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\n\n\n\nDeeplight \n\nby Frances Hardinge {Reviewed by\nSTELLA} \n
Dive into the world of scavenger pirates, deep-sea\nmythologies, powerful gods and a people who trade for profit and\nintrigue in found godware. The latest book from the brilliant\nchildren's writer Frances Hardinge starts, in the best\nstory-telling tradition, with a tale of wide-eyed wonder and\nunbelievable strangeness — poetic and mesmerising. Welcome to the\nworld and fierce ocean mysteries of the Myriad. Hardinge poises us\nperfectly in the prologue to make the perfect dive headfirst, with\ncuriosity and no regrets. The opening chapters, like a tumbling\nwave, tip over into the everyday world of Lady Crave Island, a\nrowdy and crowded port town where traders pass through, dealing in\ngodware and seeking treasures, where those who are ‘marked’ carry\ntheir heads high — their daring of deep diving a source of pride,\nand where street urchins may eke out an existence. Here we\nencounter our hero Hark and his best friend (protector and\nprofiteer) Jelt, playing tricks and turning a coin. It’s swagger\nand play-acting for two 14-year-olds needing an income and skating\ntrouble. Not that Jelt shies away from trouble or making deals, and\nhe’s not too concerned if Hark is dragged in as well — anything for\na bit of godware, money or advantage. When Jelt agrees to a risky\njob for Captain Rigg — she rules the fiercest of the pirate gangs\nin Lady Crave — not everything goes to plan. And guess who is\ntaking the rap! Hark is caught and ends up on the wrong side of the\nlaw and facing The Appraisal — he’s about to be auctioned. Only his\nsilver tongue might save him from a surefire early death in the\nbowels of a hulking ship or submarine. He’ll never survive as a\ngalley minion rowing endlessly in pursuit of godware. And a story\nhe does spin, landing him a three-year indenture to the mysterious\nDr Vyne, scientist — not as an assistant, but as her spy. He’s sent\nto the Sanctuary — a home for aged priests — to tease out their\nstories and their knowledge of the watery depths of the Myriad. The\npriests hold secrets that could unlock the power of the gods. As\nthe stories of the old world unfold — tales of monstrous beasts in\nthe Undersea, of the Cataclysm, of the mysteries of the Undersea\ngodware — secrets creep to the surface. Driven by fascination, fear\nand the desire to harness the power of the Undersea gods, the\nLeague and the Governors are dabbling in ‘science’ and magic, yet\nthey are not the only ones that are on a reckless journey. Jelt\ntracks Hark to his new home on the far-flung island of Nest to\nconvince him that their fortunes can be made with a quick dip in a\nstolen Bathysphere. But the sea is unpredictable and unforgiving,\nand Jelt finds himself a treasure which is both pleasure and\nhindrance. What starts as a wild adventure, and what Jelt sees as\nthe best of his deals so far, may just sink him further in the\nmysteries of the Undersea than he bargained for — and Hark along\nwith him. Crossing Rigg wasn’t the greatest idea, but crossing her\nstubborn and ferocious daughter, Selphin, will take them all on a\ndangerous journey to the Undersea, a journey that will test their\nfriendship, bravery and ethics. Will they make the right decision?\nWill they have any choice? Hardinge is an excellent story-teller.\nHer worlds are vivid and beautiful, her characters complex and\nengaging, and the plot is fascinatingly satisfying. Author of the\nCosta prize-winning \n\nThe Lie Tree\n and the equally absorbing \n\nA Skinful of Shadows, Like \nPullman and \nNess she leaves you with plenty to think\nabout and the desire to dive right back in. \n\n
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\n 11/09/19 2:06 am

