Remarkable Animal Stories


Book Description

Charisma the double Olympic champion horse, Moko the playful dolphin, Migaloo the white whale, and Einstein the hugging camel are just some of the wonderful Australasian animals featured in this fascinating, informative book.




A New Zealand Book of Beasts


Book Description

Touching on indigenous Maori relationships with the now-extinct, flightless moa; the attitudes of Pakeha, or European, settlers toward sheep; the iconography of whales and dolphins; the problems of pest-control; and the pleasures of pet-keeping, this modern-day bestiary is a fascinating study of human–animal relations. In the book’s four parts, the authors unravel the contradictory ways New Zealanders nurture and eradicate, glorify and demonize, cherish and devour, and describe and imagine animals. The study brings together insights from New Zealand’s arts and literature, popular culture, historiography, media, and everyday life to describe and analyze their interactions with nga kararehe and nga manu, the beasts and birds of the land. In doing so, it illuminates fundamental aspects of New Zealand society: how New Zealanders understand their own identities and those of others; how they regard, inhabit and make use of the natural world; and how they think about what they buy, eat, wear, watch, and read. Rich, multifaceted, and engaging, A New Zealand Book of Beasts satisfyingly explores how culture both shapes and is shaped by the “beasts” of Aotearoa.




A World Full of Animal Stories


Book Description

This beautiful book of stories takes readers on a journey around the world with 50 best-loved tales, featuring creatures big and small. Prepare for a story time like no other as you delve into this beautifully-illustrated collection of classic stories featuring tales about your favourite animals from every corner of the globe. This anthology of animal stories brings together the most loved animal-themed fables, myths and legends including The Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, Why the Swallow's Tail is Forked and the story of Ananse and the Python. Lively retellings from best-selling author Angela McAllister are brought to life with sumptuous illustrations from Romanian-born illustrator, Aitch, in this treasury to treasure for a lifetime. For story lovers young and old this is the perfect anthology for all the family and animal lovers everywhere.




The New Animals


Book Description

Winner of the 2018 Acorn Prize, New Zealand’s highest fiction award, Pip Adam’s The New Animals is a work of artistic ambition and political urgency. Set in the Auckland fashion scene in 2016, The New Animals moves over the course of one night through the hopes, misapprehensions, resentments, and regrets of a small group of fashion-industry workers, divided by generation and class. The young and rich act like nothing can touch them; the tired Gen-Xers feel forever adrift. On this particularly stressful night, hairdressers, patternmakers, stylists, and a makeup artist are tasked with preparing for a last-minute photoshoot without clothes or clear directions. Caught up in the small dramas of their lives, while around them the world is fast becoming uninhabitable, the group toils against the impossible pressure until one of them decides to break away. Like a twisted contemporary heir to Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse, The New Animals is a brilliant and unforgettable dive beneath the surface of life, uncovering the common ground of humanity, as well as the common plight.




Aotearoa


Book Description

Over a thousand years ago, the wind, sea currents and stars brought people to the islands that became known as Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud. Navigate your way through this sumptuously illustrated story of New Zealand. Explore the defining moments of our history, captured by celebrated children's book creator Gavin Bishop, from the Big Bang right through to what might happen tomorrow. Discover Maori legends, layers of meaning and lesser-known facts. A truly special book, Aotearoa- The New Zealand Story deserves a space on every bookshelf, to be taken off and pored over, thumbed and treasured, time and again. Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2018 Elsie Locke Award for Non-fiction, New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2018 Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Award 2018 Best Children's Book, PANZ Book Design Awards 2018 NZ Listener 50 Best Books for Kids 2017 The Sapling Best Books List 2017




The Wolf was Not Sleeping


Book Description

The Wolf was Not Sleeping is a heartwarming bedtime story specially written by Avril McDonald to soothe the anxiety of children whose parents work as first responders and to encourage conversations which help them manage trauma. Wolfgang's dad works as a helper: when the wolves sound the alarm, he has to leave to help the other creatures in the forest. Each night Wolfgang worries about what might happen if his dad gets the call. His worries are so bad that they keep him awake, and he is falling asleep in the daytime instead! Spider leaves a note for Big Dad Wolf to show him how worried Wolfgang is. Big Dad Wolf realises he needs to sit down with Wolfgang to reassure him, and tell him about what happens when he goes to help in the forest. Wolfgang learns that things aren't always as bad as they seem. There are lots of ways in which we can tell or show people how we are feeling - and if we can name a feeling, then we can tame a feeling. An ideal bedtime read for young children whose parents are first responders, whether they be firefighters, police officers, ambulance crew, coastguards, or work in any other roles within stressful environments. Customer notice: this book is best viewed using a full-colour reader. Part of Avril McDonald's Feel Brave series - little stories about big feelings.




