There is no New Zealand Book Month again this year but the New Zealand Society of Authors has taken the initiative and are running New Zealand Book Week instead. It's on next week - from 26 October 26 until 1 November - and it will also include the inaugural New Zealand Bookshop Day being held on Saturday 31 October.
I always loved New Zealand Book Month so I'm really pleased that the NZ Society of Authors has started this small celebration of New Zealand books, authors and illustrators.
There are a few events happening throughout the country to celebrate New Zealand Book Week and you can find out what is happening on the New Zealand Society of Authors website. For families, The Original Children's Bookshop in Christchurch has a special celebration on Saturday 31 October for NZ Bookshop Day. Illustrators Jenny Cooper and Helen Taylor will be in the store creating some illustrations, reading and signing books, and everyone in the family can enter the colouring competition.Check out The Original Children's Bookshop website for more information and to download the colouring competition form.
Local illustrator Jenny Cooper will be instore from 11.00am - 2.00 pm and Helen Taylor will join her at noon and be here until 3.00pm. They will read stories if you ask nicely, sign books and they may even draw a picture or two. At 2.30pm community librarian Zac McCallum will be here for story telling.
The best way that you can celebrate New Zealand Book Week is to read New Zealand books, and we certainly have plenty of them in the library. We have some wonderful authors (and illustrators) in New Zealand who write all sorts of stories. Personally I love a story set in New Zealand, whether it's in a place that I've visited or not. As a librarian with a passion for children's literature, I love the fantastic children's literature community that we have here in New Zealand. As the big publishing houses have disappeared from New Zealand, more and more of our authors are having to publish their stories independently, at their own cost. Therefore it is even more important that we support our local authors so that they can keep writing and doing what they love.
So, my challenge to you is to come to your library (or browse or great selection of Kiwi eBooks through Wheelers from the comfort of your home) and select some local books to read next week during New Zealand Book Week. If you're a parent or teacher, choose New Zealand books to read to your children.
Check out some of our New Zealand fiction titles for adults, kids and teens:
Add a comment to: Read NZ during NZ Book Week 2015