kids books

What Comes Next? Warriors

Grace Hancox

Many parents will be familiar with the challenge of finding their tamariki interesting and exciting books to read after they finish a fantastic series, and the library is here to help. In our series “What Comes Next?” we provide some recommendations for children after they’ve finished a popular series. Last month we looked at the hilariously unlucky Series of Unfortunate Events, and this month we have focused our attention on the long-running Warrior Cats series by Erin Hunter.

For many tamariki the Warriors books are one of the first big series they really dive in to. And whether they make their way through all the books or are looking for something to read after they’ve gotten their fill, we’ve done our best to find something for everyone. We haven’t included the other Erin Hunter books in this list, but if you haven’t read them yet then check out Seekers, Survivors and Bravelands. 

Librarian’s tip — If you are reading the Warriors series and aren’t quite sure what order you’re meant to be reading them in, we recommend visiting Fantastic Fiction, who’ve done all the hard work of putting all those books in reading order for you!

Younger Kids:

Young kids have quite a few options when it comes to animal-focused books with lots of adventure. Kathryn Lasky’s Guardians of Ga’Hoole is simply excellent, and Lucky by Chris Hill is sure to delight kids, with a fun squirrel as the main character. Animorphs by Katherine Applegate needs no introduction to many people, who wouldn’t remember a book where kids gain the power to transform into animals? Finally, a newer book with panthers as main characters is The Lost Rainforest by Eliot Schrefer.

The capture / Lasky, Kathryn
“When Soren, a barn owl, arrives at St. Aggie’s, a school for orphaned owls, he suspects trouble and with his new friend, a clever elf owl named Gylfie, embarks on a perilous journey to save all owls from the danger at St. Aggie’s.” (Catalogue)

Mez’s magic / Schrefer, Eliot
“Caldera has forever been divided into those animals who walk by night and those who walk by day. Until the eclipse. Now Mez has discovered that she can cross the Veil and enter the daylight world. Her magical power has unknown depths, but she must rush to discover it after a mysterious stranger arrives at her family’s den, bearing warnings of a reawakened evil. Saving Caldera means Mez must leave her sister behind and unite an unlikely group of animal friends to unravel an ancient mystery and protect their rainforest home.” (Adapted from catalogue)

Lucky / Hill, Chris
“Every day is a fight for survival when you’re a young squirrel lost in the world. And for Lucky, it gets even tougher when he finds out he’s the only red squirrel in a city park fought over by grey ones. Lucky needs fortune on his side to win a place in their hearts. But when he discovers a plot that threatens his new home, is his luck about to run out?”–Back cover” (Catalogue)

Invasion / Applegate, Katherine
“When Jake, Rachel, Tobias, Cassie, and Marco stumble upon a downed alien spaceship and its dying pilot, they’re given an incredible power … a power they must use to outsmart an evil greater than anything the world has ever seen.” (Catalogue)

Older Kids:

If you’re on the older side, and looking for Young Adult reads with similar energy to Warriors then we’ve found a few books you’ll probably enjoy. While Gone by Michael Grant doesn’t have any animals, it does have teenagers with mysterious powers trying to solve a mystery in a Lord of the Flies-esque society. Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater does have animals in the form of werewolves as main characters and Protector of the Small by Tamora Pierce is an excellent fantasy series sure to delight fans of Warriors who enjoyed the political intrigue.

Gone / Grant, Michael
“In a small town on the coast of California, everyone over the age of fourteen suddenly disappears, setting up a battle between the remaining town residents and the students from a local private school, as well as those who have “The Power” and are able to perform supernatural feats and those who do not.” (Catalogue)

Shiver / Stiefvater, Maggie
“In all the years she has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house, Grace has been particularly drawn to an unusual yellow-eyed wolf who, in his turn, has been watching her with increasing intensity.” (Catalogue)

First test / Pierce, Tamora
“Ten-year-old Keladry of Mindalen, daughter of nobles, serves as a page but must prove herself to the males around her if she is ever to fulfill her dream of becoming a knight.” (Catalogue)

Hopefully you’ve found something to dive into after finishing Warriors, and catch us next time for another blog on a popular series, we haven’t quite decided which one yet, so feel free to drop some suggestions down below!

