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Looking to jump start a reading habit but always find yourself bogged down by your school, work, and extra-curricular schedule? Check out the English Team's recommended reading list for fiction that sits on the shorter side of the narrative - flash fiction, short stories, and novellas.

In this The Ultimate Short Story Reading List, we'll look at:

The idea of reading an entire 400-page novel can be incredibly daunting. Especially, when you're caught between consolidating your linear equations for maths class and brushing up on WWI statistics for History. The good news is that being widely read also means reading texts with varying word counts. That means short stories and novellas are just as important for your literary education as Charles Dickens' 544-paged classic 'Great Expectations'.

In fact, many writers find writing a compelling story in less than a thousand words to be more challenging than spinning a grand plot into a chunky novel. Great expectations, indeed!

Differences between shorter fiction forms

What are the differences between narrative text types like microfiction, flash fiction, short stories, and novellas?

What is microfiction?

Microfiction or micro stories are stories that are told in 300 words or less, with one of the more famous examples of microfiction being this six-word story from Ernest Hemingway:

For sale: baby shoes, never worn.

What is flash fiction?

Flash fiction can range from anywhere between 300 to 2000 words, and flash fiction is the creative text type that most high school students are expected to create, usually at the prompt of a visual stimulus. Flash fiction contains the narrative elements of a novel, including complex character development, although usually with a simpler plot structure.

What is a short story?

The short story on the other hand, falls at a word count of around 10,000 or less and can be found in popular magazines like 'The New Yorker' or 'Meanjin', which is an Australian-based publication. Short stories may contain a fully-fleshed out plot with a more in-depth exploration of multiple characters.

What is a novella?

Finally, a novella can be best described as a "little novel", falling between 20,000 and 49,999 words. Authors who write novellas may have more room to move around with characters, setting, language, and plot, but the novella is still a condensely concentrated work of fiction!

Now that we understand the differences between these short narrative types, check out our recommendations to get started on your time-sensitive reading journey!

Learn how to write Band 6 worthy essays with our HSC Expert Teachers!

Flash Fiction

Reader: All grades and ages

Topics and Themes: Climate change, critique of global overconsumption, speculative fiction

English Team's Comment: A thought-provoking and wonderfully succinct post-apocalyptic story told through a numbered list that reflects the sequence of human history. A succinct appropriation of Hesiod's Five Ages of Man (lines 109-201), Atwood provides a haunting speculation of our planet's trajectory if Global Warming is not addressed.

Reader: All grades and ages

Topics and Themes: Nuclear war, existential angst about environmental degradation, science fiction contemplation about the end of humanity

English Team's Comment: A provocative example of speculative fiction in which humanity has brought about our own end with nuclear war. In post-apocalyptic suburbia, a fully automated and self-sufficient house stands alone, waiting for nature to take its course.

Text: Don't Ask Jack by Neil Gaiman

Reader: Years 9-10

Topics and Themes: Loss of innocence and childhood, horror, superstition and supernatural themes

English Team's Comment: A horror-filled story that keeps you guessing about collective beliefs and superstitions that lie in the attic of a seemingly haunted family. What will happen when you let Jack out of the box?

Reader: All grades and ages

Topics and Themes: Unequal social expectations on young women, Caribbean identity

English Team's Comment: A haunting rendition of identity-based flash fiction told through a series of questions and commands from a mother to a daughter. The whole story is one sentence!

Reader: Years 7-10

Topics and Themes: Fear, superstition, intergenerational and collective relationships

English Team's Comment: A three to five minute read at most, this story is more abstract in nature and deals with a darkly surreal "Huntress" that can be interpreted as the personification of fear or superstition.

Reader: All grades and ages

Topics and Themes: Human sentimentality and ritual, the banality and cruel reality of life

English Team's Comment: The shortest story on this entire list, Saunders' Sticks is a fun portrayal of human idiosyncrasies and the way we impose meaning onto objects that are not necessarily meaningful. Sticks has a slow build with a sudden, heartrending ending that is almost cruel to the reader.

Reader: Years 11-12

Topics and Themes: Surreal conceptions of Abrahamic religions, spirituality, life and death

English Team's Comment: These four micro stories, each punctured by a capitalised, single-worded ending, take on a parable-esque tone in wildly distinct yet similarly surreal circumstances of a humanist scholar, an opera singer, a monk, and a child.

The Short Story

Reader: Years 7-9

Topics and Themes: The power of love and language, civil war and conflict, violence

English Team's Comment: An evocative short story translated from the magical realism of Latin America. The eponymous two words- which are never uttered, but implied to be the Spanish "Te amo", or "I love you"- carry a punch and cut through the violence of civil war.

Text: A Tree of Night by Truman Capote

Reader: Years 11-12

Topics and Themes: Thrilling psychology, death, public paralysis in a dream-like quality of everyday banality, the awkwardness of encounters with strangers

English Team's Comment: This particular short story by Truman Capote (of Breakfast at Tiffany's fame) makes the reader squirm in their seat - especially if that seat is on public transport and a stranger forces you to converse with them!

Text: The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter

Reader: Years 9-12

Topics and Themes: Retold fairy tale through a feminist lens, cautionary tale, femicide and the impunity of male violence

English Team's Comment: An appropriation of the French tale Bluebeard (La Barbe Bleue) told through Angela Carter's sharp and powerful narrative voice. Instead of a serial wife-killer taking center stage in this short story, Carter centers the first-person narration of the young, female victim and in doing so, redefines the rules of victimhood.

Text: Lamb to the Slaughter by Roald Dahl

Reader: Years 7-8

Topics and Themes: A tale of marital resentment, murder mystery

English Team's Comment: A captivating, fast-paced read for any student looking for a short story that has an ironically dark twist for an ending!

Reader: Years 7-8

Topics and Themes: Critique of greed and desire for luxury, cautionary tale

English Team's Comment: In the symbol of a seemingly-luxurious necklace, Guy de Maupassant delivers a stinging cautionary tale for those who are not content with their station in life.

Text: Galatea by Madeline Miller

Reader: Years 10-12

Topics and Themes: Retold Ancient Greek myth, feminism, critique of female "hysteria"

English Team's Comment: Madeline Miller, a Classics scholar at Brown University, constructs a strong, feminist tale that explores the objectification and thus dehumanisation of women. Galatea, a statue-turned-human by the Greek gods, aims to break free of patriarchal control by any means necessary.

Text: Recitatif by Toni Morrison

Reader: Years 11-12

Topics and Themes: Systemic racism in the United States, violence, loss of childhood innocence, questions around truth and memory

English Team's Comment: Known as Toni Morrison's only published short story, Recitatif is a story between two girls in an orphanage whose racial identities the reader puzzles over. Unable to distinguish between black and white or truth and fabrication, Morrison provides an evocatively uncomfortable critique of racism and discrimination.

Reader: Years 7-10

Topics and Themes: The banality of everyday life, ideas of success and failure, imagination

English Team's Comment: A very popular example of the short story, this piece from James Thurber uses imaginative vignettes to cut through the boring and the mundane rituals of everyday life in the city. It's even been made into a movie!

