nzweekend

Dear Vincent - Michael Bird

2024-09-26T12:44:35+01:00

Vendor: Thames & Hudson
Type: Books
Price: 14.99

This book is a lovely exploration of the art and life of Vincent Van Gogh through the touching letters he exchanged with his brother Theo. A sweet book for age 4-8.

Vincent is fed up with life in the grey city, but things are about to change! With the support of his loving brother Theo, Vincent sets off on a journey to the ‘Sunny South’. There he will discover new and inspiring places and make new friends. But will he be able to paint the picture of his dreams?

A heart-warming snapshot of a happy and creative period in Van Gogh’s life, this story focuses on the bond between two brothers, and how Theo’s support and encouragement helped Vincent to reach his full artistic potential.

Written by Michael Bird and illustrated by painter Ella Beech, this book will immerse young readers in Vincent’s world and reveal his unique perspective as an artist.

Mini Architects: 20 projects inspired by the great architects - Josephine Seblon

2024-09-26T12:21:39+01:00

Vendor: Thames & Hudson
Type: Books
Price: 12.99

This super activity book features 20 creative art projects inspired by architectural wonders for budding mini architects aged 4–8 years.

Mini Architects harnesses the enduring fascination young children have with building to introduce them to architecture and structures from around the world via creative art projects. The book takes inspiration from some of the most famous architectural wonders of the past and present, including the ancient Pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge and Le Corbusier’s Cité Radieuse.

Mini architects can choose from a variety of easy-to-make projects using simple materials and featuring a range of interesting techniques, ideal for teaching new motor skills. Step-by-step photographs and clear instructions are easy to follow for both children and adults, and each project requires minimal set-up and clean up, to ensure the maximum amount of time is spent creating together.

Each project is accompanied by photographic reproductions of the famous buildings that inspired them, along with fun facts and questions about the structures and their architects, designed to familiarise young children with the creative world of architecture and encourage discussion.

Goodnight, Starry Night: Bedtime Poems Inspired by Works of Art - Joseph Coelho

2024-09-26T12:20:56+01:00

Vendor: Thames & Hudson
Type: Books
Price: 14.99

Snuggle up and ease your child off to sleep reading Joseph Coelho’s lullaby-like poems. Lyrical, calming and beautifully illustrated, these peaceful poems are a magical way to end the day. A lovely gift for kids aged 4-7.

Written by award-winning performance poet Joseph Coelho, Goodnight, Starry Night is a collection of 14 poems that takes readers on a gentle journey into dreamland. Each poem is inspired by a calming work of art, reproduced in the book alongside the heart-warming illustrations by Allison Colpoys.

The book takes its title from Van Gogh’s painting The Starry Night, which inspired Coelho’s evocative poem River Sky:

I gaze upon the starry night
It twists into a river-sky
my every breath, a swirling light
I gaze upon the starry night.

It features poems inspired by David Hockney’s Sleeping Dogs, Vivian Maier’s Woman with Baby and Faith Ringgold’s quilted artwork of Cassie Lightfoot flying against a night sky.

Joseph Coelho’s lyrical poems calm the mind, relax the body and are soothing to the soul, and are guaranteed to inspire the sweetest of dreams.

Flip and Find: Pet Detectives board game

2024-09-25T11:19:20+01:00

Vendor: Laurence King
Type: Toys
Price: 18.99

The pet detectives need your help! Race around the board, flipping tiles to find matching pairs of pets faster than your opponents! This brand new memory board game has a tactical twist, perfect for kids and families to play together time and time again. It's easy to learn and the mix-and-match board can be changed every time you play.

A fun family game for 2-4 players.

Suitable for age 6+.

Did You Fart? matching & memory game

2024-09-25T11:09:32+01:00

Vendor: Laurence King
Type: Toys
Price: 12.99

Did you know that herrings use their farts to communicate with each other, that seals are notorious for having the smelliest farts in the animal kingdom, or that the Sonoran coral snake uses its farts as a defence mechanism when threatened by predators?

