Puha Road
Barry Crump was one of New Zealand’s most popular authors of all time. From A Good Keen Man in 1960 through to his death in 1996, over a million copies of the 24 books he wrote were sold. He was a superb storyteller, who captured perfectly the laconic humour and the lifestyle of the rugged Kiwi outdoors man. His ability to craft a tale that is both moving and funny is superbly illustrated by the huge international success of the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which is based on his book Wild Pork and Watercress.
Almost all of Barry Crump’s books are now out of print. A new volume of collected stories published in 2017 remedied that. And the five classic yarns comprising that volume are available in ebook form as separate titles – A Good Keen Man, Bullock Creek, Gold and Greenstone, Puha Road, and Wild Pork and Watercress.

About Puha Road:
If the handle of spade was going to break; if the tree was going to come back down across the car; if they were going to close just before you got there; if the tractor was going to back through the fence into the boss’s wife’s ornamental goldfish-pond; if the paint was going to get split on the poodle – it always had to happen when Muxy was around. In fact it’s hard to imagine how this Muxy could ever be even remotely successful at anything – but his good luck is as devastating as the bad, and with this intriguing brew Crump takes his latest characters on a search for employment that takes them to the bottom of the barrel, to the top of the heap, and on to an unexpectedly touching ending at Puha Road.
Although Puha Road diverts from Crump’s usual subject matter, it is written in the same vivid, entertaining style that distinguishes his writing, and which has been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of readers, both here and abroad.

Puha Road

Buy Audiobook

Puha Road By Barry Crump (Audiobook Extract ) Read By Levi Crump

About Gold and Greenstone:
Sally could do most things better than men, but it was difficult to get a job in a recession. On the road and looking for work, she involuntarily teams up with an unlikely character and finds herself on the end of a shovel on the West Coast. A unique story unfolds of hard work and dreams, of gold-fever and greenstone, of helicopters and high-seas, of laughter and tears and culminates with a romantic twist and happy ending. All of which is a little different from New Zealand’s best-selling author but proving, once again, just why he is.
Barry Crump has produced another whopper in a long line of classic Kiwi yarns. To the many thousands of dedicated Crump fans who have enjoyed his vivid stories, here is another special treat, and to those who have yet to experience Crump’s classic Kiwi imagery, be careful, it’s addictive.

Gold and Greenstone

Buy Complete Audiobook

Barry Crump Gold and Greenstone (Audiobook Extract ) Read By Levi Crump

About Bullock Creek:
Barney Carter – ‘… sharp as a sack-needle and as tough as a wool-pack.’ – returns to his old stamping-ground in the high-country of the Southern Alps and meets up with a bunch of hard and colourful merino sheep-farmers. Barney wins their respect and they accept him by bestowing upon him a nickname that will stick to him for the rest of his life.
He takes up the challenge of wintering it out on Bullock Creek Station, on the bleak slopes of the Barker Range, and has to use all his knowledge, experience, ingenuity and luck to keep himself and the widow and the stock alive through the worst of winter on record. There’s a bit of skulduggery going on and The Doughroaster deals with it in his own unique and entertaining way.
Bullock Creek is an adventure story about a rapidly disappearing lifestyle, written in the vivid style that distinguishes Barry Crump’s writing, and which has been enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of readers, both here and abroad.

Barry Crump Bullock Creek

Buy Complete Book

Barry Crump Bullock Creek (Audiobook Extract ) Read By Martin Crump

Welcome to Sound Salad, the interview podcast for all things spoken and all things heard. I’m Romy, nice to have you with us. Sound Salad is the brain-child of Theo Gibson, (founder and creator of Audiobooks NZ) and myself, Romy Hooper (actor, audiobook narrator, writer, fellow bibliophile) essentially because we thought it was about time that there was a decent, local podcast about audiobooks. One that didn’t centre around reviews, or that were simply audiobooks released in podcast format. 

While we may cover some of that stuff, we’re keener to be a bit niche and chat with those who work in the creation of audiobooks. The voices, the authors, the publishers, the engineers, the editors, readers and appreciators of the spoken word who all have the same thing in common - they’re lovers of aural storytelling.