Reader: All grades and ages

Topics and Themes: Dystopian world, tension between scientific progress and environmental degradation

English Team's Comment: Kurt Vonnegut delivers yet another thought-provoking science fiction story. It's about humanity's obsession with overconsumption and lack of care for the environment. Taking its title from Shakespeare's famous soliloquy in Macbeth, this short story critiques humanity's desire to live forever. When the story was first published, it was named "The Big Trip Up Yonder", so you might see that title instead when you search for this story.

The Novella

Text: King of Trees by Ah Cheng

Reader: Years 10-12

Topics and Themes: China's Cultural Revolution, rapid industrialisation and environmental degradation, tension between ancient spirituality and modern apathy

English Team's Comment: A haunting novella by Zhong Acheng (pen name Ah Cheng) that explores the cultural, environmental, and spiritual ramifications of China's zealous industrialisation under Mao Ze Dong's communist regime.

Text: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Reader: Years 9-10

Topics and Themes: Chicanx literature, Mexican-American identity and racism, issues of class and gender expectations

English Team's Comment: A short, 100ish-page novel told through a series of vignettes. A Mexican-American tween enters her adolescence. Over the course of a year, we follow her experiences while growing up in the Latin quarter of Chicago.

Text: Signs Preceding the End of the World by Yuri Herrera

Reader: Years 9-12

Topics and Themes: Migration, the US-Mexican border, in-between identities and cultures

English Team's Comment: A cross between contemporary mythology and the reality of tough lives riddled by even tougher border crossings. Yuri Herrera delivers a surreal exploration of physical and spiritual journeys.

Reader: Years 9-12

Topics and Themes: Loneliness, social detachment and isolation, existential dread

English Team's Comment: A dark, but compelling read. A man suddenly finds himself in the physical form of a grotesque insect. Allegorically speaking, this insect is very lonely indeed.

Text: Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel García Márquez

Reader: Years 9-10

Topics and Themes: Magical realism, collectives consciences, community accountability

English Team's Comment: García Márquez is one of the greats of the Latin American Literature Boom. In this novella, he constructs a magical realist narrative around a death. The reader knows the protagonist will die. But how? And by whose hand?

Text: The Strange Library by Haruki Murakami

Reader: Years 7-9

Topics and Themes: Magical realism, blurred lines between dreams and reality

English Team's Comment: One of the captivating aspects of Murakami's illustrated novella are the illustrations themselves. They visually depict the whimsical yet creeping horror of a public library's surreal basement labyrinth.

Sources

Author Learning Center, 2018, Short Fiction Forms: Novella, Novelette, Short Story, and Flash Fiction Defined. Available here [7 June 2022].

Theoi Classical Texts Library, nd., Hesiod, Works and Days. Available here. [8 June 2022].

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The Ultimate Short Story Reading List | Flash Fiction, Short Stories, & Novellas

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Looking to jump start a reading habit but always find yourself bogged down by your school, work, and extra-curricular schedule? Check out the English Team's recommended reading list for fiction that sits on the shorter side of the narrative - flash fiction, short stories, and novellas.

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I loved books when I was at high school but I hated being forced to read a book I had no interest in. As a 14 year old I had no interest…

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The book lists link in here is good as a resource.

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The book lists link in here is good as a resource.

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I loved books when I was at high school but I hated being forced to read a book I had no interest in. As a 14 year old I had no interest…

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Year 11 books. This book list contains titles to appeal to teenagers and young adults aged 15-16 in secondary school. These suggestions consist of a range of titles to cover all ability ranges including reading options for the less able and the more able. This list of books for year 11 is frequently updated and features authors including Leigh Bardugo, Josh Silver, Alice Sebold, Arvin Ahmadi, Adam Silvera. Daniel Keyes, Kacen Callender, Ellen Raskin, John Green, Charles Dickens and many more.

As an Amazon Associate schoolreadinglist.co.uk earns from qualifying purchases.

Books for Year 11 - our recommendations

Looking for Alaska by John Green

Teenager Miles' life is turned on its head when he meets Alaska and her world of risk and demanding friendship.

The Silver Chain by Jion Sheibani

16-year-old Azadeh seeks solace in her violin playing as she navigates a transition dealing with a new school, friendship difficulties and trouble at home. Compelling and intimate - The Silver Chain is a peek into random corners of her private world, with joyful humour, and bursts of raw candour. The variety of poetry and radiant graphic presentation makes this a wonderful book to become disorientated by. Highly recommended for KS4 - if the poem 'Keys' doesn't intrigue your year 11 students, perhaps no poetry ever will. Read our full review.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

Perhaps Dickens' greatest novel features unforgettable characters as seen through the eyes of the ever-suffering David Copperfield.
Classic Click the button below to buy all the books in this Year 11 book list, or class sets of any of these books and many more from Bookshop.org UK.
Buy from UK.Bookshop.Org
Disclosure: If you buy books using the button above, we may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookshops.

Schools & teachers: please respect copyright and don't copy our Year 11 reading list. If you find our book recommendations useful, please consider sharing on social media or linking to this page instead. Thanks.

For more reading suggestions, see our Year 10 suggested reading list and our list of books for 6th formers.

For even more books for teens see this list.

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Year 11 recommended reading list for teens aged 15-16

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Year 11 reading list - a selection of must-reads, including easy and challenging titles for Year 11 pupils in secondary schools aged 15-16.

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The Power of Women's Voices | International in scope and sweeping in history, Yvette Cooper's She Speaks compendium gives voice to a dazzlingly diversity of powerful speeches selected on the basis of them being delivered by "women who believe in using words to build a better world, and persuading others to join them as they do so." The introduction is both inspirational and edifying, with Cooper surveying the hostile landscape women have traversed - and still traverse - while making their voices heard, integrated with personal insights from her career as a Labour MP, Cabinet Minister and Secretary of State.Throughout it's a joy to the savour the words and wisdom of dozens of seminal female figures, from Boudica's stirring two thousand year-old polemic against violations of women, to Diane Abbott's powerful 2019 House of Commons speech on the brutally unjust Windrush scandal. Other British women with political pedigree include the fabulously fierce Barbara Castle (her speech here is an exquisite example of sharp, scathing, socialist-minded oratory), Jo Cox, with her poignant maiden speech as an MP, Yvette Cooper herself, and former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. While it might seem out of place for Cooper to re-amplify the Iron Lady's inflammatory "ideological assault on the public sector" by including her "the lady's not for turning" speech, she frames the decision by referring to Thatcher's mould-breaking persona and indestructible self-belief. Thatcher's inclusion is also testament to the gracious spirit that runs through the anthology. Indeed, Theresa May's speech on modernising the Conservative party is also included.Beyond Britain we hear from Audre Lorde, Benazir Bhutto and Michelle Obama; from razor-witted US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nigerian novelist and feminist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and young education campaigner Malala Yousafzai. I was especially stirred by the 1851 speech of Sojourner Truth, a former slave turned activist whose work saw her campaign against slavery and champion women's rights, and whose words sang for the oppressed. The last words are given to Greta Thunberg because "no one speaks about the future with more clarity or urgency than Greta Thunberg"."She Speaks, I must listen", Cooper writes in her introduction and this finely-curated anthology will certainly inspire readers of all ages to pay close attention to the women's words it shares.

