children

Fast Five with Sharon Holt

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1. Why did you want to be a writer?

I wanted to be a writer because I absolutely loved reading books and being in libraries. I wanted to help other children find the joy that I found between the pages of so many wonderful children’s books.

2. What’s the best thing about being a writer?

There are many great things about being a writer, but the best thing for me is when children come up and say they love a story I wrote.

3. What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

My favourite NZ book is The Terrible Q by Tanya Batt.

4. What do you love most about New Zealand?

The thing I love most about New Zealand is how easy it is to get to the sea. I love the feeling of looking out over the ocean and imagining what’s on the other side.

5. What book changed your life?

The book that changed my life was a picture book that I was reading at bed time to my two toddlers. I don’t know what the story was but it was probably something by Lynley Dodd. While reading it to the children, I suddenly realised that I had forgotten to be a children’s author! I was already 40 so I very quickly started writing stories and sending them to Learning Media. Before long I was a published author and I haven’t looked back since!

Sharon has been writing for 10 years and has had stories, poems, plays and articles published in the School Journal.  Her latest novels, Sabotage and No Survivors, are  in the New Zealand My Story series and tell the stories of two girls growing up in New Zealand at the time of the Rainbow Warrior bombing and the Erebus crash.  Sharon has also written her own joke book called It’s True! You can make your own jokes, because her son kept trying to make up terrible jokes.

Fast Five with Ruth Paul

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1. Why did you want to be a writer?

Because, well … why not? As an illustrator, being a writer also gives me more control over the total story. Plus I  have only myself to let down if I don’t illustrate the story well enough. Doing both gives me the chance to create a more unified picture book. 

2. What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Having fun with language. Having fun, full stop. Oh, and getting emails from kids and parents who’ve read my books.

3. What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

Little Rabbit and the Sea by Gavin Bishop.

4. What do you love most about New Zealand?

The space, the climate, the small population, and all the opportunity we have to create a good society and environment to live in.

5. What book changed your life?

Not a book, but stories my father told me as a child that involved all the animals in our street in an imaginary fairyland. They were funny and wicked and naughty and special. They always involved dog poo (there was a lot of that in our street). It made me love the idea of sharing stories.

Ruth Paul is both an author and an illustrator.  Some of her books include Stomp, Two Little Pirates, The King’s Bubbles and The Animal Undie Ball.

Fast Five with Brian Falkner

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1. Why did you want to be a writer?

Don’t know. Just always did. Maybe because I was a keen reader as a child.

2. What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Visiting schools and literary festivals and meeting your audience. Without that, it would be quite a solitary vocation.

3. What’s your favourite New Zealand book?

Aarrgh! Don’t make me choose. Too many brilliant books to choose from.

4. What do you love most about New Zealand?

The people. The climate. Rangitoto. The beaches. Lots of other things. I miss NZ!

5. What book changed your life?

Any one of the Famous Five books by Enid Blyton. These were a revelation for me. It was fabulously exciting (with lashings of fun) to find a new Enid Blyton book was in the library when I was young. I am sure that these books are part of the reason that I became a writer.

Brian Falkner is the author of The Tomorrow Code, The Real Thing, Brainjack, Northwood, and his latest book, Team Recon Angel: Assault.  Visit his website – http://www.brianfalkner.com/

I’m a Shark: Bob Shea’s AWESOME book trailer

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I’m a Shark by Bob Shea was one of my favourite picture books in February.  If you or your children like books like Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus or the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems, and There are Cats in this Book by Viviane Schwarz then you should definitely check out Bob Shea.

Top 5 Picture Books – February 2012

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As part of my Goodreads Challenge (my goal is 366 books in 2012) I’ve been reading more picture books.  Not only is it really fun to read a whole stack of picture books, it also helps me find some cool new ones to read at my preschool Story Time in the library.  Each month I’m going to post my Top 5 Picture Books of the month (in no particular order).

  1. I'm a Shark by Bob Shea

    Shark’s not afraid of anything.

    The dark?

    Nah.

    A big mean bear?

    Don’t make him laugh!

    But there is one thing that even Shark fears. . . . Can you guess what it is?

  2. I Must Have Bobo! by Eileen Rosenthal, Marc Rosenthal

    When Willy woke up there was trouble. Where was Bobo? Willy needs Bobo. But, Earl the cat likes Bobo, too. A favorite toy is hard to share…even when it’s a sock monkey. With sparse text and a modern-nostalgic vibe, this retro-fun book about friends (sock monkeys) and frenemies (devious cats) is an ode to favorite toys everywhere. Oh, Earl! Leave Bobo alone.

  3. Oh No, George! by Chris Haughton

    It’s hard work being good all the time. And it’s especially hard for a dog like George! Harris is off to do some shopping. “Will you be good, George?” he asks. George hopes he can. He really wants to … but chocolate cake is just so very delicious and he does love to chase cat… What will George do now?

  4. Little Mouse by Alison Murray

    Can you be brave like a lion? Can you splash like a whale? Can you waddle like a penguin? Little Mouse can waddle like a penguin, eat like a horse and splash like a whale. So why does her mother call her Little Mouse Because, sometimes, it’s nice to be quiet and cosy, especially when it’s time to cuddle with your mum.

  5. Stanley's Stick by John Hegley

    Stanley’s stick is not just a stick. With a stick in hand, Stanley’s options are endless – he flies to the moon, writes in the sand, goes fishing, plays a whistle and rides a dinosaur – and his imagination takes over and the magic begins.