Sound Salad Begins with host Romy Hooper

A fun fantasy action-adventure set in the South Pacific. Kiri, Jed, and twins Emma and Ethan discover an ‘elastic’ island that sends them pinging across the ocean to a variety of destinations. Bob the Blue-Footed Booby is running a flying school at Flip Flop Bay, which sounded like fun until the children discovered that this means dressing in weird costumes and launching themselves off the end of the wharf. It’s the latest silly idea in a series of doomed ventures from Bob the Blue-Footed Booby, who is trying to save their small fishing village from closure. Can the children come up with an idea that will save the island and its kooky inhabitants? And what about the complication of The Dastardly Captain Crook? Suitable for children 8 - 12 years MOVIE/ TV RIGHTS OPTIONED BY FUZZY DUCKLING MEDIA!

Elastic Island Adventures - Flip Flop Bay

Elastic Island Adventures - Flip Flop Bay (Audiobook Extract ) By Karen McMillan Read By Suzy Cato

Bella (Ngāpera), Jacob (Hākopa) and Lucas discover the work, fun, learning and satisfaction of vegetable gardening as they and their Nana (Kui) plant, tend and harvest produce for a neighbourhood feast. Bilingual, with Piripi Walker's Māori translation, Nana’s Veggie Garden - Te Māra Kai a Kui speaks to children about planting and caring for a vegetable gardening from early spring until late autumn.

This is a bilingual read-along series. This audiobook includes page-turn signals in the sound of a Morepork. The morepork, also called the ruru, is a small brown owl found in New Zealand.

The play order of this book is

Bilingual
English Only
Te Reo Māori Only

Nana’s Veggie Garden - Te Māra Kai a Kui

Nana’s Veggie Garden - Te Māra Kai a Kui, Written By Marie Munro Read By Willy Craig Fransen

Are you interested in living a more authentic and adventurous life? Would you like to be inspired by incredible outdoor adventures around New Zealand? Instead of making excuses for missing out, are you ready for experiences that will enrich your life? If so, this book is for you. You will be captivated by the ups and downs of real-life shared experiences of Adventurous Women on the Loose (AWOL), hiking up mountains, across golden sandy beaches and through spectacular bush, kayaking across idyllic fiords and busy harbours, exploring an active volcano, and so much more. In Going AWOL you will learn: • how being adventurous boosts our resilience for handling change, disruption and upheavals • when we step outside our comfort zone on stretch challenges, real growth happens • midlife transitions take longer than we think to recalibrate and become fully alive. Discover how being more courageous, choosing your own adventures and trying new experiences rebuild confidence and resilience to navigate through work and personal challenges. Mary Somervell is a transition guide, blogger and outdoor adventurer who lives in Nelson, New Zealand. Mary founded AWOL (Adventurous Women on the Loose) to share her passion for being active outdoors with other women. Including AWOL, she has organised over 70 different outdoor adventures around New Zealand.

Going AWOL

Going AWOL (Audiobook Extract) By Mary Somervell Read by Elisabeth Easther

If your life appears to be royally fucked from your drinking, it probably is. But the good news is Maree MacLean's books is a call to action not a death sentence. The No Bullshit Guide to Getting Sober challenges us to get more honest than we've ever been before about how and why we are fucking up our own lives.

The No Bullshit Guide to Getting Sober

The No Bullshit Guide to Getting Sober Read and Written By Maree Maclean

Are you looking to achieve financial freedom? Does the idea of investing in property sound attractive but you don’t know where to begin? Andrew Nicol and Ed McKnight have the answers to:


• get you started on your investing journey

• structure your investments to ensure the best returns

• identify and amass the highest yielding properties

• achieve a portfolio of properties that you can live off


In this easy-to-read and practical guide, you’ll learn how investing

in property can achieve your financial goals at every stage of your

life — from buying your first home, to building a portfolio and into retirement. Full of helpful case studies, useful data and clearly articulated strategies, this is an indispensable read for anyone wanting to build a long-term Wealth Plan.

