Month: November 2025

Discover the unique ways children across the world celebrate Christmas in this captivating festive guide with 144 flaps to open.

This fact-packed around-the-world adventure is designed to be revisited year after year in the lead-up to Christmas, reminding readers all about the value of other cultures and the importance of accepting differences.

Each striking two-page spread covers the traditional Christmas foods, decorations and symbols of 10 different countries, complete with warm and merry illustrations to get readers ready for this wonderful celebration of love, harmony and goodwill to all.

On this fascinating, festive journey across continents:
 Visit a Christmas market in Germany

• In Italy, have a feast of seven fishes on Christmas Eve
• Hang out stockings on Christmas Eve in the UK
• Go to a special Christmas Ganna procession in Ethiopia
• In France, put your shoes by the fire and open your presents on Christmas Eve
• Go to a St Lucia’s day procession and have a smorgasbord on Julafton in Norway
• Be dazzled by the Nochebuena light displays in the Philippines
• In India, go to midnight mass and prepare a special Christmas Biryani with spices and nuts
• …and have a BBQ in the sunshine in Australia!
• Whether it’s discovering the magic of Yule in Scandinavia, the colourful Pinatas of Mexico, or the time-honoured rituals of Ethiopia, this Christmas journey is a heart-warming reminder of the universal joy and togetherness that Christmas embodies around the globe. Get ready to lift the flaps and be transported into a world of festive wonder, spreading the holiday spirit far and wide.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

Drawing is not very different from riding a bicycle, whistling, or cooking a tortilla: learning any of these things just takes a little practice and a sense of humour.

For example, to draw an elephant, you start with a teapot. Next add eyes and tusks, finish with a tail and four legs . . . ta-da, you’ve got your elephant! And how do you draw a horse? First, draw an elephant.

Start with a Teapot is utmost nonsense and unarguable logic. How do you draw a snail, a stapler, a butterfly, a eukaryotic cell? How do you draw poop? Enric Lax inspires his readers to observe, transform, tell stories and make mistakes—that’s how to draw.

Enric Lax studied illustration in Barcelona and later the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna. His work has been exhibited in Catalonia and Belgium.

Born in Catalonia, Spain, he now lives in Brussels, where he teaches art.

Such a good idea and fascinating look at how to draw, and it does start with a teapot but finishes with a car!

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

Have you seen a bird today? Probably, unless you’re reading this in bed. Did you notice what was really interesting about that the bird? Investigating a bird is like solving a puzzle. To gather all the pieces, you look for clues: meet the omnibird.

An omnibird shares the basics of all birdlife: it was born from an egg, has feathers, two legs, a beak and gizzard, perhaps a premium feature like spurs or a curuncle. Knowing the omnibird gives you a case file of information to investigate any bird. You’ll be expert at finding extraordinary things around you, just by looking.

Omnibird investigates 18 common birds from habitats around the world—eagles, owls and seabirds, starlings, ducks and swans. Explore the incredible internal structure of bird bones, learn what a gizzard stone is for, find the fascinating in bird calls, bird poop, feathers, and flight patterns.

Giselle Clarkson is a freelance illustrator living in New Zealand. She illustrates beautiful books for children’s books, educational resources, commercial projects and more. Omnibird is also written by Giselle and gives an amazing wealth of information about all aspects of birds and how to find out more in a quirky and intriguing way.

Gecko Press is based in New Zealand and hand-picks books by some of the best writers and illustrators in the world—books of good heart and strong character, excellent in story, illustration and design. One of my favourite publishers, their books are amazing and just so readable!

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist