If you read my review of Sophie Gray’s last book – Feed the Family for $15 or Less- you will know that I was deeply disappointed that Gray…
There are faces in the hedge at the end of the garden, and a nest of tiny fantails, and that’s where 9-year-old Annie goes to play one hot…
Malcolm Gladwell is renowned for his earlier works “The Tipping Point” and “Outliers” and his latest offering doesn’t disappoint – David & Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits and the Art…
Fifteen-year-old Morag Narmo really doesn’t want to go to school any more. She and her siblings would rather feed their heads into the waste-disposal unit than “do the…
Sometimes I have the good fortune to review some really cool books – and they are not necessarily ones that I would have chosen. This is one of…
After a lot of rain, there is a problem on the farm. How can the farmer get his milk into town? Well, it’s Rosie to the Rescue of…
The tights run wild and free in this hilarious new novel from the Queen of Comedy! In The Taming of the Tights, Tallulah Casey is putting all thoughts…
When Sam opens the door and finds an elephant, he’s a bit surprised. But it turns out that it’s not any old elephant – it’s The Slightly Annoying…
From the outside, Angela Mollard had it all: a successful career, husband, kids, a house, travel… and yet she wasn’t happy trying to do it all. She felt…
Aussie company Jump in Puddles Productions has released a new fun app for under 5s. Three clues are given for the child to work out ‘who’s that hiding…
Diamond wasn’t always a star. Born to penniless parents who longed for a strong, healthy son, she was a dainty, delicate daughter – and a bitter disappointment. Discovering…
Orana Wildlife Park is New Zealand’s only open range zoo and with over 350 animals to see, it’s the perfect place for a visit when in Christchurch. We…
In A Perfect Chirpy Christmas, Flit imagines himself enjoying what her perceives as the perfect Christmas – a snowy, white version in the northern hemisphere. This story tells…
The new series of brightly-illustrated books on transport by Catherine Foreman is called ‘Machines and Me’. Boats is one title in this series, which also includes planes, trains…
Published posthumously, Dashing Dog is Margaret Mahy’s last work. It is accompanied by a CD of her reading the tale, which follows the amusing antics of a poodle…
Bittersweet is the latest epic novel by the author of The Thorn Birds.
A wonderful, safe, effective and natural product. Most used and like health product in our house. Perfect for helping the nasty colds that our little ones get.
Lois Rock is a prolific Christian children’s writer. Recently released is her Tiny Tots Bible, a hard cover Bible with twenty popular scriptures retold in easy-to-read format with…
In Artisan Pizza, London-based restaurant chain Franco Manca has put out a gorgeous little cookbook with tips, ideas and recipes all relating to everyone’s favourite food: pizza.
The Teddy Bear’s Promise is a new book from legendary Kiwi author Diana Noonan. It is so, so delicious and a must for anyone who has ever loved…
Build the Rocket contains a fantastic book and a cardboard kitset model of a large rocket which can be stood on the floor of your kids’ bedroom. It’s…
Gavin Bishop retells this classic story of The Three Little Pigs, showing the power of the individual to overcome the odds. In this case the third industrious little…
My 2 year old currently LOVES the story of Noah’s Ark and she adored My Look and Point Noah Stick-a-story.
Fifi Colston is a veteran of Wellington’s annual ‘World of Wearable Art’ show and in ‘Wearable Wonders’ she gives creative children a step by step guide to completing…
Popular Masterchef winner Brett McGregor has released his second cookbook, A Taste of Home. More than 100 recipes feature in the title, with lots of kiwi classics as…
What adventures can a small child get up to when he spends the whole day with daddy? Adventures with Daddy is a charming picture book written by Cathy…
Gavin Bishop follows the popularity of his book Bruiser, with this new title – Bruiser & The Big Snow. Bruiser is a large, heroic digger ready to save…
Suffering from Postnatal Depression can surely be a dark and lonely road. Mothers Cry Too explores many aspects of PND, pregnancy anxiety and related disorders. It is a…
Guided Play is designed to provide parents of infant children with hints and tips to enrich the quality of play with their infant / toddler / pre-schoolers. Therefore,…
A ‘retro-style’ hardback with a fabric cover and ribbon bookmark, The Way We Used to Cook provides a range of classic recipes across six chapters (Scrumptious Soups and…
A Bit of What You Fancy is the new cook book from New Zealand chef Jo Seagar.
Brought to you by Craig Smith of Wonky Donkey fame, My Daddy Ate an Apple tells the story of what happens if you eat an apple with a…
If you saw our review of the Cocoon, you will know that Harold gave it 5 stars. This seat is part of the same family of seats but…
Jennifer Saunders: Bonkers, My Life In Laughs is an autobiography from the very talented and funny Jennifer Saunders.
