New Zealand Disasters: Our response, resilience and recovery. A new book by writer Maria Gill and illustrator Marco Ivancic. A must-have for all New Zealand school libraries. Another top book published by Scholastic NZ @mariagillnz

New Zealand disasters: Our response, resilience and recovery

By Maria Gill

Illustrated by Marco Ivancic

ISBN 9781775436218

Scholastic NZ

Yet again, author Maria Gill and illustrator Marco Ivancic have proven themselves a winning combination with their latest collaboration. New Zealand disasters is a book that should be in every school library. It is timely, informative, well-researched and a great book to dip into again and again. It is one that is not just for study and hot topic projects, but is a book that will be interesting to everyone living in New Zealand.

I recall far too many of these disasters but also far too many that I have actually experienced to some degree or another, in my home town of Christchurch. I remember waking up to the eerie quiet and icy cold, snow-laden streets in the big snow of 1992. I recall vividly the Canterbury and Christchurch earthquakes and the ongoing aftershocks. The Port Hills fire was very close to home and the mosque shootings is still very raw in my memory. And of course, the Covid-19 pandemic is still very much active around the world. This book provides enough information on these and numerous other disasters that readers will come to know of some of our worst moments in history. It provides an understanding of the disasters and like any information, it helps us cope and know that after any disaster, things will get better. Knowledge is power and this book provides us with hope and strategies for any future disaster.

Most of us will remember where we were when different disasters happened, so often the mention of a particular disaster will bring back memories and associations. For example, when the DC-10 plane crashed into Mt Erebus in Antartica I was living in Milford Sound and we found out about this awful crash listening on an old ham radio. Disasters bring people together and hold memories, good and bad.

New Zealand Disasters is well set out. It has a very cool colour-coded contents page, glossary, and index. Bright and bold headings and sub-headings make it easy to scan for information. It covers all sorts of disasters, like earthquakes, tsunamis, cyclones, mining accidents, plane crashes, volcanoes, fires and many more. There are photos and survival tips as well as a list to help you put together your own emergency kit.

The illustrator provides realistic impressions of the moment of many of the disasters. You can see the fear in the faces of people escaping disasters. Having lived through a number of these, I can assure you that the fear is real. Hopefully readers of this book will have some of their own fear alleviated, after learning some of the survival strategies.

Another top book from an award winning combo. Surely another award will follow.

Check out this very cool trailer.

Author, Des Hunt, does it again. Another top read with his latest children’s novel Red Edge @scholasticnz

Red Edge

By Des Hunt

ISBN 9781775436416

Scholastic NZ

 

Red Edge is a thoroughly good romp of a read. The characters are believable, flaws and all.  I particular loved the setting which is the edge of the Red Zone where once streets were full of houses, neighbourhoods and schools. Now the Red Zone is wide, empty open spaces after thousands of homes were demolished after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.  As someone who lived through the quakes and knows the streets, I got a wee buzz every time I recognised the streets Cassi was running through. Even the market and the airport were definitely recognisable so I had a sense of pride while reading this book. The effects of those earthquakes all these years later,  still impact on so many people’s lives. The trauma is real and we see the impact it still has in both Cassi and Quinn’s daily lives.

Twelve year old Cassi, has just moved house and school, yet again. She and her father have moved to the edge of the Red Zone, next door to what is locally known as the haunted house. Observing strange goings-on next door,  she sneaks onto the property to investigate but it’s not long before Cassi finds herself caught up in a dark and dangerous situation with criminals, who are very keen to keep their situation a secret.

Together, Cassi and Quinn, the boy across the road and her new-found friend, begin the dangerous adventure of trying to find out just what is happening in the house next door.

The story has a great pace, mystery, a quality story and great writing, which is just as one would expect from award-winning author Des Hunt. Like many of his novels, Hunt adds a scientific or environmental aspect which he does here as well. I love a good read but I also love a good read where I learn something new, as I did here, in Red Edge but I can’t tell you what as that might spoil the surprise. This really is one of those books to read and get lost inside.

This would be a great teacher read-aloud. It would also be great as a set novel for years 6 and up, especially when considering New Zealand writers and NZ settings. 