What Comes Next? A Series of Unfortunate Events

Grace Hancox

Finding new pukapuka for your tamariki can be a challenge, especially when they can get through a big series in just a couple of weeks. Well, the library is here to help! In our series “What Comes Next?” we try and tackle the tricky challenge of helping you find the next book after a great series. If you haven’t seen our blog from last month on Ranger’s Apprentice, then be sure to check it out if your tamaiti loves fantasy or archery! This month we are focusing on the delightfully dreary Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, with humorous recommendations for those who enjoyed the series.

A Series of Unfortunate Events has delighted children with the Baudelaires woeful escapades for well over two decades now and the series has only grown in popularity following the Netflix adaptation. While no one is quite like Lemony Snicket, we’ve put together our best picks for tamariki who loved this series.

Younger Kids:

Luckily for tamariki there are heaps of excellent books which lean into the darker side while remaining humorous and fun. The Spiderwick Chronicles are a great fit for tamariki who like fantasy with just a little bit of scary, and so is the hilarious Floods series by Colin Thompson. Chris Riddell brings us a gothic mystery complete with a ghostly mouse in Goth Girl, and if you found yourself rooting for the villain, then check out The Crims by Kate Davies which features a whole family of criminals.

The field guide / DiTerlizzi, Tony
“When the Grace children go to stay at their Great Aunt Lucinda’s worn Victorian house, they discover a field guide to fairies and other creatures and begin to have some unusual experiences. Suggested level: primary, intermediate.” (Catalogue)
Neighbours / Thompson, Colin
“Nerlin and Mordonna Flood have seven children, most of whom were made in a cellar, using incredible mystical powers. Betty is a normal little girl – but she’s a useless witch. Her attempts at magic often go wrong, with unexpected yet welcome results. When the next-door neighbours rob the Floods, they find out what the Floods do to bad neighbours” (Adapted from catalogue)
Goth Girl and the ghost of a mouse / Riddell, Chris
“A deliciously dark offering from the award-winning author-illustrator of the Ottoline books” (Catalogue)
The Crims / Davies, Kate
“When her notoriously inept family of criminals is wrongly accused, Imogen, the only truly skilled criminal, uses her skills to clear their names.” (Catalogue)

Older Kids:

For the older ones who want that dark-humor vibe after reading or rereading A Series of Unfortunate Events we have got you covered. Skullduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy is another fantasy with darker vibes that older kids are sure to love, and Ms Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is perfect for older kids who love a bit of mystery. Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman has been on my TBR for ages, and if you ever need to laugh about doomsday then look no further than this excellent book. And if you want even more Neil Gaiman then check out The Graveyard Book which features another child in unfortunate circumstances, raised by ghosts in a graveyard after the murder of his parents.

Skulduggery Pleasant / Landy, Derek
“When twelve-year-old Stephanie inherits her weird uncle’s estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage, to save the world from the Faceless Ones.” (Catalogue)
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children / Riggs, Ransom
“After a family tragedy, Jacob feels compelled to explore an abandoned orphanage on an island off the coast of Wales, discovering disturbing facts about the children who were kept there.” (Catalogue)

 

 


Good omens : the nice and accurate prophecies of Agnes Nutter, witch / Pratchett, Terry
“According to the Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch – the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. People have been predicting the end of the world almost from its very beginning, so it’s only natural to be sceptical when a new date is set for Judgement Day. But one fast-living demon and a somewhat fussy angel would quite like the Rapture not to happen.” (Adapted from catalogue)


The graveyard book / Gaiman, Neil
“After the grisly murder of his entire family, a toddler wanders into a graveyard where the ghosts and other supernatural residents agree to raise him as one of their own.” (Catalogue)

We hope you’ve enjoyed these recommendations, we certainly had fun diving into the dark and twisty humour that Lemony Snicket does so well! Catch you again next time for recommendations on a classic children’s series which centres cuddly creatures that you might just have at home.