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\n\n\nThe Mapmakers' Race\n\n by Eirlys Hunter \n
Meet the Santander family - explorers and mapmakers. When Ma\nmisses the train, Sal, the twins Joe and Francie, along with young\nHumphrey, are on their own, making their way to Grand Prospect as\nentrants in the Great Mapmakers' Race, a competition to map a\nrailway route through the uncharted wilderness from Grand Prospect\nto the port at New Coalhaven. The fastest team wins the prize, and\nthe best map, the grand prize, will become the new railway. And all\nthis needs to be done in 28 days! Arriving in Grand Prospect, the\nchildren are scoffed at and almost not allowed to race. No one has\nmuch faith in them, despite their parents’ reputation as fine\nexplorers and excellent mapmakers. The children have to go on -\nit’s their only hope of raising the funds to track down their\nfather, who has been missing for months on an expedition. Surely Ma\nwill find a horse, get another train, catch up with them somewhere.\nFour children stranded in Grand Prospect with no money, a minimum\nof supplies, a four-year-old in tow, no horses to carry their load\nof supplies, and competing with several adult teams who have brawn,\nwonders or money at their fingertips: teams like Cody Cole and his\nCowboys - tough men with fine horses - their symbol a rifle and a\ntelescope crossed over a map; the Solemn Team - scientific and\nlogical; and Sir Montague Basingstoke-Black and his mountaineers -\npipes firmly tucked in mouths, astride their mechanical horses that\nwill never tire. But the real stars of this book are the inventive\nand brilliant Santander children. Setting out on the road, they\nmeet Beckett - a local lad - who gives them a helping hand.\nResourceful and savvy, Beckett procures donkeys and food and has a\nfew tricks up his sleeve. Enticed by the idea of the railway, he\njoins the Santanders - luckily for them, as neither cooking nor\nrationing the food supplies are part of the children's skill set.\nAmazing talents they do have, though: Joe is the surveyor, cutting\nahead, often through prickly thorns and thick undergrowth, to find\nand make the best path; Sal is the mathematician, working the\naltimeter, calculating the inclines and declines and solving the\ntechnical problems; Francie is the map-maker - a brilliant artist -\nwho can fly, take herself above the landscape and see it from a\nbird’s eye view; and Humphrey notices - the keen observer - things\nthat the others miss. The Mapmakers' Race is an exciting,\nwell-paced adventure from New Zealand author Eirlys Hunter. There\nare illustrations by Kirsten Slade throughout, and each chapter\nstarts with a map marking out the journey and giving the reader\nteasers as to what might happen in the next few pages. Chapter\neleven’s drawing includes the Impenetrable Cliffs of Doom, Camp\nComeuppance and Camp Exhaustion. There will be bears, bats, tricks\nand treats, wild rivers, endless climbs, snow and storms. There are\nscary stories, magical tales and funny episodes around the campfire\nto cheer the spirits and keep the children travelling onward. This\nis an enjoyable read-aloud or keep-to-yourself and will have some\nchildren reaching for ink and paper to become wondrous mapmakers,\nand others out in the wilderness, exploring and making tracks.\nCharming, exciting and just a little dangerous. \n
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\n 09/22/19 3:25 pm

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\nOur\n\nBook of the Week has just won the Margaret Mahy Book of the\nYear award at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young\nAdults.\n
\n\n\n\nBomb\n\n by Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan is s\net\nfirmly in Aotearoa. This summery, exuberant tale will resonate with\nany child who has ever tried to do something that scares them. The\ndetailed, artful illustrations are as joyous and assured as the\nstory they capture. The unwavering love and encouragement of the\nchild’s Nan illuminates a strong and convincing message about being\nyourself and having the courage to do things in your own\nway.\n \n
\n\n>>\nRead Stella's review. \n\n
\n\n>>\nThe book trailer. \n\n
\n\n>>\nMaking the biggest splash. \n\n
\n\n>>\"\nLayer upon layer of goodness and\nwonder.\"\n\n
\n\n>>\nAll the winners in the New Zealand Book Awards for\nChildren and Young Adults. \n\n
\n\n>>Read it in te Reo: \n\n\nTe Pohu\n\n (translated by \nKawata\nTeepa).\n
\n>>\nSacha\nCotter's website. \n
\n>>\nThe illustrator and the designer. \n
\n>>\nThe Bomb Song.\n
\n>>\nAnd now with 400 children.\n
\n>>\nAnd there's a baby!\n
\n\n>>Huia Publishing also\ntook the Young Adult Fiction Award at the NZBACYA for \n\n\nLegacy\n\n by Whiti Hereaka.\n\n
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\n 08/10/19 2:10 am

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\n\n\nThe Bomb \n\nby Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan {Reviewed by\nSTELLA}\n
The top prize, The Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, at this\nyear’s \nNew Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young\nAdults, went to \nThe Bomb! This lively and delightful picture book by Sacha\nCotter and Josh Morgan is a great story, wonderfully illustrated,\nis laced with humour, and has a message to boot. Be yourself! An\nimportant refrain in our media-saturated world that continuously\nsends us messages about how we ‘should’ be and how our children\n‘should’ be. It’s summertime in New Zealand and this could be\nanyone’s local beach, favourite river waterhole, or pool. Everyone\ncan do the bomb...except for one boy who can’t quite seem to make\nit happen — no matter what. His mantra doesn’t work — \“Hear my\nsong, see my lines, check my moves, they’re so fine..\” Even Nan,\nhis stalwart supporter, with her encouraging positive vibes, can’t\nhelp (until he hears her). Everyone(!) has advice: \“ More weight.\nMore height. More hair. More puku. Bigger shorts\”. But nothing\nhelps. The bomb is a ...plop. But then he discovers the secret!\nHe’s going to do it \nhis way. Here’s a story you can pull out and read\nagain and again. It’s always going to spark fires with its\ncelebration of being yourself and finding your own way to your goal\nand the things that delight you. The text is a joy to read, with\nits rhythm and energetic language. (If you really like the text,\n check out the song!) And there is a te\nReo edition, \n\nTe Pohu\n. The illustrations are tremendously playful, with things to\nfind and keep discovering on every page, and show us a story that\ncould only be in New Zealand — the trees, the birds, the icecreams\nin their cones. The book has verve and bounce as well as depth,\nexploring the subtler relationship between a child and those who\nsupport them in their endeavours (it’s dedicated to Sacha's and\nJosh’s grandmothers!), alongside themes of anxiety and confidence,\nwithout being cloying. \nThe Bomb is sure to become a New Zealand classic. It\nis a joy each time you read it. I wonder how many excellent\ntree-like diving platforms will appear this summer!\n
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\n 08/10/19 2:07 am

