Holiday Reading 2007

New Zealand titles: Fiction for younger readers

Beck, Jennifer Stefania’s dancing slippers: Five-year-old Stefania loves to dance in her special pair of dancing slippers. But then war comes to Poland, her father goes away to fight, and Stefania and her mother are sent to a work camp in Siberia. When they are freed, Stefani is parted from her mother and sent to the other side of the world. At their parting Stefania loses one of her slippers, but she holds on to the remaining one as a link to her parents and home.
Butler, Dorothy Seadog : a tale of Old New Zealand: Story set in 1890 of a young disabled boy who rescues a dog which was swept ashore near his home. Based on a factual incident.
Cowley, Joy Snake and Lizard: A collection of stories about the friendship between Snake and Lizard. Illustrated by Gavin Bishop.
Drewery, Melanie The mad tadpole adventure: The adventure begins when Maddie’s frog, Isabella Princess Big Eyes, is ‘stolen’.
Frame, Susan The super duper pooper scooper: Pete’s life is full of problems, including the fact that he has to think up an idea for the school science fair. But then Grandad starts ‘brainstorming’ and he and Pete finally come up with a great project idea. A title in the Kiwi Bites series.
Hill, David Black day: Ms Li’s class is getting ready for the Science Fair and Chad, Jordan, Zoe and Keisha want to come up with a mind-blowing project. With the help of Chad’s eccentric Auntie Kym, they decide to try and make a Black Hole! A title in the Kiwi Bites series.
Hurst, Christine The boy who bounced around Aoteroa New Zealand: Travel with Zack as he bounces his way around Aotearoa New Zealand. He bounces to a national park, Stewart Island, a harbour in the North Island and even to the moon.
McGrath, Raymond Don't worry Nana, I'll drive!: There’s no looking back for Nana when she takes an adventurous drive with her grandson. They dodge dangers in the sky, get a little bit lost, check out what’s happening under the sea and survive a crash landing.
Mewburn, Kyle Muddletopia: On planet Muddletopia, everything looks the same. So one day Queen Malvina the Magnificent decides to give everything labels, and orders everyone to wear a hat with their job labelled on the front. But ten-year-old Karley is not happy with her child hat, so she decides to swap hats. A title in the Kiwi Bites series.
Millett, Peter The Anzac Biscuit Man and other classic Kiwi tales: Peter Millet takes some classic tales and gives them a kiwi spin. Stories include: The Three Woolly Coats Fluff, The Hare and the Tuatara and Pigs in Sheds.
Noonan, Diana Google eyes: One day AJ stumbles upon a book at a garage sale which has a recipe for mind reading. After refining his mind reading skills on his pet cat, he sets forth to find out what his friends and family are thinking. A title in the Kiwi Bites series.
Orams, LeAnne The treaty house: Journey with Olley as he learns not only is the Treaty House special, but so are the events that have happened in and around it, events that have shaped New Zealand to become the nation Olley is part of today.
Puffin treasury of New Zealand children’s stories: Volume four, edited by Jenny Keestra.
Pulford, Elizabeth Famous: Everyone in Brad’s family is famous except for him. Even his cat is famous! Despite trying heaps of different things, Brad just can't find a way to be famous. His worst enemy for being famous is Hanna Spark, she has had her photograph in the paper three times! And now she is the princess to Brad’s frog in the school play. Will Brad ever get to be famous? A title in the Kiwi Bites series.
Sutton, Sally Charlotte Frisbee and the slime attack: Charlotte Frisbee is the president of a secret club called PAWS (the Perfectly Amazing Word Society), which meets each week for word games. Then, one day, strange things start to happen around the school. What has caused the stinky green slime everywhere? Who stole the S’s from the school sign and ripped the S section out of Bugsy’s dictionary? Suggested level: primary. A title in the Kiwi Bites series.
Thorpe, Leonie Archie’s adventures: Archie is new in town, trying to find his feet (literally) and live down his gory reputation at his last school for the bloodiest bonepiercingest leg fracture in the history of the world. When Archie meets up with the town’s mysterious maggot smuggler his life changes for the better.
Toohey, Josh A perfect day: Highlights the issue of child labour and wage slavery overseas through the eyes of two young students, Thomas and Tamati.