What comes next? Ranger’s Apprentice

Grace Hancox

Finding interesting new pukapuka can be a challenge, especially after your tamariki have devoured a big series in a matter of weeks. That’s where the library can help! In “What Comes Next? Wings of Fire” we looked at a series which is huge with children at the moment, and who can blame them when the series is all about dragons. This month we tackle the classic Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan and show you some of the fabulous pukapuka perfect for fans of the series.

Ranger’s Apprentice is an awesome series with lots to offer kids of all interests. The entire series has twelve books (plus two novellas), and if you haven’t read the spinoff series Brotherband or The Royal Ranger, then we would definitely recommend them. Now for the important bit, here are our recommendations for what to read next after Ranger’s Apprentice.

Younger Kids:

There is so much excellent fantasy for tamariki out there that it was difficult to pick favourites, but we’ve put together some fantastic pukapuka sure to appeal to those who loved Ranger’s Apprentice. Rowan of Rin by Emily Rodda and Redwall by Brian Jacques are both classic fantasy series which have been loved by young readers for decades. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer and Nevermoor by Jessica Townsend are newer additions to children’s fantasy with interesting characters that kids will love.

Rowan of Rin / Rodda, Emily
“Rowan sets out to solve a riddle and save his home” (Catalogue)
Redwall / Jacques, Brian
“To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Brian Jacques “New York Times” bestselling first book of his Redwall saga, the book that started it all is now available in this gorgeous slipcased edition. Illustrations.” (Catalogue)
Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl / Colfer, Eoin
“No human being had ever got the better of a fairy, but twelve-year old Artemis Fowl, a criminal genius, is determined to get hold of the famous fairy gold and put his brilliant master plan into action. But these are no ordinary fairies.” (Catalogue)
Nevermoor : the trials of Morrigan Crow / Townsend, Jessica
“Morrigan Crow is cursed, doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday. But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange man named Jupiter North appears. He whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass four difficult and dangerous trials — or she’ll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Older Kids:

If you’re on the older side and looking for a great read with Ranger’s Apprentice vibes then read on! For more old-timey fantasy adventures, then adopted Kiwi classic The Hobbit, or the Beka Cooper series by Tamora Pierce are excellent choices. If you want fantasy/magic/self-discovery with a more modern setting then The Left-Handed Booksellers of London is an awesome read, as is the “utopian” Scythe by Neal Shusterman.

The Hobbit : or There and back again / Tolkien, J. R. R.
“This classic children’s tale introduces readers to the world of Lord of the Rings as well as Hobbits, eleves, dwarves and dragons. Artist Jemima Catlin’s charming and lively interpretation brings Tolkien’s beloved characters to life in a way that will entice and entertain a new generation of readers.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
The left-handed booksellers of London / Nix, Garth
“Eighteen-year-old art student Susan Arkshaw arrives in London in search of her father. However, a chance encounter with Merlin catapults her into a world of secret societies, magic, and more than a few books. Susan and Merlin become involved in an urgent task to recover the grail that is the source of the left-handed booksellers’ power, before it is used to destroy the booksellers and rouse the hordes of the mythic past.” (Adapted from Catalogue)
Scythe / Shusterman, Neal
“In a world where humanity has conquered death and disease, the only way to die is to be gleaned by a scythe. Rowan and Citra have no interest in joining this world, but when they are chosen as apprentices by a scythe, they have little choice. As their training progresses, Rowan and Citra learn more about the many problems facing scythes and what they discover may have deadly consequences.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Terrier / Pierce, Tamora
“Pierce begins a new Tortall trilogy introducing Beka Cooper, an amazing young woman who lived 200 years before Pierce’s popular Alanna character. Beka grows throughout the trilogy from an eager apprentice to a capable and confident leader.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

We hope you’ve enjoyed these Ranger’s Apprentice recommendations as much as we enjoyed researching them, just remember not to joust or shoot arrows (unless it’s at targets) in real life! Catch you again next time for recommendations on a classic children’s series which follows the seriously unfortunate lives of three siblings.

