The Princess and the Foal By Stacey Gregg

 

NZ Post – Junior Fiction

Reviewed by Angelina, 10 years old and interested in drawing, especially animals, baking and reading any genre of novels.

 

This book is based on a true life story of Haya, the daughter of the King of Jordan. 

It is tragic when Haya’s mother dies when she is 3 years old.

Haya grows up a very shy and withdrawn girl, but things begin to get better when she is given 2 camels (I think this is nice, but weird) and a baby horse for her 6^th birthday.

She goes on to England to study and to become a great horse rider – her dream is to win the King’s Cup.

I think this is a really good book for girls who are 9 – 14 years old, and especially if they are interested in animals.  It could win the Junior Fiction category because it is very detailed and the story flows well.

Anzac Day, The New Zealand Story - reviewed by Shrina

 

What it is and why it matters

By Philippa Weary

NZ Post Book Awards – Non-fiction

Reviewed by Shrina, aged 10.

Interests are art & crafts, science, maths, and reading science books and novels.

This is a very interesting book telling all about Anzac Day, the conditions for the soldiers at Gallipoli, New Zealanders participating in the First World War and how Anzac Day is commemorated now.  The best thing about this book is how it is presented with lots of information, and illustrated with paintings and photographs.

One of the pieces of information I found interesting was why we use poppies to commemorate Anzac Day – read about it on page 28.  The book would have been better for me is there was more detailed information on why there was a war.

This book would be most enjoyed by readers who are 10 years old and older who are interested in history and war.

Judy loves Felix and the Red Rats, by James Norcliffe

 
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Felix and the Red Rats

By James Norcliffe

NZ Post Book Awards – Junior Fiction

Reviewed by Judy, 10 years old and interested in drawing, reading and writing.

Felix and the Red Rats is a story about a boy called David, whose Uncle Felix comes to stay.  Uncle Felix writes books and David loves to read them.  Shortly after Uncle Felix arrives, things start to turn red!

Throughout the story, excerpts of Uncle Felix’s book “Into Axillaris” (the book David is reading) are included, so this story is always interesting.

The ending is a big surprise as it has a great twist to it.

I think this is a really splendid book and many other people will enjoy it as much as I have.  You won’t want to put it down until you have finished.  Boys and girls who enjoy mysteries and magic mixed up with ordinary life will love this book.

Flight of the Honey Bee - reviewed by Alisya

Flight of the Honey Bee

Written by Raymond Huber and illustrated by Brian Lovelock

NZ Post Book Awards - Non-fiction

Reviewed by Alisya

Aged 9 and interested in cool things – ipods, books and cooking.

This book is about what honeybees do at the different stages of their lives and how the honeybees each play their role in being a honeybee.

It is a cool book and I learned a lot about honeybees, but I think the presentation is a bit mixed up because it is part picture book and part non-fiction.

Flight of the Honey Bee would be a good book for clever Juniors and older Primary School children.

Project Huia, by Des Hunt

NZ Post Book Award - Junior Fiction

Reviewed by Sarah, 10 years old.

Interested in reading, especially books by Jo Cotterill and Cathy Cassidy.

The Huia was a bird, native to New Zealand, but it is now extinct.  

The book, Project Huia centres around a character, Jim and how he tried to save the endangered Huia in 1947.  The story is set in the present day, and flashes back to 1947.

I think the best thing about the book is how every scene is described in detail and you can visualise the story in your head. 

This book would be enjoyed by everyone over the age of 10.  I found it a really good story, and I couldn’t stop reading it.

Watch Out, Snail!

 
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Watch Out, Snail!

Kia Mataara, e Ngata!

Written by Gay Hay, illustrated by Margaret Tolland

Maori translation by Piripi Walker

NZ Post Book Awards – Picture Book

Reviewed by Bella, 10 years old, interested in reading fiction, dance and animals.

This book is about a snail being part of the foodchain.  The snail in the book is a Powelliphanta Snail, which is native to New Zealand.  It shows that those who hunt are hunted.  I think that the best features of  Watch Out, Snail are the detailed pictures which have different textures and that it is also printed in Maori.

I think this book is best suited to 4 to 6 year olds who like bugs, insects and NZ animals.  My 5 year old brother really liked it!

It could win the Picture Book category because young children will love it, it is written in 2 languages, and it is about a New Zealand topic.

The Boring Book - NZ Post Book Awards

 

The Boring Book

By Vasanti Unka

NZ Post Book Awards – Picture Book

Reviewed by Bea, 10 years old, who is interested in sports.

The Boring Book is a really exciting book with lots of colourful pictures and it is lots of fun to read.  In the story the words in the very Boring Book come to life.  The words hide all over town, but the people were getting annoyed by all the words and told them to go away. 

I think that this book would be most enjoyed by 8 to 10 year olds boys and girls who like fun ideas.

NZ Post Picture Books - Boats and Toucan Can

 

Boats

By Catherine Foreman

NZ Post Book Awards – Picture Book

Reviewed by Soowon , 10 years old

Interested in basketball and music. I like being a leader, and being helpful.

Boats is a picture book about all different kinds of boats ( but it also says that if you just want to float, just be a starfish).  The illustrations are great because they are set out beautifully.

I think that this book would be most enjoyed by 2 to 5 year olds, boys and girls, because it has a short text with great pictures that are well set out for talking about.

Toucan Can

By Juliette McIver, illustrated by Sarah Davis

NZ Post Book Awards – Picture Book

Toucan Can is a tongue-twister of a story.  It is about a bird that can do almost everything, even kung-fu!  He’s a great dancer and his friends are too (except for Ewan’s Aunts).

I think Toucan Can is a really great book for 3 to 7 year old boys and girls.  It rhymes, it is funny and interesting, and has great pictures.

This book is perfect for kids.