The booksellers of Unity Books Auckland and Wellington review a handful of children’s books sure to delight and inspire readers of all ages.

AUCKLAND

Reviews by Elka Aitchison, Issy Walker and Roger Christensen, booksellers at Unity Books Auckland

Are We There Yet? A Journey Around Australia by Alison Lester (Age 4+) 

Any chance to go on a road trip with Alison Lester, grab it. This is a lovely picture book where you get to explore the breadth of Australia with Gracie and her family as they take off on a camping holiday around the country. Full of the warmth and hilarity of a not-so-perfect family, this is a playful account with wonderful detail in the illustrations and is based on a trip Alison took with her own family. Alison Lester is a phenomenal author and illustrator responsible for some classic Australian titles too numerous to mention. Read this and you’ll be itching to pack your bags and drive off for your own family adventure. / Roger Christensen

Our Beautiful Darkness by Ondjaki and illustrated by António Jorge Gonçalves (Ages 14+)

Originally published in Portuguese, this is a forceful illustrated YA novel. Very cinematic in feel and tone, thanks to the white on black page illustrations and text, we are thrust into a tender moment in war torn Angola during the 1990s. A city in blackout is the backdrop for a young couple meeting in darkness in a garden, talking and discovering each other through story, memory, tentative touches and an almost-first-kiss. This is a totally immersive read and the whole feeling of the book is beautifully summed up by the boy explaining to the girl the words of his grandmother when he asked her what poetry is… “Poetry isn’t the rain. It’s the sound of the rain.” / RC

Pepper & Me by Beatrice Alemagna (Ages 3+)

A little girl falls on the street, scraping her knees, and a scab forms. “Since it followed me everywhere, I named it Pepper, after the puppy I’d always wanted but never got.” The scab she hated, for the way it came to be, and the way it stopped her knee from bending when climbing trees became a friend (of sorts). The narrator’s speech is earnest and familiar, it appears alongside dynamic, dreamy illustrations that evoke her emotions so vividly. That’s what makes this book special: Beatrice Alemagna understands the things that loom large for children and reminds an adult reader of that beautiful, slightly sideways way of looking at the world. Pepper & Me is witty, absurd and bittersweet, it explores letting go, change, and the curious surprises that our bodies and environment hand to us. / Elka Aitchison

The Strange and Unlikely Tale of Montgomery the Mysterious Bird of Mystery by Antony Elworthy (Age 7+)

A book as playful and imaginative as its title. Gramps has lived what seems like a thousand full, adventurous lives and on a Wednesday his sceptical grandson sits and listens to tales of his youth. The longest and most enthralling is his time as ‘The Astounding Alfredo’, famous for his trick with ‘Montgomery the Mysterious Bird of Mystery.’ The tale of the vindictive, fame-hungry dove is captivating, funny and full of intrigue, but it’s the relationship between Gramps and Boy which is the star of the story. Antony Elworthy talks about how the book blossomed from stories he would tell his children on long car trips and before bed and this shines through. The rapport between the two characters is so lovely and natural, and the whole tale reminds readers of the joy and importance of storytelling. A merry and gripping book perfect for a 7-to-10-year-old with a vivid imagination and a great sense of humour. / EA

Amazing Jellyfish: Mysterious Dweller of the Deep by Michael Stavarič and illustrated by Michele Ganser (Age 8+)

Did you know that jellyfish have been about millions of years before the dinosaurs? Or that some jellyfish have travelled to space? Most importantly, jellyfish are actually pretty cool. This is a compelling and beautifully illustrated under-the-sea adventure full of our strangest and deadliest deep-sea dwellers. Michael Stavarič is a compelling narrator who captivated us with Amazing Octopus. You really get a sense that Stavarič cares about the world and getting us equally excited about his discoveries. This is a fun, fact-filled book full of incredible images and extra activities to test your curiosity. I was totally absorbed. / Issy Walker

And the Unity Books Auckland children’s bestsellers from October 2024 – January 2025:

WELLINGTON

Reviews by ​​Rachel Pilois and Eden Denyer and Lisa Adler, booksellers at Unity Books Wellington.

