What’s the best way to get adults reading? Get them reading when they’re children – and there’s no better place to start than the Unity Children’s Bestseller Chart.
These lists of the bestselling children’s books at Unity Wellington and Little Unity in Auckland cover the four weeks to August 29 2019.
AUCKLAND
1 Te Tiriti o Waitangi / The Treaty of Waitangi by Toby Morris with Ross Calman, Mark Derby, and Piripi Walker (Lift Education, $20) graphic non-fiction age 8+
A taster here.
2 The Bomb by Sacha Cotter & Josh Morgan (Huia, $23) age 5+
“I’m always dreaming of pulling off that perfect bomb. A booming one, a slapping one, a splashing, dripping, soaking one!”
3 The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (Collectors Library, $17) age 7+
Charming and dreamy and French BUT there’s a bit where a boy lets a snake bite him that you might want to read before your kid does.
4 All the Ways to Be Smart by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys (Scribe, $30) picture book age 2-7
Bell wrote another book for children which is The Letdown-level perceptive about kids and parenting. And laundry mountains. It’s called Hattie Helps Out. She has a novel out with Text next year too which I am amped for.
5 I Am Jellyfish by Ruth Paul (Puffin NZ, $20) age 2-6
One of those books that you buy as a gift based on beauteousness alone, and later you’re relieved to realise the words are just as gorgeous. Winner of the picture book category at last year’s New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
6 ABC What Can She Be? Girls Can Be Anything They Want to Be, from A to Z by Jessie Ford et al (Walter T Foster, $23) age 0-5
P is for Paid as Much as the Boys Will Be. (It’s not). (They probs won’t be).
7 Pop-Up Things That Go! by Ingela P. Arrehenius (Pop-up book, Walker Books, $17) age 2-4
For when your graphic design hipster mates have their pepi.
8 Maui & Other Legends: 8 Classic Tales of Aotearoa by Peter Gossage (Penguin, $40) all ages
A staple. Should be handed out at hospital.
9 No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg (Penguin, $8) all ages
Tautoko, Greta. Good luck in New York.
10 Tickle My Ears by Jörg Mühle (Gecko Press, $15) board book age 0-5
“This is a sweet bedtime book for little people to read before they nod off themselves” – a review on wherethebooksare.com.
This is a really nice way to think bedtime happens before you actually have kids. Then you have them and you find out what they do at bedtime is take off their PJs and rip off their nappies and smear a bit of poo on the cot just to finish the day right.
WELLINGTON
1 No One Is Too Small to Make a Difference by Greta Thunberg (Penguin, $8) all ages
2 The Bomb by Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Huia, $23) age 5+
3 Little Ghost Who Lost Her Boo! by Elaine Bickell and Raymond McGrath (Scholastic, $19) age 5+
A night-time adventure, a pleasure to read aloud. Winner of the 2018 Joy Cowley Award.
4 Press Here (board book edition) by Herve Tullet (Penguin, $13) age 3+
My kid still cackles with delight when we read this and he’s nearly five.
5 The 117-Storey Treehouse by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton (Macmillan, $19) age 6-9
Book nine of the number-one bestselling series.
6 The Mapmakers’ Race by Eirlys Hunter (Gecko Press, $25) age 9-12
“An utter delight,” said Kate de Goldi on RNZ.
7 Winter of Fire by Sherryl Jordan (Scholastic, $19) age 12+
8 For Whom the Ball Rolls by Dav Pilkey (Scholastic, $19) age 6-9
By the Captain Underpants guy.
9 The Cat from Muzzle by Sally Sutton and Scott Tulloch (Puffin, $20) age 5+
“Dwayne’s new house was big and bright, but did he like it? NO! He swished his twitchy tomcat tail. So long! I’ve gotta go!”
10 Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo (Hodder, $20) age 13+
“I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes the idea of an intriguing fantasy world, a dazzling heist and protagonists that are resplendent in their individuality and characterisation” – Guardian children’s books site teen reviewer Nava4.