Wealth Plan

Wealth Plan ( Audiobook Extract ) By Andrew Nicol & Ed McKnight

This is the moving story of a woman who, throughout her life, has refused to be defined by what others think she can or cannot do. Minnie Baragwanath was diagnosed, at the age of 15, with a congenital condition that left her legally blind. However, she did not meekly accept the limitations that blindness might have imposed on her: instead, she dug in her heels and set about improving not only her own life but also the lives of all New Zealanders with access needs. The dramatic events of Minnie’s life – losing her sight, being admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Japan at 19, becoming a television presenter, participating in the New York Marathon, surviving life-threatening illnesses, founding and leading innovative organisations, receiving prestigious awards (including the New Zealand Order of Merit) – are related in vivid detail. Minnie looks candidly at both her challenges and her triumphs, giving the reader the opportunity to share her exceptional experiences. This book has the potential to change our views of what ‘disability’ means. Minnie’s far-reaching ideas on how our society could be transformed – to everyone’s benefit – are not just intellectual speculations: they are based on her experiences, and on those of the many people with disability with whom she has worked. There is a growing demand for information about ‘diversity and inclusion’. This book, with its keen insight into what it means to be in meaningful relationship ‘with’ one another, and in particular how we as a society choose to relate to leaders and pioneers of a more progressive world, breaks new ground on those subjects.

Blindingly Obvious

Blindingly Obvious (Audiobook Extract) by Minnie Minnie Baragwanath Read By Romy Hooper

Being a Dad can be hard. Its not just the parenting but also balancing your other relationships, work, health and your life enjoyment.

Be the Dad has been written by father of five, Ferg Turnbull, full of the tips he has picked up on his parenting journey to help you find happiness and success in all areas of your family life.

Written in short, entertaining and easy to digest chapters Be The Dad is packed with practical tips in everyday language you can apply straight away to help your 'Dad' life.

Be The Dad is broken down into three categories: Parenting, Marriage Life and Personal Life which contain chapters on: device usage, finding a work/home balance, being on the same team with your spouse, being a great life coach for your kids and creating more time in your life.

Be The Dad has already helped many Dads, here is what a couple of the Dad say:

'Incredibly encouraging, real life stuff that's easy to apply' Ben, Father of two, Christchurch, New Zealand

'Saved me, my relationship and my kids from me losing my way as a man and a dad.

I have shared Be the Dad with so many people and hope it impacts them in such a way as it did me.' Brett, Father of four, Queensland, Australia

Be the Dad has already helped many dads with their parenting, relationships and mental health and well being, I'm sure it can help you and your family have a great quality of life!

Bed The Dad

Be The Dad

Be the Dad (Audiobook Extract) Read and Written By Fergus Turnbull

The Dragons of Malescia, is a six-part fantasy adventure story for children from seven to seventy. Twelve-year-old Callam finds a stone of unusual thinness and colour. He tells his best friend Leisha, and together they try and find out more about it. They meet a museum professor, who behaves suspiciously and then an elderly couple who clearly know much about the stone and its history than they say. Is it a stone or could it be a scale of a mythical beast? To his horror, Callam turns into a dragon at night. He tells Leisha and together, they begin their exciting adventures of magic, monsters and mystery.

The Dragons of Malescia

The Dragons of Malescia (Audiobook Extract) Read and Written By Simon Taylor

Twelve short stories about eight-year-old Imogen and her best friend, Roari, a four-metre tall dragon. Wonderfully narrated with voices for every character, in each story they meet a new friend, from Bluey the Penguin to Mr Kiwi. Each enchanting story is a combination of a fun tale with interesting facts for the children. Two of the stories include helping Father Christmas in different ways. For 3+ years of age.

Originally broadcast on ‘Suzy and Friends with Suzy Cato’, the award winner, for best children’s radio programme 2023 radio.

Author, narrator and recording studio, Simon Taylor. Copyright 2023 Simon Taylor. Editor Eileen Clews. Produced by Phil Yule - Voice Box. Sound effects from ‘FreeSound' - details of individual sound effects and license holders available on the application.

