New Zealand Kids Books – Cork on the Ocean

This is the most beautifully written and illustrated book about the adventures of a cork on the ocean. It reads like poetry and seems to cast a spell over the boys when I read it to them. They especially love the flying fish, the shark from the deep, the octopus and the mermaid riding a dolphin of glass. The illustrations are simple yet perfectly capture the movement of the waves and water. 

My Mum got a hardcover copy signed by New Zealand author Mark Sommmerset so it is now a much treasured addition to our library.  It seems that if you find a special Cork on the Ocean bottle on the beach, you can claim a Cork on the Ocean book as your prize. What a great idea! Find out more on Mark’s website at www.corkvoyages.com.

Mark tells me that the sequel to Cork on the Ocean is due out in October this year.

Buy Cork on the Ocean (NZ$).

New Zealand Kids Books – Pre-schoolers

A few more of our current collection of kids books which are all written and published in New Zealand and which the boys love to read are:-

Kiss! Kiss! Yuck! Yuck!- such a cute story about a boy hiding from his Aunt because she gives him a big kiss when she comes to visit. Eventually she breaks her leg (on a camel in Australia – interesting twist???) and she is so missed that the little boy in the story eventually gives her big hugs and kisses. Really unusual illustrations – they look like different materials were cut out and put together which creates an almost 3d effect. My boys yell the “yuck yuck” part every time I read the “kiss kiss” bit.

We have about 10 of the Hairy Maclary books as well as the dvd but this one is a bit different and really cute with a little duck who follows Hairy Maclary around wanting to play. It’s called Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack and they end up being best friends. So cute!!!

The boys other favourite is the Perky the Pukeko series. I am trying to find out where to buy this one online.