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Expertly selected books for early teen readers

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The Power of Women's Voices | International in scope and sweeping in history, Yvette Cooper's She Speaks compendium gives voice to a dazzlingly diversity of powerful speeches selected on the basis of them being delivered by "women who believe in using words to build a better world, and persuading others to join them as they do so."

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Recommended texts for secondary schools 2019

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A collection of titles curated for teachers by our education team at Penguin Random House

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Pacific Books to fill your fale this Xmas Pt2 - For the Teenagers in your Life — thecoconet.tv - The world’s largest hub of Pacific Island content.

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Tales for Teens from across the Moana By Taualofa Totu’a Good reading habits start from young. Encourage your loved ones to immerse themselves in the minds and worlds of Pacific authors this Christmas and purchase Pasifika! Fiction stories are more important than ever, providing entertainment and l…

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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, supposedly a time to celebrate Americans with roots in Asia or the Pacific Islands. But functionally, it winds up being Asian American Month, with people of Pacific Islander heritage shoved to the side or not recognized at all. There are articles and literature about Asian Americans aplenty, but no sign of Pacific Islanders-the other group that is allegedly meant to be celebrated. Sure, Hawaii and other Pacific islands like Samoa, Micronesia, Fiji, and the Marshall Islands have relatively small populations compared to the continent of Asia-but there are still over a million people with native Pacific Islander heritage in the U.S. alone!

By grouping these two very different communities together, we are inadvertently erasing Pacific Islanders from our collective consciousness and working against the very significance of the month itself. Despite the absence of Pacific Islanders from publications celebrating AAPI month, they are present in the creative world and we need to remember them. There are incredible artists, writers, and creators of Pacific Islander descent, with stories rich with history and mythology that deserve the spotlight.

To close Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, let's begin the celebration that is due to these Pacific Islander authors. And then let's continue to read them throughout the rest of the year.

As a poet and performer, Kathy Jetn̄il-Kijiner uses art and activism as a means to enlighten her readers and followers about her home, the Marshall Islands. In 2012, she co-founded Jo-Jikum, a nonprofit organization committed to helping the next generation of Marshallese to preserve their islands in the face of rising sea levels. Her book, Iep Jaltok: Poems from a Marshallese Daughter, pulls from personal and familial stories to create an illuminating collection of poetry about Marshallese politics, heritage, and climate change.

The Girl in the Moon Circle takes a look at Samoan culture and society through the perspective of a ten-year-old girl. Figiel draws from her own experience with Samoan language and art to produce lyrical prose that immerses the reader in this young girl's childhood, from crushes on boys at school to family violence at home.

Lani Wendt Young, known for her young adult novels set in Samoa, takes on the heavier facets of life as an afakasi woman in this collection of short stories. With prose that have cemented her place as a prominent South Pacific writer, Young puts forth 24 short stories that weave elegantly between the lighthearted, the humorous, and the arduous experiences of a "Real Samoan Woman."

Fijian writer Gina Cole explores a theme of heat and coldness in this collection of short stories that follow an eclectic array of characters in the South Pacific; from a glaciology expert stuck in the crevasse of his research to a child working in a Barbie Doll sweatshop.

In this collection of stories, Hau'ofa explores the importance of ancestors in the South Pacific, and the danger that colonialism poses to ancestral traditions. Hau'ofa sets the stories on a fictional island in Oceania called Tiko, where the culture, society, and politics can be likened to his home country, Tonga. Along with his contributions to the South Pacific literary canon, Hau'ofa made a large impact in the art scene in Oceania as the founder of Oceania Centre for Arts at the University of the South Pacific.

Tina Makereti, of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Rangatahi, Pākehā, and Moriori descent, has garnered national and international awards for her novels and stories. Dedicated to promoting and maintaining representation of Maori and Pasifika authors in New Zealand, she convened the first Maori and Pasifika Writing Workshop in 2014 at Victoria University. The questions of identity and heritage that Makereti explores in her own life are posed in Where the Rēkohu Bone Sings, a novel set in New Zealand that follows several generations of characters with complex ancestries.

In Shark Dialogues, the matriarch of a native Hawaiian family recounts the complex history of her kin to her four granddaughters, beginning with a 19th-century romance between an American sailor and the daughter of a Tahitian chief and ending in present-day Hawaii. Like Davenport, who was born and raised in Hawaii by a native Hawaiian mother and a white father, the characters in her novel are all products of numerous love stories that cross oceans and generations.

A major literary figure in the South Pacific, Albert Wendt has gained national and international recognition for his work as a poet, novelist, editor, and anthologist. In 2018, Wendt was a recipient of the Icon Award, The Arts Foundation's highest honor, given to New Zealand artists for their achievements in-as well as their impact on-the arts in New Zealand. His writing and his work as an educator has influenced the presence and study of Pacific indigenous cultures, particularly in Samoa, New Zealand, and Hawaii. Leaves of the Banyan Tree tells the story of three generations of a Western Samoan family as they struggle with the effects of colonialism in their home.

This is Paradise by Kristiana Kahakauwila

This Hawaiian Storytelling Chant Is Great Literature Without the Written Word

The oli connects me to my childhood, and to the history of indigenous Hawaii

culture

In her debut collection, native Hawaiian author Kristiana Kahakauwila intimately captures the reality of life in the Hawaiian islands in six related stories. Kahakauwila's vivid characters navigate through stories about family, culture, tradition, and home. This is Paradise takes a searing look into modern island life, exploring the aspects that are not in harmony with the widely-held view of Hawaii as a paradise.

Ihimaera and Makereti curated stories from the Maori and Pasifika canon to create an anthology that stretches the boundaries of the short story genre. Each indigenous Oceanic author selected for Black Marks on the White Page brings innovation to the way we view the art of storytelling, whether it comes in the form of verse or prose or even visual representations.

Madden's memoir is a raw and honest portrayal of her childhood in Florida. Of Chinese, Native Hawaiian and Jewish descent, her physical features set her apart from her peers and received ridicule. She forgoes the conventional story of redemption and recovery for an honest look into the mess and madness that surrounded her youth, the death of her father, and the absence of her mother.

My Urohs by Emelihter Kihleng

With My Urohs, Kihleng was the first Pohnpeian poet to publish a book. The title, which is the word for the traditional dress of Pohnpeian women, alludes to the themes of colonization, indigenous culture, beauty, and tragedy that populate the poems in the collection. In her poems, Kihleng liricizes about everything from intimate moments, like snacking on Micronesian food, to contemporary issues in her community.

Island of Shattered Dreams, the first novel published by an indigenous Tahitian, is set in French Polynesia in the mid-1900s. In customary Polynesian style, the prose are interspersed with poetry and Tahitian vocabulary. As much a romance story as it is a political statement, this novel brings the reader along the journey of a Tahitian family as they live through the second world war and the disturbance of colonization in their peaceful homeland.

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13 Books by Pacific Islanders - Electric Literature

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May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Month, supposedly a time to celebrate Americans with roots in Asia or the Pacific Islands. But functionally, it winds up being Asian American Month, with people of Pacific Islander heritage shoved to the side or not recognized at all.

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New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

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The New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are administered by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust. In 2016, the Awards…

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2022 award winners:
Saradha Koirala, Sonya Wilson, Gavin Bishop (Margaret Mahy Book of the Year winner), Leonie Agnew, Ruth Paul, Pānia Papa, Jenny Cooper

About the Awards

These awards are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand's children's authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage.

