Sources
Below are the sources I use for finding out more about New Zealand children's books and authors. I've also included good sources for purchasing books.
Research and Information
READ NZ The Writers Files
Read NZ Te Pou Muramura Writers' Files, the most comprehensive online collection of information about Aotearoa New Zealand's writers.
Article by Kerryn Pollock outlining the history and development of literature for New Zealand children. From The Encyclopedia of New Zealand.
National Library - The Dorothy Neal White Collection
The Dorothy Neal White Collection of about 8,000 titles shows how children’s literature developed up until 1940, and reflects what New Zealand children were reading. Many of the books and magazines were donated by their original owners.
National Library - National Children's Collection
The National Children’s Collection contains books written for children and young people. Our collection of over 100,000 books includes New Zealand and Pacific titles, award-winning and controversial children’s books.
National Library - Susan Price Collection
Susan Price gifted her private collection of children’s books to the Library in 1991. It includes Susan’s pick of the best English language children’s books published from 1930 to today.
Blog - Children's War Books
A blog dedicated to reviewing books about war written by New Zealand authors. The blog is hosted and written by author, Philippa Werry
Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust
Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust promotes awareness of the importance of reading and books for all children and young adults; ensures children and young adults in New Zealand have access to high quality literature; and supports the writers and illustrators of literature for children and young adults in New Zealand.
Christchurch City Council Library - Interviews with Children's Authors
Fun, quick interviews with many New Zealand children authors. These are fun to read.
The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature edited by Jack Zipes
Written by an international roster of more than 300 authors, the Encyclopedia comprehensively documents and interprets the books read by children throughout the world. With a global perspective that pays attention to significant international trends and the multicultural expansion of the field, it includes brief biographies of every major author and illustrator. Also included are feature essays on all genres of children's literature, individual works, and prominent trends and themes, as well as general essays on the traditions of children's literature in many countries throughout the world.
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BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Print Publication Date: 2006
Print ISBN-13: 9780195146561
A Sea Change: 145 Years of New Zealand Junior Fiction by Betty Gilderdale
"This book is the the first comprehensive survey of New Zealand literature for children. Beginning with the first 'settler' stories of the nineteenth century, often written by authors who had never left England, Betty Gilderdale traces the development of junior fiction about New Zealand and by New Zealanders from 1833 to the present. Each chapter considers one of the major themes which have appeared in New Zealand children's literature and includes a bibliography, and the book features an extensive chronological bibliography of junior titles"--Jacket flap.
Source: Publisher
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BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Publisher: Longman Paul
Print Publication Date: 1982
Print ISBN-13: 9780582717756
The Sapling is a website all about children’s books … because books grow humans. The aim of The Sapling is to find conversations nobody has been able to have in the main media about children’s books and give them a good airing.
Books for Life by Susan Price
From front cover: The sstory of a collection of children's books donated to the National Library of New Zealand. Foreword by Dorothy Neal White.
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BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Publisher: The Gondwanaland Press
Print Publication Date: 2008
Print ISBN-13: 0-9597766-3-X
Some of My Favourite Places to Purchase Books...
Book Haven, Newtown Wellington
They have a website with an online shop, also well on abebooks.com and you can browse instore at their wonderful shop in Wellington. Love them! The owner is very helpful and friendly and loves this website!
Mad Hatter Books, Pukekohe Auckland
A home-based business specialising in children's books for all ages and covering all periods from Victorian to modern. Their collections are listed on abebooks.com and they also list some titles on trademe. For New Zealanders, email for New Zealand prices. They also have an interesting FB page.
Hindsight Books, Hamilton
This is the online store called Hindsight books which is an arm of Crows Nest Books the oldest established bookshop in Hamilton. New Zealand.books sold through Hindsight are not held on the Crows Nest shelves. Greate online shop through abebooks.com
Pegasus Books, Central Wellington
Tucked away off a side street off Cuba St is this old charming second-hand bookstore. It has floor-to-ceiling books and you can spend hours sorting through the collections. Of course, the childrens books are towards the back and there are hundreds. You have to sort through to find the New Zealand ones, but there are some vintage gems. Good prices. Best to buy in-store, because you will buy in USD online.
Book Express, Wellington
Online only, but with great prices and a wonderful selection. Found many hard-to-find books here.
Arty Bees, Central Wellington
This shop has one of the best and biggest New Zealand children's collections I have seen. They really know their books and authors. I have found many titles here and often check out this store when I am in Wellington. Good prices too. Not everything is listed online.