Welcome to the Kiwi Kids Book Chat with school librarians Penny Walch and Julie Huggins.
In our monthly podcast, we are committed to chatting about kiwi kids lit, and lit that kiwi kids are reading and can't wait to waffle with abandon.
This week we are chatting about many of the 2025 NZ Book Award finalists (minus the Junior Fiction, which feature in Episode 6.)
Books highlighted in the episode:
Beddy Bye Time in the Kōwhai Tree by Juliette MacIver, illustrated by Lily Uivel
Mataali’i by Dahlia Malaeulu, illustrated by Darcy Solia
Ten Nosey Weka by Kate Preece, illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Titiro Look by Gavin Bishop
You Can’t Pat a Fish by Ruth PaulBear by Kiri Lightfoot, illustrated by Pippa Keel Situ
Gracehopper by Mandy Hager
Migration by Steph Matuku
The Mess of Our Lives by Mary-Anne Scott
The Paradise Generation by Sanna Thompson
Black Magic by David Riley, illustrated by Munro Te Whata Dear Moko: Māori Wisdom for our Young Ones by Hinemoa Elder
Ruru: Night Hunter by Katie Furze, illustrated by Ned Barraud
The Treaty of Waitangi / Te Tiriti o Waitangi by Ross Calman
Tui Pea Luva by Mele Tonga Grant, illustrated by Luca Walton
Alice and the Strange Bird by Isaac du Toit
Hineraukatauri me Te Ara Pūoro, illustrated by Rehua Wilson written by Elizabeth Gray
Poem for Ataahua, illustrated by Sarah Wilkins, written by Alistair Te Ariki Campbell
Sad Sushi, Anna Aldridge
Brave Kāhu and the Pōrangi Magpie by Shelley Burne-Field Play Wild by Rachel Clare
The Witch of Maketu and the Bleating Lambs by Anika Moa, illustrated by Rebecca ter Borg
The Writing Desk by Di Morris
Check out this The Spinoff podcast episode which gives a good overview of all the Book Award finalists.