New Zealand Bestselling Children's Books
A Kiwi Night Before Christmas by Yvonne Morrison
This new edition of A Kiwi Night Before Christmas, based on the perennially favourite Clement C Moore poem 'A Night Before Christmas', includes a full-colour press-out model of the beach bach that children can make for themselves. More
The Wonky Donkey By Craig Smith, Kate Cowley
In this very funny, cumulative song, each page tells us something new about the donkey until we end up with a spunky, hanky-panky cranky stinky dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey, which will have children in fits of laughter! There is much fun to be had by listening to the song and trying to predict the new word for each clue given. Craig Smith's song, The Wonky Donkey, won an APRA More
Herbert: The Brave Sea Dog By Robyn Belton
Herbert was a small dog who lived in Nelson by the sea. Everybody liked him, but the person who loved him most was Tim. One fine day, an excited Herbert set off with Tim's father on a boat, heading for their cottage in the Marlborough Sounds. However, the weather soon turned rough and Herbert was catapulted into the biggest adventure of his life, from which he emerged a hero. Robyn Belton's heartwarming, beautifully illustrated retelling of a true-life adventure will delight children aged 3 to 7, their parents, teachers and librarians. More
Ben and Mark Boys of the High Country By John Bougen, Christine Fernyhough
The bestselling team of Fernyhough and Bougen (The Road to Castle Hill: A High Country Love Story) are back with a wonderful book for children that's bound to become a classic. It is the true story of Ben and Mark Smith, aged eight and six, who live with their parents Richard and Sheri on Mount White Station, near Arthurs Pass, one of the biggest and most remote stations in the South Island. 45 minutes from the nearest village to their turnoff on the main road, and fourteen gates along a gravel road from there to the farmhouse. With wonderful photographs and rich and informative text, this book will delight both country people and townies alike, and crosses the divide between children's book and New Zealand classic - adults will love it as much as children. More
The Wonky Donkey
Smith, Craig
Awesome Aotearoa : A Kids History of New Zealand
"New Zealand is certainly an adventurous country...we have forests and rocky beaches. We have earthquakes and volcanoes, and pools of boiling mud and these days we also have the All Blacks - a world famous rugby football team. Earthquakes, boiling mud and rugby players! Who could wish for more?" The famous children's writer joins forces with her country's top political cartoonist in this hilarious and irreverent history of Aotearoa - or New Zealand, to use its other name. More
Dark Blue 100-ride Bus Ticket By Margaret Mahy
When Carlo and his mother, Jessica, accept a free bus ticket from a strange old woman in the supermarket, they are really only being polite. Secretly they think she must be slightly batty, with her talk about hundred free bus rides to the supermarket at the end of the world. How absurd! And yet, right outside their supermarket, which is of the most ordinary, everyday kind, a Number 13 bus pulls up ...dark blue and with gold stars, just like the ticket. Feeling suddenly adventurous, Jessica and Carlo take their seats ...and nothing turns out the way you would expect. Because the wonderful supermarket is real - but so are the horrible Dowlers, who are plotting and scheming to destroy it. What begins with fun and laughter becomes violent and dangerous, and the courage of a pair of resourceful children will be needed if the horrible, howling Dowlers are to be defeated. More
Perky the Pukeko
By Michelle Osment
A delightful brightly illustrated story about belonging. Each ‘Perky The Pukeko’ story is designed to be read and enjoyed on its own or as part of the series.
A great New Zealand story. More
Bubble Trouble
Little Mabel blew a bubble and it caused a lot of trouble! Such a lot of bubble trouble in a bibble-bobble way. For it broke away from Mabel as it bobbed across the table, Where it bobbled over Baby, and it wafted him away. Follow the hilarious efforts of the townsfolk as they chase the baby far across the town in an effort to get him down from the bubble safe and sound. More
Old Drumble: The Smartest Drover's Dog There Ever Was
The humorous and heartwarming story of Jack Jackman, a young boy who wants to be a stock drover, set in the small Waikato township of Waharoa in the late 1930s. Jack has a wonderful warm relationship with his parents and an old family friend, Andy the Drover, who each week drives a mob of cattle or sheep through the main street with the help of his dog, Old Drumble, and his horse, Nosy. All three become the boy's close friends over the long hot summer holidays, and each week Andy more.
Willie Apiata, VC: The Reluctant Hero
Corporal Willie Apiata became the first New Zealander since the Second World War to be awarded the Commonwealth's highest military award for his actions with the NZ SAS in Afghanistan. From his early life in small town East Coast New Zealand to his actions in the deserts of Afghanistan, this is his story in his words. Inspiring, and heart warming, this is the story of an ordinary Kiwi facing extraordinary challenges. More
Piggity-Wiggity Jiggity Jig
When Piggity-Wiggity complains to his dad about the length of his name, Dad explains that he and his wife felt that their large family of four boys and four girls was missing something. When Piggity-Wiggity came along, they were so delighted that they wanted to give him an extra-special, musical, heroic sort of name. Piggity-Wiggity goes to sleep well satisfied with the explanation for his extraordinary name More