The Café in at the Edge of the Woods by Mikey Please (All ages) 

This book is so phenomenal it’s hard to believe it’s the author’s picture book debut. The Café at the Edge of the Woods is, to put it plainly, stunning. Please’s background as an animator shines through, with his unique and enchanting illustration style, that blooms with colour and warmth. The rhyming lyricism of the story is perfect for children starting their solo reading journey or as a fun bedtime read for parents and kids alike. Full of mythical creatures, monstrous meals and a very unusual duo, I’ve never wanted to visit the setting of a book more. Brimming with charm and cosy-vibes, The Café at the Edge of the Woods is my top pick picture book from 2024. / Rachel Pilois

The Book of Bill by Alex Hirsch (Ages 14+) 

“Weird” is the first word that comes to mind when thinking of this book. Hilarious, mysterious and terrifying are the next three. Based on the hit animated TV series Gravity Falls, this book reacquaints us with the pyramidical demon we all know and love, Bill Cipher. Written from Bill’s perspective, we learn more about this villain’s bizarre origins, the sinister effects he’s had on human history, some embarrassing stories about the Pine family and his secret to over-throwing the world. Perhaps the best fan-guide book ever written, The Book of Bill is full of beautiful but chaotic illustrations that will bend your mind and warp your reality. I could not love it more! (Beware: This book travels to dimensions meant for older readers.) / RP

Thunderhead by Sophie Beer (Ages 10+) 

Thunderhead’s titular protagonist is a hilarious, spunky, too-cool tween who lives for music. They’re also losing their hearing. Told through a series of diary style blog posts in a dead online forum, this disarmingly delightful book perfectly balances its humour with reality gut punches. I’ve seen this marketed as Australia’s answer to Wonder, and while I don’t want to compare two showstopping divas, Thunderhead has my heart. Beer writes from her own lived experience of nerve surgery and hearing loss, and this authenticity really shines through. Every chapter begins with a mini playlist of recommendations from Thunderhead to match the mood or events, and Beer sprinkles in fabulous doodles throughout. This book is positively bursting with heart – I laughed, cried and jammed along the whole way through. / Eden Denyer

Landovel Trilogy by Emily Rodda (Ages 8+) 

I’m thrilled to report that Rodda continues her reign as Empress of Children’s fantasy. With a new cast of immediately iconic characters, strange lands to explore, and tyrannical rulers to topple – you know you’re in for a good time. After being rescued from slavers, Poison Taster Derry finds himself amid a conflict between the twin island nations of True and Free Landovel. While the militantly oppressive and anachronistic True Landovel seem to be the cut and dry baddies, nothing is ever so simple with Rodda. I found the integration of more modern and futuristic technology in Free Landovel a really fresh and interesting addition to the setting; not to mention the magic system and political machinations, which are sure to set kids imaginations ablaze! I know if I was reading this in school my margins would have been full of drawings of Derry, Num, Straw, and Cat. (If you draw Landovel fan art PLEASE send it to Eden at Unity Books!) / ED

All Better Now by Neal Shusterman (Ages 14+) 

Set in a near post-Covid future, the world is ravaged by a second pandemic. Crown Royale has a 4% fatality rate and leaves recoverees with a strange side effect… true and profound happiness. While some want to catch and spread the disease as fast as possible, many others wish to eradicate it, not only to prevent the death toll but because altruism and contentment are bad for business. Happy people don’t fill the voids in their lives with consumerism! Shusterman does ethical dilemmas like no one else. I kept finding myself thinking “OK, but what about this?” only for that exact concept to be explored, often with angles that I didn’t even consider. You are never told what is right or wrong but invited to form your own opinions after viewing all the extremes and shades of grey from a myriad of different perspectives. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for classroom and bookclub debates on its contents. It’s impossible not to be drawn into this world and interested in what it has to discuss. Books like this make you a more thoughtful person, and I would highly, highly recommend it.

And the Unity Books Wellington children’s bestsellers for October 2024 – January 2025.

1 The Wild Robot by Peter Brown (Piccadilly Press, $19) 

2 Dear Moko by Dr Hinemoa Elder (Penguin, $30)

3 Dazzlehands  by Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Huia, $22) 

4 The Raven’s Eye Runaways by Claire Mabey (Allen & Unwin, $25) 

5 The Little Yellow Digger & the Helicopter by Peter Gilderdale, illustrated by Fifi Colston (Scholastic NZ, $22)

6 Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (HarperCollins, $20)

7 The Adventures of Mittens by Silvio Bruinsma, illustrated by Phoebe Morris (Puffin, $20)

8 Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Triple Goddess by Rick Riordan (Puffin, $30)

9 The Book of Bill by Alex Hirsch (Disney Publishing, $55)

10 Wings of Fire #8 Escaping Peril, The Graphic Novel by Tui T. Sutherland (Scholastic, $22)