Awards in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are made in six categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award), Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction (the Elsie Locke Award), Illustration (the Russell Clark Award) and te reo Māori (the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award).

Up to five finalists are selected for each category, and from these a category winner is selected. All awards carry prize money of $7,500. In addition, the judges will award a Best First Book prize of $2,500 to a previously unpublished author or illustrator. The overall prize, the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year award, carries a prize of $7,500.

The awards are judged by a panel of five. Te Kura Pounamu is judged by a separate panel of judges.

At the same time, a major nationwide Reading Challenge, sponsored by HELL Pizza, encourages children to read.

A shortlist is announced in June each year, and the awards event is held in August of the same year. The 2022 winners were announced at a ceremony held at Wellington College on Wednesday 10 August 2022.

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These awards are a unique celebration of the contribution New Zealand's children's authors and illustrators make to building national identity and cultural heritage. Awards in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults are made in six categories: Picture Book, Junior Fiction (the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award), Young Adult Fiction, Non-Fiction (the Elsie Locke Award), Illustration (the Russell Clark Award) and te reo Māori (the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award).

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New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

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This is a website for young adult (YA) readers all about reviewing and New Zealand books.

Hooked on Books is part of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura.

It's where you can become part of a critical conversation.

We want to know what you think about what you read. Specifically, we want to know what you think about books published in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Anyone can say "I loved this book", or "I hated that book", but it's much harder to say why. Reviewing is important because well-argued reviews can influence what gets published and what gets read. Your voice can make a difference.

Find out

Browse

Read

Comment and opinion from YA authors, reviewers and readers: To swear or not to swear? Mandy Hager explains why she won't be deleting Ash's expletives.

Join in

Send us a review, or just a comment, volunteer to interview a YA author or suggest a topic for discussion.

Who are Hooked on NZ Books He Ao Ano?

Hooked on NZ Books was established by a group of writers and editors involved with New Zealand Review of Books Pukapuka Aotearoa, which was a print journal devoted to reviewing New Zealand books.

In 2020, Read NZ Te Pou Muramura adopted the programme, with the support of The Mātātuhi Foundation.

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Welcome to Hooked on NZ Books He Ao Ano! | Hooked on New Zealand Books

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This is a website for young adult (YA) readers all about reviewing and New Zealand books. Hooked on Books is part of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. It's where you can become part of a critical conversation. We want to know what you think about what you read.

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At 13 years old, young teenagers rarely want their parents to pick out their books for them. That's okay, but it you find your child is reading less I suggest leaving a few of these tempting books for 13 year olds around the house in conspicuous places. But beware! Don't say a word about the books lest your young ones think their parents are pressuring them to read! But what books should you look for on your secret mission? As I said in my 8th grade reading list, it's an extremely tricky age! 13 year olds aren't keen on books about 11 year olds, but they may not be ready to read the more serious and mature titles on the YA shelves.

This book list for 13 year olds includes a variety of genres: fantasy, realism, historical fiction and more. I've also made an attempt to include titles with a diversity of characters ( I'm working on a nonfiction list for teens - stay tuned!) If your teen loves to get recommendations from you, by all means, hand this list to them and send them off to the library. If more subtle suggestions are required, work your magic by leaving these diverse books scattered around as I suggested above! (Note: book covers and titles are affiliate links.)

Happy reading!

Slider by Pete Hautman. When David accidentally charges $2000 to his mom's credit card, he concocts a plan to get the money by winning a pizza eating contest. In between prepping his stomach for the contest and taking care of his neuro-atypical brother, Mal, David must also figure out where he stands when his two best friends find themselves in a relationship. This book has lots of laughs but is also a meaningful read and many 13 year olds will understand David's struggle with friends and family.

Refugee by Alan Gratz. This moving book tells three stories. Josef is a Jewish refugee from Nazi Germany; Isabel and her family are attempting to escape Castro's Cuba in 1994; and in 2015 Mahmoud's family runs from war-torn Syria. The alternating narration draws parallels between all three journeys with an ending that brings the three stories together. I found this book to be gripping and it is a timely book to give your 13 year old to read.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson. Six diverse kids are put together in a room at school as a place where they can talk about the issues they are facing in their lives. Their burdens are as diverse as their backgrounds; incarceration, racial profiling, possible deportation are just a few of the subject the middle schoolers need and want to talk about with each other. Woodson's prose is gorgeous, almost poetic and the reader will come to care for all of the teens as they tell their stories.

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh is another book I couldn't put down. 13 year old Max is an American boy whose family has come to live for a year in Brussels. Max is resentful that he has to repeat a grade and go to a French-speaking school. Ahmed, a 14 year old Syrian refugee is separated from his father on the water crossing to Greece. He is able to make his way to Belgium and hides out in Max's basement. When Max discovers him, the two become friends and hatch a plan to help Ahmed get out into the world again. A timely, sensitive book about friendship, family and taking charge of one's life.

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Phillip Pullman. This is the prequel to Pullman's His Dark Materials series ( The Golden Compass, etc.), but even if your child hasn't read that book, this one will stand on its own. Malcolm Polstead lives in Oxford and is suspicious of the new order around him. When the baby Lyra (the heroine of The Golden Compass) comes to live in the neighborhood priory, Malcom's adventures really take off. This book is just as good as the original trilogy!
More book lists for 13 year olds:

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Good Books for 13 Year Olds that They Will Want to Read!

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At 13 years old, young teenagers rarely want their parents to pick out their books for them. That's okay, but it you find your child is reading less I suggest leaving a few of these tempting books for 13 year olds around the house in conspicuous places. But beware!

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The Sapling | Home | Conversations about children's books

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The Sapling - conversations about children's books. We aim to find and air conversations nobody has been able to have in the main media about children's books.

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Pukapuka rangatahi nā ngā kaituhi Kiwi

​Check out these teen reads by great New Zealand authors.

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Librarian, Helensville Library

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Auckland Libraries: Teen reads by Kiwi authors

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​Check out these teen reads by great New Zealand authors. Add Teens The topic Teens will be added to your favourites. What does this mean? Annie Thanks for your feedback To ask for help or information, contact us. Tell us how we can improve this page (optional) Send comments

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Welcome to the award winning HUIA Bookshop. Browse through our amazing selection of unique books and digital media.

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The Rainbow Book List is released every January. Books on the list are published within the assigned calendar year or between July 1 and December 31 of the previous calendar year.

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Pacific Islanders are the group that makes up the "PI" part in AAPI, or Asian American and Pacific Islander identities. They're a much smaller group - in fact, according to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, there are roughly 1.4 million Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders "alone or in combination with one of more races who reside within the United States." Thus, this group is often underrepresented in media, and when their culture actually is featured, society often paints a false narrative of paradise. The history of the islands is complicated, but the spirit of the people who live and have origins there is unwavering.

To better understand and appreciate the Pacific Islander culture in a respectful way, it's a good idea to dig into books written by Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander authors. You'll find that these books - novels and fiction - often utilize different writing styles, such as lyrical prose and poetry, and have likely only recently been translated to English in the past few decades, which makes for a more interesting read. Ahead, 15 historical novels, poetry and fiction books written by Pacific Islander authors:

After you read through this list, be sure to check out our favorite books by Latinx authors, Black authors and Asian authors.

