An early Maurice Gee story has just been reissued: a cracker of a tale for kids, first published in 1979, called Under the Mountain. It’s aimed at 8 to 12 year olds and, according to the Herald, still resonates as a finely crafted piece of work:

Under the Mountain is a well-written, well-paced thriller that will send a chill down the reader's spine…

Young readers might also enjoy William Taylor’s Albert, illustrated by Ross Kinnaird. It’s a book with a "comic flavour" about a cat.

Taylor has previously won the Esther Glen Award (offered annually by the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa), recognising the most distinguished contribution to literature for children.