In this simple to play, colourful and engaging matching memory game, match 26 animals to the pumps, toots and trumps they let off and turn over more pairs than your opponent to win the game! Learn all about why zebra farts are so incredibly loud and how manatees use flatulence to help them float in the accompanying booklet, packed full of animal facts.

Screen-free fun for 2-4 players, fun for all the family.

Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker - Jessica Courtney-Tickle

2024-09-20T09:36:03+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 16.99

Music and story combine in this gorgeous version of the famous ballet, The Nutcracker. Follow Clara on a magical Christmas adventure and press the buttons to hear excerpts of Tchaikovsky's beautiful music. Watch the Nutcracker battle the Mouse King, meet the sugar Plum Fairy and journey to the Land of Sweets, with accompanying music from The Dance Of The Reed Flutes, The Waltz of Flowers and The Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy. This is a wonderful book to read in the run-up to Christmas, or indeed, any time of year!

Shine Your Magic Torch: Mysteries Of The Ocean - Camilla de la Bedoyere

2024-09-19T23:10:29+01:00

Vendor: Magic Cat
Type: Books
Price: 20.00

Join marine biologist William Jones and his niece Millie on a thrilling journey, searching for signs of life in the planet's largest unexplored habitat: the deep sea. Use the magic torch to take part in their adventure and discover weird and wonderful creatures in the ocean.

The third in the 'Shine Your Magic Torch' series, this book visits 15 famous locations, blending the world's oceans and mythology in a beautiful package. Shine the UV flashlight to illuminate mysterious creatures on each page. With more than 50 marine animals from around the world to find, this collection is perfect for ocean lovers aged 7+.

You'll discover:
- a dugong lurking in the seagrass in the Great Barrier Reef
- super seaweed growing in the Tasman Sea
- red footed boobies dancing on the Solomon Islands
- a prickly porcupine in a mangrove forest
- a semi transparent salp in the Antarctic sea ice
- a manta ray swimming in the Indian Ocean
- ringed seals resting on the Arctic ice
- hatchetfish shimmering in the Atlantic Ocean

Match These Bones: A Dinosaur Memory Game - Paul Upchurch

2024-09-19T22:57:53+01:00

Vendor: Laurence King
Type: Toys
Price: 14.99

Reunite dinosaurs with their skeletons in Match These Bones, an excellent matching pairs / memory game. As you play, learn about your favourite species and how they were discovered, with fascinating facts to read in the educational booklet. Which dinosaurs had feathers? What are those spikes on triceratops’ skulls really for? Everything we know about dinosaurs today comes from the discovery of bones and fossils. This is a super game for learning through play and a must for future palaeontologists!

Let's Look At Opposites board book - Marion Deuchars

2024-09-19T22:37:49+01:00

Vendor: Laurence King
Type: Books
Price: 6.99

Let’s look at opposites! With charming artwork from best-selling author and illustrator Marion Deuchars, this board book is a fun introduction to the world of opposites. From up and down penguins to hot and cold aardvarks, the charming characters and bright colours will have little ones exploring opposites in no time.

Check out Let's Look At Shapes and Numbers too.

Deep Sea Discovery: a card game for ocean explorers

2024-09-19T22:29:58+01:00

Vendor: Laurence King
Type: Toys
Price: 12.99

How deep will you go? Dive into the ocean and return 50 incredible sea creatures to their correct depths. How deep can a penguin swim, or a sperm whale dive? Explore all the way down to the seabed and learn as you play this unique new card game. It's fun and easy to play for kids and families. You'll discover fascinating facts about the beautiful and bizarre creatures down in the depths in the ocean, from the jewel squid to the headless chicken fish!

Suitable for 2-6 players, aged 6+.

Spooky Poems Aloud - Joseph Coelho

2024-09-19T09:46:46+01:00

Vendor: Wide Eyed Editions
Type: Books
Price: 20.00

From Children’s Laureate (2022–2024), Joseph Coelho, comes a giggling and ghoulish compendium of 25 spooky poems to perform. It's the perfect collection of Halloween-themed poems for children to build confidence in reading aloud and nurture their speech and drama skills.

With a delightful blend of giggles and ghouls, this collection is designed for young readers and budding performers.

