Book Feast - Children's Book Festival

After a COVID related hiatus last year we are happy to be celebrating NZ Bookshop Day in-person once again in 2022. We have a great line-up of authors/illustrators and a children's entertainer all set to inspire your children on Saturday October the 8th. Find out more about our guests and the day's programme below!

Register here by 7th October and join us on the day to go in the draw to win a $100 book voucher!

Kate Parker of Ngāti Maniapoto, English and Greek descent is currently a visual artist and theatre-maker. She enjoys watching wildlife, being near the forest and the sea, and finding ways to support our planet – one seedling at a time. Kate is also a picture book maker and won the Best Picture Book and Best First Book categories at the New Zealand Children's and Young Adult Book Awards 2021 for her book Kōwhai and the Giants. She’ll be reading her book and telling us about the art she makes as well as leading us in a fun activity. Kate will be starting the day for us at 10am (suggested age group 4-10 year-olds).

Heather first experienced the joy of writing and sharing stories when she was at Intermediate school and wrote out in her best handwriting a story called Flip Flop to the Rescue. The kids at the local primary school loved it! She is still sharing stories in her day job in a new entrants class at a primary school and through the picture books writes. Her third book in the Granny McFlitter series is due out in October and is called The Knit Before Christmas. The other two Granny McFlitter books (illustrated by Lael Chisolm and published by Penguin NZ) are great rhyming rollicking stories. Heather will read one or two of her stories and lead us in a related craft activity at 11.30am (suggested age group 2-8 year-olds).

Claudia grew up in a household immersed in music and her love of music has never waned. She has released 4 family albums and her kids' songs are loved and trusted by smart parents and bright eyed kids alike, like a warm hug in sound that sets imaginations free. We are really looking forward to singing along with Claudia. Starting at 10.45am (great for all ages!)

Glenn is a poet and a doctor. He helped to set up and still works at the Horowhenua Youth Health Service and he has won many awards for his poetry. Glenn has also published several books for children. His latest is called - The Small Girl who Lives Next Door, Te Kōtiro Nohinohi e Noho Pātata Ana. It follows a boy called Jack as he travels deeper into the heart of Te Reo Maori where he discovers a new way of looking at the world he thought he knew. Glenn will be reading and talking poetry at 1pm. (suggested ages 10 and under but all welcome)

Graci Kim is a Korean-Kiwi diplomat turned author who writes about the magic she wants to see in the world. The Last Fallen Star was her middle grade debut, and the second book in the trilogy The Last Fallen Moon is available now. These are fast-paced fantasy books based on Korean mythology - great for 8-12-year-old readers. At Book Feast, Graci, who is an inspirational speaker, will talk about her books and the power of curiosity, play, and resilience in achieving your dreams. (suggested ages 8-18)

Host or Publisher The Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop