Last year I ran some writing workshops with local children for Porirua Harbour Trust. I introduced the children to the idea of writing poems that could take on the shape of what they are writing about. Here are some of…
Stay at Home Nature Travel – reading recommendations
Right now people all around the world are hunkering down, travel plans cancelled, trips and events off. Those of us lucky enough to live among nature or close to wild places can still get out and about on solitary bird…
Nature Heroes
My latest book New Zealand Nature Heroes is 80 pages of “inspiration and activities for young conservationists”. Stories of scientists and volunteers …. … are matched with activities young people can do to be nature heroes themselves. I’m developing a website www.discovernature.nz/nature-heroes/ to carry…
Book Related Activities
Running out of kids’ activities for the holidays? Thanks to illustrator Fraser Williamson, each of the “Whose?” books has a matching activity which helps extend the children’s thinking about the book concepts. Whose Beak is This? has a kākā mask to colour and…
Wellington Museum Book Reading Event
Pick up your free colouring page from “Whose Home is This?”
Bookshop Day Event
Come along on at 2pm 26 October 2019 to the wonderful Schrödinger’s Books in Petone and take part in some nature-themed craft for kids. I’ll be signing books and showing a sneak preview of “New Zealand Nature Heroes”, which will…
Native Trees and Plants Brought Vividly to Life
The act of identifying and naming plants changes the way we see the bush. No longer is it a tangle of different greens, a confusing mass of different shape leaves. Bark, flowers, berries, leaves, all provide clues about the trees…
Whose Home is This? Book Awards Finalist
I’m excited to announce that my book “Whose Home is This?” illustrated by Fraser Williamson is a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2019. “Whose Home is This?” is a finalist for the Elsie…
Raise Your Child to Read & Write – Book Review
Raise Your Child to Read & Write: a guide for New Zealand parents from birth to seven years by Frances Adlam I’ve always believed that family members need to be involved in a child’s education, but have often encountered parents…
Summer Nature Reading – New Zealand wildlife
My summer reading in 2018/19 included these two excellent titles. The first is the field guide of reptiles and amphibians that we’ve all been waiting for! The second is my new ‘go-to’ book about New Zealand birds. Reptiles and Amphibians of…
Meet the Author – Animals of Aotearoa
Out this month, is a 112 page hardback compendium of New Zealand wildlife. Including all the favourites from the ‘explore and discover’ series and over 100 more. Animals of Aotearoa is available to pre-order now from publisher Potton & Burton,…
Writing a Nature Journal – for adults
Creating a Nature Journal is a great way to deepen your nature connection. Whether you want to record what you see on a nature walk, celebrate nature’s beauty, or keep track of what you’ve learned about nature – there’s a nature…
Create Your Own Nature Journal – for children
Creating a Nature Journal about a walk or trip is a great way to share your memories about the place you visited. You can use a bought notebook or make your own booklet (see how below). Observing nature on holiday…
New Book Out Now – Whose Home is This?
Launching this month is my new book for kiwi nature kids. “Whose Home is This?” Illustrated by Fraser Williamson and published by Potton & Burton. “Whose Home is This?” follows on from the award winning “Whose Feet are These?” and…
What I’m reading: summer 2018
“Where Song Began: Australia’s birds and how they changed the world” by Tim Low Who’d have thought a non-fiction book on birds would be a page-turner! Turns out this one is. Tim Low has a pacy style of writing, and he’s…
Writing Workshops for Children – creating powerful writing
Children are such creative thinkers. And so honest and perceptive too. That’s why I enjoy visiting primary schools and public library school holiday programmes. Best of all is spending time with them in a writing workshop. In 2017, I visited…
Nature Writing – Making Zines
Crazy about kākāpō? Curious about kauri? Amazed by animal poo? Wild about weka? If you are a nature fan, you can make a zine to share your passion. Zine is short for ‘fanzine’ – these self-published creations started out as…
3 (Updated) Top Tips on Writing Children’s Books
As a published children’s author I often get approached by writers or illustrators who have written or created a story, wanting to know about how to get it published. Sometimes it is their friends who approach me – writers and illustrators can…
Writers in Schools – book now for 2018!
