. The legendary explorer is said to have placed him in Cook Strait to aid waka sailing between the islands. When in the late 1800s the dolphin Pelorus Jack appeared, and guided ships through the Marlborough Sounds, local Māori believed it was Tuhirangi in disguise.
Jerusalem: The City that Changed the World: An Illustrated History
By Simon Sebag Montefiore, illustrated by Rui Ricardo & Catherine Rowe (Hodder, $60)
A splendid rewrite for younger readers by the multi-award-winning historian whose “biography” of the city came out in 2011, this is not a chronicle to be whizzed through (so it’s a pity there’s no pagemarker ribbon). An epic yet straightforward retelling of the stories from every culture that’s claimed the universal city, from someone who visited often as a child and believes it belongs to many rather than any one. Essential reading for an understanding of the background to the Gaza conflict – though it doesn’t cover the current war.
Oh Dear, Look What I Got!
By Michael Rosen & Helen Oxenbury (Walker, $28)
“I went to the shop to get me a carrot. Oh dear, they gave me … a parrot!” Believe it or not, these two have not collaborated on a picture book since the classic 1989 We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (which many Gen-Xers can still recite by heart). By the time this tale is finished a whole menagerie is running riot, including – spoiler alert – that bear. A stirring riff on The Old Woman who Swallowed a Fly rounds out the story. It may not last like Bear Hunt but it’s still a rousingly good picture book.
Wrapping Things
By Linda Burgess & Hilary Jean Tapper (A&U, $24.99)
From a writer better known for almost everything but children’s literature comes this tender tale of a preschooler who likes to wrap everything – from her cloth rabbit to crayons to her kitten – in whatever is to hand. Realised in timeless, Edward Ardizzone-like pictures by the rising star illustrator who brought to life Joy Cowley’s At the Bach two years ago, they’re the perfect match for a story the author wrote when her own granddaughter was the same age. One for every new family. And there may be a sequel in the works.
Cats in Pants
By Naomi Tipping (Batsford, $24.99)
For every kid who’s ever wrapped up their kitten, this flip-flap hardbound will prove as irresistible as catnip to cat lovers of any age, and withstand heavy handling to boot. Our faves: “Mozart | wears | blue pants … Max | picks | fishy pants … and Lucky | hates | baggy pants”. Could a doggy version work as well?
Omnibird: An Avian Investigator’s Handbook
By Giselle Clarkson (Gecko, $45)
The fold-in styled cover perfectly sums up the subject. To be honest, I wasn’t sure the multitalented Giselle Clarkson could repeat the enormous international success of The Observologist, her 2023 book about insects, but the Greytown author and artist has pulled off another phenomenal achievement with this everything-from-eggs-to-poop guide to birds – and not just ours. She tackles her subject from every angle, using all her scientific and design talent to inspire kids to follow her “sleuthing” to “find the fascinating in eggs, feathers and flight patterns”. They’re everywhere. Start looking.
Hooked: Learning to Fish
By Al Brown (A&U, $35)
Everything you ever wanted to know about fishing in Aotearoa New Zealand, from a guy who sure knows how to cook the critters. You don’t have to be a pescatore to enjoy this comprehensive guide to catching and eating the fish that are around our shores, in lakes and in rivers. The chef and restaurateur reels out chapters on traditional Māori practices and sustainability, every aspect of hooking fish, the gear you’ll need (including your lucky hat – my late brother’s has trout flies rusted into it) and what to do once you’ve caught this healthiest of creatures. From the gloriously coloured cover, Hope McConnell’s vibrant illustrations draw the reader in – although the reality for many fishers in Aotearoa is probably a little more grey.
Emilie Walks Te Araroa
By Emilie & Victoria Bruce (Potton & Burton, $29.99)
This is how to do adventure schooling. This is how to remove kids from the mainstream and teach them bushcraft, learning on the hoof free from the shackles of literacy tests and uniforms. Of course, it’s anything but easy and comes with hazards like crossing icy rivers, trudging thigh deep in mud, slicing your knee open on a rock. But with Mum by your side, there’s heaps to learn on this walk the length of NZ – even if you’re only seven. The photos are fantastic, the child is the star, and there are insects and birds galore … plus the occasional ice cream, and a fairy dress, courtesy of an op shop in Greymouth for occasions when camo gear doesn’t cut it. This journey touches on every subject in the curriculum, most importantly the ones that will affect the next generation – the natural world, te taiao, and the interdependence of people and nature. Emilie’s mum has written her own story; together they raised more than $20,000 for the Mental Health Foundation and Federated Mountain Clubs.