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15 Books by Pacific Islanders to Add to Your Reading List Now

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Pacific Islanders are the group that makes up the "PI" part in AAPI, or Asian American and Pacific Islander identities. They're a much smaller group - in fact, according to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, there are roughly 1.4 million Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders "alone or in combination with one of more races who reside within the United States."

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The ANZL is a community of writers from New Zealand - authors of fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction. On our site you’ll find current biographical information for over 100 writers - our ANZL Members - and a range of in-depth features about the diverse strands of contemporary New Zealand literatu…

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Leonie Agnew's amazing new book, The Memory Thief, is a story infused with imagination, wonder and magic. It has just been released by Penguin Books NZ and it is a book that everyone should have on their TBR pile. You can read my review here on the blog.

The Memory Thief captivated me and I couldn't stop thinking about it. There were so many aspects of the story that I was curious about and I was lucky enough to get to ask Leonie my burning questions. Check out my interview to find out how Leonie adapted the idea of trolls for her story, how Dunedin inspired the story, and which of her memories Leonie wouldn't want a troll to eat.

You wrote the first draft of The Memory Thief while as the Children's Writer in Residence at the University of Otago College of Education. What was it about being in Dunedin that sparked this story?

I was alone in Dunedin and spent many hours wandering through the local botanical gardens, which was close to my writer's cottage. I've never started a story based on a setting before, but the place felt so atmospheric, especially around twilight. I was also inspired by the name of a park in Howick called the Garden of Memories. Also, while staying in Dunedin, I would often drive to Christchurch and visit family. At my aunt's house I saw a statue in their neighbour's garden. At first glance I thought it was a person, which got me thinking about writing a story where statues comes to life.

Both Seth and Stella are intriguing characters who have a complex relationship. Did you know from the start how their relationship would develop?

I think so, yes. (Sorry, the first draft was years ago.) Some of the ideas come together in the first draft, but I knew before I started.

We've seen trolls in fairy tales and stories before but never quite like the trolls in your story. How did you develop the idea of trolls?

Great question! I was googling different books and came across the subject of Scandinavian trolls. It was almost eerie. Straight away, I read trolls turned to stone, were allergic to iron, could appear human and only came out at night. Perfect! The Dunedin Botanical Gardens had a sign which said 'Open from dawn until dusk'. (It's been taken down since, I know because I tried to get a picture.) I loved that because there's no time, which suggests the original gardeners knew there was something dangerous in the gardens and people's safety depended on daylight, rather than specific times. Also, the gardens have many statues and a troll could pass for one. Finally, there were iron fences, so I knew my main character would be trapped inside.

There was one problem - trolls were also carnivorous. I felt this was a little boring but, luckily, I had been playing around with the idea of memories and gardens. So I changed the idea, making Seth feed on human memories, rather than actual bodies.

What is one of your memories that you wouldn't want a troll to eat?

Any memory of my mother.

The Memory Thief has the best book cover for a New Zealand children's book that I've seen for ages. Kieran Rynhart seems to have captured the characters and the tone of your story perfectly. How did you feel seeing Kieran's illustrations for the first time?

The same way you did. Kieran hit the tone perfectly and captured a sense of the city, too. The atmosphere of the novel was definitely portrayed on the cover. I've had some great covers, but this one is my favourite.

How did you manage to score a cover quote from the one and only Chris Riddell?

A lot of people ask me that one! We were on stage together at the Auckland Writer's Festival. Chris and I got talking and went out for a drink. He wanted to know what I was working on, then asked to read the manuscript. He sent me pictures of the characters, too, which was lovely! He is an extremely collaborative and generous man. I also have some pictures he drew of me on stage.

As a School Librarian, I see how hard teachers work and how busy they are. How do you juggle teaching and writing?

It's very hard and I wish we had more children's residencies like the one at Dunedin University. School holidays are my golden time, but this year I have a study grant to do a Masters in Creative Writing. I am getting lots of writing done!

Do you share your stories with your students before they are published?

No because they're too young! My books (so far) have been nine and up.

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Leonie Agnew's amazing new book, The Memory Thief, is a story infused with imagination, wonder and magic. It has just been released by Penguin Books NZ and it is a book that everyone should have on their TBR pile. You can read my review here on the blog.

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Check out these authors and their books, as well as and where to buy them!

THE INVENTOR, THE DOCTOR, THE DETECTIVE & THE BAKER - Written by Reina Va'ai & illustrated by Kate Key

Women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics industries all around the world. A young inventor is hoping to change this. Can you guess what her first invention will be? Find out now! Reina has now added another 3 books to her series - The titles are: The Inventor, The Doctor, The Detective and The Baker. Each book focuses on a Pacific child and what they want to be when they grow up.
Reina Va'ai is a proud Samoan and grew up in South Auckland. She is currently working as a Criminal Defence Lawyer in South Auckland and also as a reporter for Tagata Pasifika on TV1 in New Zealand. She is passionate about empowering young women and serving the Pacific Community. You can follow her blogs on Truths She Wrote.

Reina says of writing the series - "I want Pasifika kids to read about characters that are like them. I want kids to begin planning towards their future careers (never too early). I want kids to feel inspired and empowered to make a difference in their communities."

Her books will also be distributed to schools around South Auckland, Samoa and Tonga.
Set in 1980's Samoa, 'Free Love' revolves around the first love experiences of a seventeen-year-old girl. "An intimate and intoxicating tale of love and decolonisation. A star-crossed couple is caught between the bittersweet breaking of social taboo and rebelliously reclaiming the tapu of ancient beliefs, sex, stories and small gods. Sia Figiel will keep you up all night with her sensuous storytelling of sexual awakening and the spilling of secrets. Passionate, poetic and personal, it is set within a larger story; the spark of a Pacific indigenous renaissance, a region reclaiming itself in changing times.
Dr. Karlo Mila
Orders can be made through Reina's 'Truths she Wrote' Website here: https://truthsshewrote.co.nz/collections/all
Note: Contains sexual innuendo and explicit language.
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Sia Figiel is an award winning Samoan author, often referred to as 'Samoa's first female novelist'. Her very first book ' where we once belonged' (1996) awarded her the Best First Book Award in the Commonwelath Writers Prize (South East Asia/South Pacific region) in 1997. Alongside her novels, Figiel also has two volumes of prose poetry under her belt. She grew up in Samoa and attended formal school in both Samoa and New Zealand. She later completed her Bachelor of Arts in the United States.

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Bi-lingual Language Books & E-Books - Twinnies

The Twinnies Brand is named after the authors twin grandchildren Sela and Melenaite Moala. The twins were very much into listening to her telling them stories. They would give her a subject matter that they wanted to hear a story about and she would quickly make up a story.

Last Christmas, the author decided to take it a step further and wrote a physical book for them for their Christmas present. She wrote the story, had it illustrated, self published and printed. She wrote the book in Tongan and in English. She posted the book and then had other Tongan parents writing to ask if they could buy the book. She then printed more and this was the beginning of 'Twinnies'.