Attention teachers, librarians and schools, you have until 15 December to book me through Writers in Schools for Term 1 2018! Are you: Planning a Book Week Wanting to give your year 4-8 students a non-fiction writing boost Keen to…
Nature Heroine – writer Sheila Natusch
I’ve just seen “No Ordinary Sheila“, the documentary about the wonderful and not at all ordinary Sheila Natusch. This documentary was a clever blend of recent interviews and family photos, integrated with archival films from the relevant times in her…
About Illustrating – Link to Interview with Ned Barraud
Children often ask about the illustration process for the ‘explore and discover books’. Ned Barraud the illustrator is interviewed on The Sapling about how he fits illustrating children’s books in with his day job, about the process and about some…
Reviewing ‘Keeping Your Children Safe Online’
Keeping Your Children Safe Online: a guide for New Zealand parents by John Parsons, published by Potton & Burton 2017 The moment I picked up Keeping Your Children Safe Online, I knew this book was going to be flying off…
Win a Copy of Up the River
To enter this competition go to https://www.facebook.com/GillianCandlerAuthor/ and enter before 9am Monday 18 September 2017. Note you need to have a New Zealand postal address to enter. For more on my thoughts about writing Up the River, see my last blogpost http://gilliancandler.co.nz/up-the-river-new-book-about-new-zealands-freshwater/ SaveSave…
Up the River – new book about New Zealand’s freshwater
Up the River: explore and discover New Zealand’s rivers, lakes and wetlands is the latest addition to the ‘explore and discover’ books, following on from books about the seashore, ocean, garden, and forest habitats. Up the River is the sixth…
FAQs About Writing ‘From Moa to Dinosaurs’
Recently I was interviewed by The Sapling about From Moa to Dinosaurs, a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults To read the full interview with me and with the other non-fiction finalists click here.…
Free Downloadable Forest Birds ID Card
With the first print-run of “In the Bush: explore and discover New Zealand’s native forests” came a detachable forest bird ID card in the inside back cover. This card won’t be included in subsequent print-runs. Instead it’s available to download…
Finalist in Book Awards 2017
I’m delighted to announce that “From Moa to Dinosaurs: explore and discover ancient New Zealand” is a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2017. Here’s the link to the complete list of finalist books and…
The State of Children’s Non-Fiction in New Zealand
Follow this link to read an article I’ve written on the state of children’s non-fiction. I argue that there must be a better name for these splendid books than ‘non-fiction’ and that we need more good quality non-fiction titles for…
Make a Gecko with Sticky Feet
Did you know that geckos have ‘sticky’ feet? They can even walk upside down on ceilings or up a pane of glass! Children at Porirua, Cannons Creek and Whitby Libraries had a go at making their own geckos with sticky…
Author interview – Porirua Library
Here’s an interview I gave to Bee Trudgeon of Porirua Library, ahead of the school holiday sessions I’ll be running next week Wednesday 19 April. I love her questions, especially the one about what animal I’d like to be if…
School Holiday Event – Read Around the World and about New Zealand too
I’m looking forward to being the special guest at the Porirua Library’s school holiday event. On April 19 I’ll be visiting 3 of the branches to read from my books and have some fun making crafts. I’ll be sharing “Whose…
Keeping up to date: From Moa to Dinosaurs
Keeping up to date with scientific discoveries about New Zealand’s origins can be a bit hit and miss. Think about what you remember from school or nature documentaries you’ve seen. Like me, you might have had the idea that our…
Speaking for Science: clearing confusion around controversial topics
Shaun Hendy in his compelling Silencing Science (BWB texts) argues that “New Zealanders can’t be complacent. I believe that there are rifts between our scientists, our politicians and the public that put members of our society at risk.” His readable short text…
NZ Bookshop Day Event – meet the author
Come along to Marsden Books in Karori and meet author and illustrator of the Explore and Discover series, take part in the nature quiz and win prizes When: 3pm, 29 October 2016 Where: Marsden Books, 159 Karori Road, Karori What…
