EVERY SECOND FRIDAY

Kiri Lightfoot and Ben Galbraith

Hachette - NZ 34.99

I really enjoyed this fun and reassuring picture book about a modern family where Mum & Dad live separately. Every second Friday Margi and Totty pack their bags and go to stay with Dad for the weekend. Their Dad is a collector of bits and bobs, a real character, and they have loads of fun.

Author Kiri Lightfoot was born in the UK and now lives in Auckland, New Zealand. Kiri has had a love of books since her father used to read a story in a different accent every night before bed. From Scottish to Indian, Irish, American, and Australian - she never knew what to expect. Every Second Friday is Kiri’s first book. It is based on her own childhood having time with her Dad after her parents separated.

Illustrator Ben Galbraith was born in Gisborne, New Zealand. After High School, Ben went to go to Design School in Wellington majoring in Illustration. Now he works at a Printing House as a Graphic Designer, whilst working freelance on his illustration career. Ben loves the ocean and as well as being a mad keen surfer he is also fascinated by fish! Ben won the 2007 NZ Post award for his book, Three Fishing Brothers Gruff.

Watch out for this outstanding new New Zealand picture book in all good bookshops from 30 October.

By the way I am thrilled to see publishers increasingly decorating end papers on picture books and coffee table books, and applaud them for that.

The illustrations shown here to the left, although rather small, will give you some idea of the beautiful endpapers in this title.