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 Reefs of Fire by Keith Sinclair & Illustrated by David Armitage

Kirsten Edwards

Jul 253 min read

The Reefs of Fire by Keith Sinclair & Illustrated by David Armitage

A mythical story about children, volcanoes and new life.

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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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Green Gold & Valley of Heavenly Gold by Eve Sutton

Kirsten Edwards

Jun 112 min read

Green Gold & Valley of Heavenly Gold by Eve Sutton

The first and last books written by Eve Sutton - adventures in early New Zealand.

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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

Apr 42 min read

The House on The Cliffs by Ruth Dallas

Judith lives by the seaside in New Zealand, but so does Biddy Bristow. Can Judith solve the mystery of old Biddy and her "bell"?

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Kirsten Edwards

Mar 171 min read

A Dog Called Wig by Ruth Dallas

A stray dog is adopted by a boy called Archie, but can he convince his family and the dog that it is his?

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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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Explorer Zach & Moko's Hideout - both by Elsie Locke

Kirsten Edwards

Dec 13, 20232 min read

Explorer Zach & Moko's Hideout - both by Elsie Locke

Two picture books by Elsie Locke - Explorer Zach and Moko's Hideout.

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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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Kirsten Edwards

Nov 3, 20232 min read

The Kauri and the Willow by Elsie Locke

Elsie Locke has created a collection of stories and source materials to complement a child's New Zealand history readings.

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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

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 Month of the Brittle Star by Eileen L. Soper

Kirsten Edwards

Mar 28, 20232 min read

The Month of the Brittle Star by Eileen L. Soper

From the back flap: "The Month of the Brittle Star is more than just a charming story by a gifted writer. The very words 'brittle star" -...

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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

Mar 14, 20232 min read

Young Jane by Eileen Soper

A young girl from the 1860s discovers friendship and uncovers secrets on her grandfather's sheep farm.

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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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