The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children’s books sure to delight and inspire readers of all ages.
AUCKLAND
Reviews by Elka Aitchison and Roger Christensen, booksellers at Unity Books Auckland
I’m a keen amateur swimmer and in awe of Lynne Cox, the first woman to swim Cook Strait in 1975, as well as being a fan of Brian Floca’s richly detailed Locomotive and Moonshot books. This picture book is based on a magical event that happened when Lynne was in Christchurch in 1983: a delightful account of an Elephant seal that frequented the banks of the Avon River and nearby streets of Christchurch city and made a huge impression on those who came upon her. The people of Christchurch named her Elizabeth, “strong, powerful and regal like the Queen of England”. And despite several attempts to move her she kept coming back. This is a charming tale, beautifully illustrated and a slice of history set in our own back yard. / Roger
Anya’s Quest by Jasbinder Bilan, illustrated by Jane Ray (Ages 7+)
This book is just so beautiful. Jane Ray is an absolute favourite of mine and she is perfectly suited to illustrate such a magical story. Two little girls embark on a voyage with the goddess Ganga, they travel through snowy mountains and down a winding river in a carriage pulled by the river dragon, Makara. How enchanting is that? Anya is reminiscent of the Secret Garden’s Mary, a sad, haughty and spoilt girl who craves companionship and attention. As she realises her unkindness and connects with the cook’s daughter Mahi and with the natural world, she blossoms and you grow to adore her. The prose and illustrations together create such a rich picture of the Himalayas and the Hindu mythology the story is born from. An ode to friendship and an impassioned plea to care for our world, Bilan and Ray have created something very special. / Elka
An internal spread from Anya’s Quest.
Imagine going to bed and waking up the next day to find that you, your family – now all strangely scarred on their backs – and house have been transported to a parallel universe. And don’t imagine landing in the world of Oz with a tin man and your loyal sidekick Toto. We are talking government conspiracy, alien abduction and opposing beliefs here, and there is no getting out any time soon. Oppel has crafted a rather thought-provoking mystery that draws you in from the start. This is what a good sci fi can do, leave you hanging with as many questions as you have answers come the end but satisfyingly the ideas and intent of the story continue to play out in your head long after you’ve put the book down. / Roger
A middle-grade graphic novel that plays homage to Kafka. Not your obvious first choice I hear you say but open these glorious, illustrated pages and you’ll be swept along in this hilariously absurd and over-the-top poke at the ludicrous and inept behaviour of the adults around K, the young picked-on protagonist. On every occasion that K attempts something without having developed the necessary skills, or no matter how good he tries to be, he continues to fail. Yet despite this, he manages to pick himself up and accomplish something from these mishaps. This is a little bit Edward Gorey combined with Lemony Snicket, showing us that in a world where we must navigate many roadblocks, it will be worth it in the end! / Roger
Anyone who’s curious about the ocean and passionate about protecting the 70% of our planet it covers should dive straight into this book. It’s cleverly designed for all ages, packed with doodles, annotations, and hands-on activities that invite readers to talk and explore. The drawings make intimidating scientific ideas like tides and current flow seem accessible; a diagram of the ‘tidal zone ecosystem’ is turned into a piece of art at Rothman’s hand. It’s full of brilliant, playful facts; octopuses in captivity can open latches and unscrew lids, cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) are descended from four-legged land mammals and the manatee’s closest living relative is the elephant. It also investigates the ways humans have connected with the ocean, whether it’s strapping on scuba gear or keeping watch in a lighthouse. This book sparks wonder. It offers a powerful glimpse into how incredibly vast and vibrant our small planetary home truly is; unique, strange, precious, and increasingly at risk due to our actions. / Elka
And the Unity Books Auckland children’s bestsellers from July – September 2025:
WELLINGTON
Reviews by Rachel Pilois and Eden Denyer, booksellers at Unity Books Wellington
The stunning full-colour illustrations in this book bring to life a story of the Italian seaside and an intrepid young sea protector. Eight-year-old Hector comes from generations of deep-sea divers and longs to follow in his father’s footsteps. When a greedy man comes to town and causes trouble, not only will Hector have to save his family’s livelihood but his dreams and the treasure he discovers deep beneath the sea. Brimming with the quirky charm of a Wes Anderson movie and a heartwarming timelessness on par with L.M. Montgomery or Diana Wynne Jones, this book will bring readers nothing but pure joy. / Rachel
Winner of the 2025 Newbery Medal, The Eyes and the Impossible is stunning in both its prose and illustration. Set in an unnamed US national park, this story is told from the perspective of Johannes, a free dog who lives there. Every day he runs through the park seeing all and missing nothing, and reporting what he sees to the park’s three ancient bison. When an entirely new animal arrives in the park, in the hundreds, Johannes must run faster and see better than ever to liberate those he loves. A beautiful story about friendship, beauty, nature and running very, very, fast. / Rachel
An internal spread from The stuff that stuff is made of.