Storylines Family Days – book fun for families
I recently took part in the Storylines Family Days in Dunedin and Christchurch. A special feature of the days is the number of pre-schoolers who come along and it was great to see them having a go at the activities,…
Book Launch Invitation
Blog readers and their friends and families are welcome to the launch of my latest book – From Moa to Dinosaurs: explore and discover ancient New Zealand. This new book is part of the award-winning explore and discover series, illustrated by Ned…
Publishing books for children – 3 tips for would-be authors
As a published children’s author I often get approached by authors or illustrators who have written or created a story, wanting to know about how to get it published. Sometimes it is their friends who approach me – authors and illustrators can…
Joining Bloglovin
Bloggers like to read other people’s blogs and I’ve been looking for a good way to bring all the blogs I like to read together into one place. I’ve tried various Apps and been frustrated by them, and also used…
“Whose Beak is This? finalist for Elsie Locke Award
I’ve always been a huge fan of Elsie Locke, so it’s such an honour to be named a finalist for the Elsie Locke Award for non-fiction in the NZ Children’s Book Awards for 2016. (The NZ Children’s Book Awards and…
Sea Week Resources
It’s Sea Week, a time for schools, parents and public to turn their attention to the treasures of the sea. Unlike a trip to the beach or the bush, it’s hard to show children what lives under the sea, although there…
Top Outdoor books from my Bookshelf
Being an active outdoor’s person and enjoying books might seem an odd mix to some. But for many people some of the pleasure of getting outdoors is in planning trips and learning more about the places they’re going to or…
On Writing and Nature
I’m taking part in Porirua Library’s A Long Hot Summer Story Festival in January. Ahead of that event I was interviewed by Children’s Librarian Bee Trudgeon. You can read the interview here: http://www.porirualibrary.org.nz/Services/Children-s-Library/Bee-s-Bookish-Blog – scroll to October 28, 2015
Book Launch Invitation
Blog readers are invited to the launch of Whose Beak is This? my new picture book, illustrated by Fraser Williamson. Date: 31 October, Place: Paper Plus, North City Shopping Centre, Porirua, Time: 2-3pm Bring your children or grandchildren, free bird mask…
Just in time for the Great Kereru Count – New Book Launched
My favourite place – the New Zealand bush – is the topic of my latest book. It’s a book for children, informed by many walks in the bush with botanists, bird lovers, and those steeped in bush lore. Many of…
Awakening Curiosity – writing science for children
Read my tips about science writing for children in the latest edition (Winter 2015) of The New Zealand Author. In Awakening Curiosity: writing science for children I discuss 4 science education research-based principles that I apply to my writing and 2 tips for writers…
Reading Non-fiction with Children
Tips for Reading Non-Fiction With Children – using Under the Ocean as an example It’s okay to read a book just the way it’s written cover to cover! On the second (third or fourth!) read, or the first if the child…
Can they read it? – quality online content for young children
It had to happen! While I was busily writing away about the School Library service changes, a press release was doing the rounds, showing that the National Library had responded to schools concerns, and rather than suddenly stopping the service,…
School Library Services changes – high-interest reading?
This year the School Library Curriculum Service is controversially coming to an end, replaced by loans to schools of general high-interest reading collections. Teachers and students are to go online to access all they might need to support the curriculum. At first glance…
In Praise of Picture Books
An extraordinary newspaper headline this week, caused me to choke on my muesli, and no doubt a few coffee cups were spilled in cafes around the capital as readers took in the implications of the story. Picture Books Hurt Reading…
Summer Non-Fiction
Before the summer holiday, I’d stocked up on a pile of non-fiction books from Craig Potton Publishing. My pick of these for an informative and entertaining read is: Tramping – a New Zealand history by Shaun Barnett and Chris Maclean.…