Within these pages, you'll discover poems that can be recited loudly, softly, or in a ghostly whisper, offering a diverse range of performances. Some poems are meant to make your audience jump or send shivers down their spine, while others weave spell-poems that can enchant a witch's cat or cast a spell of laughter. There are even poems that will tickle your funny bones.

Joseph Coelho's imaginative words will transport young readers into the world of whimsical and eerie tales, making this book a treasure trove for children of all ages and reading abilities.

Little People, Big Dreams: Vincent Van Gogh - Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

2024-09-19T09:39:31+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 9.99

This little biography tells the inspiring story of Vincent van Gogh, one of the world's most influential and best-loved artists.

Little Vincent was a quiet child. He loved spending time in nature and playing with his brother Theo. After leaving school, he began working as an art dealer. Vincent showed promise, but he found it more and more difficult to control his emotions and eventually had to leave. He had a go at many different jobs, including a teacher and a bookseller, but nothing felt right.

When he wasn’t working, he wrote Theo long letters that included beautiful drawings. Theo loved his work and suggested that he try being an artist. Vincent dedicated himself to painting and never looked back! He developed his own style and expressed his emotions through his art: from sorrow to joy, and everything in between.

During his life, Vincent had little success, but today, his paintings are admired and celebrated in galleries across the world.

Little People Big Dreams series portrays the inspiring lives of artists, designers, activists and scientists in a super-accessible way with sweet illustrations and by focusing on when they started out as children with a dream. Each book has a biographical timeline with historical photographs and extra facts, too.

The Story Orchestra: The Sleeping Beauty musical jigsaw puzzle

2024-09-19T09:36:28+01:00

Vendor: Kaddo
Type: Toys
Price: 17.99

Piece together the magical adventure of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet with this unique musical jigsaw puzzle.

Begin with a musical tray that tells the story of Sleeping Beauty - from the birth of Princess Aurora and her curse by the evil fairy Carabosse, to when she pricks her finger on a spindle on her sixteenth birthday and falls into a deep sleep - and discover how the curse is finally lifted with the help of the lilac fairy.

Using the full puzzle image on the poster as a reference, piece together the enchanting illustration showing the happy ending to this magical story. Prince Florimund awakens the sleeping beauty, Princess Aurora, with a gentle kiss, the palace reawakens, and the Prince and Princess decide to celebrate their marriage in their beautiful kingdom. As you slot the shaped pieces into place, press the musical notes to hear the vivid sound of an orchestra playing from Tchaikovsky's original score. Imagine the ballerinas and flowers spinning gracefully to Tchaikovsky's most famous waltz, Once Upon a Dream, the stormy notes of Carabosse's angry spell and the hopeful, rising notes of the princess's magical awakening.

Turn the poster over to find additional details on the story's happy ending, as well as a brief biography of the composer and how his music connects with the story.

This musical jigsaw puzzle is the perfect gift to introduce children to classical music.

The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet, opera and program music stories paired with sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores.

The Poetry Play Kit: Games To Get Your Poems Started - Joseph Coelho

2024-09-19T09:33:20+01:00

Vendor: Quarto
Type: Toys
Price: 14.99

Celebrate the power of poetry! Play with words and spark imaginations with this fun activity kit from Joseph Coelho, Children's Poet Laureate 2022–2024.

This fun activity set is perfect for age 6-9. Pick from more than 500 word cards to build your own poetry creations, with endless combinations. 24 games and activities provide all sorts of ways to start your poem, from acrostics and rhyming dominoes to concrete poems and consequences. Spin the letter spinner to randomise the poetic fun, or use linguistic techniques like metaphor and simile to take your poetry skills to the next level.

Includes: 500 word tiles, 1 letter/MORERAPS spinner (MORERAPS = Metaphor, Onomatopoeia, Rhyme, Emotion, Repetition, Alliteration, Personification, Simile), 12 cards with 24 activities and 1 rules and inspiration booklet.

1-6 players.

