The Life Cycle of the Pukeko written by Betty Brownlie

reviewed by David Ball

This book tells about the Life Cycle of a Pukeko, and what it eats and its enemies. It is a non-fiction book.

Three interesting facts that I have learnt:
1. The Pukeko's predators are rats, cats, weasels, stoats and hawks.
2. Pukeko eat worms, duck eggs, shoots, spiders and small eels and fish.
3. The sounds pukekos make are whining, screeching, grunting, clicking, bleating, sighing, clucking, purring, crooning and humming.

I think that this book is very interesting and well-illustrated.

I recommend this book to year 4 to Year 6, boys and girls, especially bird-lovers.

The Kiwi Fossil Hunter's Handbook written by James Crampton and Marianna Terezow

Reviewed by Georgia Knowles
This book is about how to find and care for fossils in New Zealand. It includes where to find fossils (shells, coral, wood and bones), and what equipment you will need to collect them and how to store them.

For a serious Fossil Hunter, the book is well laid out with photographs, maps, black and white diagrams and clear contents of each chapter.

There is a great deal of facts and information, so I would recommend this book to 14 year olds and older fossil hunters.
I think it is quite an interesting book but to really enjoy this book, you would have to be a big fan of fossils.

Tussock by Elizabeth Pulford

reviewed by Kasey Lui
Tussock is set in New Zealand's high country of the South Island. Kate, a young teenager, has a great problem because her Dad has gone missing on a plane trip with a friend.
As the search for her Dad goes on, Kate meets Troy, who is also facing his own problems.

I think that this story is exciting, and well-written because I could feel what Kate would be feeling in her situation. It kept me wanting to read on, and I wish that the story could carry on because I am very interested in the characters. I would love it if this became the first book of a series.

I recommend this story to mainly girls, 10 years old and above, who enjoy adventure stories.
Also it is a great book for people facing their own problems because there is some good advice given, such as be strong, have courage and never give up.

Shadow of the Boyd written Diana Menefy

reviewed by Alan Chen
This story is set in 1809 and 1810.
Its main character is Thomas, a 12 year old apprentice sailor on the Boyd, a trader sailing from Ireland to New Zealand.

Thomas befriended George, the son of a Maori chief. George was unfairly punished on the ship and when the Boyd arrived in New Zealand, the crew was attacked by George's tribe. The Boyd was burnt.

The rest of the story tells of Thomas's capture, escape and return voyage back home to Ireland.

This book has been written for 11 years olds and older, because the use of language is quite mature and some parts are gruesome.
As a story I think that it is very interesting finding out about the adventures of Thomas and the historical events of that time.

Hollie Chips by Anna Gowan

Junior Fiction reviewed by Risheeka Chhiba
Hollie Chips and her mum move to a new neighbourhood. It is a fresh beginning.

Hollie is a very strange girl because she can’t tell a single lie. She is very intelligent and mischievous and is always eavesdropping on other people’s conversations. This is how her adventure unfolds.
One day she accidentally overhears a conversation taking place with businessman Barry Buckscud discussing about a big change that is going to affect Hollie’s quiet and peaceful neighbourhood.
This upsets Hollie and she can’t concentrate at school and she needs to fix it to help out the people in her neighbourhood.

I recommend this book for nine and ten year olds because it easy to understand and keeps the reader in suspense. You don’t know what is going to happen next.

The Haystack by Jack Lasenby

reviewed by Jude Dragh
I found The Haystack is a sad but interesting book.
The author, Jack Lasenby, based this story in Waharoa, a town in the Waikato where he grew up.

It is set in the 1930's, when New Zealand was in The Great Depression, and there was a lot of unemployment. Maggie is a 12 year old girl, and the story is about her growing up without her mother.

For me, the best part of this book was its ending. Because the story was so sad in the beginning, the ending resolved the story and left me with a hopeful mood, glad that Maggie got to learn the life lessons that she needed to.

I recommend this book to confident Year 5 readers and older, both boys and girls.

Finnigan and the Pirates by Sherryl Jordan

reviewed by Mariah
Finnigan is a pirate who doesn't want to be one.
He lives on board a ship with his aunt, Captain Wildbloode the Wicked, a very fierce and strict pirate.
Finnigan is not interested in doing the usual pirate activities. All he wants to do is dance.

I recommend this book to 7 to 9 year olds, but older readers could enjoy it as a quick read. It has nice, colourful illustrations showing pirate life, and Finnigan in dance action. On the last page of the book is a detailed cross-section diagram of a Galleon.

The book is in the Junior Fiction category.