Older Books
Part 1

The Road to Ratenburg

Written by Joy Cowley and illustrated by Gavin Bishop
A third collection of Snake and Lizard stories.

Reviews

"The journey is fraught with danger as they meet rataphobia from humming beans (human beings) and have to conquer the Sunsweep Lake full of rat eating eels, the Bottomless bog, the Forest of Perilous Pines and the swing bridge. But will they find Ratenburg?

Gavin Bishop, who is well acquainted with rats, illustrates superbly, capturing important moments and characters, with his black and white pen and ink drawings." - Bob Docherty
Published by Gecko Press 2016 | ISBN Paperback 978-1-776570-75-1
Quaky Cat Helps Out

Quaky Cat Helps out

Written by Diana Noonan and illustrated by Gavin Bishop
Written as a sequel to Quaky Cat 2010

In memory of the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010 and 2011, Quaky Cat Helps Out is a tribute to the brave children and families who have opened their hearts and homes to help a broken city.
All author royalties from the sale of this book go to supporting the work of Orphans Aid International
Published by Scholastic NZ Ltd 2015 | ISBN 978-1-77543-297-5 | Full colour 32 page picture book.

Teddy One-Eye

Written and Illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- CLFNZ Notable Book 2015
A third collection of Snake and Lizard stories.

Reviews

"When you pick up this solid little book you know Gavin Bishop is saying, “Come on in. Make yourselves at home”. We had a hint that Gavin could write a book like this after Piano Rock but in this novel he has taken it to a new level. It is quite simply superb!
Naturally the book is autobiographical. The title tells you that and what a fantastic way to tell it.

This novel is for everyone. Grand parents should read it to their grand children and parents read it because it is wonderful. Do yourself a favour and read it." - Bob Docherty, Convenor of the 2015 Children's Book Awards
"This novel should quite comfortably sweep all children’s book awards next year."
Published by Random House NZ Ltd 2014 | ISBN Hardback 978-1-77553-727-4 | ISBN 978-1-77553-728-1 | 218 page novel/memoir. Level 7 up

Mister Whistler

Written by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- Shortlisted for the NZ Post Book Awards 2013
Mister Whistler loses his train ticket at the station. Thanks to some beautiful dance moves, he might still make the train…

Reviews

Gavin Bishop’s illustrations for Mister Whistler are my favourite of all of his work. There’s so much joy and energy in the illustrations and you can see it bursting out of Mister Whistler, who is always smiling. I love the way that Gavin has made the story flow from one page to the next, both my Mister Whistler’s dancing body and the musical notes which follow him.

Mister Whistler himself is quite gangly and I love the way that Gavin has him throwing his long limbs all over the place as he dances.
Gavin’s use of colour is spectacular, from Mister Whistler’s blue, checked trousers and very loud wall-paper, to the flaming sunrise in the background. Gavin has added a real spark to Mister Whistler’s character too by giving him a crazy dress sense. 
– Zac Harding
Published by Gecko Press 2012 | ISBN Hardback: 978-1-877467-91-2
Bruiser & the Big Snow
Written and Illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- Shortlisted for the LIANZA Awards 2013
Reviews
High quality picture book sequel to Bruiser. Big bold illustrations of Bruiser that bring out his character are a highlight. Bruiser is a good citizen and I doubt that we have heard the last of him. 
Great boy appeal but this title is for everybody.
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-Bob Docherty
Published by Random House NZ Ltd 2012 | ISBN Hardback 978 1 77553 487 7 | ISBN Paperback 978-1-77553-486-0 | Full colour picture book, 32 pages | Page size: 245 x 260mm. Level: 2-5 years

Footsteps through the Fog

Written by Margaret Mahy and illustrated by Gavin bishop
- Shortlisted for the NZ Post Book Awards 2013
- NZ/TIBE/2015/GUEST OF HONOUR
All proceeds from this book go to the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind.

When Anthea and her brothers and sisters walk down to the sea, a thick fog rolls in. It's up to Anthea, who is blind, to lead her family to safety.
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Unlike her brothers and sisters, Anthea cannot see, so when they all go to the beach one day, their mother tells them to take care of her.
While they are all playing on the sand, a thick fog rolls in from the ocean. Suddenly it's up to Anthea to get everyone home safely.
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Written by the legendary Margaret Mahy and with artwork by master illustrator Gavin Bishop, this is a beautifully told story that will give readers young and old a new perspective on blindness.
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Mahy and Bishop have both donated their royalties for this project to the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind., mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Published by Penguin Books 2012 | ISBN Paperback 978-1-43505570 | 32 page picture book.
Traditional Chinese Language edition. Linking Books, Taiwan 2015

Just One More

Written by Joy Cowley and illustrated by Gavin Bishop
What will Jojo and Brett do about their pet grumpysaurus? Why is Zamforan the dragon living in the library? Can ex-pirate Billy Castor drive without his lucky feather?Will Jack escape the woggly hole that follows him everywhere? And why is a horse riding the escalator?

Reviews

This is a delightful collection of whimsical stories and tall tales for four to six year olds from the inimitable Joy Cowley. Short enough for reading aloud with young children (even those slightly younger than four) yet challenging and interesting for older children to read alone. The tales are tightly woven, brimming with fantastical creatures and magical occurrences.
Published by Gecko Press 2011 | ISBN Paperback: 978-1-86979-451-4
 | ISBN Hardback: ISBN 978-1-87746-786-8ISBN Paperback: ISBN 978-1-87746-767-7 Full colour picture book, 91 pages

Bruiser

Written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- Shortlisted LIANZA AWARDS 2012
- CLFNZ Notable Book 2010
“Dedicated to the rebuilders of Christchurch after the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011.”
Bruiser tells the story of the eponymous bulldozer who ploughs through hills, crushes rocks, tears up forests and flattens a paddock of daffodils, until a baby bird makes him understand the error of his destructive ways.