Enter The World Of The Dinosaurs: immersive 3D viewer

2024-09-19T09:26:48+01:00

Vendor: Kaddo
Type: Toys
Price: 12.99

See 30 illustrated dinosaurs in roar-some 3D with this fun immersive 3D viewer.

Choose a dinosaur card and place it in the box, then look through the lenses to enter the world of the dinosaurs! See a charging triceratops, a T-Rex mid-roar, and many other dino favourites in three dimensions. Turn over the cards to discover fun facts about each dinosaur.

The immersive 3D viewer contains 3D lenses, 30 dinosaur cards, and an instructions and games leaflet.

Screen-free fun for dinosaur fans aged 3+.

Size: 18 × 6.5 × 6.5cm.

A World Full Of Animal Stories - Angela McAllister

2024-09-18T21:16:36+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 14.99

What a beautiful hardback book! A World Full Of Animal Stories is a beautifully illustrated compendium of 50 well-loved animal tales from around the world. Classic folk tales, myths and fables – including The Three Little Pigs, The Ugly Duckling, Why the Swallow’s Tail is Forked and the story of Ananse and the Python – are retold by award-winning author Angela McAllister.

A gorgeous addition to a child's book collection! Check out the accompanying and equally lovely books, A Year Full Of Stories and A Stage Full Of Shakespeare Stories.

A Bedtime Full Of Stories - Angela McAllister

2024-09-18T21:04:59+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 14.99

Look forward to bedtime with this beautiful hardback compendium of 50 bedtime stories from around the world, each the perfect length to read aloud. Classic folk tales, myths and fables – including The Emperor’s New Clothes (Denmark), The Bag of Winds (Greece), How Cheetah Got His Speed (South Africa) and The Moon Maiden (Japan) – are retold by award-winning author Angela McAllister and beautifully illustrated by Anna Shepeta. This anthology will be treasured by story lovers both young and old.

A gorgeous addition to a child's book collection! Check out the accompanying and equally lovely books, A Year Full Of Stories and A Stage Full Of Shakespeare Stories.

Little People, Big Dreams: Stephen Hawking - Isabel Sanchez Vegara

2024-09-18T21:04:33+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 9.99

This little biography of Stephen Hawking tells the inspiring tale of the little boy who used to stare up at the stars and wonder about the universe. Although never top of the class, his curiosity took him to the best universities in England: Oxford and Cambridge, He became a famed theoretical physicist and made one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the 20th century: Hawking radiation, while battling motor neurone disease.

The Little People, Big Dreams books series portrays the inspiring lives of artists, designers, activists and scientists in a super-accessible way with sweet illustrations and by focusing on when they started out as children with a dream. Each book has a biographical timeline with historical photographs and extra facts, too.

Little People, Big Dreams: Mother Teresa - Isabel Sanchez Vegara

2024-09-18T21:04:12+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 9.99

This little biography of Mother Teresa tells the inspiring tale of the little girl who dreamt of helping others and grew up to become the Catholic nun and missionary who won a Nobel Peace Prize for her humanitarian work.

Little People, Big Dreams: Andy Warhol - Isabel Sanchez Vegara

2024-09-18T20:50:15+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 9.99

This little biography of Andy Warhol tells the inspiring tale of the iconic pop artist. Little Andy was the tiniest and palest child of the Warholas, a humble couple from Slovakia who lived in Pittsburgh. He loved to draw, but was too shy to show his work to others, even to his family. As an adult he got a chance to publish his first illustration for a glamorous magazine. He turned his attention to the ordinary, like the soup cans he ate from for lunch. He showed the world that the ordinary objects could POP, and founded a cultural movement.

Little People, Big Dreams: Stevie Wonder - Isabel Sanchez Vegara

2024-09-18T20:49:46+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 9.99

This little biography tells the story of Stevie Wonder, the iconic musician. Blind from shortly after his birth, it was clear that at just 8 years old, Steveland Judkins was going to be a star. Renamed Stevie Wonder for his astonishing talent on the piano and other instruments, he wrote and performed some of the biggest hits of the 1970s, including Superstition and Sir Duke. Stevie became known for his inventiveness, soulful voice and the social commentary in his lyrics. He is a UN Messenger of Peace and remains one of the music world’s most iconic figures.

