Puffin the Architect

Puffin is a truly amazing architect!

George Clarke, architect and television presenter

...endearing animals, well-drawn pictures of imaginative houses and a likeable narrator — but then came the moment that shocked Miss Nine and, because of her reaction, stunned me. Puffin the architect is a woman — and why shouldn’t she be? After all, it is 2018 not 1958. But the fact that my daughter was still surprised by that tells me we need more books like Puffin the Architect. It could well spark a whole new generation of architects, engineers and interior designers.

Dionne Christian and Zoe Gadd, Weekend Herald

Absolutely gorgeous. It's a picture book done by a New Zealand writer and illustrator, and it's the story of a mother puffin who is an architect. Which is nice for starters because, you know, we don't have a lot of picture books for kids about professional roles for women...It's just so beautifully done; the illustrations are lovely.

Joan Mackenzie, Radio Live

Delightful story and beautifully illustrated...perfect for read aloud storytime

Sue's Reviews, Wairarapa Times-Age Weekend

This is a visually appealing picture book, with muted earthy tones and a charming central character in Puffin the Architect...It was refreshing to find that the working professional in this Puffin family is female and she is clearly very good at what she does, satisfying all her clients through careful listening and expert planning. I think older primary children will get the most out of this book and I can just see young readers imagining what they might include in their own future homes, just as I used to when reading Dr Suess’s Come Over to My Place as a child.

Melinda Szymanik, Scoop Review of Books

Kimberly Andrew’s delightful cut-away paintings are perfect for children to explore, matching the design element from the poem. Pilot Moose's treetop home includes cupboards for his flannel shirts, a pulley-operated lift and a flying fox between the bathroom and his house. Look for the energetic pufflings on each double-page spread, flying or playing with Pig's collapsible stools. Architectural drawings, blue prints and plans add to the interest of this fun picture book.

Rhyllis Bignell, ReadPlus

This is such a perfect book for young ones for so many reasons. It will join the ever-growing group of books about makers and designers, offering ideas and solutions. The read aloud qualities are many. The large format size will enable an audience to participate as the rhyming text flows beautifully. There is a lot of detail in the visuals, which will be studied by inquisitive readers again and again. This is an exciting new publication.

Liz Derouet, Still Talking About Books

A gorgeous story, with endearing characters, intriguing house designs, ingenious mechanisms and intricate storage solutions...It's no wonder George Clarke (George Clarke's Amazing Spaces) loves it too!

Ruth McIntyre, Australian Women's Weekly

This book is a delightful tale of a mum trying to create the right home for her pufflings – but they are proving a little difficult to please. It's a fun romp through different, intricately designed houses, perfect for each client, but what's really breath-taking is the writing. To see a book completed in flawless rhyme, building page by page while subtly reusing and adapting each section to a new house and owner – well, it's rather astounding and worthy of a very long round of applause. The illustrations are fabulously drawn and coloured, with a lot of detailed work for the plans throughout. The family interactions are endearing, and there's a lot to relate to as the little pufflings fail to appreciate their mum's genius! This is a delightful read for ages 3+, and school-age kids also get plenty out of the detail.

The Sapling's Best New Zealand Picture Books of 2018

Witty, with wonderfully detailed illustrations. This is a great read-aloud book.

Paddy Richardson, Heidi North and Rebekah Fraser., Judges' comments, NZ Booklovers Awards

Cleverly written in verse and with wonderfully detailed illustrations, this is a great read-aloud book and one that children will also enjoy reading alone for both the intricacies of the drawings and the ideas of planning a “custom-built” house. A picture book which can be read over many times and used as a creative discussion point for children’s own choices about house designs, Puffin the Architect has a richness, depth and complexity of concepts that will appeal to kids over a wide range of ages.

Judges' report, NZ Booklovers Awards