Book Lists

Book list: Books featuring disabled characters

We asked Giana Torrez, El Paso Library, Texas, for a list of books she likes to recommend that feature characters with disabilities—a broad topic, of course, as shown by her list that includes main characters with autism, dyslexia and physical disabilities.

Q&As

Tickle My Ears series: Q&A with Jörg Mühle

An interview with Jörg Mühle where he discusses how he created the Tickle My Ears series, including his illustration technique and trialing version of the story with his daughter. “It was amazing. My book was working! Well, in a way. It didn’t make her go to sleep. But she really loved it.”

Q&As

Duck’s Backyard: Q&A with Ulrich Hub

Ulrich Hub trained as an actor and now lives in Berlin, Germany. He works as a director for stage and writes plays, screenplays and children’s books, which have won numerous awards.     What inspired the story of the blind chicken and the duck with a limp? When we use these phrases in German we… Read more »

Book Lists

Book list: Feelings and Emotions

Feelings can be tough to talk about for children—even for grown ups, I always find myself recommending children’s books as a way to navigate through those complicated, scary, and overwhelming feelings. These are all picture books, and they are all great conversation starters for any age.

Book Lists, Book Talk

On orphans in children’s books

What is it about orphans in books? They are tragic, with backgrounds mysterious, bruised, like Jane Eyre. They are vulnerable and burdened, like Oliver; or have learned to be trickier than the trickiest, like the Artful Dodger. They are steely, sad, often hungry with large eyes. They’re tragically young and terrifically youthful. They are tantalisingly free.

Q&As

The Ape Star: Q&A with Frida Nilsson

The story of Jonna and Gorilla is about growing up with a parent who is not the norm. How one so often wishes that one’s parent could be more like all the others—and how one realizes, as the years pass, the advantages of being the child of someone who is an individual and walks their own path.

Events

What makes these the best children’s books? (Panel discussion)

Join us at Unity Books next Wednesday 10 August at 12.30 pm to hear two librarians, two publishers and a bookseller talk about shortlisted books for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

Book Talk

Simon the Rabbit activities

Join Simon the Rabbit in these cheeky activities!

Starting with the international bestselling picture book Poo Bum, and now an animated series screening worldwide, the Simon series stars a cheeky rabbit who always gets what he wants.

The following activity sheets are downloadable. Please print out as many as you like.

Book Lists

Book list: Sibling rivalry | Tales on Moon Lane

Sibling relationships can be full of fun and complexity, which is why we always love when they take centre stage in a book. There are also so many different kinds of families and siblings from brothers, sisters, half siblings and step siblings. It was really hard to choose this list because there are so many fantastic books out there, but these are just a few of our favourites.

Book Lists

Book list: LGBTQIA+ children’s books

What we really enjoy about these picture books/board-books is the casual inclusion of LGBTQIA+ folks. It’s wonderful to have books where queer characters are normalised within another narrative. We really wish there were more for us to choose from, especially from local publishers. It’s 2022 after all!