The Little People, Big Dreams books series portrays the inspiring lives of artists, designers, activists and scientists in a super-accessible way with sweet illustrations and by focusing on when they started out as children with a dream and by focusing on when they started out as children with a dream. Each book has a biographical timeline with historical photographs and extra facts, too.

The Story Orchestra: Carnival of the Animals - Katy Flint

2024-09-18T20:40:44+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 16.99

Music and story combine in this beautiful book, Carnival Of The Animals. Push the button on each of the 10 double pages to hear an orchestra playing excerpts of Camille Saint-Saëns' beautiful suite for children.

One day, two brothers discover a magical animal kingdom behind their bookcase. They are greeted by the royal lion with his shaggy mane; ask for directions from an old lonely tortoise; take a ride on some lumbering elephants; topple a skeleton of dinosaur bones; and swim among a school of shimmering fish. If only they could take them all home...

The book includes extracts from 'The Swan', 'Aquarium', 'Fossils', and 'Finale' (From Disney's Fantasia) along with a totally new story to link the pieces together.

At the back of the book, you'll find a short biography of the composer with details about Carnival of the Animals. Next to this, you can replay the musical excerpts and read a discussion of the instruments, rhythms and musical techniques that make them so powerful. A glossary defines musical terms.

The Story Orchestra series brings classical music to life for children through gorgeously illustrated retellings of classic ballet and music stories paired with 10-second sound clips of orchestras playing from their musical scores. Check out the other books: Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker.

Little People, Big Dreams: RuPaul - Isabel Sanchez Vegara

2024-09-18T20:40:15+01:00

Vendor: Frances Lincoln
Type: Books
Price: 9.99

This little biography of RuPaul tells the inspiring tale of the performer, supermodel and host of RuPaul's Drag Race.

Even before Ru was born, a fortune teller told his mum that he would be famous... It was only a matter of time before he figured out how. Playing dress-up was his favourite game, and that's where he felt most comfortable. Ru went on to study performing arts and moved to New York to join a punk band. Later, drag was a way to express himself as an artist. He found success, then wanted to help others find theirs. He inspires us to do what feels right and love ourselves.

Hello Fossils & Shells: A Little Guide To Nature - Nina Chakrabarti

2024-09-11T10:34:45+01:00

Vendor: Laurence King
Type: Books
Price: 8.99

Get outside and explore a world of fascinating fossils and shells with this beautifully illustrated pocket guide.

Why do some shells have shimmery rainbow linings? And can you tell a trilobite from an ammonite? Beautiful gallery-style pages showcase creatures fossilised in amber, spiny fossils and an amazing array of colourful seashells. Fun off-the-page activity spreads include tips on fossil hunting and how to make fossil imprints using shells.

With colourful illustrations and amazing facts, outdoor activities to try and features on shell patterns, great fossil finds and living fossils, this little book will provide hours of pleasure, both indoors and out.

Check out Hello Trees and Hello Fungi, too.

Little Dinosaurs, Big Feelings: 10 mindful stories - Swapna Haddow

2024-09-04T11:40:21+01:00

Vendor: Magic Cat
Type: Books
Price: 14.99

Doctor Diplo is the Jurassic kingdom's best-loved therapist. Meet him and 10 of his Jurassic friends in this cute and funny guide to emotions and feelings for kids aged 5+.

There are 10 read-aloud stories, each about a different emotion, with sweet, colourful illustrations. Each story demonstrates tools to help navigate that feeling along with simple mindfulness exercises from Australian child psychologist, Amber Owen. It's a great for opening up conversations about feelings in a gentle and approachable way. There's also a 'how to use this book' guide for parents and carers at the back of the book.

Meet: Steggie the Angry Dinosaur; Rex the Scared Dinosaur; Bruno the Sad Dinosaur; Minka the Happy Dinosaur; Poppy the Lonely Dinosaur; Percy the Shy Dinosaur; Terrie the Excited Dinosaur; Trev the Overwhelmed Dinosaur; Iggy the Bored Dinosaur and Nino the Content Dinosaur.