She started with the Tongan language and shortly after had requests from Fijians, Samoan and even Maori families asking if they could extend their bilingual resources to these languages and so they did. They collaborated with local nationalities in each of these countries to do the translations for the Twinnies Books.

Twinnies also released an adult Tongan Proverbs book translated in lea faka Tonga. The books were sold out within 2 days and were really popular with the older generation of Tongans as they also enjoyed reading the proverbs to their children.

"There was a demand to extend our kids bilingual resources to the Fijian community here in Sydney and subsequently Twinnies did so. As such, it became natural progression whenever Twinnies produced a book to include either Fijian or a Samoan translation of that book." - Twinnies author

Check out Twinnies full range of books, merchandise, clothing and videos here

Follow them on Facebook here and on Instagram here

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The Desert Warrior - by M.B. Dallocchio

The Desert Warrior is an extraordinary memoir of trauma recovery and resilience, while providing a fascinating look at one soldier's return from the early, grisly years of the Iraq war.

After losing her money, possessions, and fiancé, a soldier returns to the U.S. from war feeling disconnected from family, friends, and everyday American life. When she encounters rejection from her compatriots and the VA as a female combat veteran, she decides to embark on a global odyssey to find her own true meaning of "home."

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MB Dallochio is a Chamorro Artist & Social Worker. She served as a medic, mental health sergeant, and retention NCO in the US Army for eight years.

As a native Chamorro ( Northern Mariana Islands), a woman, and a combat veteran, her travels and cultural interactions - and sometimes misunderstandings in dealing with those who don't know what to make of her - have aided her in producing quite the diverse portfolio.

Check out more about the author, her books and where to purchase them on her TheDesertWarrior website here.
"How does the world look to them, do they ever sleep and how are some of them able to fly so high? This book will open your eyes to these magical creatures around us." Created in collaboration with the Auckland Museum for a family exhibition of the same name, this vibrant children's book gives an insight into the magical and intriguing lives of butterflies! Aimed for children aged 3-7 years, the book is both playful and informative, covering a range of international butterflies.
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Secret World of Butterflies - by Courtney Sina Meredith

Courtney Sina Meredith is an Auckland-based writer and performer of Samoan, Cook Island and Irish heritage. Meredith's writing discusses societal and political issues such as poverty, racism and sexism. Alongisde this children's book, she has pubilshed a book of short stories ( Tail of the Taniwha) , a book of poetry ( Brown Girls in Bright Red Lipstick) and a play ( Urbanesia: Four Pasifika Plays).

'Secret World of Butterflies' can be purchased at Paper Plus stores and online, as well as the Auckland Museum Online Store (and physical gift shop).

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Written by David Riley and illustrated by Michel Mulipola, the Pasifika Heroes series is a collection of inspirational stories of both historical and contemporary achievers. From 'The Rock' to Judge Ida Mālosi to Savage and Salamāsina, you can learn all about the trials and tribulations of these legends.
Cook Island Heroes / Samoan Heroes / Tongan Heroes - Illustrated by Michel Mulipola

Michel Mulipola is a South Auckland artist and wrestler! From Māngere, Mulipola is a published illustrator, and has recently completed his first comic book with WWE & BOOM! studios. Munipola now visits schools around South Auckland to inspire young kids to follow their dreams.

All three of Michel Mulipola's books can be purchased at the SSAB Auckland Sei Oriana Gift Shop
"Setting a course through the 'islands' of Pacific life in New Zealand - Ōtara, Tokoroa, Porirua, Ōamaru and beyond - he charts a country becoming 'even more Pacific by the hour'. What would it mean, this far-sighted book asks, for New Zealand to recognise its Pacific talent and finally act like a Pacific nation?" - Synopsis.
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Island Time: New Zealand's Pacific Futures - by D amon Salesa

Island time is a sociological overview of Pacific Islanders in Aoteroa by historian Damon Salesa. Known for debunking myths and stereotypes of the Pacific experience in the land of milk and honey, 'Island Time' is one of the few academic works that peels back the layers of modern Pacific living.

Damon Salesa is a prizewinning Samoan New Zealand academic, who is currently the head of Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland. Raised in Auckland, Salesa was the first Rhodes Scholar of Pacific descent, and is a scholar of Pacific politics, history, technology, culture and society.

'Island Time' can be ordered from SSAB Auckland Sei Oriana Gift Shop or Mighty Ape.
Through diary entries, readers learn about the Dawn Raids of the 1970's and the tireless work of the Polynesian Panthers from main character Sofia (13 years old). "Like many 13-year-old girls, Sofia's main worries are how to get some groovy go-go boots, and how not to die of embarrassment giving a speech at school! But when her older brother starts talking about protests and overstayers, and how Pacific Islanders are being bullied by the police, a shadow is cast over Sofia's sunny teenage days." - Synopsis.
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Dawn Raid (My New Zealand Story) - by Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith
For the first time, NBA star Steven Adams shares the story behind his journey from humble beginnings in Rotorua to playing pro for Oklahoma City Thunder. New Zealand's highest paid sportsman ever, the seven foot wonder gives readers an intimate insight into his life.
'Dawn Raid' is the first published book by NZ Pasifika author Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith. The book was published as part of Scholastic's 'My New Zealand Story' series. During her work as a lecturer at the Univeristy of Otago, College of Education, Smith saw her students had a lack of knowledge surrounding the Dawn Raids and the Polynesian Panthers. This spurred her on to write 'Dawn Raid', to inform young people in an accessible way.

STEVEN ADAMS MY LIFE, MY FIGHT - Biography by Madeleine Chapman

Madeleine Chapman is a staff writer at The Spinoff. She is of Samoan, Tuvaluan, Chinese and American heritage. 'My Life, My Fight' is her first biography and first book. Having known Steven Adams for over a decade, she was the perfect pick to work on his biography. Find out more about Madeleine in her Humans of the Islands profile.

'Steven Adams My Life, My Fight' can be purcahsed from Mighty Ap e or Penguin Books

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Pa and the Dolphins - By Jillian Sobieska

A True Story of Pa, Rarotongan Hero and His Return Journey to Tahiti". Pa and the Dolphins is a wonderful children's book based on actual events. The story follows Cook Island legend Pa Teuruaa who was the first person to sucessfully swim from Rarotonga to Tahiti, to connect to his ancestors.

Written and illustrated by his wife Jillian Sobieska, Pa and the Dolphins is a beautiful tale of the journey that took place in 1985. The colourful depictions of the Islands are accompnaied by a sincere and poetic account of Pa's journey. The story comes to a peak when Pa's life is threatened by a shark during his 22km crossing, but is saved by the spirits of his ancestors who come in the form of dolphins.

Pa Teuruaa, born and raised in Rarotonga, is a living legend known for his eco-tourism and his deep spiritual connection to the island. As a competitive swimmer, lifeguard and former ironman, Pa took up the challenge in 1985 to be the first person to sucessfully swim from Moorea to Tahiti. He met his wife Jillian in Rarotonga, who was an artist, working part time in tourism.

