Explore our own backyard with this varied list of books by New Zealand authors. Our authors write from multiple perspectives, across all kinds of genres from contemporary, real-world fiction, to adventurous fantasy stories and grisly horrors; there’s something here for everyone. Many of these stories are award winning and internationally recognised.
This guide is roughly ordered by nice reads to gritty. A Christchurch City Libraries' list, perfect for your NCEA reading needs.
Alex Archer is an aspiring young athlete, training for the Olympics but she’s also trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be doing with the rest of her life. This book is set in the late 50’s and early 60’s but Alex’s struggles have…
Frankie is not-quite-a-kid and not-quite-a-teenager but he has all the worries of an old man. He keeps himself occupied with rather mundane things so he doesn't worry about the bigger things in the world. This is quite a realistic, but whimsical…
Niko’s koro is leading a protest in their small rural town to protect the sacred home of the taniwha against the building of a new prison. When Niko’s koro dies, it is up to him to unite his community to act as kaitiaki of their whenua. A gritty but…
Olivia Aroha Giles weaves a story about whakapapa and connections through the characters of Laurel and her mother Ana. They’ve been estranged for a while but when Laurel spends the summer in a remote location with her mother and begins to reconnect…
Maurice Gee tries his hand at dystopian, fantasy fiction and succeeds flawlessly. Gee’s world is divided into two by an invisible wall and one man keeps this wall up with the power of his mind alone, protecting those who live in peace from the war…
A historical fiction novel following “Harry”, a young woman sent from the Tasmanian penal colonies to help to set up the new colony of Auckland, New Zealand. An engaging read which explores survival, class, and injustice in the early days of…
This book brings Māori myths and legends into the real world; a New Zealand take for fans of Rick Riordan. Matiu Douglas stole a bone tiki from a tangi and now his father’s important new client wants it. He has some dangerous friends and seems…
The perfect combination of romance, magic within the well-known backdrop of New Zealand's Fox Glacier. Tim Te Maro and Elliott Parker must put their animosity aside to raise their magic egg-baby and pass their assignment. Tim can't stand Elliott's…
A sci-fi fantasy adventure which has drawn comparisons to The Hunger Games and Divergent, however managed a fresh new perspective intertwines with te ao Māori! Farah and Lase are two of many training at the Western Wānanga, learning to save their…
The first book in this highly celebrated series takes us back in time to 1920’s Shanghai, where heir of the Scarlet Gang, Juliette Cai, must put grudges aside to help her people survive. There are worse things lurking in the shadows than her rival…
Three friends named Sophie, one terrible secret. As Sophie MacKenzie confides to her diary about the disappearance of her friend Sophie Abercrombie, the lies start to unravel around what happened to the pretty Sophie who was last seen kissing her…
Elevating YA New Zealand fiction, Steph Matuku brings an engaging and culturally diverse tale to our shelves. Sixteen year old twins Tui and Kae must travel into the Rarohenga to find their mother, who is enchanted to forget who she is. A fantastic…
A gripping story of Phil, who is losing his father and only has his dog, Blue, left to care for. But one day, something goes horribly wrong and Phil must rescue all that matters to him deep in the rural landscape of New Zealand. A heart-wrenching…
Ricky is fifteen and lives in Aspiring where he’s feeling a bit stuck. He has a job in a café and he’s on the basketball team; there’s even a girl showing interest in him. But his family is dealing with tragedy and he’s trying to figure it all out.…
18-year-old Grace is struggling with a feeling of disconnection to her Asian heritage, while reeling from destabilising events, from her dysfunctional relationship with her mother, to the reappearance of a long-lost best friend. A story of love,…
Jasper is 14 and worries about everything. He doesn’t know how to handle his anger, or his grief at the losses of those around him. It is a very authentic expression of teenage mental health struggles, and Jasper’s internal voice makes it not only…
Nominated for the New Zealand Book Awards Young Adult Fiction award, this collection of short stories puts the voices of Polynesian woman in the forefront, giving insight into what it means to be a contemporary Polynesian woman. An emotional,…
Jordan’s struggling to keep his little sister Tabitha cared for while hiding from the world the fact that their mother has a severe hoarding disorder. When Jordan is forced to, he must choose to let people into the mess that defines their lives. A…
A return to New Zealand to look after her unwell father leaves Emily Kirkland recollecting the disappearance of her neighbour 25 years ago. Leah Parata went on a tramp in 1994 and left no trace of what happened to her. An intricately plotted story…
A beautifully written but painful story about 17-year-old Caleb as he is gripped with his mental illness. The novel treats the internal and external struggles which many teenagers face with empathy and authenticity. You will likely be in tears by…
