Fiction > NZ Intermediate Fiction

A powerful story from our colonial past, in which the bitter clash of two conflicting sets of cultural values is explored from the point of view of a young boy who survived the infamous massacre of the sailing ship Boyd.
In 1809 the ship is on her way across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand. On board a Maori youth and an apprentice sailor become friends of a sort. A brutal flogging on the order of the captain leads to a bloody act of utu, or revenge, which results in the massacre of the ship's occupants, and the eventual destr... read more

Iris wants to be the best rapper and ukulele player in the whole of the entire universe. Preferably with her best friend ever, and fellow Master of the Musical Universe, Sidney, at her side. They're even writing a rap musical together, and Iris hopes they'll win the talent competition which will enable her to buy the new purple ukulele that she covets. But then she and Sidney fall out, much drama ensues, and Iris discovers what's most important in life.

It's the final Pony Club Secrets adventure for Issie and Storm - can they become the youngest team to win the triple Grand Slam ever? Don't miss the explosive finale to this bestselling pony series. Issie exceeded her wildest riding dreams winning at the Lexington Kentucky four-star trials, but could there be even bigger prizes on the horizon? Her foal, Nightstorm, has grown up to be an incredible sporthorse - powerful, fast and eager to win, so it's time to put their riding skills to the ultimate test and see if they can comple... read more

What happens to a girl who has dangerous dreams? What if the land itself punishes those who would harm it? Now adapted into a major, 13-part TV series, this spell-binding supernatural thriller was written by internationally acclaimed New Zealand author Margaret Mahy. Description: 'What we need is a powerful enchantress,' Meredith cried. 'Someone who could put a spell on Marriott.' As she spoke, a strange thought came into her head, running round and round inside her like a mouse on a pet-shop wheel. It was not a thought she could ... read more

Luke Evan's father cleared out before Luke was born, But using his internet skills, Luke tracks down someone living at a luxurious resort in tropical Queensland who could be his dad. What happens when they finally meet shocks him to the core. How Luke deals with what he finds will change his life.... if he can survive. This is Des Hunt's ninth action packed adventure, set in the Coromandel and Australia. First published February 2010.

Danny is dreading the summer holiday visit by his hyper cousin, Nick. There is no predicting what Nick will get up to, especially when he's off his Ritalin. However, Nick proves to be the least of Danny's problems, when bird flu hits the Otago Peninsula. At first it seems that only the local sparrows are affected. But then the boys trace the disease to Peco - The Peninsula Egg Farm - where chooks are dying by the thousands. A biosecurity alert is launched, with the owner of the farm suspected of importing diseased eggs. But D... read more

Winner of the Junior Fiction Category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010. The strange and diverting story of the Loblolly Boy, a fantasy novel by James Norcliffe involving enchantment, mystery, one garden gnome and a wombat's bottom. To the boy called Red, it seems the most marvellous escape he could wish for: a gift that grants him more freedom than he ever believed possible - the chance to fly, to soar with the gulls, high over the tall brick walls that have imprisoned him for so long. But this gift comes with a terrible... read more

The Loblolly boy wants his old life back and his plight is all the more poignant for his searching.
In this stunning junior fiction fantasy sequel to The Loblolly Boy, Michael convinces the unhappy boy at the Great Hall to Exchange with him once again, and Michael begins a magical journey home. Complications, twists and stunts abound once the mischievous and perverse Sorcerer and the bumbling but well-meaning Gadget Man decide to assist in the bizarre turn of events. This is a poignant yet magical and inventive tale writte... read more

' ...these screams were different ...' When Spencer Fogle hears blood curdling screams on his way home from school, he doesn't realise he is about to become embroiled in a dark plot involving carnivorous plants, genetically modified flies, and a mysterious hidden file. This is the first book in The Fly Papers, a fast-paced mystery-adventure series set in the movie industry town of Filmington.

In late 1942 Margaret Glenmore realises that daughter Joyce, who is doing a secretarial course, will probably be manpowered into a war job soon, when the age limit is dropped to 18. Her other daughter, Lillian, is coughing a lot and an x-ray has shown a spot on her lung. Lillian needs to live in a healthy environment with lots of good food. These factors combine to make Margaret decide to send the girls to live with their grandparents on a small dairy farm on the coast. Lillian's diary begins in 1943 when she and Joyce travel nor... read more

A flute that will only play one mysterious song? A strange old man in a wheel chair somehow rejuvenated by this music? A leap from a window into a strange and often frightening world where nobody can be trusted and from which there seems to be no escape? The Enchanted Flute sweeps Becky Pym and Johnny Cadman from the realities of modern day school and the suburbs into an ancient Arcadian world where an old battle is about to be reignited and where even older forces are preparing themselves. The flute Becky's mother bought at a paw... read more

The first adventure in this fast-paced, action-packed pony-club series for all girls who love horses. Issie loves horses and is a member of the Chevalier Point Pony Club, where she looks after her pony, Mystic, trains for gymkhanas and hangs out with her best friends. When Issie is asked to train Blaze, an abandoned pony, her rising skills are put to the test. Can she tame the spirited new horse? And is Blaze really out of danger?

The fifth gripping adventure in this exciting new pony-club series. With gymkhanas to win, rivals to defeat, mysteries to solve and ponies in danger to save -- these books are perfect for all girls who love ponies. When Aunty Hess opens a riding school for the summer, Issie and her pony-club friends go along to help out. Issie gets to know Comet, a naughty but talented pony with real showjumping promise. But can she train him in time to compete at the Horse of the Year show? Join talented young rider, Issie, on another action-... read more

There's more backstabbing and drama as loyalties are tested to the limit in the third episode of the high life at elite riding school, Blainford Academy. Georgie tests her skills on the polo field in the latest from the author of the Uk's bestselling pony series 'Pony Club Secrets'. Georgie Parker has come out on top after her first term at Blainford 'All-Stars' Academy. But after excelling in the showjumping ring can Georgie outclass her rivals on the polo pitch too? And is Kennedy Kirkwood out to cause trouble again? Find ou... read more

Shadrach is a very old, circus-trained Clydesdal horse. When Hannah discovers that Shadrach has been sold to a dog food factory, she decides to mount a heroic rescue and enlists the help of her two younger brothers.

Sam Fox is on a field trip with his uncle in the Amazon, when he's swept over a waterfall and lands in an underground lake. There he discovers a fortune in gold. He's rich! But things aren't that simple. There's an enormous anaconda lurking in the cave, and that's just the first obstacle Sam will have to overcome!

In Should I kiss Tommy Aitkins, you, the reader, make the choices. You decide what Georgia does and then read on to see how your choice affects her life.

Sequel to Abby and the Hopplescotch Realm. The Techno Festival has come to Hopplescotch Realm. Inventors and magicians from each of the different realms have all kinds of gadgetry and magic spells on show at the festival - more than you could ever imagine! But there's mystery afoot. Who is the strange Techno Wizard who always cloaks himself, and why does he have such a sinister appearance? Who are the Techno Pirates? Are they trying to ruin the festival, or do they want to frame the Techno Wizard? As usual in Hopplescotch Realm, th... read more

Haki felt the road under his head. He wasn’t sure if he had survived the car crash, he wasn’t even sure if he cared. As he lay there, wondering whether he was dead or alive, an old man poked his head into the upturned car and, instead of helping the wounded Haki, snatched the pounamu that encircled Haki’s neck. The pounamu was the last gift his grandmother had given to Haki before she died and Haki wanted it back...Haki's search brings him into conflict with his family, his friends and his school. He finds that he must confront ... read more

What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire? Gerald has just become the richest thirteen-year-old on the planet. But a valuable diamond has been stolen, and there has been a murder. Now Gerald's life is in danger. Who can he trust? He's got a billionaire's survival kit, a couple of new friends, and a mystery to solve. The first exciting story in a trilogy by New Zealand-born author Richard Newsome, who lives in Australia. Winner of the 2008 Text Prize Winner LIANZA Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction 2010.