For further details about Simon Taylor, his audiobooks, books, broadcasts and storytelling at primary schools, see www.simontaylorstoryteller.com

Imogen and Roari's Adventures

Imogen and Roari's Adventures (Audiobook Extract) Read and Written by Simon Taylor

In 2011 Jenny Robin Jones wrote No Simple Passage, which told the true story of how the London sailed to New Zealand in 1842 and what happened to its passengers on the way, who flourished, who foundered and who didn’t even make it to their new homeland. Now here is the story from the point of view of young Joe Willis and his friend Bertie Bacon from Great Snoring. Joe’s excitement about his new life keeps his curiosity at a fever pitch throughout the whole four-month adventure at sea. As he marks the days by notches on his stick, the boys learn to read and write, make friends with a cabin passenger and watch their first Māori haka. When will they all get to Wellington Town? Why isn’t the ship moving anymore? Will Jasper, the dog on the poop deck, recover from the heat? Will the sailors find William Whale who has fallen into the ocean? Will Joe’s mother have enough raisins in her rations to make Spotted Dick for tea? Will Joe get scurvy if he doesn’t eat his pickled cabbage? Will Midnight, the ship’s cat, save him from the rats? Factual historical detail is embedded in the human story of Joe and Bertie, Joe’s poor but hopeful parents and Bertie’s sister Eliza, whose sickness is so much worse than Joe’s. 

Narrator: Sharyn Morcom 

Cover design: Deborah Hinde 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/jennyrobinjonesauthor

From Great Snoring to Peaches and Pork

Learn More

From Great Snoring to Peaches and Pork - By Jenny Robin Jones Read By Sharyn Morcom - Free Sample

Book Summary
An ordinary boy who hates his name. A boy who is drawn into the world of Chylgar, by the giant talking wolves who protect the Land. Aided by two village children, they ride the wolves on a perilous journey to seek a cure for the sickness that ails the wolf packs. Tracked by the Emperor's soldiers, and threatened by monstrous creatures, Boy discovers he has a special gift. Can he control the power? Can he protect the wolves? Will there be time? A journey of adventure and magic.

Listen to all epsiodes

Episode 1

Introduction

Become The Hero of Your Own Sales Story 

Whether you are a sales newcomer, an experienced seller looking for a refresh, a sales manager or a business leader struggling for revenue, this audio book will literally supercharge your results and transform your life. 

‘Ignite Your Sales Hero’ is the ultimate guide to mastering the art of authentic 'one on one' and ‘human to human selling.’ It is packed with battle tested sales strategies, tactics and methods that have been successfully deployed in one of the world's most competitive industry sectors. Within this audio journey you will take a deep dive into the following: 

How to build a prosperous and successful sales career. You can achieve the lifestyle you dream of by honing the mental skills and mindset of a sales professional. Pinpoint areas for self-improvement, and how to overcome obstacles, challenges, and self -limiting beliefs that may be standing between yourself and the future you aspire to. 

Uncover why traditional sales methods like ‘Always Be Closing’ (ABC) no longer cut it with today’s buyers. Embrace fresh insights and methods that will engage and captivate buyers, propelling you to close more deals – a lot more! For example, did you know that you can double your sales revenue by making just a few minor tweaks to your current sales process. 

True sales success hinges on your ability to effectively apply your knowledge and learnings in real-world situations. The ability to close deals under pressure is the backbone of a successful sales career. Throughout you will find frameworks, winning tactics and scripts that will help you to outperform your competitors in even the most competitive situations.

Ignite Your Sales Hero

Ignite Your Sales Hero By James Logan ( audiobook extract ) Read By Bruce Hopkins

Using a mysterious gold wristband, Boy returns to Chylgar, a world where he has a special power. Chylgar is overrun by the Emperor's army, led by Warlocks, seeking the 'Crown of Power'. Reunited with his friends, the giant talking wolves of Chylgar, can they find a way to defeat the Warlocks and the Emperor's army? Can he use his power against them? Can the band provide the solution?

Book 2 in the Chylgar series.

Chylgar

Listen to Book 1

Chylgar - The Crown of Power ( Audiobook Extract ) Written and narrated by Simon Taylor

Every working parent knows how hard the juggle is. Now we know the cause.

It’s time to get work to work better for people.

Right now, we are expected to work as though we don’t have kids and parent as though we don’t have jobs.

It is not sustainable. It’s causing people to leave the workforce, or to sacrifice valuable family time – and simultaneously hurting organisations as retention and productivity take a nosedive.

#WorkSchoolHours offers us all a better framework – one that takes us far beyond how we structure our work schedules to deliver us better commercial outcomes for businesses, better careers for all working people, and better lives for everyone.

Building on decades of research and lived experiences, #WorkSchoolHours gives us practical insights and immediately actionable solutions.