One Little Fantail is a gorgeous new picture book teaching your children the English and Te Reo names, appearance and personalities of New Zealand native birds.
If you’ve looked at buggies recently, you are probably familiar with the phil&teds Navigator. With 26(!!) riding options, it’s a buggy that works for just about any combination…
Popular Wellington-based children’s author Ruth Paul is back with Bad Dog Flash, a lovely new picture book with simple words to delight your toddler or preschooler. Cute watercolour…
The Storyteller – Jodi Picoult. Sage Singer has a past that makes her want to hide from the world. But when she strikes up an unlikely friendship with…
Joy Cowley has released Hero on the Hill in time for Christmas. It is the perfect story for train-loving children, combining a slice of New Zealand history with…
‘Made by Me’ is a perfect introduction to the traditional gentle arts of sewing, knitting and embroidery. But with a wonderfully modern spin. Aimed at girls aged about…
The Power of Focus sets out to be an action plan of doing good things and “how to hit your business, personal, and financial targets with absolute confidence…
Burnt sugar is all the rage in foodieland it seems! So capitalising on this flavour, Kapiti Kitchen have released a delicious creaming soda to quench your summer thirst.
I have always admired people who read at a rapid rate when they were young. Reading Felix and the Red Rats helped me understand why they found it…
The Snug Sheet is basically a sheet for a cot or a single bed that has an inbuilt sleep sack (head/arm holes and a zip).
If you’re looking for a blanket for your child’s cot or bassinet, it’s well worth looking at Babu’s merino blankets. They are soft, warm and come in subtle…
‘What was life like so many years ago? Find out through the eyes of a girl who’s just like you’. This is a tagline of a brilliant new…
Traditional kiwi scenes are explored in a new way in the Little Fronds picture books designed for 0-3 year olds. Each page has a big, brightly coloured picture…
Pandora Halfdanarson grew up with “celebrity” in the form of her narcissistic has-been actor dad, and is used to playing supporting roles in her own life – neglected…
Newly released as a durable board book, Craig Smith’s bestselling kiwi title The Wonky Donkey is back! Complete with Katz Cowley’s illustrations, this cumulative story which has won…
How would you feel if you woke up and found another head growing out of your neck? What’s more it’s a living, breathing, Talking head, with a rude,…
Discovering that you could make ice cream out of frozen bananas was like a miracle for me! I’ve only discovered it fairly recently so was really excited to…
Vikas Swarup is the author of “Q & A” which was made into the film “Slumdog Millionaire”. Here I imagine he started with the idea of “The Accidental…
Oh, Dear Sylvia tells of a family tragedy with Sylvia in a coma under troubling circumstances. But this isn’t a tragedy. It’s an epic-drama-comedic-tragedy with people woven through…
The Phil&Teds Smart buggy is a stylish, compact, lightweight buggy that is perfect for around town…
Michael Van de Elzen runs a well known TV show with his food truck. He packs up his truck with ideas- often creative and pushing boundaries- and takes…
The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost is a fantasy book about Will West who’s father has given a list of rules to live his life by. These rules…
‘Close to the Bone’ is a detective story featuring the amiable DI Logan McRae and his ‘woman in a mans world’ boss DCI Steele. I have read author…
The phil&teds cocoon travelfix is an extendable high-back booster seat, which can accommodate your growing child from preschooler to the age of 12 (or until he or she…
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is touring the country with Anton Oliver. They are performing selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. They’re also performing New Zealand composer David Farquhar’s…
Exploring Aotearoa – Short walks to reveal the Maori landscape is a guide to Maori landmarks and their history in Aotearoa. In addition to providing information on the history…
When Hannah wakes suddenly in the night, she discovers a whole new world of adventure. With nobody awake to tell her off, she can do just as she…
The NESCAFÉ® Dolce Gusto® Genio (RRP $269) is an award winning single-cup coffee machine delivering up to 15 bar pressure to make the perfect cup of coffee and…
My Food Bag is a brand new idea in New Zealand. It’s simple: Every week, Masterchef winner, Nadia and her team of Test Chefs dream up exciting and…
Live theatre is treat at any age, and Seasons was a particularly nice introduction to the experience for my two kids, aged 2 ½ and going on 5.…
The Improvisers is a bit of an institution in Wellington… fun improvised theatre for kids (and big people as well!) Halloweenies presents the least scary cast of spooky…
It’s probably every dedicated blogger’s dream to be called up by a publishing company and asked if some of their material could go to print. New Zealand food…
It was a privilege to review the TomTom Go and see the advances TomTom has made on GPSs we have previously used.