The language is robust while the digger displays possibly the most convincing emotions ever seen in picture books – and all faithful to the mechanical structure. Not just for boys.
Published by Random House NZ Ltd 2011 | ISBN Paperback: 978-1-86979-451-4
 | ISBN Hardback: 978 1 86979 449 1Full colour picture book, 32 pages | Page size: 245 x 260mm | Level: 2-5 years

Cowshed Springtime

Written and Illustrated by Gavin Bishop 
- Shortlisted LIANZA AWARDS 2012
- CLFNZ Notable Book 2010
It is Springtime and all the animals are playing on the farm. Can you count them all?
A Kiwi counting book for pre-schoolers, designed as a follow-up to Cowshed Christmas.

Reviews

A lovely picture book aimed at 1-4 year olds, with bright colours and big writing, Cowshed Springtime is a great way to teach your child to count to 10 and make all the “animal noises”. For instance we have two jersey calves, moo moo, with a huge numeral 2 at the top of the page, and seven spotty piglets, oink oink. At the end they all get together for a bit of a party then it’s night night. A simple story that children will find easy to understand. Perfect bedtime reading.
Published by Random House NZ Ltd 2010 | ISBN Paperback: 978-1-86979-366-1 |  32 page picture book

Quaky Cat

Written by Diana Noonan, illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- Shortlisted for LIANZA AWARDS 2011
- CLFNZ Notable Book 2011 
- Recipient of the Northwest Christchurch Earthquake Award 2012
Written in response to the Canterbury earthquake on the morning of the 4th September 2010
Quaky Cat is an evocative, uplifting story that will touch the hearts of all who read it. It includes endorsements by Margaret Mahy, Jason Gunn and Mayor Bob Parker. Scholastic will donate 50% of net proceeds from the sales of this book to Canterbury charities.

Diana Noonan will donate all her royalties from this book to the Christchurch Women’s Refuge. Gavin Bishop will donate all his royalties to Te Tai Tamariki Charitable Trust for the Preservation of New Zealand Children’s Literature.
Published by Scholastic NZ Ltd 2010 | ISBN Paperback: 978-1-77543-029-2 | Full colour picture book, 32 pages

Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant

Text and Illustrations by Gavin Bishop
- Winner of the Russell Clark Medal for Illustration 1982
- Finalist for the NZ Children's Book of the Year 1982
- Named by the NZ Listener as one of the 10 Most Significant New Zealand Children's books, 1994

“Mrs Delilah McGinty was a pain in the neck.”

The 25 year-old classic by Gavin Bishop that has been delighting children and adults alike for years has been reprinted. Mrs McGinty is a very grumpy old woman whose life is grey, bleak and lonely - until one day she buys a little plant which grows and grows and grows. Mrs McGinty becomes famous and happy and makes friends - the plant has transformed her life.

Because MRS MCGINTY AND THE BIZARRE PLANT is set in Christchurch and features such Christchurch icons as the Edmonds Baking Powder factory the book has become a classic in the minds of thousands of South Islanders. 

2006 was the 25th anniversary of MRS MCGINTY AND THE BIZARRE PLANT and, as part of the 2006 Christchurch Writers Festival, there was a three week exhibition called MRS MCGINTY AND FRIENDS at the Our City centre in the heart of Christchurch.
Published by Oxford University Press, New Zealand 1981 | Reprinted as a NZ Classic by RandomHouse NZ Ltd 2007 ISBN Hardback: 0-1955-8074-5 | ISBN Paperback: 978-1-86941-892-2 | Full colour picture book, Page size: 280 x 235 mmLevel: 8-10 years

The House that Jack Built

Traditional rhyme illustrated by Gavin Bishop
- NZ Children's Picture Book of the Year 2000
- NZ Children's Book of the Year 2000
- Spectrum Print Award
- Best Use of Illustration in a NZ 2000
- Notable Book of the Year, NZ Children's Book Foundation.
“Most significant Scholastic NZ Ltd publication in 40 years of publishing.”
It is 1798 when Jack Bull Esq. arrives in Aotearoa to find a land strong in spirit and tradition.
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The Maori, the people of the land, are eager to have his iron pots, nails and blankets to enhance their daily life. But Jack's arrival is followed by more and more people from Europe. To the Maori, the land is their Earth Mother, Papatuanuku, who gives life to all things. However, the settlers pressure the Maori to give up their land to build farms and towns, and Papatuanuku is divided and sold.
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Tension over the loss of tribal land eventually leads to the Land Wars of the 1860's. As in the traditional rhyme, the house, the malt, the rat, the cat, the dog, the cow with the crumpled horn, the maiden all forlorn, the man all tattered and torn and the others help to tell Jack's story.
ISBN Hardback: 1-8694-3434-X | Published by Scholastic NZ Ltd. |Full-colour picture book, 32 pages. Text - traditional. Page size: 265 x 215 mm - Level: 8 and upNew edition by Gecko Press 2012-03-05 | ISBN 978-1-877467-60-8 | ISBN Paperback: 978-1-877467-61-5KONEI TO WHARE NA HAKI I HANGA. Te Reo edition.  | Translation by Piripi Walker. ISBN Paperback: 978-1-877467-79-0
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