New Zealand Children's Books for Homeschoolers

This blog is a project to research and document New Zealand Children's living books for homeschooling.

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The Story of New Zealand by Judith Bassett, Keith Sinclair and Marica Stenson

Kirsten Edwards

Jul 213 min read

The Story of New Zealand by Judith Bassett, Keith Sinclair and Marica Stenson

A very readable history of New Zealand for young people - highly recommended.

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Kirsten Edwards

Apr 43 min read

Shining Rivers by Ruth Dallas

Johnie Crawford is only 14, but soon catches the "gold fever" and heads to the gold fields in this novel about the NZ gold rush in the 1860s

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Kirsten Edwards

Mar 12 min read

The Greenstone Axe by E. M. Ellin

The three Archer children look after their farm while their parents are away, but everything changes when they find a greenstone axe.

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The Children of Clearwater Bay by E. M. Ellin

Kirsten Edwards

Feb 132 min read

The Children of Clearwater Bay by E. M. Ellin

Six children must flee to safety and reunite with their parents in old New Zealand during the land wars.

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Kirsten Edwards

Dec 28, 20233 min read

The Boys of Puhawai by Kim

Three boys, Hemi, Peter and John spend their spring and summer months having adventures in their small seaside New Zealand town.

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Station Life in New Zealand by Lady Barker

Kirsten Edwards

Nov 14, 20232 min read

Station Life in New Zealand by Lady Barker

The New Zealand classic written by Lady Barker and her adventures of living on a sheep station with her husband.

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The Rhys Griffiths Read Aloud Stories Vol I & II / Edited by S. J. Woodward

Kirsten Edwards

Nov 2, 20232 min read

The Rhys Griffiths Read Aloud Stories Vol I & II / Edited by S. J. Woodward

Engaging stories to read aloud from New Zealand history - Vols I & II.

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The Boy with the Snowgrass Hair by Elsie Locke & Ken Dawson

Kirsten Edwards

May 30, 20233 min read

The Boy with the Snowgrass Hair by Elsie Locke & Ken Dawson

Tom is a keen South Island tramper, but with inexperienced Lou tagging along, will he get to do with the tramping he wants to do?

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Kirsten Edwards

May 14, 20234 min read

The End of the Harbour by Elsie Locke

David and his family settle in Auckland during the 1860s while the Taranaki War continues not far from his colonial town.

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Kirsten Edwards

Apr 4, 20235 min read

A Canoe in the Mist by Elsie Locke

Runaway Settlers' author, Elsie Locke, takes us back to the 1886 Mount Tarawera Eruption in this gripping historical fiction for children.

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The Tree House (and other poems for children) by James K. Baxter

Kirsten Edwards

Mar 16, 20232 min read

The Tree House (and other poems for children) by James K. Baxter

A collection of poems for children from New Zealand's most well-known poet.

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Kirsten Edwards

Dec 15, 20223 min read

A River Rules My Life by Mona Anderson

Mona Anderson's classic best-selling book about life on a New Zealand high country station.

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Sally Becomes a New Zealander by N. D. Thompson

Kirsten Edwards

Dec 15, 20223 min read

Sally Becomes a New Zealander by N. D. Thompson

A young English girl goes to live with relatives in New Zealand.

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Kirsten Edwards

Oct 5, 20222 min read

These Islands Edited by Gwenyth Jones

These Islands is the first collection of New Zealand poetry to be chosen especially for girls and boys of about eight and upwards.

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Kirsten Edwards

Oct 5, 20222 min read

Hazard Island by Phyl Wardell

A scuba diver goes missing - and the Hammond twins, John and Cathy, with their cousins Richard and Ann Cooper, set out to solve the mystery

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Kirsten Edwards

Aug 16, 20223 min read

Wanganui Adventure by Ken Saunders

The two teenage boys, Howard and Lindsey, are 14 and 16 and they are out on their own canoeing down the river. Everything changes....

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Why is that Lake so Blue? by Simon Pollard

Kirsten Edwards

May 16, 20222 min read

Why is that Lake so Blue? by Simon Pollard

In this fun-filled, fact-rich book, award-winning science writer Simon Pollard Shares the magic, secrets, mysteries, and marvels of Aotearoa

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Kirsten Edwards

Apr 7, 20215 min read

Because of Rosie by Anne de Roo

Once again I am not disappointed by another book by master storyteller Anne de Roo. Nothing is predictable or contrived and the characters h

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Kirsten Edwards

Apr 1, 20213 min read

Journey Under Warning by Elsie Locke

Elsie Locke has written a brilliant and moving account of the events and characters during the Wairau Affray in 1843.

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Kirsten Edwards

Feb 10, 20212 min read

Traveller by Anne de Roo

Here is the story - based on a true incident - of a remarkable dog called Traveller, and a boy who befriended her.

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