Some kiwi titles...

I have really started to enjoy New Zealand authors, and have read these books over the holidays... all great in their own different ways.

Mona Minim and the Smell of the Sun by Janet Frame

A beautiful, rather whimsical tale of a young house ant who gets lost and ends up in a colony of garden ants.  This story is over 40 years old and was written by Frame for her niece.  It is witty, clever, and is full of lots of clever ant-related puns.  Something a little different!

The Dark Blue 100 Ride Bus Ticket by Margaret Mahy

Carlo and his mother are down on their luck, so when a strange old lady gives them a mysterious bus ticket, they take it.  Then when a mysterious matching bus turns up, almost on a whim, they get on - and find themselves at the supermarket at the end of the world, a place stocked full of everything you can imagine.  Of course, such a supermarket attracts some unsavoury characters and Carlo has to make sure that these characters don't ruin the magic of the place.

No Safe Harbour by David Hill

For anyone interested in New Zealand history, this is a must.  In 1968 a monstrous storm hit the Cook Strait - and the Wahine, which was heading to Wellington from Christchurch.  David Hill has crafted this emotional fictional account of the tragedy based on historical facts.  On board the ferry are twins Stuart and Sandra.  They do NOT get on, but when they have to look after each other as the storm worsens, their relationship is  really tested.

Project Huia by Des Hunt

Another must for those who are interested in New Zealand history and for those who also like a bit of a mystery.   Des Hunt is renowned for his books which strongly feature the New Zealand landscape. Project Huia is no exception.  It is set in and around the Manawatu Gorge and for those who know the area, it is very evocative. 

Logan’s grandfather has a story to tell.  As a child, while he lived near Ashhurst at the western end of the Manawatu Gorge, and while he and his sister were out exploring one day, they thought they caught sight of the thought-to-be-extinct huia bird. So follows a terrifying adventure as the two children try and photograph the bird, whilst dodging trains coming through the tunnels of the Gorge, and whilst also having to fend off the rather unpleasant members of the Carson family. 

Seventy years later, 11 year old Logan has come to the Gorge with his grandfather and a research scientist to see if they can track down the lost huia – and in doing so, history starts to repeat itself. 

This is a fabulous story, which weaves together New Zealand scenery, history, natural history and adventure into an exciting package.  

Summer reading... part 2!

Here are a few more books I have enjoyed over the summer...

A Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy (Early Reader)

This is a clever idea... taking a classic picture book and reformatting it as an early reader... great for those emergent readers.

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

I am starting to really enjoy Cornelia Funke - she seems to be able to write a variety of genre, and the stories translate well from her native German.  Igraine is a medieval chick with some serious attitude.  Her family are all magicians, but she isn't having any of THAT... she wants to be a knight!  And when one of her parents' magic spells goes a bit haywire, she finds that she needs some of her knightly skills to restore order to the kingdom...

The Way of the Warrior by Chris Bradford

This is the first of the Young Samurai series, and to be honest, it has never appealed to me... although I have seen it issued often enough!  However, when a Year 8 boy told me I 'had' to read it, I thought I would give it a go.  And I am sooo pleased I did!  It is a fabulous story (set in 1600s Japan) which sort of put me in mind of Harry Potter meets Jackie Chan (which is a terrible analogy, but it DOES feature three friends (2 male, 1 female), a nasty arch-enemy... and they all learn martial arts!)  Definitely worth a look...

The Wreck of the Zanzibar and Meeting Cezanne both by Michael Morpurgo

My love affair with Michael Morpurgo has continued with these two beautiful stories.
The Wreck of the Zanzibar is set in the captivating Scilly Isles off Cornwall, and sees the population caught in the middle of a debilitating famine.  The only way out is to hope for a shipwreck - which will mean business for the islanders as the boat needs to be rebuilt.
Meeting Cezanne is a lovely, simple story, which features Cezanne's beautiful impressionism... and the work of another classic European artist.

Little Darlings and Four Children and It both by Jacqueline Wilson

Jacqueline Wilson is a favourite of my daughter's and she recommended both these books to me.
Jacqueline Wilson is a master of social realism and dealing with tricky family issues... both these books feature split families, and all the problems and joys that these families experience.  No wonder her books are so popular!
I particularly enjoyed Four Children and It as it was inspired by E. Nesbit's Five Children and It.  What a great way to introduce young readers to an old classic!