I have a complicated relationship with “romantasy” books, but my feelings towards This Fatal Kiss are pure and true. What a delight! The premise of a magical spirit-haunted spa town drew me in immediately but I wasn’t expecting to be so utterly charmed. Gisela is a rusalka; a water nymph and the spirit of a drowned young maiden who is desperate to regain her humanity –she only needs a kiss from a human to do so. Unfortunately the town’s local exorcist Kazik, is not only seemingly immune to her flirtations but actively trying to remove her from this plane of existence. The two reach an uneasy truce: Kazik will play wingman for her on the condition that she ceases terrorising the town through demonic tom-foolery. However things are further complicated when she reveals the object of her affections is the town golden-boy (and Kazik’s crush) Aleksey, who may be hiding some demonic secrets of his own …
The dynamics between these three leads is so much fun and I wished for nothing more than to idle away my afternoons with them, eating delicious treats in the markets and lovingly teasing each-other. Come for the mix of Slavic folklore and Spirited Away and stay for the delightful characters and mouth-watering food descriptions.
There’s a sequel tease at the end, and I for one cannot wait for my return ticket to this whimsical world. / Eden
This is the sort of formative kid’s novel that guts you emotionally and puts you back together the better for it. Space obsessed Alex Petroski is 11 years old, though much older in “responsibility years”. Accompanied by his loyal dog Carl Sagan, he plans to launch his own rocket into space, loaded with a spray-painted Golden iPod inspired by the Voyager’s Golden Record. We follow Alex’s journey through audio logs he records as supplementary observations for potential extraterrestrials. Chen’s precocious protagonist feels so authentic and earnest, and the sound-bytes (which could feel really gimmicky and stale in a lesser author’s hands) give us a fascinating window into his world. It’s a really clever format that instantly hooks you in – and feels really accessible for more reluctant readers. I loved the little cameos from all the colourful characters who eventually become Alex’s found family. This is funny and tragic and brilliantly beautiful in all the ways a coming-of-age novel should be. / Eden
It goes without saying that Sardà’s illustrations are simply to die for, but there is so much more to this incredible little pukapuka. I could (and maybe will) write essays on the subject. The Witch in the Tower caters to what I feel is an oft-neglected area of young Children’s literature; the inspirational and uplifting power of unabashedly strange and joyful old women. In Carmella’s journey up the witch’s tower she ultimately finds a well of strength and potential within herself, but the fact that it is drawn out by a wizened crone I think says a lot. And – I can’t help myself – the illustrations really are divine. Simultaneously nostalgic and electrifyingly original they convey a feeling of pure unadulterated delight. This beautiful exploration of resilience, changing sibling dynamics, and radical cosmic expression and self-acceptance is pure magic in every sense of the word. A guaranteed hit for weird children and aunties alike. / Eden
And the Unity Books Wellington children’s bestsellers for July – September 2025:
1 Anahera: The Mighty Kiwi Mama by Ruth Paul (Puffin, $21)
2 Ghost Kiwi by Ruth Paul (Scholastic, $20)
3 Pūkeko Who-Keko? by Toby Morris (Puffin, $21)
4 Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $30)
5 A Guide to Rocks by Sacha Cotter and illustrated by Josh Morgan (HUIA, $26)
6 Dazzlehands by Sacha Cotter and illustrated by Josh Morgan (Huia, $22)
7 Detective Beans: Adventures in Cat Town #2 by Li Chen (Penguin, $22)
8 The Adventures of Mittens by Silvio Bruinsma, illustrated by Phoebe Morris Illustrator (Penguin, $20)
9 You Can’t Pat a Fish by Ruth Paul (Walker Books, $28)
10 The Treaty of Waitangi by Ross Calman (Oratia Media, $30)