We want to help create motivated and engaged young readers. This blog is about children's and YA literature (especially New Zealand), literacy research, and ways to get, and keep, kids reading.
This revised and updated edition is not just a tell-all about the ills of modern slavery. It is a handbook on how you and I can make a positive stand to become abolitionists.
David Batstone systematically goes through all of the regions of the world (sadly, most countries) where some form of slavery operates in the form of sex trafficking, human trafficking, child soldiers, working in factories without pay and being held against one’s will.
This book has a plethora of information that we can call upon to do our bit to be abolish slavery. It is a clever mix of real life anecdotes, contemporary examples of what others are doing and facts and figures from governments to support his argument. Batstone offers several options of how we can contribute to the ‘Not for sale’ campaign which makes the reader feel that however small their efforts are, they count. I hope mine will.
Recommended for intermediate upward.
review by Melissa
Image by TheIRD
Dom has just finished school and is engaged in a painting job at his father’s advertising agency before he starts university. One morning he walks into his father’s office to ask for the keys to his car. Here he gets drawn into a conversation on the benefits of advertising and next thing he knows he’s being thrown a challenge to come up with a pitch to sell toothpaste. Dom’s philosophy it that it is easy enough to write an advertisement and that any ‘monkey’ could do it.
What follows is Dom’s process of due diligence on the campaign. The question raised is why does Dom really want to beat his dad at his own game? The story deals with the serious and humorous side of advertising, a father son relationship and Dom’s learning curve of where he wants to be in terms of a career.
Leonie Thorpe has done a brilliant job of keeping the story light, youthful and purposeful. Also noteworthy is the exposure to the world of advertising which is insightful for anyone wanting to pursue this line of a career.
review by Janice
Image by owly9
George Larson is an 18 year old school boy from Otago, with aspiring dreams of becoming a musician. But everything changes when George notices a spider crawling over his homework book in a repeating pattern - spelling out the word “soul”. His dead granddad starts turning up at night with strange messages that someone is after him, and to try not to get killed! And that George is apparently the only one who can save the world by turning off the “lighthouse”. A Tibetan monk (who likes to “high five”) turns up at George’s house wanting to go on a journey with him. George has so many questions. What is this lighthouse? Why does his dead Granddad keep turning up? Who are the people after him? Where are they going? Why does the Tibetan monk say he has known George for a long time? Can George and Kaisa become more than friends?…
The author, Fredrik Brouneus, was born in Stockholm, but now lives in Dunedin with his family. The Prince of Soul and the lighthouse is his first book in English.
review by Michelle
Image by alijava
The History of Surfing is a product of surfer and surfing writer, Matt Warshaw. Four years of researching and writing on top of an already extensive knowledge on the subject, gives the reader an exhaustive collection of information from the first surf, board design, as well as changing surfing culture and trends, World Championships and leading figures.
With a massive page count, incorporating text, photographs and related images we can (safely) follow the sport from pre-1900’s period to the commercial era of modern surfing.
review by Natasha
Image from collections of the National Library of NZ
Part of the Let’s Read and Talk about series, this title focuses on what we need to do for our bodies to be fit and healthy. With bright and bold colour pages to divide different topics, action photography and a clear engaging text this title will appeal to primary age students. Sections are separated to provide information on a range of topics from what exercise does to your body, what does being fit actually mean, foods to give you energy, why warm up and down, to how to get involved in new sports.
Talk about and Take Action panes are incorporated in each section providing opportunities for student or class discussion and further activities. A glossary is also included.
Let’s Read and Talk about… Keeping Fit covers a range of information that is presented in an engaging and practical way that offers students ways to incorporate ideas into everyday life. Students will be pleased to know that washing the car counts as part of their keeping fit plan, be first in line to invent a new ball game and there is such thing as doing too much exercise in one go!
review by Natasha
Image by katiew
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