Let’s reduce hours spent working, so we can connect more with what matters in life – and do it in a way that is commercially smart for organisations.

Praise for #WorkSchoolHours

“A change-the-freaking-world book.”

– Mark Crysell, TVNZ SUNDAY correspondent

“An absolute must-read that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the final page.”

– Steve Jurkovich - Chief Executive, KiwiBank

“Even the skeptic in me is totally convinced.”

– Eric Chapman - Director of Business Transformation, EY

“Ellen's precise wisdom is a game-changer”

– Dr Ron McDowall, ONZM - Director of Rutherford Business Institute

“A research-backed, implementable solution where everybody wins.”

– Stephania Varalli - Story Strategist, serial entrepreneur, and former CEO and owner of Women of Influence, Canada

#WorkSchoolHours

#WorkSchoolHours: A Revolution for Parents, Workplaces and the World

The popular children’s book series latest book is set in beautiful Rarotonga! Kiri, Jed and twins Emma and Ethan frequently journey on ‘elastic island’, a unique way to travel that sends them pinging across the ocean to a variety of tropical destinations. This time, they travel with Blong the Cat and Heathcliff the Dog to beautiful Rarotonga. They are expecting to relax in the sun, but it’s not long until they run into problems. Firstly, Mighty Moko, the resident grumpy gecko who lives in their room, is determined to get rid of them, no matter what! But his annoying antics are quickly surpassed when all the black pearls on the island are stolen in a brazen heist, the thief leaving clues scattered around the island. The children are determined to solve the clues, but even with the help of the wise Mana Tiaki, will they be successful? Will the people of Rarotonga ever see their precious black pearls again?

Elastic Island Adventures: Rarotonga

Elastic Island Adventures: Rarotonga Written By Karen Mcmillan Read by Dominic Ona-Ariki

A sample of one of the books from our Children's Bedtime Story collection. 

12 Huia Birds

Written by Julian Stokoe.
Narrated by George Henare
Original Sound Design by Vic Spectrum
Sound Recordings by David Liverside
Audio Book Produced & Distributed by Audiobooks NZ
Audio Book mastering by Ora Simpson and Theo Gibson

www.audiobooksnz.com

12 Huia Birds

Children's Bedtime Stories Collection

12 Huia Bird( Audiobook Extract ) Read by George Henare

This is a small sample of our first Read Along Audiobook. This will be released in Feb 2017. Enjoy.

Narrator: Bruce Philips

The Mysterious Wuzzle Fuzzle

The Mysterious Wuzzle Fuzzle( Audiobook Extract ) Read by Bruce Philips

Written By: Arthur Meek
Narrated By: Laurel Devenie
Music By: John Gibson

Based on the diaries of Mary Ann Martin, On The Upside Down of the World is set during the colonisation of the last place on earth. It’s the story of an unlikely female pioneer who blazes a unique trail through the untamed social landscapes of New Zealand’s early history when she’s forced to foster a peculiar Māori boy.

On the Upside Down of the World

On the Upside Down of the World ( Audiobook Extract ) Read by Laurel Devenie

The Single Dad's Guide to the Galaxy

The Single Dad's Guide to the Galaxy ( Audiobook Extract ) Read by Roger McEwan

Breaking fresh ground, this new and important biography of Sir Edmund Hillary stands apart from previous accounts of this truly great New Zealander. The author, Michael Gill, was a close friend of Edmund Hillary’s for nearly 50 years, accompanying him on many expeditions, and becoming heavily involved in his Himalayan aid work. He was also granted access by Sir Edmund’s children to a large archive of private papers and photos that were deposited in the Auckland Museum after his death.

Building on this unpublished material, as well as his extensive personal experience, Michael Gill has written an insightful and illuminating biography. He describes the uncertainties of the first 33 years of Edmund Hillary’s life, as well as the background to the first ascent of Mt Everest, a feat that brought him instant worldwide fame. In addition, this biography reveals the pivotal and loving relationship he had with his wife Louise, in part through their touching letters to each other. Her importance to him during their 22 years of marriage only underlines the horror of her death, along with that of their youngest daughter, in a plane crash in 1975. Edmund Hillary eventually pulled out of his subsequent depression to continue his life’s work building schools and hospitals in the Himalayas.

