Gillian Candler, Author

Writing about Nature in New Zealand/ Aotearoa

  • Home
  • About & Contact
  • Workshops & Schools
  • Nature Books Blog

Schools

More Children’s Writing About Nature

More Children’s Writing About Nature

Gillian Candler February 1, 2021February 1, 2021 Children's books, Libraries, Non-fiction books, Schools, Writing

Poetry at Porirua Library I was invited to talk to children about making books – writing and illustrating – at Porirua Library this summer as part to the Imagine This! festival. With an audience of both pre-schoolers and school age…

Read more
Making Papier Mache Animals

Making Papier Mache Animals

Gillian Candler January 23, 2021January 23, 2021 Children's books, Craft, parents, Schools

The wonderful papier mache tūī that accompanied me to the Imagine This! Festival at Porirua Library, was a huge hit with kids and parents. They were fascinated about how little it weighed and how life-like it looked. This lovely tūī was made…

Read more
Examples of pop-up cards

Making Native Bird Pop-Ups

Gillian Candler January 16, 2021January 16, 2021 Libraries, Nature, parents, Schools

Making native bird pop-up cards was a huge hit at Whitby Library last week. I’ve been taking part of the Porirua Library “Imagine This!” summer festival for children and this was the second workshop I ran.  Nature pop-up cards are…

Read more
cover diary of a young naturalist

Nature Books for Teens

Gillian Candler November 30, 2020November 30, 2020 Children's books, Non-fiction books, parents, Schools

Looking for some book present ideas for young people? Perhaps they’ve been fans of the ‘explore and discover’ books and are now teens. Perhaps they’ve got New Zealand Nature Heroes and love to read about nature and be inspired by nature heroes.…

Read more
Kids Write About Nature

Kids Write About Nature

Gillian Candler April 20, 2020April 20, 2020 Nature, Schools, Uncategorized, Writing

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…

Read more
Cover of New Zealand Nature Heroes book

Nature Heroes

Gillian Candler January 11, 2020January 10, 2020 Book news, Children's books, Nature, Schools

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…

Read more
Native Trees and Plants Brought Vividly to Life

Native Trees and Plants Brought Vividly to Life

Gillian Candler July 10, 2019July 10, 2019 Nature, Non-fiction books, parents, Schools

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…

Read more
Raise Your Child to Read & Write – Book Review

Raise Your Child to Read & Write – Book Review

Gillian Candler March 24, 2019March 24, 2019 parents, Reading, Schools, Uncategorized, Writing

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…

Read more
Animals of Aotearoa cover

Meet the Author – Animals of Aotearoa

Gillian Candler October 19, 2018August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Libraries, Nature, Non-fiction books, parents, Schools

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,…

Read more
Writing Workshops for Children – creating powerful writing

Writing Workshops for Children – creating powerful writing

Gillian Candler February 14, 2018August 2, 2019 Book news, Libraries, Schools, 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…

Read more
Nature Writing – Making Zines

Nature Writing – Making Zines

Gillian Candler January 13, 2018 Nature, Schools, Writing

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…

Read more
Writers in Schools – book now for 2018!

Writers in Schools – book now for 2018!

Gillian Candler November 22, 2017August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Libraries, Non-fiction books, Schools, Uncategorized, Writing

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…

Read more
About Illustrating – Link to Interview with Ned Barraud

About Illustrating – Link to Interview with Ned Barraud

Gillian Candler October 12, 2017August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Illustrations, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
Reviewing ‘Keeping Your Children Safe Online’

Reviewing ‘Keeping Your Children Safe Online’

Gillian Candler September 18, 2017 Non-fiction books, parents, Schools

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…

Read more
School Holiday Event – Read Around the World and about New Zealand too

School Holiday Event – Read Around the World and about New Zealand too

Gillian Candler April 5, 2017August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Libraries, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
Keeping up to date: From Moa to Dinosaurs

Keeping up to date: From Moa to Dinosaurs

Gillian Candler March 3, 2017August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Nature, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
Speaking for Science: clearing confusion around controversial topics

Speaking for Science: clearing confusion around controversial topics

Gillian Candler January 13, 2017 Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
Storylines Family Days – book fun for families

Storylines Family Days – book fun for families

Gillian Candler September 5, 2016August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Libraries, Nature, Non-fiction books, Schools

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,…

Read more
Book Launch Invitation

Book Launch Invitation

Gillian Candler August 31, 2016August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Libraries, Nature, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
Sea Week Resources

Sea Week Resources

Gillian Candler February 28, 2016 Apps and websites, Children's books, Nature, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
Awakening Curiosity – writing science for children

Awakening Curiosity – writing science for children

Gillian Candler June 18, 2015August 2, 2019 Book news, Children's books, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more
At the Beach cover image

Can they read it? – quality online content for young children

Gillian Candler April 20, 2015February 6, 2017 Schools, Uncategorized

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,…

Read more
School Library Services changes – high-interest reading?

