The 2019 Storylines Children’s Literature Notable Book List, for the highest quality books in five genres published during 2018, is compiled from more than 130 entries from publishers by expert panels of authors, teachers, librarians, academics and parents.
The annual list was begun by Storylines in 1999 and selection is eagerly sought by authors, illustrators and publishers. It provides a useful reading and purchasing guide to families, schools and libraries, and to young readers, with the books in each genre listed in ascending order of age range suitability within each genre.
The 2019 Storylines Notable Books list (with books listed as recommended from youngest to oldest readers in each category) is:
Storylines Notable Picture Books (age range from birth to 18 years)
Mini Whinny: Happy Birthday to Me
(Scholastic NZ)
by Stacy Gregg, illustrated by Ruth P
aul
Oink
(Gecko Press)
by David Elliot
Dig, Dump, Roll
(Walker Books)
by Sally Sutton, illustrated by Brian Lovelock
How Māui fished up the North Island
(Upstart Press)
by Donovan Bixley
I am Jellyfish!
(Penguin RandomHouse)
by Ruth Paul
Granny McFlitter, the Champion Knitter
(Penguin Random House)
by Heather Haylock, illustrated by Lael Chisholm
Puffin the Architect
(Penguin Random House
by Kimberly Andrews
Muddle & Mo’s Rainy Day
(Duck Creek Press)
by Nikki Slade Robinson
The Anzac Violin
(Scholastic NZ)
by Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Robyn Belton
The Bomb
(Huia)
by Sacha Cotter, illustrated by Josh Morgan
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction (age range from 7 years to 13 years)
The Short but Brilliant Career of Lucas Weed
(Scholastic NZ)
by Chrissie Walker
Whetū Toa and the Magician
(Huia)
by Steph Matuku, illustrated by Katharine Hall
The Mapmakers’ Race
(Gecko Press)
by Eirlys Hunter, illustrated by Kirsten Slade
Rafferty Ferret: Ratbag
(One Tree House)
by Sherryl Jordan
The Fire Stallion
(HarperCollins)
Stacy Gregg
Cuz
(One Tree House)
by Liz van der Laase
My New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid
(Scholastic NZ)
Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith
Sticking with Pigs
(One Tree House)
by Mary-anne Scott
Lyla: Through My Eyes – Natural Disaster Zones
(Allen & Unwin)
by Fleur Beale
Kiwis at War – 1918: Broken Poppies
(Scholastic NZ)
by Des Hunt
Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction (age range from 13 years to 18 years)
Take Flight
(Eunoia)
by J L Pawley
Legacy
(Huia)
by Whiti Hereaka
Flight of the Fantail
(Huia)
by Steph Matuku
Ezaara: Riders of Fire, Book One
(Phantom Feather)
by Eileen Mueller
Dragon Hero: Riders of Fire, Book Two
(Phantom Feather)
by Eileen Mueller
Ash Arising
(Penguin Random House),
by Mandy Hager
The Anger of Angels
(Walker Books Australia)
by Sherryl Jordan
Catch Me When You Fall
(Penguin Random House)
by Eileen Merriman
The Rift
(Walker Books Australia)
by Rachael Craw
Storylines Notable Non-fiction (age range from 3 years to 18 years)
New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts
(Potton & Burton)
by Ned Barraud
s
Cook’s Cook: The Cook who Cooked for Captain Cook
(Gecko Press)
by Gavin Bishop
Go Girl: A Storybook of Epic NZ Women
(Penguin Random House)
by Barbara Else
Oh Boy: A Storybook of Epic NZ Men
(Penguin Random House)
by Stuart Lipshaw
Anzac Animals
(Scholastic NZ)
by Maria Gill, illustrated by Marco Ivančić
ART-TASTIC
(Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū)
by Sarah Pepperle
Why is that Lake so Blue? A Children’s Guide to New Zealand’s Natural World
(Te Papa Press)
by Simon Pollard
Mozart: The Man Behind the Music
(Upstart Press)
by Donovan Bixley
The New Zealand Wars
(New Holland)
by Philippa Werry
Pathway of the Birds, The Voyaging Achievements of Māori and their Polynesian Ancestors
(David Bateman)
by Andrew Crowe
Storylines Notable Te Reo Māori (original texts or translations into Te Reo Māori, any genre)
Pūrakāu o Aotearoa: Te Hīnga Ake a Māui i te Ika Whenua
(Upstart Press)
He mea kōrero anō nā Donovan Bixley, he mea whakamāori e Darryn Joseph, rāua ko Keri Opai
.
Ngā Whetū Matariki i Whānakotia
(Scholastic)
nā Miriamo Kamo, rāua ko Zak Waipara, nā Ngaere Roberts ngā kōrero i whakamāori