Affectionate, but scrupulously fair, Michael Gill has gone further than anyone before to reveal the humanity of this remarkable man. Edmund Hillary’s life was shaped by both triumph and tragedy, and while he became famous through his mountaineering achievements, it was his humility and affection for the people of Nepal that became an equal part of his enduring legacy.

Edmund Hillary: A Biography

Edmund Hillary: A Biography by Michael Gill (Audiobook Extract)Read By Bruce Hopkins

Wild Pork and Watercress
Barry Crump was one of New Zealand’s most popular authors of all time. From A Good Keen Man in 1960 through to his death in 1996, over a million copies of the 24 books he wrote were sold. He was a superb storyteller, who captured perfectly the laconic humour and the lifestyle of the rugged Kiwi outdoors man. His ability to craft a tale that is both moving and funny is superbly illustrated by the huge international success of the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which is based on his book Wild Pork and Watercress.
Almost all of Barry Crump’s books are now out of print. A new volume of collected stories published in 2017 remedied that. And the five classic yarns comprising that volume are available in ebook form as separate titles – A Good Keen Man, Bullock Creek, Gold and Greenstone, Puha Road, and Wild Pork and Watercress.

About Wild Pork and Watercress:
When Ricky’s beloved Aunt Bella dies and Social Welfare threatens to put him into care, the overweight Maori boy and cantankerous Uncle Hec flee into the remote and rugged Ureweras. The impassable bush serves up perilous adventures, forcing the pair of misfits to use all their skills to survive hunger, wild pigs and the weather. Worse still are the authorities, determined to bring Ricky and Uncle Hec to justice. But despite the difficulties of life on the run, a bond of trust and love blossoms between the world-weary man and his withdrawn sidekick.
This rattling good yard has been made into a major movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople, written and directed by Taika Waititi.

About the author:
Barry Crump was born in 1935 and died in 1996. In 1959 he began writing humorous sketches of life as a government deer-culler and pig hunter, publishing these in 1960 as A Good Keen Man. This became a massive bestseller in New Zealand and over the next 50 years he wrote another 23 books, which sold over a million copies.
As well as a best-selling author, Crump was an actor, TV personality, poet, radio commentator, man of leisure, traveller, goldminer, photographer and more. A successful 12-year association with Toyota brought a series of award-winning advertisements that catapulted Crump into living rooms around the country with his laconic, blokey style.
Crump was married five times and had six children, all sons. In the 1990s Crump was awarded an MBE and OBE for services to literature, something he was quietly proud of and reckoned would be hard case pinned to his Swanndri. He was listed in the Who’s Who as having no fixed abode, and regarded himself as a world citizen. He insisted that, first and foremost, he was just a Kiwi bushman.

Barry Crump Wild Pork and Watercress (Audiobook Extract ) Read By Martin Crump

After moving house, lonely librarian Beth meets Isaac – a handsome man with timeless manners – on her way to work. Sharing the same antiquated tram day after day, the pair become close and Beth suspects she’s falling in love.

But Isaac has a secret that threatens their budding romance. Something dark and as magical as the tram that picks her up every morning and evening. Why does he suddenly push her away? Does he really not care for her? How could she have got the signals so wrong?

Then Isaac and the tram go missing and Beth begins to discover the truth. But it might be too late…

Catching the Last Tram

Catching The Last Tram (Audiobook Extract) Read by Susan Holt

‘A long time ago,’ began Dad, ‘a bear met a little boy and, right away, it knew it loved him.’
When Dad discovers a mysterious, dusty box in Gran’s attic, and brings it home to Max, the scene is set for a poignant and intriguing family tale. What could be inside the box, and why is it so important that Max hear Dad’s story before he’s allowed to open it? As Max listens, it becomes apparent that the box contains a special treasure, one that only Max can breathe life into.