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\n\nThe\nwinners in the 2019 NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG\nADULTS have just been announced.\n
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\n\nClick\nthrough to reserve your copies.\n
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\nMARGARET\nMAHY BOOK OF THE YEAR + PICTURE BOOK OF THE YEAR\n
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\n\n\n\nThe Bomb\n\n by Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Huia Publishing) \n$23\n
\nSet\nfirmly in Aotearoa, this summery, exuberant tale will resonate with\nany child who has ever tried to do something that scares them. The\ndetailed, artful illustrations are as joyous and assured as the\nstory they capture. The unwavering love and encouragement of the\nchild’s Nan illuminates a strong and convincing message about being\nyourself and having the courage to do things in your own\nway.\n
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\n\nWRIGHT\nFAMILY FOUNDATION ESTHER GLEN AWARD FOR JUNIOR FICTION\n
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\n\n\n\nThe Dog Runner\n\n by Bren McDibble (Allen & Unwin) \n$19\n
\nBe\ntransported to a convincingly rendered dystopian future in which\nall grasses have been destroyed. The only real chance of survival\nfor Ella and her half-brother Ellery is to leave the city and\ntravel with their magnificent doggos by dogcart, across the\nwilderness to Ellery’s family farm — and hope. Danger is\neverywhere, food and water scarce. Resilience and resourcefulness\nare essential in this enthralling, fast-paced ecological\ndrama.\n
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\n\nYOUNG\nADULT FICTION AWARD\n
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\n\n\n\nLegacy\n\n by Whiti Hereaka (Huia Publishing) \n$25\n
\nRiki\nwakes after an accident to find he’s gone back a century. He is\nmistaken for his great-grandfather, who happens to be a soldier in\nthe middle of Egypt during WW1 — a long way from present-day\nWellington and his girlfriend. The convincing characterisation and\nscene setting help readers understand the moral complexities and\nchallenges of life as a Māori soldier during the WW1\ncampaigns.\n
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\n\nELSIE\nLOCKE AWARD FOR NON-FICTION + BEST FIRST BOOK AWARD\n
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\n\n\n\nArt-tastic\n\n by Sarah Pepperle (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o\nWaiwhetū) $30\n
\nThe\nmeanings and methods behind iconic works in the Christchurch Art\nGallery collection are uncovered, using dazzling design features\nthat are instantly engaging. This book shows how art can touch us\nat every level, from cultural to emotional, and it’s all done with\na madly ‘art-rageous’ sense of humour. A highly interactive book\nwhich connects young people with art and encourages readers to try\nout the art techniques.\n
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\n\nRUSSELL\nCLARKE AWARD FOR ILLUSTRATION\n
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\n\n\n\nPuffin the Architect\n\n by Kimberly Andrews (Penguin Random House) \n $20\n
\nAn\narchitect takes on the toughest clients yet in this clever story,\nfull of warmth and gentle surprise. Luminous and detailed\nillustrations reveal cross-sections of each animal’s house, and\nencourage exploration. The rhythm and rhyme are impeccable, with a\nrefrain listing the essential requirements for the perfect home —\nreaders are left in no doubt that friends and family are the most\nimportant ingredients.\n
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\n\nWRIGHT\nFAMILY FOUNDATION TE KURA POUNAMU AWARD FOR TE REO MAORI\n
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\n\n\n\nTe Haka a Tānerore\n\n by Reina Kahukiwa, illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa,\ntranslated by Kiwa Hammond (Mauri Tū) $30\n
\nLegend\nsays Tamanuiterā (sun) and Hine Raumati (summer maiden) had a son\nnamed Tānerore. On scorching hot days, the mother and son haka to\nthe sun from the parched earth. As they do this, their hands shake\nvigorously, reflecting the heatwaves that shimmer between\nPapatūānuku and Ranginui. ‘Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori’\nshines through in this ancient pūrākau and is creatively\nintensified by stunning original artwork.\n
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\n 08/07/19 3:21 am

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