I was lucky enough to spend a couple of beautiful sunny days in the capital last week visting bookstores and other favourite spots. There are signed copies of PEKAPEKA at Whitcoulls on Lampton Quay and Unity Books Wellington🦇😀 @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Wow, what an incredible night at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults! 🤩Thank you to the judges and everyone involved behind the scenes. It was such an honour to have been a finalist. 🦉 @steamteambooks.bsky.social #steam #kidlit

What a lovely surprise today to receive my author copies of this article about penguins - yes, sphenisciformes are penguins 🐧 in Orbit, The School Magazine! 😀 @steamteambooks.bsky.social

On this dreary winter's day, I'm feeling grateful because I have not one, not two, but three beautiful picture books out in the world. 🤩 Hard to believe, but wonderful. 🦎🦉🦇#nedbarraud #scholasticnz #kidlit #STEM @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Look at this awesome Kids’ Reading Guide from NZ Booksellers! It’s packed full of gorgeous books. I’m so pleased to see PEKAPEKA Secret Forest Bat included 🦇 … and there’s RURU Night Hunter amongst the NZCYA finalists! #NZCYA

Spotted PEKAPEKA Secret Forest Bat at Time Out Bookstore in Maungawhau Mt Eden and they also had RURU and TUATARA in stock. ❤️ Independent bookstores. #STEM #bats #kidlit #NedBarraud #Scholasticnz @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Delighted to talk about our very special bats (pekapeka) on The Picture Book Buzz and thank you @mmarshallauthor.bsky.social for the lovely review! 🦇@steamteambooks.bsky.social #bats #kidlit #STEM Read it here: www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/...

Delighted to talk about our very special bats (pekapeka) on The Picture Book Buzz and thank you @mmarshallauthor.bsky.social for the lovely review! 🦇@steamteambooks.bsky.social #bats #kidlit #STEM Read it here: www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/...

popped into the mall during a rain shower and was delighted to see our new book ‘PEKAPEKA Secret Forest Bat’ on end display alongside other local 📚 including Ned Barraud’s ‘At Home on the Farm.’ #ScholasticNZ #bats #STEM #kidlit @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Congratulations, Katie! New interview on Naturally Speaking. @steamteambooks.bsky.social #STEAM #picturebook nancycastaldonaturespeak.blogspot.com/2025/07/cong...

Discover @katiefurze.bsky.social's inspiration for her stunning new nonfiction PB & learn about New Zealand's Pekapeka, Secret Forest Bat. www.mariacmarshall.com/single-post/... Ned Barraud Scholastic NZ #interview #kidlit #bats

🦇 PUBLICATION DAY! 🦇 PEKAPEKA Secret Forest Bat is zip, zap, zooming into bookstores this week! I'm so grateful to everyone who helped in bringing PEKAPEKA to life: Illustrations by Ned Barraud are AMAZING 🤩 Published by Scholastic New Zealand. 🤸😁 @steamteambooks.bsky.social #stem #bats #kidlit

Stoked that Spotify has picked The Grimmelings as a ‘Best of 2025’ (so far) audiobook! You can listen to it free if you have a premium account. open.spotify.com/genre/0JQ5DA...

Unboxing our new book PEKAPEKA Secret Forest Bat 🦇 PEKAPEKA will be in bookstores next week! @steamteambooks.bsky.social #nedbarraud #scholasticnz #bats #STEM #kidlit

Flying your way July 1!

Look what I found on my doorstep during a break in the rain ... it's my advance copy of our new book PEKAPEKA Secret Forest Bat! I'm so pleased to be holding this in my hands. It will be available in bookstores from 1 July. 🦇🌟🌜#bats #STEM #nedbarraud @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Delighted to see our new book PEKAPEKA featured in the Booksellers Aotearoa NZ Kid’s Winter Reading Guide alongside these other lovely pukapuka! #Nedbarraud 🤩🦇#scholasticnz @steamteambooks.bsky.social

SCBWI Members! Be on the lookout for these STEAM Team titles as you vote in round one of the Crystal Kite Awards. We think they're pretty spectacular! @scbwi.bsky.social #scbwi #crystalkiteaward #awardwinningbooks

Nonfiction picture books nominated for the Crystal Kite Awards! First round voting has begun. Please vote for your favorites. Supporting nonfiction. @katiefurze.bsky.social @steamteambooks.bsky.social @sarahalbee.bsky.social @melissastewart.bsky.social

Absolutely delighted our book RURU, Night Hunter is a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults! Such an honour to be selected & grateful to all who have helped on Ruru's journey so far. #Nedbarraud #ScholasicNZ #NZCYA #booksalive @steamteambooks.bsky.social

I had a fun day yesterday at Te Uho o te Nikau Primary School reading our books 📚 and speaking with many enthusiastic tamariki about #tuatara and #ruru #readnz 🦉🦎

🌙🦇🌟COVER REVEAL! 🌟🦇🌙 I'm over the moon to be sharing the cover of our new non-fiction picture book, PEKAPEKA: SECRET FOREST BAT with words by me and illustrations by Ned Barraud. PEKAPEKA: SECRET FOREST BAT will be zip, zap, zooming into booksellers on 1 July. @steamteambooks.bsky.social

