Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand | Te Whare Waituhi Tamariki o Aotearoa

Storylines Notable Book Lists 2019

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 PB 2019

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

Sign Up

for Storylines e-news and updates

E-News and Updates