Picture Book Nook: Where is Fred? by Edward Hardy

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‘Hey, you! Yes, you reading this! I’m Gerald the crow and I’m looking for a lovely, fluffy white caterpillar called Fred. Have you seen him? I want him for my lunch! You haven’t? Are you sure? Then…Where is Fred?’

Fred is a lovely, fluffy, white caterpillar who loves games, especially Hide-and-Seek.  He’s really good at Hide-and-Seek because he can hide himself very well.  Apart from hiding, he spends most of his day munching on leaves.  Then one day he looks up to find a beady-eyed black crow, called Gerald, staring down at him hungrily.  Fred must do what he does best to escape Gerald’s hungry beak.

Where is Fred? is a fun picture book about a very smart caterpillar and a crow who’s ‘not the cleverest of birds.’  Children will get hooked right from the very first page when they meet the ‘lovely, fluffy white caterpillar called Fred’ and they get a chance to stroke him.  They’ll want to find Fred on each page and will get great satisfaction out of Fred outsmarting silly old Gerald.  Edward Hardy’s story is funny and action-packed, with just the right amount of repetition that children will be able to join in with the story.  Although you’re rooting for Fred, you also feel kind of sorry for Gerald because he keeps getting outsmarted.  Ali Pye’s illustrations were what made this picture book stand out for me.  She’s made Fred look very cute and fluffy and made Gerald look angry and a little bit crazy.  Each page is full of colour and there is lots for children to look at as you’re reading the story.  Ali very skilfully hides Fred on each page and it’s only his beady eyes that give him away.  I also really like the design of the book as different fonts and text sizes have been used, while still making it easy to read.  Where is Fred? will leave children laughing and is a great read-aloud for children who like a longer story.

5 out of 5 stars

Celebrate NZ Book Month throughout March

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March is the month that we celebrate New Zealand books, authors and illustrators.  It’s New Zealand Book Month  – and I’ll  have some special posts and competitions to celebrate our fantastic authors and illustrators.  Stay tuned for:

  • New Zealand children’s authors and illustrators answer my Fast Five questions.  Find out how books have changed the lives of our best authors and illustrators.
  • A special guest post from Fleur Beale to celebrate the re-issue of her NZ classic, I Am Not Esther.

To find out about other events that are happening around New Zealand to celebrate NZ Book Month check out their website – www.nzbookmonth.co.nz

Barbara Else on being a finalist in 2012 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards

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Even off the top of my distracted head after this exciting news, I can come up with three reasons why being a finalist is so important for me.  First – it is wonderful to be listed in the company of some fine established names in NZ children’s books and with such talented and energetic newcomers. Second – a short listing is very significant for getting your name and work in front of schools and the general public. Third –  this is the greatest treasure – it is a huge affirmation of my work for children. After 6 novels for adults as well as 2 for children some time ago now, working on The Travelling Restaurant was breaking into a new area on a whole new level.  Writing it was a glorious romp. It’s a bonus to find that readers enjoy the fun, tears and magic of the adventure too.

I wanted to see if I’d have as much fun with a follow-up, but I wasn’t going to let it leave my hands unless it was a solid stand-alone book.  The Queen and the Nobody Boy is set in the same world as The Travelling Restaurant a few years later. It was a challenge to kick the story into action as quickly as possible without getting trapped by the need for background. In the end I just booted the characters off into their own tale. Some characters are back again showing different sides of their personalities. There are new characters I’ve grown very fond of, and a villain I love to loathe.

I’m also excited at being asked to take part in the finalists’ tour organised by the NZ Book Council. It’s a treat to meet readers in person. I love reading aloud, and love the unusual questions children ask as well as how they react to unexpected answers.

Picture Book Nook: Edge of the World by Ian Trevaskis

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Shaun Tan, Margaret Wild, and Chris Van Alsberg are some of the masters of sophisticated picture books.  Their stories are told through both words and pictures and they make us think and question.  Edge of the World is a stunning new sophisticated picture book by Ian Trevaskis and illustrated by Wayne Harris, about grief and the power of art to heal wounds.

Edge of the World is about a small fishing village near the edge of the world where ‘the wind shrieked and howled through the empty streets and women and children huddled closer to their hearths,’ and where nobody smiled.  While other fishermen talk about their adventures, Toby McPhee keeps to himself and tries to forget what has happened.  Everyone in the village gets on with their lives; the women pray for the boats’ safe return and the children trudge to school.  Everything changes one day when Toby McPhee hauls in his fishing net and discovers more than just fish.  Each time he returns home with tiny pots of paint, which he uses to bring colour back into his life and the lives of the villagers.

Edge of the World is a magical story full of colour and hope.  Ian Trevaskis’ writing style is very descriptive and paints a picture for the reader, even without Wayne Harris’ illustrations.  You can sense the sadness of the village and it’s inhabitants from the opening lines, but the tone lightens as more colour gets introduced to the village.  Wayne Harris‘ illustrations are absolutely beautiful and it’s hard to believe that they were created digitally.  Wayne’s use of colour is very important to the story and he has shown this in the change in colour palette throughout the story.  In the beginning the colours are very muted and dull, but they get progressively brighter as the mood of Toby and the villagers change.  I’ve read this book at least 5 times so far and have got something new from each reading and viewing of the story.  It is a perfect picture book to study as a class (especially Year 7/8) as there as so many different aspects of the story, from the use of descriptive language to symbolism of different colour, that you could explore.   Walker Books have even created Teacher’s Notes to use with the book.

4 out of 5 stars