The Teddy Bear's Promise ( Audiobook Extract ) Read by Bruce Philips

One hundred letters to breasts from women affected by breast cancer

Dear Boobs

Dear Boobs (Audiobook Extract) Read by Lee Smith-Gibbons

University degrees should be for everyone. Not just for some self-appointed elite who study obscure stuff like Classics, History and Mediaeval Studies. Universities need to offer a range of subjects that will ensure anyone can get a degree in something - it's purely a matter of responding to modern market forces. This is the vision of Ralston University's new Vice-Chancellor. Unburdened by any sense of academic tradition or excellence - and coming from a background in company liquidations - he proceeds to close down the teaching of traditional academic subjects, replacing them with diploma and degree courses in line dancing, hamburgerology and applied witchcraft. More than a new broom that sweeps clean, he is hell-bent on excoriating every last shred of intellectual fibre from the bones of academic tradition. Drawn into this sudden chain of events, can the wise but world-weary Professor Trout save his own job in the Department of Medieval Studies? Or will the monstrous Professor Beefenstein squeeze him out with her teaching of Rubenesque Studies to justify female obesity? Are panelbeating and 'paedophilac studies' to become legitimised as scholarship? It seems anything is possible.

About Bob Jones
Wellington-based Sir Robert Jones has been described variously over the years as property tycoon, free-enterpriser, self-made man, political party leader, syndicated newspaper columnist, boxing fan and intelligent, sarcastic bastard. Born in Lower Hutt in 1939, he attended Naenae College. Becoming established as a national identity through his career as a property investor and founder and leader of the New Zealand Party from 1983 to 1985, he is also a leading commentator on financial matters, education, and social policy. He has donated statues to municipalities and established humanities scholarships. He counts among his other interests trout fishing, tennis, cricket, politics and gardening.

Degrees For Everyone

Degrees For Everyone By Bob Jones (Audiobook Extract) Read By Paul Barrett

E AHAKU NUI, E KĀ RAKATIRA O KĀ HAU MAHA  TĒNEI TE MIHI KI A KOUTOU KATOA.

ANEI TĒTAHI PŪRAKAU MAI I TE WAKA O TĀKITIMU. HE PŪRAKU E PĀ ANA TĒTAHI MANU WAIRUA

ME TŌNA REREKA KI AOTEAROA. KO KIMI IA KI TŌNA PORI HŌU, I TE AO PŌHATU.  

NAU MAI, TAUTĪ MAI E HOA MĀ.

The Māori language version of the story evolved from a theatrical puppet show by TORO PIKOPIKO PUPPETS, that premiered at TE ANA MĀORI ROCK-ART CENTRE in 2017 called TE REREKA – THE FLIGHT. This rock-art puppet musical was adapted as an on-line interactive e-Audiobook for the Ministry of Education in 2018, and has now been formatted as a 70 minute, 6-chapter audiobook i te reo Kāi Tahu, my tribal dialect. The story is about Pourakahua, who is transformed into a spirit bird that flies to Aotearoa, New Zealand in search of her own kind. In my interpretation, she flies up the Ōpihi river, meeting a host of colourful creatures living in caves and limestone rock shelters, pursued by a bevy of bird-hunters. TE REREKA WAIRUA O POURAKAHUA is informed and inspired by the ancient rock-art from the South Canterbury region. To access the bi-lingual pictorial manuscript of this audio-book and other promotional material go to: www.maorirockartpuppets.com


For licensing agreements to stage public performances contact:

PLAYMARKET,   PO BOX 9767, WELLINGTON 6141, NEW ZEALAND

INFO@PLAYMARKET.ORG.NZ


This audiobook was produced by Jeffrey Addison for

AOTEAROA KINESTHETIC EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED

(AKEELTD) www.akeeltd.com

TE REREKA WAIRUA O POURAKAHUA

TE REREKA WAIRUA O POURAKAHUA( Extract)Read By Pourakahua performed by Te Whaitaima Te Whare

A story about family, loyalty, kindness and bravery, set against an all-too-possible future where climate change has forever changed the way we live.

WINNER: CBCA Book of the Year, Younger Readers, 2018
WINNER: 2018 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature
WINNER: 2018 New Zealand Book Awards, Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction

Sometimes bees get too big to be up in the branches, sometimes they fall and break their bones. This week both happened and Foreman said, 'Tomorrow we'll find two new bees.'

Peony lives with her sister and grandfather on a fruit farm outside the city. In a world where real bees are extinct, the quickest, bravest kids climb the fruit trees and pollinate the flowers by hand. All Peony really wants is to be a bee. Life on the farm is a scrabble, but there is enough to eat and a place to sleep, and there is love. Then Peony's mother arrives to take her away from everything she has ever known, and all Peony's grit and quick thinking might not be enough to keep her safe.