School Library Services changes – high-interest reading?

Gillian Candler April 3, 2015April 3, 2015 Children's books, Non-fiction books, Schools

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…

Read more

What I’m Reading

Gillian's bookshelf: nature

The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative
it was amazing
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative
by Florence Williams
I confess I started reading The Nature Fix already a convert. I know that being in nature makes me happier and more creative, but what I didn't know was why. After reading the book, I not only have some answers for why nature can help ma...
tagged: nature and nonfiction
Birdstories: A History of the Birds of New Zealand
it was amazing
Birdstories: A History of the Birds of New Zealand
by Geoff Norman
Birdstories is my new go-to book! When I was pondering which shelf to put it on - next to the field guides or among the nature prose, it occurred to me that since this book won’t be staying on the shelf for long, it might as well stay on...
tagged: explorers-and-naturalists, nature, new-zealand-books, and nonfiction
Where Song Began: Australia's Birds and How They Changed the World
it was amazing
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 not shy about putting forward his opinions. It’s great to find serious non-fiction with a popular...
tagged: australia, nonfiction, and nature
The Meaning of Trees
it was amazing
The Meaning of Trees
by Robert Vennell
I highly recommend "The Meaning of Trees". If you thought New Zealand's native plants were boring or less interesting than our birds and lizards, this book will show you otherwise! I was delighted to receive a review copy from the publis...
tagged: nature, new-zealand-books, and nonfiction
The Outrun
it was amazing
The Outrun
by Amy Liptrot
The author, a young woman, returns to live on the Orkneys to recover from addiction. The book paints a picture of the rugged nature of these islands and how immersing herself in the cold sea, the dark nights and the barely tamed land res...
tagged: nature and nonfiction

goodreads.com

Recent Posts

  • More Children’s Writing About Nature

    More Children’s Writing About Nature

    February 1, 2021
  • Making Papier Mache Animals

    Making Papier Mache Animals

    January 23, 2021
  • Making Native Bird Pop-Ups

    Making Native Bird Pop-Ups

    January 16, 2021
  • Nature Books for Teens

    Nature Books for Teens

    November 30, 2020
  • Kids Write About Nature

    Kids Write About Nature

    April 20, 2020

Categories

  • Apps and websites
  • Book awards
  • Book news
  • Children's books
  • Craft
  • Illustrations
  • Libraries
  • Nature
  • Non-fiction books
  • parents
  • Reading
  • Schools
  • Uncategorized
  • Writing

Nature Books blog

Follow Gillian's Nature Books blog:

Menu

  • Home
  • About & Contact
  • Workshops & Schools
  • Nature Books Blog

Facebook News

Gillian Candler, Author

1 day ago

Gillian Candler, Author
I've been off grid for the last week helping out on Mana Island. Volunteering to work with these cuties - white faced storm petrel chicks. From fluff balls to sleek sea birds, they are so tiny, weighing in at around 50g. They've been translocated with the hope that they'll return here to breed and a new colony will be created. Thanks Friends of Mana Island and sponsors for the wonderful opportunity to be part of helping rebuild the ecosystem on Mana Island. ...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Gillian Candler, Author

3 weeks ago

Gillian Candler, Author
DOC have put together a stunning 5 hours soundscape, from the sea to the mountains.Back by popular demand, we’ve made our sea to alpine soundscape 5 hours. Pop your headphones in, breathe deeply, and immerse yourself in a virtual nature exp... ...

Video

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Book News

  • Nature Heroes

    Nature Heroes

    January 11, 2020
  • Wellington Museum Book Reading Event

    Wellington Museum Book Reading Event

    November 17, 2019
  • Bookshop Day Event

    Bookshop Day Event

    October 16, 2019
  • Whose Home is This? Book Awards Finalist

    Whose Home is This? Book Awards Finalist

    June 6, 2019
  • Meet the Author – Animals of Aotearoa

    Meet the Author – Animals of Aotearoa

    October 19, 2018
  • New Book Out Now – Whose Home is This?

    New Book Out Now – Whose Home is This?

    May 16, 2018
  • Writing Workshops for Children – creating powerful writing

    Writing Workshops for Children – creating powerful writing

    February 14, 2018
  • Writers in Schools – book now for 2018!

    Writers in Schools – book now for 2018!

    November 22, 2017
Copyright © 2021 Gillian Candler, Author. Powered by WordPress. Theme: Esteem by ThemeGrill.