Gavin Bishop needs no introduction as a leading children’s book creator in Aotearoa New Zealand. He has written and illustrated many of this country’s most significant books over his long career. He is our most awarded children’s book author and has created over 70 books. Gecko Press has worked with Gavin on books for a… Read more »
Kiki and Me by Leo Timmers is a poignant story about the bond between a horse and her owner as she grows up. Delicate black-and-white drawings alternate with rich, dramatic paintings in this landmark picture book that received five starred reviews in the USA before its release day. Leo Timmers talks here about writing and… Read more »
We’ve always loved a twist in the tail/tale at Gecko Press—ideally a double twist! Perhaps counterintuitively, a twist ending can encourage reading again and again, to enjoy the build-up, spot any clues, and take full pleasure in the ta-da moment. Twist endings create opportunities to talk about a book, to discuss and anticipate while you’re… Read more »
Cass and the Beast is a sweeping and original picture book about a girl who chooses not to be afraid, a modern-day heroine in a story we feel in our bones like an ancient folktale. It is written by Claire Mabey, a New Zealand children’s writer with a background… Read more »
Catharina Valckx has written and illustrated over 40 books and been nominated five times for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her books are published in more than 17 languages and have won numerous awards. Many of your books are about small, everyday happenings—a lost sock,… Read more »
‘My characters were strong children who could always win. They didn’t need adults to win for them; they could do it themselves. And I tried to put in a joke at the end of the story. I learned to write for children by reading and talking to them. I was taught to write by children.’… Read more »
By Rachel Lawson This month we release The Kerfuffle by Clotilde Perrin, a book sparked by a dispute the author was having with her own neighbour. The book’s beginnings remind me that children’s books about arguments are not for giving lessons. Rather, they’re the stories we find in the events and human behaviour around us… Read more »
Peek behind the flaps of The Kerfuffle with author-illustrator Clotilde Perrin in this interview about creativity and connection.
Explore Omnibird with Giselle Clarkson! A fun, illustrated look at birds, observation, and the joy of discovery.
By Rachel Lawson Reuse has always been the most enjoyable part of the “reduce, reuse, recycle” mantra. And no picturebook creator reuses better than Leo Timmers. It’s the topic of Gus’s Garage: “Here comes Gus. The things he stores! Whatever will he use them for?” The answers appear as each visitor leaves the garage with… Read more »