Earthquakes! Shaking New Zealand by award winning author Maria Gill @mariagillnz ‏ Everything you need to know about NZ earthquakes

Earthquakes! New Zealand

By Maria Gill

ISBN 9781869664862

New Holland Publishers

If you have ever wanted to know anything about earthquakes in New Zealand, then this new book from award-winning author Maria Gill has it all. The production is a perfect example of what a quality non-fiction book should be. It has all the features we expect with contents pages, glossary, bibliography, credits, headings and subheadings, photographs, graphs, symbols and timelines all sandwiched between a shiny, colourful, glossy cover. Maria Gill is well-known for her dedication and determination to research her subjects to provide readers with the best and most accurate information.

Maria Gill explains what earthquakes are, why they happen and the damage they can cause.  The timeline goes way back in time to some of the first earthquakes and marks many of the strongest ones that occurred. She also explains what to do in an earthquake and how to keep yourself safe which is something everyone in New Zealand needs to know. Having lived through the tragic Canterbury and Christchurch earthquakes, this book brought back many memories but it is good to see everything explained and know that while we cannot predict or stop earthquakes; we can be prepared and that is most important.

The language is easy and informative without being too formal or wordy, making it a suitable choice for everyone. The book is informative and shares links to videos on the internet for further research or explanation. There is also a friendly helper throughout the pages. Maria introduces us to  Rūaumoko the Maori god of earthquakes and volcanoes who helps explain things as readers move from page to page. A lovely addition to this quality book.

Primary schools through to secondary schools will certainly benefit from having this book in their school libraries.

 

 

My New Zealand Story : Canterbury Quake 2010 – 2011 My debut novel is in the shops now! Yahoo

My New Zealand Story Canterbury Quake 2010-2011
By Desna Wallace
(That’s me)

I have been blogging about books, book trailers and doing reviews for quite some time now but this book is just a bit different. And that is because it is my first children’s novel and I can hardly do the review myself but the links below will take you to some reviews which are doing the rounds at the moment.
It is a very strange (but wonderful) feeling to see your own book for sale in the shops. For those reading this from New Zealand you all know that this month marks three years since the devastating earthquake here in Christchurch, which claimed 185 lives and destroyed our city centre, our historic buildings and thousands of homes. For those outside New Zealand this was one of New Zealand’s saddest, darkest and most tragic days in our country’s history. We have endured thousands of aftershocks, many of them very damaging. Many people were forced to leave Christchurch after being made homeless. Many have returned, many have not.
Living in Christchurch is not the same as it once was and it never will be the same. Thousands of people are still waiting for homes to be repaired or rebuilt. Roads all around the city are blocked off or surrounded by traffic cones as buildings come down, roads are fixed and the city is repaired. It will take years to see any real difference. But it is home. It is a city I love and a city I am proud of.

So from all this I have written a book of fiction based on the very real facts. In diary form and part of the New Zealand My Story series, I have told the story of 11 year Maddy, her family and friends and how this natural disaster has affected them all.

http://bobsbooksnz.wordpress.com/2014/02/05/canterbury-quake-by-desna-wallace/
http://barbaramurison.blogspot.co.nz/2014/02/fiction-age-10-and-up.html
http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.co.nz/2014/01/canterbury-quake.html

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth. Coming in May. Simply a must read!

Struck
By Jennifer Bosworth
WOW!This trailer is brilliant. Movie quality at its best.
To be honest, the trailer kind of freaked me out. Big time! Living in Christchurch, New Zealand, where we have been subjected to thousands of earthquakes, where we have witnessed the deaths of almost 200 people, and the devastation of our lovely city, the earthquake scenes in this trailer truly freaked me out. Very real! Too real in fact!
Mia Price is a lightening addict. Bizarre, yes but intriguing. Cults and doomsady prophecies. So much in this book.
However, I am waiting like so many others for the book’s release in May. Hurry up May!

Creepy!

Dark inside

By Jeyn Roberts

To be honest – this trailer is on the creepy side but I do want to read it.  Who doesn’t like a good scare now and then? Mind you having lived through the devastating earthquakes here in Christchurch, New Zealand, over the last year and a bit and coping with the damage and ongoing destruction to my beautiful city, I am not sure if I want to read it right at this moment. In the story, there are huge earthquakes all over the world. It is after the earthquakes that strange things begin to happen and the story really takes place. Inner rage has been released and some people fight it but others can’t and life becomes a battle for survival. It does sound good but I will wait awhile. Do feel free to let me know what you think if you have already read this book.