What Comes Next? Wings of Fire

Grace Hancox

One of the most difficult things for parents is finding a good pukapuka for their child who has just finished an incredible series that kept them hooked for weeks (or perhaps more realistically, a few hours!) Well, the library has got you covered! Last month in our blog, What comes next? Diary of a Wimpy Kid, we looked at some comedy gold for kids and teens alike with lots of relatable characters and laugh-out-loud stories. Now, we turn to fantasy as we recommend what to read after finishing Wings of Fire by Tui T. Sutherland.

Tui T Sutherland’s Wings of Fire series is immensely popular with tamariki — set in a fantasy world with dragons, prophecies and plenty of action, it’s easy to see why kids keep coming back for more. Wings of Fire currently has fifteen books, divided into three story arcs of five books each. There is also a super cool graphic novel adaptation of the first six books, so if you have a tamaiti who prefers comics or graphic novels, then that is a great way of introducing them to lots of awesome stories in a different format to traditional books. Anyway, let’s get to the important bit, here are our recommendations for what to read next after Wings of Fire.

Younger Kids:

If you’re looking for more awesome children’s fantasy then we have got you covered. For more pukapuka with dragons check out The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O’Neill, which is perfect for tamariki who enjoyed the graphic novel version of Wings of Fire, or How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell which is simply awesome.  If you’re after more fantasy with far less dragons, then check out The Keeper of the Lost Cities series by Shannon Messenger or Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

Keeper of the lost cities / Messenger, Shannon
“At age twelve, Sophie learns that the remarkable abilities that have always caused her to stand out identify her as an elf, and after being brought to Eternalia to hone her skills, discovers that she has secrets buried in her memory for which some would kill.” (Catalogue)

The Tea Dragon Society / O’Neill, Katie
“After discovering a lost Tea Dragon in the marketplace, apprentice blacksmith Greta learns about the dying art form of Tea Dragon caretaking from the kind tea shop owners.” (Catalogue)

Inkheart / Funke, Cornelia
“Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living, can “read” fictional characters to life when one of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service.” (Catalogue)
How to train your dragon / Cowell, Cressida
“Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon.” (Catalogue)

Older Kids:

If you’re on the older side and looking for the next good thing after Wings of Fire then Eragon has dragons galore, as does the Dragonkeeper series by Aussie author Carole Wilkinson. If you want fantasy but need a break from the dragons then check out Tempests and Slaughter by Tamora Pierce (and honestly anything else by her, she’s pretty awesome) or the His Dark Materials series by Philip Pullman (you may recognize the first book as the inspiration for the Golden Compass film).

Eragon / Paolini, Christopher
“In Aagaesia, a fifteen-year-old boy of unknown lineage called Eragon finds a mysterious stone that weaves his life into an intricate tapestry of destiny, magic, and power, peopled with dragons, elves, and monsters.” (Catalogue)
Tempests and slaughter : a Tortall legend / Pierce, Tamora
“Arram Draper, Varice Kingsford, and Ozorne Tasikhe forge a bond of friendship that sees them through many changes as student mages at Imperial University of Carthak.” (Catalogue)
Dragonkeeper / Wilkinson, Carole
“Ancient China, Han Dynasty. A slave girl saves the life of an ageing dragon and escapes her brutal master. Pursued by a ruthless dragon hunter, the dragon and the girl cross China carrying with them a mysterious stone that must be protected. Suggested level: intermediate, junior secondary.” (Catalogue)

Northern lights / Pullman, Philip
“Lyra Belacqua and her animal daemon live half-wild and carefree among scholars of Jordan College, Oxford. The destiny that awaits her will take her to the frozen lands of the Arctic, where witch-clans reign and ice-bears fight. Her extraordinary journey will have immeasurable consequences far beyond her own world…” (Catalogue)

Doing this blog has also made us think maybe we should do a whole blog post just about dragons… something for another time perhaps. Catch you next time with more pukapuka recommendations for what to read after a series featuring archers, knights and royalty on a fantastic adventure.

What Comes Next? Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Grace Hancox

One of the most difficult things for parents is finding a good pukapuka for their child who has just finished an incredible series that kept them hooked for weeks (or perhaps more realistically, a few hours!) The library has got you covered! Last month, in our blog What comes next? Percy Jackson and the Olympians, we looked at some action-packed titles with incredible world building and influences from different cultures! This time around we recommend what to read after finishing Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a great series for young readers that really captures the weird and whacky nature of middle school (for us non-Americans, that’s like intermediate here in Aotearoa). Greg Heffley has a lot of lessons to learn throughout the series, and he is certainly relatable for many tamariki figuring out where they fit in. Luckily there are lots of books in the series, but once you’ve devoured them all it’s hard to find the next good thing. So, without further ado, here are our picks for what to read after Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

Younger Kids:

If you’re looking for more middle school hijinks then Dork Diaries or Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life are sure to take your fancy, or if you’re after the humour of Jeff Kinney in a different setting, then check out the Long-Lost Secret Diary series by Tim Collins or the Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths.

Tales from a NOT-SO fabulous life / Russell, Rachel Renée
“Fourteen-year-old Nikki Maxwell writes in her diary of her struggle to be popular at her exclusive new private school, then of finding her place after she gives up on being part of the elite group.” (Catalogue)

 


Middle school, the worst years of my life / Patterson, James
“When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, “Leo the Silent,” to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school’s code of conduct.” (Catalogue)


The long-lost secret diary of the world’s worst dinosaur hunter / Collins, Tim
“Anne is a 14-year-old girl in Victorian England obsessed with collecting dinosaur fossils and frustrated by the lack of respect she gets from male scientists. Seizing the opportunity to search for fossils in the USA, she finds herself being sucked into the notorious Bone Wars, a rivalry between American professors wanting to be the first to make new discoveries by whatever means necessary. (Adapted from Catalogue)


The 13-storey treehouse / Griffiths, Andy
“Andy and Terry’s 13-storey treehouse is the most amazing treehouse in the world! It’s got a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a tank full of man-eating sharks, a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you’re hungry. Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!” (Catalogue)

Older Kids:

For tamariki on the older side looking for a Young Adult book with the same vibe as Diary of a Wimpy Kid then check out Not my Problem, the comedy-sci-fi classic Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, or the Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. All of these books have the comedy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, with slightly older kid problems!

Not my problem / Smyth, Ciara
“When Aideen agrees to help class swot Maebh deal with her crazy workload, she doesn’t expect to end up reluctantly pushing Maebh down the stairs. Aideen becomes the school ‘fixer’: any problem a student has, Aideen will sort it out, from stealing confiscated mobiles to breaking into parties. But Aideen’s own life is a mess and after spending more time with the uptight Maebh and chatterbox Kavi, Aideen starts to wonder: can every problem be solved?” (Adapted from Catalogue)


The absolutely true diary of a part-time Indian / Alexie, Sherman
“Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.” (Catalogue)


The hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy : a trilogy in four parts / Adams, Douglas
“A one-volume edition charting Arthur Dent’s odyssey through space in the first four titles in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series.” (Catalogue)
Catch you next time for more pukapuka recommendations… the next set might just have something to do with dragon scales and fire breath!