Welcome to the Stay Home Book Club
The Stay Home Book Club is a new online reading challenge from Read NZ Te Pou Muramura. We want to help Kiwi kids explore new and familiar stories during this stay-home time. Children aged 5-14 are invited to register for free and choose their team to play for. Each team is named after a native bird. Spot prizes of Booksellers Tokens are up for grabs, and a special book prize for the top player of each team will also be awarded.
In recognition of the fact that it’s more difficult to buy or borrow new books during the Level 4 lockdown, there are various ways that children can log an entry.
They can choose from these options:
- Read a book they have already read
- Read a new book
- Listen to an audio or video story (see links below for some ideas)
- Take part in an online Writer in Schools session, library storytime, author activity (see links below) or similar
Upon logging an entry, players will be given a drop-down list of options to choose from. They will also need to tell us what they read or listened to.
Sign up for the Stay Home Book Club by registering at reading-challenge.org.nz
For reading tips and other information, click here.
We hope your child enjoys being part of the Stay Home Book Club. Please email us if you have any questions or concerns: accounts@read-nz.org
Free stories to read or listen to, from New Zealand authors and artists
For more ideas about e-resources including library information, click here.
For young children
Best of RNZ Storytime – a selection of audio stories for young listeners
Goodnight Kiwi clips – NZ children’s books read by well-known Kiwis
Paraweta (Poo Bum), by Stephanie Blake, read by Karena Kelly
Deano Yipadee live shows each day on Facebook
Swapna Haddow reads Little Rabbit’s Big Surprise
Ruth Paul reading some of her books on YouTube
Paula Green reads Aunt Concertina and her Niece Evalina
Storytime with Kyle Mewburn
Little Rabbit and the Sea, by Gavin Bishop, read by Ruth Paul
Snake and Lizard, by Joy Cowley and Gavin Bishop
The Longest Breakfast, by Jenny Bornholdt and Sarah Wilkins, read by Baz MacDonald
Grandad and the Three Greedy Goats by Clayson and Mike Howell
The Three Greedy Pigs and the Big Friendly Pig Dog by Clayson & Mike Howell
Moth by Holly Dunn
The Fire Fox by Mike Gwyther and Nester
What Are You Supposed To Be? by Paul Beavis
Mrs Mo’s Monster by Paul Beavis: the book and resources and Paul reading it
The Marae Visit by Rebecca Beyer and Linley Wellington, illustrated by Nikki Slade Robinson, read by Rebecca Beyer
Te Reo Singalong Books author, Sharon Holt, has created a site for children and teachers to use for free during the 4 weeks of lockdown.
My New Red Car by David Minty
Sarah Johnson reads her book The Spaghetti Giraffe (one chapter a day)
Down the Back of the Chair, written and read by Margaret Mahy
My Sloppy Tiger by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Peter Stevenson
Waiting for Goliath, by Antje Damm, read by Baz MacDonald
Tui Allen reads Captain Clancy the Flying Clothesline
Helen Fletcher and The Children’s Bookshop bring you a morning storytime
Alexandra Tylee reads If I was a Banana
Moa's Ark by Peter Millett, read by Lucy Hiku
Chris Lam Sam reads his book Inspector Brunswick - Case of the Missing Eyebrow
Storytime with the Walker Bear (a selection of stories by Walker Books Publishing)
University Book Shop Otago daily storytime sessions
Abigail and the Birth of the Sun- read along video
Rumpus at the Vet- read along video
Puffin Books Storytime – Charlie Changes into a Chicken, read aloud
Duffy Books Role Model Reading Corner - Tim Tipene and Jackie Clarke
Fairy Helen (Vivienne Fletcher) reads Bella's Fringe by Marie Munro
Fairy Helen (Vivienne Fletcher) reads Nana's Shed by Marie Munro
Christchurch City Libraries Wā Kōrero: Storytimes (lots of different stories being read here)
Sam Neill reads Slinky Malinkey by Lynley Dodd
Storytime with Baz at Vic Books (reading a selection of Gecko Press picture books)
Seeking an Aurora by Elizabeth Pulford: a video reading
Waimakariri Library's online storytime sessions for young children
Fifty-five Feathers by Ben Brown and Helen Taylor, read by Ben Brown
Wellington City Libraries bedtime story series (on Facebook)
For older children
The Taniwha of Wellington Harbour by Moira Wairama – audio story in te reo Māori or English
Poetry Box bubble time: Barbara Else reads from Go Girl
Paula Green reads her poem Anifables
Paula Green reads her poem Lick Lick Riff
He Paki Taonga i a Māui (Māui’s Taonga Tales): Whakapiri mai ki a Māui me āna paki taonga mā ngā tamariki mai i ngā kohinga taonga a Te Papa. (Join Māui as he shares stories for tamariki based on taonga from the Te Papa collection.)
