New Zealand Nature Heroes

My latest book New Zealand Nature Heroes is 80 pages of "inspiration and activities for young conservationists". Stories of scientists and volunteers ....

Bookshop Day 26 October 2019

Meet the Author - Animals of Aotearoa

Animals of Aotearoa 

Win a Copy of "Whose Home is This?" - new title out now

Articles and Interviews - a round up of recent publications

I've been appearing in the media quite a bit recently. For an update of articles, reviews and interviews - by me or about me - read on.

Interview with Me and Reviews of My Books
Shaun Barnett interviewed Ned Barraud and I for the December issue of Backcountry -  the FMC magazine - we talk about our illustration and writing work and what influenced us. Shaun also reviewed two of the books in the  'Explore and Discover' series. We were in great company, this issue also includes photography competition winners, a photo-essay on caves and an item pack-rafting.

An illustration from 'In the Bush' features
on the cover of Backcountry

 "In the Bush is perfect for a junior tramper wanting to know more about our forests and the creatures that inhabitat them." Shaun Barnett in Backcountry

A selection of other reviews: 

Win a copy of my new book

To enter this competition go to https://www.facebook.com/GillianCandlerAuthor/ and enter before 9am Monday 18 September 2017. Note you need to have a New Zealand postal address to enter.

For more on my thoughts about writing Up the River, see my last blogpost https://explorediscovernature.blogspot.co.nz/2017/09/up-river-learning-about-our-freshwater.html

Up the River - learning about our freshwater in New Zealand

Up the River: explore and discover New Zealand's rivers, lakes and wetlands is the latest addition  to the 'explore and discover' books, following on from books about the seashore, ocean, garden, and forest habitats.

Up the River is the sixth book in the series

Six years ago I would have wondered how many people might be interested enough in our freshwater habitats to buy a book about them for their children or grandchildren, but now as we release this book, there is broad public interest. There's been much publicity about whether our rivers are swimmable, about polluted drinking water and about the loss of rivers to irrigation schemes.

As a nation we've woken up to the facts - that clean freshwater matters and that our freshwater is not as clean as we would like it to be. 

All of these events and debates were going on while I was researching and writing Up the River. The more I researched, the more I realised that the state of our freshwater was worse than I had imagined. I had to work hard to resist the temptation to make the dire findings and debates centre stage in the book. Why?

Make a Gecko with Sticky Feet

Did you know that geckos have 'sticky' feet? They can even walk upside down on ceilings or up a pane of glass! Children at Porirua, Cannons Creek and Whitby Libraries had a go at making their own geckos with sticky feet yesterday as part of my author tour.

A brightly coloured gecko with googly eyes

Read Around the World - and learn a bit about New Zealand too

I'm looking forward to being the special guest at the Porirua Library's school holiday event. On April 19 I'll be visiting 3 of the branches to read from my books and have some fun making crafts. I'll be sharing "Whose Beak is This?" and "Whose Feet are These?" and making sticky-footed geckos and kiwi book corners.

Back in Time to Ancient Zealandia - From Moa to Dinosaurs

Keeping up to date with scientific discoveries about New Zealand's origins can be a bit hit and miss. Think about what you remember from school or nature documentaries you've seen. Like me, you might have had the idea that our weird and wonderful wildlife was all on board New Zealand when it split from Gondwana. The term "Moa's Ark" made popular by David Bellamy reinforces that idea, suggesting that the land was a boat on which animals sailed away.

Scientific advances however have enabled scientists to have a much more nuanced understanding of New Zealand's origins - and of the fauna and flora that we identify with New Zealand.

Takahe, moa and Haast's eagle 'From Moa to Dinosaurs'
illustration Ned Barraud

Here are some facts that I learned about while researching and writing From Moa to Dinosaurs: explore and discover ancient New Zealand:

Competition Time - Tell me what do you want to read about?

It's competition time! Enter to win a copy of my latest book "From Moa to Dinosaurs" or a perennial favourite "Under the Ocean".