🌙🦇🌟COVER REVEAL! 🌟🦇🌙 I'm over the moon to be sharing the cover of our new non-fiction picture book, PEKAPEKA: SECRET FOREST BAT with words by me and illustrations by Ned Barraud. PEKAPEKA: SECRET FOREST BAT will be zip, zap, zooming into booksellers on 1 July. @steamteambooks.bsky.social

A lovely treat arrived today - the Scholastic New Zealand Book Club 2025 calendar with RURU featured in August! 🤩🦉So many gorgeous pukapuka as I flick through the year - amazing to be included😻😁 @steamteambooks.bsky.social #kidlit #STEAM

Ruru street art, Rotorua ❤️🦉

Papamoa sunset 31 December 2024. Happy New Year Everyone 😍

Meri kirihimete everyone!🎄 Found the ruru family roosting in our neighbour’s avocado tree this morning. That’s mum in the middle with a youngster on each side. Dad is nearby distracting the day birds. Heartwarming to watch these lovely owls care for and protect their young. 🦉🥰

Just look at this cute little Ruru 🥰 Such a lovely surprise to see him/her staring up at us from the back wall. This spot is less than 1m off the ground though, so hoping it’s parents can coax it to higher perch soon. 🦉❤️ 🐈‍⬛

Two baby Ruru hanging out above the neighbour’s compost bin. 🪱🪳🕷️🦗🐜 I bet this is a great spot for snacks but I hope they can fly up to a safer place soon. 🐈‍⬛ Both parents are perched in the tree above keeping watch. 👀🦉

Hurray! My author copies of Blast Off Nov 2024 have arrived! Delighted to see ‘Tuatara Not a Lizard!’ in print with gorgeous artwork by Lesley McGee and very cool photos. 🦎 Thank you the School Magazine. #tuatara #kidlit #STEM @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Congrats to STEAMTeam Members @sarahalbee.bsky.social, Jonathan Roth, @bandersonwriter.bsky.social, and @lesliebarnardbooth.bsky.social on having their #picturebooks listed as Kirkus Best Picture Books of 2024! Don't miss these incredible books! #stemforkds #nfforkids #kirkusreview

What a lovely surprise to find RURU peeking out from the pages of the latest NZ Listener! So many incredible reads in this list of 50 best children’s and young adults books in 2024 - grateful to be included. 🤩🦉❤️ @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Delighted to see RURU featured in this awesome NZ Summer Reading Guide from Kete Books! So many incredible Kiwi reads in this guide for little people and big people - check it out at www.ketebooks.co.nz/en/reading-l... @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Australian & New Zealand Children’s Authors & Illustrators Starter Pack here. Who are we missing? go.bsky.app/A8FQYkx

Love spotting our books in the wild! 🦉🦎 RURU at the massive Whitcoulls on Lambdon Quay in Wellington and RURU and TUATARA at Whitcoulls in Newmarket, in Auckland. And yes, it’s been a v. busy weekend. 🤣 @steamteambooks.bsky.social #kidlit

Delighted to receive this thoughtful review from Angela Thompson, Library Lead Teacher, Remarkables Primary School, Queenstown! 😄🦉🌙✨ You can read the full review here: read-nz.org/school-libra... #STEAM #kidlit @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Look what's drifting into bookstores for the month of November! Congratulations to STEAM Team authors Donna, McKinney, @suzannelipshaw.bsky.social, @authorlauragehl.bsky.social, and @jenswanbooks.bsky.social!

Ooh look 👀 two RURU peeking out from the shelf! 🦉Love finding our pukapuka on display. ❤️ @steamteambooks.bsky.social #kidlit #STEM

So grateful to receive this wonderful review! 🦉🌜✨ #kidlit #STEAM @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Our latest book RURU NIGHT HUNTER has been receiving such wonderful reviews! 🦉🌜💫I'm so grateful. 🤸Here's one of my favourites. @steamteambooks.bsky.social #nedbarraud #scholasticnz

130-year-old Henry #tuatara makes headlines around the world again. Very pleased to hear he's doing well in his new digs! @steamteambooks.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/world/2024/s...

Such a delight to speak with year four students about #tuatara and #ruru at St Cuthbert’s Junior School on Friday! #stem #kidlit @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Congrats STEAM Team author @meganclendenan.bsky.social on this tasty new book!

Here’s a sneak peak into the wonders of a hidden hero below Yellowstone National Park—The Super Volcano! 🌋 @steamteambooks.bsky.social #YellowstoneNationalPark #STEM #STEAM #volcano www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjod...

Last day to vote. Go Ruru go!

Happy Birthday to STARLIGHT SYMPHONY! I'm grateful to celebrate with my SCBWIMichigan friends. scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2024/09/book... @steamteambooks.bsky.social @lernerbooks.bsky.social

Big congrats to STEAM Team author @lauriethompson.bsky.social and illustrator Adriana Predoi on the release of Let the Light In, published by Worthy Kids. #SteamTeamBooks #picturebook #sel #edusky

Vote for Bird of the Year! Check out the magnificent manu at www.birdoftheyear.org.nz and choose your five favourites. #ruru @steamteambooks.bsky.social

Today is National Wildlife Day - a day to raise awareness about endangered species and conservation efforts around the world. Participate in an event! Learn more about conservation efforts near you. Go on a wildlife walk! Or read a www.steamteambooks.com book! #kidlit #librarians #teachers #animals

Voting opened this morning! Check out all the wonderful and well deserving candidates. My no. 1 vote goes to Ruru of course. www.birdoftheyear.org.nz