Peter Millett & Fifi Colston
Penguin Random House

What happens when a pūteketeke egg turns up in a duck's nest? Find out in this funny and fabulous tale inspired by the real-life story of how the pūteketeke came back from the brink of extinction to find international fame as Aotearoa New Zealand's Bird of the Century! Every copy sold raises funds to support pūteketeke conservation.

Rebecca M. Newman, Sally Murphy & Briony Stewart
Fremantle Press

A middle-reader poetry collection that will have you laughing, thinking and playing with words - whichever way up you read them. This book is a fun, illustrated read aloud offering plenty of opportunities to engage young people through performance, creative writing, art, and word play.

Kate J. Armstrong
Allen & Unwin

It started with a spark, but it’s going to end in fire.

With tensions rising and their powers no longer a secret, the Nightbirds must decide for whom and for what they are willing to fight for and how far they will go in the conclusion to spellbinding bestseller Nightbirds. A fiery conclusion to a magical and lush duology about sisterhood, power and finding the strength to spread your wings.

Susan Brocker
Scholastic

Sam shoved as much gear into her pack as she could until it bulged out like a gorged snake. Sirens wailed down the street, approaching at tsunami speed.

A heart-wrenching story about Sam, a 14-year-old girl from a struggling family living in emergency housing, who is already involved in petty crime. She must face her own fears and her sense of what is right to defy a dangerous criminal and rescue maltreated puppies from an inhumane backyard breeder.

Helen Milroy
Fremantle Press

Crow Baby was born with two spirits, one crow, and one human. Living across both worlds, she is content within her crow clan and human family. But a time of crisis arrives, and she must make a difficult decision that could change everything, forever. What will Crow Baby do?

An inspiring and whimsical adventure into the heart of First Nations storytelling.

Deb Fitzpatrick
Fremantle Press

Eli’s new puppy is Zoom by name and zoomy by nature! Eli and his family fall in love with their new kelpie puppy, but soon learn there’s a lot involved in raising a dog. Especially a working dog, who is hard wired to round up pretty much everything... even socks. 

When Zoom goes missing on a family bushwalk, the family sets out on a frantic search. Where could Zoom have gone, and will they ever get him back?

Linda Tuhiwai Smith & Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Huia Publishers

This pukapuka is about a young boy experiencing grief after his brother dies on a Wednesday. With the help of his community, family and school, the boy begins to understand his brother’s suicide and his own emotions. The story gently explores the challenging situation in an understated manner, with simple language and from the boy’s perspective in a way that children will understand.

This story is part of a series about aroha and nurturing the resilience of children who have experienced a traumatic life event. It aims to help adults and children talk about what has happened and support children's wellbeing.