• The Aotearoa books of the year for 2023 - Dazzlehands - The Spinoff

  • “The cover is wonderfully pink and sparkly and the whole experience of reading this book can only leave you feeling upbeat and energised.”

    DAZZLEHANDS - Carola Crawford, Read NZ Te Pou Muramura

  • '“To say it is all about PIGS and HANDS and JOY and seeing things in fresh DAZZLE LIGHTS AND it is the BEST children’s picture book I have read all year and I am DANCING on my tip toes and humming DAZZLE songs and am hoping you get a copy of DAZZLEHANDS so you can DANCE on your tip toes and hum DAZZLE songs too!

    It is utterly Glorious! Thank you for bringing this book DELIGHT into the world.”

    DAZZLEHANDS - Paula Green, Poetry Box

  • ‘What makes DAZZLEHANDS such a riot to read?’ - Claire Mabey, The Spinoff

  • “Dazzlehands is fun, funny and fantabulous. The story is fun to read aloud with a cracking pace and rhythm. It encourages children to get up, dance and razzle their dazzlehands and the pig’s chant jingles with imagination, adding something new each time. There's a building sense of anticipation and a twist at the end, which adds to the magic.”

    DAZZLEHANDS - Rebekah Lyell, NZ Booklovers

  • “Pick any page in this book and you’re going to be hit with a feast for the eyes. Each page is either a riot of colour, with rainbow swirls and stars and sparkles, or contains a multitude of hilarious facial expressions from the main characters. The writing too has a shimmy and a shimmer. The refrain in this book is, “Bursting with the razzle, gotta liberate these dazzlehands!” and I just want to keep saying that over and over for the pure mellifluous joy of it.”

    DAZZLEHANDS - Annelies Judson, The Sapling

  • ”A book bursting with riotous colour and energy. From the authors of the award-winning The Bomb, another excellent and highly enjoyable story about diversity and individuality. Playful language and the best pig ever.”

    DAZZLEHANDS - Stella, Volume Books

  • “From the bright pink cover to the inside spreads with Pig doing ‘his thing’, this picture book is dazzling!”

    DAZZLEHANDS - Adele Broadbent, What Book Next?

    Cannonball

  • “Carries a universal message of listening to one's own heart and being oneself when the world tries to tell you how and who to be … A creative treat."

    CANNONBALL - Kirkus Reviews

  • “Along with the expressive images, the story will resonate with those learning how to navigate the emotional minefield of turning a failure into a success.”

    CANNONBALL - Kate Callahan, School Library Journal

  • “Fans of Cornwall’s Jabari Jumps ... will appreciate this Kiwi take on taking that first big character-defining leap.”

    CANNONBALL - Elizabeth Bush, Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

  • “A summer tale about family, overcoming fears, and the importance of being oneself, all in the pursuit of performing the perfect cannonball.”

    CANNONBALL - The Children’s Book Council 

  • “Warm story of individuality and achieving a perfect splash”

    CANNONBALL - Carrie Kingsley, Common Sense Media

    The Bomb | Te Pohū

  • ‘A quintessentially New Zealand picture book … funny, inspirational, enjoyable, & packed full of characters & scenes instantly recognisable to young New Zealanders’ 

    THE BOMB - Dionne Christian & Zoe Gadd, Weekend Herald


  • “Reading The Bomb is an uplifting and invigorating experience that feels like a breath of fresh summer air….Fresh, fun, vibrant and distinctly kiwi, this is another fabulous offering from the creative pairing of Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan.”

    THE BOMB - Emma Wood, Otago Daily Times


  • “You can enjoy this book for the rich illustrations and sweet story. Or you can appreciate it for its part in breaking down toxic masculinity as our hero comes to understand that emulating other guys in his friend group might be stopping him from becoming who he truly wishes to be.”

    THE BOMB - Moana Ete, Capital Magazine


  • “A riot of fun about being true to yourself…. Just like the best books for children, The Bomb invites many return readings to pick up all the extra little bits of visual storytelling included in the illustrations – so much subtle and rich detailing.”

    THE BOMB - Judges comments, PANZ Book Design Awards 2019


  • “A triumph! This book screams “fun” and right from the cover, invites us to dive right in. Love the splashes of bold colour. It is a classically NZ story, instantly resonant but from a unique, non-clichéd angle. Visually, there is so much to pore over. It is a book that makes you smile just to look at it!”

    THE BOMB - Judges comments, PANZ Book Design Awards 2019


  • “No matter who we are or where we're from, we can all see ourselves reflected in this timeless and sparkling story of courage and transformation. Joy and humour permeate the story and illustrations of The Bomb, and we're rewarded with each encounter – we see a new layer, another detail is revealed, fresh energy bubbles up.” 

    THE BOMB - Judges comments, New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2019


  • “The judges were all equally captivated by the spell this book cast. It’s a summery, waterlogged story about a child growing in self-confidence while striving to perfect the perfect “bomb”, supported every step of the way by the reassuring presence of Nan .. The joyful rhythm and perfect pacing of the text combined with risk-taking design and movement takes this book to the next level. It is magic, and in short it is most definitely THE BOMB.”

    THE BOMB - Judges comments, New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2019


  • “What a heart-stealer this one is … The Bomb was the perfect summer book to give my niece (hey Zoe!). It’s about summer, it’s about confidence, it’s about knowing yourself, and best of all, it’s about fun.”

