Best of 2023: Children's Nonfiction Books about Language, Poetry and Stories - Christchurch City LibrariesLike this list

50 items

• How to Write a Poem

  Alexander, Kwame

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  In this evocative and playful companion to their best-selling picture book How to Read a Book, Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander teams up with poet Deanna Nikaido and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet to celebrate the magic of discovering…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Ancient Night

  Álvarez Hernández, David Daniel

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  Ancient Night is a twist on two Nahuatl traditions: the rabbit which the Feathered Serpent placed on the moon, and Yaushu, the Lord Opossum who ruled the earth before humans came, and who stole fire from the gods to create the sun.

• Words of Wonder From Z to A

  Avant-garde, Zaila

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  When 14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde became the first Black American student to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2021, the world took notice. Now, this extraordinary speller, writer, and basketball champ celebrates the world of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Arthur Who Wrote Sherlock

  Bailey, Linda, 1948-

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  The fascinating true story of the inspiring writer Arthur Conan Doyle, and how he created the world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, is brought to life for children.

• Legends of Norse Mythology

  Birkett, Tom

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  Legends of Norse Mythology is afully illustrated anthology of Norse gods, giants, monsters and heroes retold anew. Featuring beautiful and otherworldly portraits of mythological character.

• Matariki

  Bishop, Gavin, 1946-

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  This bilingual board book for young children shares the meaning behind each star in the Matariki cluster.

• Lore of the Stars

  Folklore & Wisdom From the Skies Above

  Cock-Starkey, Claire

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  A mystically illustrated treasury of folklore.

• Courage Out Loud

  25 Poems of Power

  Coelho, Joseph

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  From the fantastic duo behind Poems Aloud and Smile Out Loud comes another compendium of 25 original confidence-building poems to read out loud which will show children that their voice has FANTASTIC power.

• Poetry Prompts

  All Sorts of Ways to Start a Poem

  Coelho, Joseph

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  Each fun and engaging prompt for writing a poem helps children discover how to write poems and then read them out loud.

• The Wheel of the Year

  An Illustrated Guide to Nature's Rhythms

  Cook, Fiona (Writer)

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  A beautifully illustrated, interactive guide to ancient, nature-based holidays and customs.

• Out There in the Wild

  Poems on Nature

  Davies, Nicola, 1958-

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  A stunning poetry book celebrating the natural world.

• Terra Ultima

  the Discovery of a Hidden Continent

  Deleo, Raoul, 1968-

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  This extraordinarily illustrated book documents the strange new world of Terra Ultima for the very first time.

• Roots of Happiness

  Dent, Susie

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  Susie Dent highlights 100 joyful and often unknown words and phrases from our language (and other languages from around the world).

• Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

  Frost, Robert, 1874-1963

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  An exquisite picture book based on Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" illustrated by master artist, P. J. Lynch.

• Animal Tales From India

  Ten Stories From the Panchatantra

  Gill, Nikita

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  A stunningly illustrated book of ancient Indian fables, retold by bestselling poet Nikita Gill.

• Who's Who and What's Where in the Treehouse

  Griffiths, Andy, 1961-

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  The hotly anticipated, must-have Treehouse compendium for fans of all ages.

• The Harry Potter Wizarding Almanac

  the Official Magical Companion to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Books

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  The only official companion to the Harry Potter stories - the ultimate compendium of wizarding lists, charts, maps and all things magical.

• A Natural History of Magical Beasts

  From the Notebook of Dr. Dimitros Pagonis

  Hawkins, Emily

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  This gorgeous volume is filled with beautiful illustrations and precise notes detailing the secret lives of magical beasts.

• A Is for Bee

  An Alphabet Book in Translation

  Heck, Ellen

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  Come and explore the gorgeous variations in the ways we talk about familiar things, unified and illuminated through Ellen Heck's eye-catching, graphic scratchboard details and hidden letterforms.

• Ngā Atua

  Māori Gods

  Kahukiwa, Robyn, 1938-2025

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  Bilingual edition.