How To Bee is a beautiful and fierce novel for younger readers, and the voice of Peony will stay with you long after you read the last page.
More books by this author

How To Bee

How To Bee By Bren MacDibble (Extract)Read By Romy Hooper (ANZ Ver)

When extreme endurance athlete, Lisa Tamati, was confronted with the hardest challenge of her life, she fought with everything she had. Her beloved mother, Isobel, had suffered a huge aneurysm and stroke and was left with massive brain damage; she was like a baby in a woman’s body. The prognosis was dire. There was very little hope that she would ever have any quality of life again. But Lisa is a fighter and stubborn. She absolutely refused to accept the words of the medical fraternity and instead decided that she was going to get her mother back or die trying. This book tells of the horrors, despair, hope, love, and incredible experiences and insights of that journey. It shares the difficulties of going against a medical system that has major problems and limitations. Amongst the darkest times were moments of great laughter and joy. Relentless will not only take the reader on a journey from despair to hope and joy, but it also provides information on the treatments used, expert advice and key principles to overcoming obstacles and winning in all of life’s challenges. It will inspire and guide anyone who wants to achieve their goals in life, overcome massive obstacles or limiting beliefs. It’s for those who are facing terrible odds, for those who can’t see light at the end of the tunnel. It’s about courage, self-belief, and mental toughness. And it’s also about vulnerability... it’s real, raw, and genuine. This is not just a story about the love and dedication between a mother and a daughter. It is about beating the odds, never giving up hope, doing whatever it takes, and what it means to go ‘all in’. Isobel’s miraculous recovery is a true tale of what can be accomplished when love is the motivating factor and when being relentless is the only option.

Relentless

Relentless By Lisa Tamati Read By Lisa Tamati (Audiobook Extract)

Like many 13-year-old girls, Sofia’s main worries are how to get some groovy go-go boots, and how not to die of embarrassment giving a speech at school! But when her older brother Lenny starts talking about marches and protests and overstayers, and how Pacific Islanders are being bullied by the police for their passports and papers, a shadow is cast over Sofia’s sunny teenage days. Through her heartfelt diary entries, we see her growing awareness of the bias in the media, the prejudice against Polynesian citizens and the bullying in the playground. We also see her determination to get an after-school job, and save up for things she really wants. Once she learns she can put things on lay-by, she starts paying off the cost for her much-wanted go-go boots. Along the way, Sofia makes a wider circle of friends including Charlotte, who started out as her enemy. On a holiday to Auckland to meet their grandparents, Sofia is witness to the terror of being dawn-raided and gains an insight into the courageous and tireless work of the Polynesian Panthers first hand, as they encourage immigrant families across New Zealand to stand up for their rights. The dawn raid experience gives her material for her speech and she delivers it with aplomb, winning second place. In her family’s eyes she is a winner!

Dawn Raid

Download Audiobook

Dawn Raid (Audiobook Extract) By Pauline (Vaeluaga) Smith Read By Irasa Siave

Barry Crump was one of New Zealand’s most popular authors of all time. From A Good Keen Man in 1960 through to his death in 1996, over a million copies of the 24 books he wrote were sold. He was a superb storyteller, who captured perfectly the laconic humour and the lifestyle of the rugged Kiwi outdoors man. His ability to craft a tale that is both moving and funny is superbly illustrated by the huge international success of the movie Hunt for the Wilderpeople, which is based on his book Wild Pork and Watercress.

Almost all of Barry Crump’s books are now out of print. A new volume of collected stories published in 2017 remedied that. And the five classic yarns comprising that volume are available in ebook form as separate titles – A Good Keen Man, Bullock Creek, Gold and Greenstone, Puha Road, and Wild Pork and Watercress.

A Good Keen Man

A Good Keen Man By Barry Crump (Audiobook Extract)Read By Martin Crump

Audiobooks NZ is based in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city. We specialise in producing quality audiobooks worldwide for your listening pleasure. We take great pride in matching the right voice to your book. We manage the complete production process, selecting professional audio engineers and narrators with many years experience working in the film, television and radio industries. By choosing Audiobooks NZ  you are choosing to translate your book from words on a page to an immersive audio experience.

Popular tracks by Audiobooks New Zealand