    THE BOMB - Nicole Young, Book Riot


  • “Layer upon layer of goodness and wonder.”

    THE BOMB - Catherine Woulfe, The Spinoff

  • “The Bomb is a story of its time and reminiscent of the taste and smell of a New Zealand summer.”

    THE BOMB - The Sapling


  • “Compositions are highly energetic, colours are rich, there is movement, expression and layers of detail. You could throw a dart and always hit something that encapsulates New Zealand.”

    THE BOMB - The Sapling


  • “Ka wani kē! What a delight! This new book from Huia Publishers, also released in English as The Bomb, is a funny, insightful tale about one tamaiti’s endeavour to perfect the best bomb ever. The illustrations are equally wonderful, filled with small details and variety, sweeping you up into the story.”

    TE POHŪ - Kay Benseman, The Sapling


  • “The Bomb takes us back to a particularly kiwi childhood as a boy searches for the secret to a perfect bomb, seeking advice from his family but especially his amazing Nan. Lyrical, beautiful and uniquely New Zealand.”

    THE BOMB - Unity Books Summer Newsletter


  • 'Pops of amazing colour, a gorgeous feel throughout ... gorgeously touching, it really is something special ... It's a very modern take on Kiwi summer just for children.'  

    THE BOMB - Niki Ward, Ekor Books, RNZ review


  • “Another great book from Sacha Cotter & Josh Morgan, but I love this one best of all.”

    THE BOMB - Lucy, The Children’s Bookshop


    The Marble Maker | Te Kaihanga Māpere

  • “Whū! Hangareka ana! This book was really funny. Te Kaihanga Māpere is another stellar collaboration from Sacha Cotter (kupu), Josh Morgan (pikitia) and Kawata Teepa (whakamāoritanga).....It’s really clever and unexpected and, yeah, funny.”

    “Both Cotter and Morgan have done something truly beautiful in the way they write and illustrate Māori characters. I love how the kaihanga māpere is so far from your clichéd caricature of a young Māori girl, in both looks and personality (which of course makes her a far more truthful representation of Māori kids who are all diverse and unique individuals). She has scruffy red hair, khaki gumboots, a sheep called Winitana for a best friend, and she’s an inventor!”

    “I’ll be looking out for more books from this team – they are taking people’s expectations for books about Māori kids and turning them upside down in the funniest possible way.”

    TE KAIHANGA MĀPERE - Kristin Smith, The Sapling


  • “This is a fabulous, world-class book.”

    THE MARBLE MAKER - Thalia Kehoe Rowden, The Spinoff

  • “Sacha Cotter´s use of language is highly imaginative and rolls off the tongue, making this a delightful read aloud. Josh Morgan´s quirky, vibrant illustrations provide the perfect accompaniment to the text. The Marble Maker is a rare gem that is certain to reach a wide audience and will no doubt inspire many young inventors and potion makers. Highly recommended.”

    THE MARBLE MAKER - Julie Harper, Magpies Magazine


  • “How brilliant! To see a young girl keen on invention and fully embracing her passion and dream. With concerns about the gender differential in STEM subjects (the number of girls continuing with science, technology, engineering and mathematics decreases as they progress through school), it is great to have an enthusiastic female inventor/scientist buzzing about her lab filled with beakers and cauldrons. Cotter and Morgan have shown that fun can be found in STEM fields and that it is cool to enjoy science – the Queen of Marbles displays her passion in the badge on her coat: an atomic whirl symbol containing a love heart.

    Delivered with energetic and engaging text, there is a powerful positive message hiding within the fun language and crazy scenes:  a message of encouragement and of never giving up, even when you fail

    The Marble Maker is a fantastic creation; rich in detail, well written, fun and appealing – it’s sure to be a hit!”

    THE MARBLE MAKER - Vanessa Hatley-Owen, Booksellers NZ Blog

  • “The Marble Maker is a must-read for the marble champion in your home.”

    THE MARBLE MAKER - Diane McCarthy, Eastern Bay Life

    Keys | Ngā Kī

  • Children review Ngā Kī for NZ Book Awards 2015 - RNZ

  • “Heartwarming father and daughter tale also available in te reo - with jaunty illustrations by Josh Morgan - that revolve around a father jangling his keys when he comes home at night. That’s the signal for his daughter to zip out of bed and, while she’s being tucked back in, investigate his keys in a bid to stay up longer. All the keys have fantastical uses - according to Dad - except for the plainest (but most special) one that opens the front door.”

    KEYS - Canvas Magazine, New Zealand Herald


  • “A bunch of keys provides the inspiration for some crazy tales in this sweet story about a dad and his daughter. Keen to keep Dad by her bedside, a little girl asks about each of his keys, and his answers are awesome. There are pirate adventures, a chocolate biscuit factory, space travel and even a woolly mammoth.”

    KEYS - Laura Hewson, Otago Daily Times

  • “It's a story about magical keys that unlock the most spectacular scenes imaginable….This story is one that has a way of sending you back in time to your own childhood where dads' words and 'tucking in' at bedtime was enough to comfort even the most restless sleeper….I can imagine this story will resonate with thousands of children and adults alike.”

    KEYS - Marissa Balle, Rotorua Daily Post


  • “Quirky and imaginative in te reo and English.”

    KEYS & NGĀ KĪ - Gisborne Herald

  • “A lovely New Zealand picture book celebrating imagination and Dad-daughter relationships.”

    KEYS - My Friend Lucy review



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