I think my all-time favourite writer for Young people is Kate de Goldi. I have had the privilege of hearing her speak a number of times, at conferences and hosted in the school libraries I have worked for. She is a writer who is generous with her time and in her promotion of other writers, … Continue reading Kate de Goldi
Marcia Lynx Qualey is a Rabat, Morocco-based translator from Arabic and an all-around champion of #worldkidlit—in fact, she coined the term! Previously based in Cairo, Marcia co-founded #WorldKidLit Month (September) with Alexandra Büchler and Lawrence Schimel in 2016, creating a platform to discuss translations into English for children—especially translations from underrepresented languages and cultures. The … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Meet Reviewer Marcia Lynx Qualey
Picture books inhabit that beautiful collaboration of the text being incomplete without the illustration and the illustration relying on the text for the fullness of comprehension. Gavin Bishop is an illustrator and writer whose contribution to New Zealand literature has been recognised by naming an award after him. In 2009 Storylines created the Gavin Bishop … Continue reading Gavin Bishop -NZ illustrator and writer
I promised many days ago to return to Patricia Grace. This writer has been instrumental in the emergence of Maori writing since the 1970s. As a teacher and mother, she wrote in her 'spare time'. As explained on her Read NZ page her first book, Waiariki (1975), the first short story collection by a Māori woman writer, … Continue reading Patricia Grace
I read "Teacher" (1963) by Sylvia Ashton Warner, while at secondary school and found it inspirational. This was a memoir about her life as a teacher, a profession which Warner was very reluctant to enter. Her mother had been a teacher and the sole income earner for her large family. The family had to move from … Continue reading Sylvia Ashton Warner – learning to read
While Michael King was able to trace a widely held misbelief about the discovery of New Zealand back to a School Journal publication I want to draw your attention to this amazing resource and to explain why they have actually done much more good than harm. It was first published on May 9th 1907 and … Continue reading School Journals
Completing the triumvirate of great New Zealand Children's writers is Maurice Gee. While he has an amazing collection of work for children and young adults, Gee is as much a writer of adult fiction as he is a children's writer. His work for children is mostly in the area of science fiction or fantasy. "Under the … Continue reading Maurice Gee
When it comes to children's literature writers in New Zealand - three people are legendary in their contributions and encouragement of others. One was Margaret Mahy, one is Maurice Gee and one is Joy Cowley. Read NZ wrote an article about the 50 books all New Zealand Children must read and couldn't decide on just … Continue reading Joy Cowley – New Zealand Children’s Literature
My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder is a charming, whimsical graphic novel for readers ages 7-11. Illustrated with beautiful watercolors, the book consists of four heartwarming tales about a young disabled girl named Yu’er and her beloved, quirky grandfather by renowned Chinese author-illustrator, Nie Jun. My Beijing introduces English readers to Nie’s East-meets-West art and … Continue reading #WorldKidLitWednesday: My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder
When it comes to children's writing in New Zealand, Margaret Mahy has made an incredible contribution over her lifetime. She was a children's librarian in Christchurch until 1980 when she resigned to write fulltime. Her work has been translated into 15 different languages and has won many awards. The Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award began in … Continue reading Margaret Mahy – New Zealand Children’s writer extraordinaire
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 