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The Panthers organised prison visit programmes and sporting and debating teams for inmates; provided a halfway-house service for young men released from prison; ran homework centres; and offered 'people's loans', legal aid and food banks that catered for 600 families at their height. Drawing on interviews, memoirs, poetry, newspaper articles and critical analysis, Polynesian Panthers is a thought-provoking account of this period in New Zealand"
POLYNESIAN PANTHERS - Edited by Dr Melani Anae, Leilani Tamu, Lautofa Luli

Synopsis - "Polynesian Panthers records the Pacific rights and social activist movement in New Zealand, told by those who were there. Forming in 1971, the Polynesian Panther Party sought to raise consciousness and took action in response to the racism and discrimination Pacific peoples faced in New Zealand in the 1970s and 1980s.

Dr Melani Anae joined the Panthers in 1971. Now a Lecturer in Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, she is a mother and grandmother and continues to reside in Ponsoby.

Leilani Tamu, poet, politician, author and mother. She was born and bred in New Zealand with Samoan heritage.

Lautofa Luli was a founding member of the Polynesian Panthers. He now a works as a teacher.
Tama and Tiana are greeted by the Peace Bird, who leads them to save a stranded dolphin on the beach. In this heartfelt story, the Peace Bird teaches the children that they can learn from everything that happens in life.
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Peace Bird - By the late Eleitino Paddy Walker - Illustrated by Nanette Lela'ulu

Born in Samoa and migrating to New Zealand at the age of 10, Eleitino (Paddy) Walker moved onto becoming one of the founding members of P.A.C.I.F.I.C.A - the Pacific Women's organisation, who were instrumental in the 60's during the migration and settlement of the Pacific people. Eleitino helped pave the way for Pacific issues on a local and national scale, helped establish the Pacific Island Youth Leadership Trust, as well as being a leader in community education. Eleitino passed away in 2015, at age 98, leaving behind a legacy of creating change and impacting lives.

Nanette Lela'ulu is a New Zealand-born visual artist of Samoan descent. She has a masters in Arts Therapy and has exhibited both in New Zealand and abroad. Lela'ulu works with Pasifika themes and subjects, and has been painting for well over two decades. She was awarded the Cook Islands Artists' Residency in 2006, and still lives in Rarotonga today.
"Grace Brought Me Here gives you a vulnerable and raw insight into Lima's compelling journey of grace. Lima retells her story with a great deal of transparency, authenticity, and courage, revealing some of her darkest and most profoundly heart wrenching moments of brokenness. Lima bravely shares stories of God's relentless pursuit of her, and courageously shines a light on the circumstances behind our dysfunctional, repetitive behaviors. Her story demonstrates how to recognize the importance of insignificant moments in our history that can lead us beyond our shame and pain, discovering strength and purpose. Lima's story has the power to encourage us to look back over the unexplored details of our own lives, to find new levels of healing that have been hiding in plain sight. "
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Grace Brought Me Here - Written by Lima Hansen

Lima has a quick, humorous wit, which keeps family home life with her husband and three children in a constant state of laughter and banter. Lima was born in Western Samoa, raised in South Auckland, New Zealand and now lives in Jakarta, Indonesia. Lima and her husband Craig played integral roles in pioneering a program to transform the lives of sexually exploited women, through rehabilitation and restoration back into the community. Lima has currently taken up a permanent spot in the corner booth of Starbucks and hopes to get a lifetime special of "Buy one, Get one Free."

"Grace Brought Me Here" can be ordered at Amazon.
Fanene Peter Maivia - Son of Samoa is the remarkable story of the first Polynesian to become a star of professional wrestling. Fanene's life began in Samoa and he took Samoa to the world. He was a pioneer who inspired some of the greatest wrestlers the world has known, including his own grandson, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.
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Fanene Peter Maivia - Son of Samoa - Illustrated by Michel Mulipola

Written by David Riley and illustrated by Michel Mulipola. Michel Mulipola is a South Auckland artist and wrestler from Māngere. He is a published illustrator and has recently completed his first comic book with WWE & BOOM! studios. Munipola now visits schools around South Auckland to inspire young kids to follow their dreams.

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Book 1 of the "My First 100 Samoan Words" 4-book series, will see you reading about the everyday life of Amoleka and his Samoan family/cousins. Your child's first words are presented in simple terms to help teach them their initial Samoan words. Book 2 of the "My First 100 Samoan Words" 4-book series, continues about Amoleka and his Samoan family/cousins, and their daily routines.
My first 100 Samoan Words - by Vaoese Kava

Depicted in bright and inviting colours of the Pacific, this should excite your little ones to easily learn Samoan. The words are used in basic phrases with English translations, aiming to assist in helping your child's transition in using simple sentences in Samoan. Kids will not only learn to speak Samoan, but practice fun and healthy family lifestyle habits.

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Vaoese has just released a new children's book illustrated by Sofia Butusova called "O le a le Koronavairusi?" (what is coronavirus?)

The book tells the Story of Samoan School girl Nive who notices a lot of changes to her Aiga's daily routines when the Pandemic scares the world in 2020/2021

The books are now available on Amazon.com, amazon.co.au, Barnes & Noble and Booktopia, etc.

If you live in New Zealand or Australia you can purchase direct through the author via FB Messenger or instagram DMs.

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Tui's Gang is a captivating and vibrant Fijian children's brand. It creates engaging and creative products through the colourful illustrations by acclaimed artist Penelope Casey.
TUI GANG - Images & Text by Tadramai Ltd

Tui's Gang aims to develop learning for children not only in Fiji but globally, by sharing the colours, words, sights and sounds from typically Fijian childhoods. We aim to be well recognised and at the forefront of the multicultural children's books and resources genre internationally.

Artist Penelope Casey was born in the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, Penelope was immersed in the vibrant colours & sounds of this culturally-rich country which had a significant impact on her art. She moved to the Fiji Islands in her early 20s and it was with her appreciation of Fiji and her love of life in the Pacific Islands that Penelope created Tui's Gang Childrens books to show the wonderful lifestyle and pace of island life. She uses illustrations to connect with your child and captivate them with thrilling and beautiful tales of life in Fiji.

Order Tui Gang books here

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Mila's My Gagana Series & Teine Samoa - Dahlia Malaeulu
"Our aim was to create a rich literacy resource that reflects our tamaiti, develops gagana confidence and encourages the use of gagana amongst the first teachers in the lives of our tamaiti. This is why they were purposely designed and written for everyone, Samoan and non-Samoan"

In 2019 Dahlia released Mila's My Gagana Series 1, which included 3 early Samoan language readers (Lagi spies, Mase's Room and Malia Shares) aimed at pre-school and junior primary school tamaiti. They promote and support the learning of gagana Samoa by providing accessible tusi faitau that engage our tamaiti, fanau and faiā`oga in a fun and interactive way.

Their most recent book is Teine Samoa, a MG/YA fiction story originally written during the lockdown in May and released as an ebook for Samoan language week 2020. The story follows the journey of cultural identity and discovery of four junior high school students, their families, their teachers and, most importantly, anyone who has ever faced the challenges of being a teine Samoa.

Purchase Teine Samoa Paperback: https://www.lagi.co.nz/products/teine-samoa

Purchase Mila's My Gagana Series 1: https://www.lagi.co.nz/products/dahliabookset

Facebook: @MilasBooks

Instagram: @milasdm

Twitter: @DahliaMalaeulu

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Pasifika Books to Note - thecoconet.tv - The world's largest hub of Pacific Island content.

