{"id":27195,"date":"2025-09-17T05:55:06","date_gmt":"2025-09-17T05:55:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/27195\/"},"modified":"2025-09-17T05:55:06","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T05:55:06","slug":"the-unity-books-childrens-book-review-roundup-for-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/27195\/","title":{"rendered":"The Unity Books children\u2019s book review roundup for spring"},"content":{"rendered":"

The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children\u2019s books<\/a> sure to delight and inspire readers of all ages.<\/p>\n

AUCKLAND<\/p>\n

Reviews by Elka Aitchison and Roger Christensen, booksellers at Unity Books Auckland<\/p>\n

I\u2019m 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\u2019s 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, \u201cstrong, powerful and regal like the Queen of England\u201d. 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<\/p>\n

Anya\u2019s Quest<\/a> by Jasbinder Bilan, illustrated by Jane Ray (Ages 7+)<\/p>\n

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\u2019s Mary, a sad, haughty and spoilt girl who craves companionship and attention. As she realises her unkindness and connects with the cook\u2019s 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<\/p>\n

\"AnAn internal spread from Anya\u2019s Quest.<\/p>\n

Imagine going to bed and waking up the next day to find that you, your family \u2013 now all strangely scarred on their backs \u2013 and house have been transported to a parallel universe. And don\u2019t 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\u2019ve put the book down. \/ Roger<\/p>\n

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\u2019ll 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<\/p>\n

Anyone who\u2019s curious about the ocean and passionate about protecting the 70% of our planet it covers should dive straight into this book. It\u2019s 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 \u2018tidal zone ecosystem\u2019 is turned into a piece of art at Rothman\u2019s hand. It\u2019s 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\u2019s closest living relative is the elephant. It also investigates the ways humans have connected with the ocean, whether it\u2019s 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<\/p>\n

And the Unity Books Auckland children\u2019s bestsellers from July \u2013 September 2025:<\/p>\n

WELLINGTON<\/p>\n

Reviews by \u200b\u200bRachel Pilois and Eden Denyer,\u00a0booksellers at Unity Books Wellington<\/p>\n

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\u2019s footsteps. When a greedy man comes to town and causes trouble, not only will Hector have to save his family\u2019s 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<\/p>\n

Winner of the 2025 Newbery Medal,\u00a0The Eyes and the Impossible\u00a0is 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\u2019s 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<\/p>\n

\"AnAn internal spread from The stuff that stuff is made of.<\/p>\n

I have a complicated relationship with \u201cromantasy\u201d 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\u2019t 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 \u2013she only needs a kiss from a human to do so. Unfortunately the town\u2019s 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\u2019s crush) Aleksey, who may be hiding some demonic secrets of his own \u2026<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a sequel tease at the end, and I for one cannot wait for my return ticket to this whimsical world. \/ Eden<\/p>\n

This is the sort of formative kid\u2019s 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 \u201cresponsibility years\u201d. 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\u2019s Golden Record. We follow Alex\u2019s journey through audio logs he records as supplementary observations for potential extraterrestrials. Chen\u2019s precocious protagonist feels so authentic and earnest, and the sound-bytes (which could feel really gimmicky and stale in a lesser author\u2019s hands) give us a fascinating window into his world.\u00a0 It\u2019s a really clever format that instantly hooks you in \u2013 and feels really accessible for more reluctant readers. I loved the little cameos from all the colourful characters who eventually become Alex\u2019s found family. This is funny and tragic and brilliantly beautiful in all the ways a coming-of-age novel should be. \/ Eden<\/p>\n

It goes without saying that Sard\u00e0\u2019s 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\u2019s literature; the inspirational and uplifting power of unabashedly strange and joyful old women. In Carmella\u2019s journey up the witch\u2019s 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 \u2013 I can\u2019t help myself \u2013 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<\/p>\n

And the Unity Books Wellington children\u2019s bestsellers for July \u2013 September 2025:<\/p>\n

1 Anahera: The Mighty Kiwi Mama<\/a> by Ruth Paul (Puffin, $21)
2 Ghost Kiwi<\/a> by Ruth Paul (Scholastic, $20)
3 P\u016bkeko Who-Keko?<\/a> by Toby Morris (Puffin, $21)
4 Sunrise on the Reaping<\/a> by Suzanne Collins (Scholastic, $30)
5 A Guide to Rocks<\/a> by Sacha Cotter and illustrated by Josh Morgan (HUIA, $26)
6 Dazzlehands<\/a> by Sacha Cotter and illustrated by Josh Morgan (Huia, $22)
7 Detective Beans: <\/a>Adventures in Cat Town #2<\/a> by Li Chen (Penguin, $22)
8 The Adventures of Mittens<\/a> by Silvio Bruinsma, illustrated by Phoebe Morris Illustrator (Penguin, $20)
9 You Can\u2019t Pat a Fish<\/a> by Ruth Paul (Walker Books, $28)
10 The Treaty of Waitangi<\/a> by Ross Calman (Oratia Media, $30)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children\u2019s books sure to delight and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27196,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[9904,489,20806,156,111,139,69,27060,27061],"class_list":{"0":"post-27195","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"tag-book-review","9":"tag-books","10":"tag-childrens-books","11":"tag-entertainment","12":"tag-new-zealand","13":"tag-newzealand","14":"tag-nz","15":"tag-unity-childrens-bestsellers","16":"tag-unity-childrens-book-reviews"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27195","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27195"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27195\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27196"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27195"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27195"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27195"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}