You may have read our review of Mountain Buggy’s infant capsule – peppy. Well, the protect is an updated version of this capsule. It’s a compact, safety assured…
Big Brother is a fictional approach to the difficult subject of obesity. Lionel Shriver (author of best-seller ‘We Need to Talk About Kevin’) lost her own obese brother…
Wow, Skechers Gowalk shoes are certainly the ultimate walking shoes!! They’re amazing light — like walking on air and designed to be comfortable and cushy. The purpose of…
Melu is a donkey who is not content to follow everyone else. He wants to see what else is around; he wants to have an adventure.
My husband is *very* safety conscious and when I first floated the idea of a trampoline for our kids for Christmas last year, he was a bit nervous!…
You’re probably familiar with Mountain Buggy’s buggies and you’ll know that they make awesome, high quality products. The haven is their first car seat and it’s a little,…
In late 2007, American woman Amanda Knox was arrested and charged with the murder of her British flat mate Meredith Kercher in the Italian town of Perugia. Seven…
Auckland company Bach Espresso has been spreading coffee love in cafes for some time, but have branched out far and wide lately. The funky little packages keep turning…
The premise of this lovely Kiwi book is to provide lots of recipes using everyday things, to engage your children in hours of play. Encouraging you and your…
In Dear Vincent, 17 year old Tara McClusky’s life is hard. Her only source of consolation is her obsession with art and painting in particular. Most especially she…
Absolute Essentials create gorgeous therapeutic products for adults and children using natural oils. Their range includes massage oils and creams, aromatherapy, and creams and gels to support immunity,…
Brick by Brick is a book about Lego and how despite adopting some theoretically good business practices the company got itself into a financial hole. Facing bankruptcy the…
You’ve probably come across the gorgeous Babu blankets and sheets but did you know that Babu also makes lovely baby clothes? No? Well I’ve been lucky enough to…
Dog trainer Doggy Dan shares his insights about the similarities between training dogs and raising children in What the Dogs Taught me About Being a Parent. As a…
I should probably mention here that upon learning that I was going to review this movie, my 3 year old son Ted decided that he should be co-author.…
Destiny, written by respected commentator Peter Lineham, is the first full and independent account of the church and its personnel. With unprecedented access to its inner workings, including…
I’ve never seen a book quite like this one! The idea is common enough – one-page answers to a number of questions about New Zealand and its fauna…
Henry is a pig who likes everything to be in its place. But on the farm, how will anyone know where the right places are without a map?…
Cattra’s Legacy is a tale about Risha, a young girl who must undertake a dangerous journey when her father dies to discover her true origins and identity. “Unravelling…
Betty Gilderdale (if you’re wondering why the name is familiar, she wrote The Little Yellow Digger) paints a vivid and very readable word portrait of the late great…
This is a cookbook with a difference: the recipes were chosen by children, for children, children helped to test them, and it was the majority view that decided…
The Accursed is a Very Large Book. Strange things are afoot in Princeton, New Jersey in the 1900s.
Richard’ Till’s new cook book, One Pot Cooking, contains recipes for over 60 dishes, all of which can be made in a single pot. Some are suitable for…
ABC by Dr Suess is an introduction to the alphabet book by the famous Dr.Suess. It features strange zanny creatures which appeal to the imagination of a toddler…
My toddler just loves to be able to roam outdoors and explore… I’m sure he shares that joy with most toddlers! This simple pair of overalls has meant…
I think that Kiwis are the cleverest people ever and the SitActive Active Posture Cushion is another example of how a good idea can lead to a great…
We’ve entered the age of crafting in my house. And as I have 3 girls, I expect that it’s going to be a long period! My 4 year…
The clever people at Mad Millie have a knack for putting together packs that make it easy to create your own food and drink. The cider kit is…
From her hideaway in a museum basement comes Ivy, a cleaning lady with a difference. Her humble set of wheels may look like a cleaning cart, but just…
Attention parents with children in and around Dunedin at a loss in this second week of the holidays: here is one fantastic way to fill in a morning…
This book has stemmed from Sarah O’Neil entering the Yates gardening/blogging challenge. Together with Yates she has developed and published much of her popular blogging work in The…
Improvisors Kids have been creating improvised shows just for little people for 4 years now it’s a great school holiday treat. Comic Heroes is their latest offering -…
Helen is the youngest of the Walsh sisters and a law unto herself. She’s easily bored, has an inability to filter her thoughts and was fired from every…