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Our Pasifika Writers and Illustrators continue to flourish with a notable range of books, from romance novels & academic publications to educational children's stories! Check out these authors and their books, as well as and where to buy them!

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We've worked with our friends at the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) to create a 'master list' of New Zealand books for secondary school English teachers and students.

This list is available for free, to promote and support the reading and teaching of New Zealand literature.

Books on this list are written by New Zealand authors and are currently available. Publishing and ISBN details are also given, along with a suggested age range and the themes explored in each text.

Click here to download the list.

Many of the authors of books on this list are available to visit your school through our Writers in Schools programme. Click here for more information.
We are pleased to be working on a joint project with the NZ Association of Teachers of English (NZATE) and the Mātātuhi Foundation, to be announced later this year. The project will collate together a smaller collection of New Zealand works suitable for study in secondary schools, together with teaching resources.

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We've worked with our friends at the New Zealand Society of Authors (NZSA) to create a 'master list' of New Zealand books for secondary school English teachers and students. This list is available for free, to promote and support the reading and teaching of New Zealand literature.

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There's one comment I've heard a lot since Kete launched: "I never realised there were so many great New Zealand books being written and published. The variety is huge!" That's come from friends, family and colleagues who are avid readers and bookshop visitors and generally take an interest in the literary world.

Kete set out to put all of our books - or, as many as possible - in one place, so I find that feedback heartening; I am also further uplifted when they tell me that reading reviews on Kete has broadened what they read. It shows we're doing our job and making it easier to select great locally produced books by putting them in the spotlight.

With Christmas fast approaching, we've made the "silly season" easier by publishing a kirihimete guide packed full of great kiwi books to buy for others - or for yourself! Most of these books have been reviewed by our dedicated, insightful and talented Kete reviewers, but seeing them grouped together like this reinforced for me, once again, just how good books from Aotearoa are.

They're wide-ranging in genre and subject matter, the production values are high and the writing shaped by our places and our people. I hope the guide makes finding your Christmas gifts more straightforward, but I acknowledge that given how many "good" books are included, it might just seem even more challenging!

That's when you need to visit your local bookshop for the advice and recommendations of their staff. Good bookshops are staffed by keen readers who are passionate about what they sell and keep their equally enthusiastic customers up-to-date with great reads. Fostering this sense of connection is one of the many ways bookshops help to create a sense of community, while the act of browsing seems to slow time down so it almost becomes an exercise in mindfulness.

I'd say that's something we could all do with more of right now.
Dionne Christian
PS: You can join the Kete whānau by subscribing to our weekly newsletter featuring a weekly give away, the latest reviews - both from Kete and other media - book news and the latest bestseller list. And make sure you read Tina Makereti's eloquent essay Bleeding on the Page about reviewing and writing in Aotearoa.

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There's one comment I've heard a lot since Kete launched: "I never realised there were so many great New Zealand books being written and published. The variety is huge!" That's come from friends, family and colleagues who are avid readers and bookshop visitors and generally take an interest in the literary world.

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Choose by Age, Genre, Key Topics or your own Keywords.

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NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PW's subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PW's site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com.

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Children's Books, YA Books, Kids' Authors, Kids' Book Publishing, Kids' Book Events | Publishers Weekly

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News about children's books, picture books, young adult books, kids' and YA authors, and kids' book events and trade shows, plus the Children's Bookshelf Newsletter

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Board books don't tend to win major awards. True, a handful have been named ALA Notable Children's Books, including one of my all-time favorites, Global Babies by the Global Fund for Children. Many a Caldecott winner has later been republished in board book format, and some work well, notably Kevin Henkes's Kitten's First Full Moon. But beyond those outliers, I've never seen a board book with a big gold sticker adorning its small frame.

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The Horn Book Magazine and The Horn Book Guide are the most distinguished journals in the field of children's and young adult literature and the core of our company. Founded in 1924 by Bertha Mahony to herald the best in children's literature, more than eighty-five years later, we are still following her lead.

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If you’re looking for the best books on any topic, Five Books has the world’s largest collection of expert book recommendations.

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A smaller world… – Rita’s Reading Journey

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Home

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Promoting children's books written by New Zealand authors

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Children and teenagers | Books | The Guardian

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The best fiction and nonfiction to look forward to in the new year, from Zadie Smith to Simon Schama, Margaret Atwood to Rory Stewart

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Epic Reads | Young Adult (YA) Books & Books for Teens

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Young Adult books from A to Z. Including videos, new releases, interviews, top lists and much more!

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As a proud GenX librarian, I had no choice but to crowd surf head-on into former Nirvana and current Foo Fighters band member Dave Grohl's big-hearted and name-dropping memoir.

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The Children's Book Review, Book and Ebook Reviews of the Best Kids' Books

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Growing Readers (SM). The Children's Book Review is the kid's, parents, publishers, teachers, and author, illustrator, source for children's book reviews on

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For a list of RAP Recommended books by age, click on one of the links below:

Criteria:

- Excellent read-aloud appeal
- Cross-section of male/female characters, genres, and popular authors
- Strong character development, plot, themes, and positive messages
- Age appropriateness

To receive a printed copy of the 2021 Read Aloud America Book List,
send a self-addressed, stamped ($1.38 cents) envelope to:

Book List 2020
Read Aloud America
1314 South King Street, Suite #1056
Honolulu, HI 96814
Phone: 808 531-1985
FAX: 808 593-1984

E-mail us: readrqst@readaloudamerica.org

Copyright 2021 Read Aloud America - all rights reserved

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For a list of RAP Recommended books by age, click on one of the links below: - Excellent read-aloud appeal - Cross-section of male/female characters, genres, and popular authors - Strong character development, plot, themes, and positive messages - Age appropriateness To receive a printed copy of the 2021 Read Aloud America Book List, send a self-addressed, stamped ($1.38 cents) envelope to: Book List 2020 Read Aloud America 1314 South King Street, Suite #1056 Honolulu, HI 96814 Phone: 808 531-1985 FAX: 808 593-1984 E-mail us: readrqst@readaloudamerica.org Copyright 2021 Read Aloud America - all rights reserved

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Good, Interesting Books To Read | Australian Book Reviews Online

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Good Reading Magazine helps readers around Australia discover the best authors, books and writing from here and across the globe. Subscribe today!

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Inside A Dog | "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx

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A site for young people about the books they like to read. Discover the latest youth literature news, find YA books for teenagers (reviewed by teens), join a book club and discuss your favourite reads, and enter our monthly competitions.

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Whatever your child's age and whatever books they like to read, we can help you to find something new.

Use our Bookfinder to look for books that suit your tastes and interests, browse our archive of interviews with authors and illustrators, watch our online storybooks, or just see what's out this month that should be catching your eye in the bookshop or library. Here, you can also find reading tips and book recommendations for children of all ages, from babies to teenagers.

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Find children's books for your child, whatever their age, from BookTrust: with book recommendations, reading tips, online storybooks, author interviews, games to play and more.

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Book Reviews & Recommendations | Kirkus Reviews

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At Kirkus Reviews, discover the hottest new books, from bestsellers you love to writers you didn’t know you’d love. Be the first to be in the know!