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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…