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Recommended reads

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.

Book list: Sibling rivalry | Tales on Moon Lane

Tales of Moon Lane shop front

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 list: LGBTQIA+ children’s books

Tell Me butterfly(c) Anke Kuhl

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!

Book list: 36 popular books for 8 to 10-year-olds

Dr Mal Thompson is the journal convenor for the Forum NZ, a literacy-focused journal that the Otago Literacy Association is responsible for. Mal has held many roles including with the University of Otago Education College, secondary school English teacher, PhDPresident of OLA, and also a trustee on Ignition Children’s Festival. This is her list of… Read more »

Book list: dinosaurs, fossils and the people who found them

Leilong's Too Long_dinosaur carrying children_(c) Bei Lynn

There are so many excellent books about dinosaurs and fossils that it is very difficult to pick just a few to feature. Our scientific knowledge of extinct animals has increased exponentially as researchers continue to discover amazing fossils and use modern tools to gather insights about their lives.

Book list: The books that sparked the career of Catharina Valckx

Catharina Valckx with Lisette's Green Sock

I discovered children’s literature in the form of picture books in the local library when my son was young. I knew a few good books from my childhood, but I didn’t imagine they would be just the tip of the iceberg. Some books were revelations!

Book list: war and displacement

My hope is that for anyone struggling, these eight brilliant books will be a small support and help start important conversations about war and particularly its impact on people. I hope they show the positive impact that hope, kindness and empathy can have too.

Book list: comeback for picture storybooks

Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch

Once the backbone of stories for younger children, picture storybooks have been superseded by the shorter picture books that are now more popular.

Book list: Silent children’s books

Aleph cover

In this month of noise, we’ve made a list of silent books.

We were very pleased to have three Gecko Press books selected for the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) 2021 silent book collection, with Aleph by Janik Coat chosen as an Honour Book.

Gecko Press Guaranteed Good Gift Guide

Christmas tree

It’s a fun time of year to choose books, so we’ve chosen some favourites, for everyone from peek-a-boo toddlers to speedy preschoolers and adventure-loving book-gobblers.