Invitation to a Book Launch "From Moa to Dinosaurs"

All blog readers and their friends and families are welcome at the launch of my latest book - From Moa to Dinosaurs: explore and discover ancient New Zealand.
When: 6.30pm Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Where: War Memorial Library, 2 Queens Drive, Lower Hutt
Why: to celebrate with us and take part in the Hutt Libraries dinosaur themed month!
What: enjoy some drinks and nibbles, meet me and illustrator Ned Barraud, take a look a the exhibition, buy a signed copy of the book.



Can't come to the launch? Books will also available later in September from all good bookshops and can be pre-ordered online from publisher Potton & Burton.

"Whose Beak is This?" Finalist for Elsie Locke Award

I've always been a huge fan of Elsie Locke, so it's such an honour to be named a finalist for the Elsie Locke Award for non-fiction in the NZ Children's Book Awards for 2016. (The NZ Children's Book Awards and the Lianza Book Awards were combined this year, the non-fiction section is now the Elsie Locke Award.)

"Whose Beaks is This?" is a guessing game in a book and a fun way to learn about bird adaptations. Fraser Williamson's funky and colourful illustrations hit the spot with kids.

Sea Week Resources - an update

It's good to see that Auckland Museum have updated their Marine Life App since I reviewed it last year in Top 2 Sea Life Apps. They've fixed the background issue so the text is legible and while the maps still show the Auckland region only, a note below explains where else in New Zealand the animal or plant might be found. Older children will find enough information here and younger children will enjoy using the photographs to ID the birds, fishes, plants, invertebrates, mammals and reptiles that they find on or near the ocean. 

My publishers Potton & Burton have also updated their website, improving the pages of information for children, parents and educators that accompany each of my books. Here you can find tips for reading, activity ideas for learning about the ocean, further reading, website links and lots more. Here's the link for Under the Ocean Ideas for children, parents and teachers.

Web pages for 'Under the Ocean'

Summer Reading for Outdoor Parents and Kids - My Bookshelf Summer 2016

Being an active outdoor's person and enjoying books might seem an odd mix to some. But for many people some of the pleasure of getting outdoors is in planning trips and learning more about the places they're going to or have been, or reading about others outdoor adventures. For kids and teens who love the outdoors, these books will encourage reading and for the young ones that love reading they'll be encouraged outside!

Top Outdoor books from my Bookshelf (or selected to go under the Christmas tree):  

Family

NZ Backcountry Cooking

New Zealand Backcountry Cooking: recipes for trampers, campers and other outdoor adventurers by Paul and Rebecca Garland was a welcome new title this summer. Full of ideas for quick meals and lightweight foods, this will be fun for families planning camping trips or picnics as well as trampers looking for a change from readymade de-hy packaged meals. I'm getting good ideas for my next tramp and the Date and Walnut Loaf has already been tried and met with approval. The only drawback is there is no index, just a list of recipes at the beginning of each section.

Just in time for the Great Kereru Count - New Book Launched

My favourite place  - the New Zealand bush -  is the topic of my latest book. It's a book for children, informed by many walks in the bush with botanists, bird lovers, and those steeped in bush lore.

Finalist in Children's Book Awards - Under the Ocean

Great news - Under the Ocean is a finalist in the New Zealand Children's Book Awards.

Image from Booksellers NZ

Tips for Reading With Children - Under the Ocean

To help children, parents and educators get the most out of my books, I've written down ideas for reading each book, activities and further places to get good information. These have been on the publisher's website, but a recent revamp means these pages are temporarily inaccessible. So for now I'm putting these ideas on the blog.

Tips for Reading Non-Fiction With Children

Book Giveaways at Pauatahanui Clean Up

The Guardians of Pauatahanui Inlet (or GOPI for short) run an annual clean up around the inlet.

Always a popular event, there is a barbecue afterwards and of course the satisfaction of knowing you've done the environment a bit of good.  For children this year there was something extra, as my publisher Craig Potton Publishing agreed to donate a copy each of Under the Ocean and At the Beach to be spot prizes for children that helped out to be drawn at the barbecue.

Under the Ocean - Book Launch

Please join us at the book launch of Under the Ocean on Wednesday 1 October at 6pm, at The Children's Bookshop in Kilbirnie, Wellington. Ned and I will have our signing pens out, and there'll be drinks and nibbles for all.