Tūi Street Tales (select ‘read aloud’ in menu)
Kyle Mewburn’s Zombie Ponies of Fairweather Farm (free e-book download)
Free spooky ebooks by Sue Copsey (8-13 year olds)
Uncle Duncan’s Lockdown Storytime by Duncan Eddy
Peter Millett reads his book The Anzac Puppy
Funny stories by Raymond Huber
Cautionary Rhymes by Raymond Huber
Dave Armstrong reads Soldiers from The Curioseum
Weirdo – free ebook by young author Ben Spies
Suzy Cato reads Johnny Danger by Peter Millett. Listen to the first chapter here
Aroha’s Way by Craig Phillips
Free ebooks for junior readers (age 7 +) by Tom Bradley
Chapter-by-chapter video reading of Tessa Duder's Alex
Taika Waititi and friends read Roald Dahl's James and the Giant Peach
Other useful and fun resources
RNZ Storytime audio story selection
Ministry of Education's Wellbeing at Home resources
Greedy Cat shakes those lockdown blues (short video clip from Robyn Belton)
Playwright Holly Gooch’s creativity activities
Any Questions – a homework help website where students can chat with a real-life librarian
Creative resources from author and artist Fifi Colston
Swapna Haddow activities page
Clips for the Elastic Island book series by Karen McMillan
National Library of New Zealand teaching and learning resources
Craft activities from author and illustrator Vasanti Unka
Writing exercises by Anne Ingram
Selection of fun activities from Hachette Publishers
Discover Nature: activities and resources for children by author Gillian Candler
Selection of fun activities from Penguin Books
Duffy Books in Homes resource and activities page
Shorts in Schools Kit– a collection of NZ short films (aged 8-12)
Writing tips from author Ella West
Full performance of Donovan Bixley’s 2019 concert with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra. A fun and enlightening concert, based on his illustrated biography Mozart The Man Behind The Music.
Activities and free downloads from Donovan Bixley
A special creative writing classroom for teens, hosted by Wellington City Libraries (but open to teens anywhere in NZ)
NZ Writers Read: NZ Society of Authors YouTube channel where authors read their work
Karen McMillan's Elastic Island competition to have a character named after you in the next book!
Puffin Activity Packs for a variety of ages
Puffin the Architect colour and build Moose’s treehouse
Rufus and the Rain (book trailer by author Mark Laurent) and a song to match: All I Do
I Love Bugs printable search sheet (from OneTree House publishers)
Read First Chapters of some new NZ books
International ebooks and audio stories
International Children’s Digital Library
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Goodnight with Dolly storytime series
Cressida Cowell reads her book How to Train your Dragon on YouTube
American actors read children's books (Jennifer Garner's collection of more than 150 story videos)
StoryNory- audio story library for children
Littlest Listeners – free audiobooks from Audible
Free audio stories from author David Walliams
Elementary, Tween and Teen – free audiobooks from Audible
Oliver Jeffers’ Stay at Home Storytime readings on Facebook
Mac Barnett’s Book Club daily storytime on Instagram
Eddie Redmayne reads Zog by Julia Donaldson
Free ebook explaining the coronavirus to children, illustrated by Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler
Princess Eugenie reads Guess How Much I Love You
Sarah Ferguson's YouTube channel (with lots of story videos)
The Book of Hopes, edited by Katherine Rundell - free ebook with new children's stories and illustration by top authors
UK Book Trust - HomeTime activities