Following a successful event in the author’s home town of
Wellington, the Auckland launch of timely children’s book Anzac Day: The New Zealand Story – what it is and why it matters by Philippa Werry was celebrated at the National Library in Parnell, Auckland, on Monday
8th April.
With the evening sun streaming through the glass windows
on the top floor of the National Library – the first evening after the
weekend’s change of the clocks – an intimate and bustling crowd of Philippa’s
Auckland ‘whānau’,
old friends and key figures in children’s literature eagerly gathered to hear
more about her newly released book.
Fellow New Holland children’s author Maria Gill opened
proceedings with an introduction to the book, Anzac Day: The New Zealand Story was put in to the context of a prolific
career – Philippa Werry has had three children's novels published, as well as a
number of chapter books and beginning readers, many plays, poems, stories and
articles for the School Journal and other educational publications.
Philippa spoke about her personal connections to the Great
Wars and what had inspired her to write Anzac
Day: The New Zealand Story, which in terms of sales and excitable comments
from readers, parents and grandparents has proved that her book has hit the
right note. Daughter Charlotte Werry
sampled some excerpts from the book, giving the audience a taster for the
content and style of the new book.
John Graham from Paper Plus Glenfield was very pleased to
have sold every last copy (and orders taken) with many guests citing that they
were purchasing multiple copies for grandchildren.
Philippa Werry has spoken to a number of high profile
media in Auckland and Wellington, as she encourages us all about the importance
of engaging young people in our history and the events that have shaped New
Zealand as a nation.
Anzac Day: The New Zealand Story – what it is and why it matters by
Philippa Werry, published by New Holland publishers, RRP $24.99, published
March 2013, paperback, 265 x 210 mm, 64 pages
Age: 8–14
To view Philippa’s video, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBwfTBmW--Q
Storylines and
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards
New Holland Publishers were also able to share fellow
author Maria Gill’s success during the launch event as her book Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes
received a Storylines Notable Book 2013 award for non-fiction at the Margaret
Mahy day over the weekend. A second New
Holland publication Kiwi: the real story,
by Annemarie Florian and illustrated by Heather Hunt also collected a non-fiction
award– reinforcing the strength of the New Holland children’s list, with two
books receiving this accolade out of a total of six in the non-fiction
category. Kiwi: the real story has
also recently been named as a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children’s Book
Awards.
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