.
Cowshed Christmas by Joy Cowley with illustrations by Gavin Bishop

All the farmyard animals, the jersey cow, the collie dog, bantam hens, sheep with lambs, ducks, kune kune pigs and even a ginger cat all go to the cowshed door. They all come bearing true kiwi gifts like a pavlova, a rugby ball, jandals and a kiwi toy. Each is for a very special person, the baby Jesus.

This is the Christmas story told not only with a New Zealand flavour but featuring animals of a farm, each bringing a distinctively New Zealand gift. It is a delightful book for young readers with repetitive text that could easily be sung, complimented by Gavin Bishop’s large pictures with things that young children can look for and identify.

RRP $24.99
Published and distributed by Random House New Zealand
 

>> Back to Book Search <<

.
The Fierce Little Woman And The Wicked Pirate by Joy Cowley with illustrations by Sarah Davis

This is the delightfully entertaining story of a fierce little woman who lives alone on the end of a jetty. She leads an idyllic life, knitting socks to sell to the fishermen, swimming in summer, fishing from her house in winter and sometimes playing bagpipes to the seagulls.

Then one day her tranquil life is shattered by a persistent and wicked pirate who wants her to let him into her house. Why could he possibly want to enter her house? And what will happen if and when he enters?

The result is a fun and non-stereotypical love story featuring a strong female character and a pirate, so will no doubt appeal to both boys and girls over three. It especially makes good bed-time reading. The story also shows that you can’t always judge a book by its cover and sometimes people can be completely different from what you expect when you first meet them. The illustrations perfectly capture the story and the feelings of both the pirate and the little woman, making the story really come alive.

RRP $19.99 (paperback) or $32.99 (Hardcover)
Published by Gecko Press

.
Friends Snake and Lizard by Joy Cowley with illustrations by Gavin Bishop

Snake and Lizard are more than just friends, they are business partners, they are helpers. That means that they help other creatures living in the desert. Each chapter shows what is meant by an enduring friendship. They might disagree, have arguments, trick each other and be very different but they remain friends through everything. Even when one says something that brings bad memories or hurts the other, their friendship remains strong, and like all good friends they forgive each other.

This book offers children good messages on what friendship means through highly entertaining stories. Each chapter contains a twist and is a story within a story. As the book progresses, some of the tricks they play on each other backfire and we see both main characters grow because of their friendship. Joy Cowley also shows that she has thought a lot about how animals might see the world, with roads described as rivers of death, and vehicles seen as weird monsters that eat humans. The small, yet detailed and colourful illustrations add to the story and help explain the story. It makes an entertaining and thought provoking book for those six and older.

RRP $29.99 (Hardcover) or $19.99 (paperback)
Published by Gecko Press

.
Just One More by Joy Cowley with illustrations by Gavin Bishop

Another book that lives up to its name, Just One More is filled with delightful stories from the pen of Joy Cowley, that will have children asking "Just one more, please?"

Whether reading the stories themselves or having these short stories read to them, these enchanting tales will delight and entertain children. The story length makes them just right for reading at bedtime, while the messages behind the story can provide worthwhile discussion at school or pre-school.

In all, Just One More contains seventeen funny and varied child centred stories accompanied by some wonderful colour illustrations. The stories will capture children's imaginations and also show them things like why it is not always a good idea to look for a bargain, why it is important to listen carefully to everything someone tells you and why it is not a good idea to keep a grumpysaurus in the house.

RRP $22.99 (Paperback) or $32.99 (Hardcover)
Published by Gecko Press

.
Robby and Hoot by Joy Cowley with illustrations by Phillip Fickling

This book starts with a robotic teacher telling a class of robots a story of enduring friendship, the story of Robby and Hoot. Robby the robot had lost one of his toes but he was an old model, so the shops didn't stock toes like his anymore.

He was therefore sent to a junkyard, where his hunt for a toe turned into a rescue mission, when he saw a brave blue car trying to avoid being crushed and turned into scrap. The two work together and freedom is in sight, but when the junkyard gates are closed, can the pair avoid the crusher, a swarm of security drones and a crane.

The story is told with a charming rhyme, and detailed, imaginative illustrations, which will particularly capture the interest of young boys who love machinery. The book comes with pop-out shapes and shows how friends help each other with their problems. There are also plenty of twists to hold a young reader's interest.

RRP $19.99
Published and distributed by Penguin Group under the Puffin title

Stories of The Wild West Gang by Joy Cowley

Michael's cousins, the West family are everything he is not allowed to be at home. They are noisy, crazy and very messy. Wherever the Wild West Gang goes, adventure is not far behind and it is always the type of adventure you don't want your parents to know about.

These ten delightful stories of Michael, the son of two parents who don't seem to like him having fun, and his cousins, whose parents have completely the opposite view. The West's days are packed with picnics, pandemonium and mayhem without a computer or electronic toy in sight.

This book will be particularly popular with boys over ten. It provides great laughs for newly confident readers, although I suspect adults will enjoy reading the book to their children too.

RRP $29.99
Published by Gecko Press

>> Back to Book Search <<