Ghosts of Gondwana


Book Description

Have you ever wondered why New Zealand's plants and animals are so different from those in other countries? Why kakapo is the only parrot in the world that cannot fly, or why the kiwi lives here and nowhere else? New Zealand is an extraordinary place, unique on earth, and the remarkable story of how and why life evolved here is the subject of Ghosts of Gondwana. The challenge of explaining New Zealand's natural origins is picked up in this fully revised edition of the popular award-winning book. It presents the latest scientific research in highly readable form, highlighting studies that reveal the deep historical background of our landscapes, fauna and flora - from ancient frogs and moa to delicate insects and the magnificent southern beech forests. It introduces the latest discoveries and resolves past issues like the 'Oligocene drowning' hypothesis. Exciting fossil discoveries are revealed and new scientific technologies and approaches to the discipline of historical biogeography are discussed - approaches that range from undersea geology to molecular clocks - and it inevitably draws attention to the debates and conflicts that distinguish different schools of opinion in this holistic branch of theoretical science. This revision incorporates the results of 10 years of intensive scientific research and includes four entirely new chapters to: focus on 'yesterday's maps' to draw attention to the ephemeral islands in our history that have possibly acted as stepping stones for terrestrial animals and plants but today have sunk into the sea; incorporate the author's own special interest in an ancient group of 'jaw-moths', unknown and unnoticed by most people but with a strong message that New Zealand is part of the world when it comes to explaining where our fauna have come from; present recent research findings on our huge flightless birds, the ratites; and include New Zealand's terrestrial molluscs into the story. Ghosts of Gondwana identifies New Zealand as one of the most challenging places on earth to explain, but it's readable, engaging style and revised illustrations render this often-controversial discipline of science into a format that is accessible to any reader with an interest in natural history and the unique environment of New Zealand.




The best animal stories you never knew


Book Description

Nearly half of the people in the world keep animals. From being close companions and work partners to being a source of food and inspiration, various kinds of animals have played many important roles throughout history. If you are an animal owner, this book will provide ways to better understand your pet and other animals. If not, it still offers you fun and rich stories, social conversation topics, and even business-related ideas. Through this easy and enjoyable book, step closer to the mysterious world of animals that many people cherish.




Animal Magic


Book Description

Charming, warm and touching memoir from inspirational animal whisperer Carolyn Press-McKenzie, who runs two animal sanctuaries. Heart-warming and funny, Animal Magic tells the moving and inspirational story of one woman's work with animals. Carolyn's organisation HUHA (Helping You Help Animals) is a thriving network that rehabilitates and rehomes domestic and farm animals and wildlife all over the country. It is New Zealand's leading no-kill shelter. Carolyn's years of working with animals have given her many great stories to tell. From her first eclectic menagerie of a pig, chooks, cats, a movie-star dog, nine actor rats and Felix the magpie to Laurie, Charlie and Rachel the sad monkeys that were rescued from a circus, Carolyn's passion is to find positive outcomes for every animal and bird. Her special ability to connect meaningfully with every animal she deals with and her understanding of what makes each one tick, along with her warmth and friendship towards them, is nothing short of extraordinary. With its gentle sense of humour and perfectly pitched comic timing, Animal Magic is a charming tale of one woman's drive to follow her passion. This book will change the way you think about animals forever.




A New Zealand Book of Beasts


Book Description

Touching on indigenous Maori relationships with the now-extinct, flightless moa; the attitudes of Pakeha, or European, settlers toward sheep; the iconography of whales and dolphins; the problems of pest-control; and the pleasures of pet-keeping, this modern-day bestiary is a fascinating study of human&–animal relations. In the book's four parts, the authors unravel the contradictory ways New Zealanders nurture and eradicate, glorify and demonize, cherish and devour, and describe and imagine animals. The study brings together insights from New Zealand's arts and literature, popular culture, historiography, media, and everyday life to describe and analyze their interactions with nga kararehe and nga manu, the beasts and birds of the land. In doing so, it illuminates fundamental aspects of New Zealand society: how New Zealanders understand their own identities and those of others; how they regard, inhabit, and make use of the natural world; and how they think about what they buy, eat, wear, watch, and read. Rich, multifaceted, and engaging, A New Zealand Book of Beasts satisfyingly explores how culture both shapes and is shaped by the &“beasts&” of Aotearoa.