" One good book can spark a lifetime of reading"
" You know when a story is so good you literally forget your surroundings and are quickly enveloped in it telling."
‘[Gecko Press’s] production values are exemplary.’
Kate de Goldi, Radio New Zealand
‘There is a robust nature to the books [Gecko Press] has published, a strength, a quirkiness, and a depth that we have lacked … We have customers who seek out Gecko books ahead of any others.’
John McIntyre, Children’s Bookshop and National Radio reviewer
‘Inspirational publishing … their current list is adventurous and dynamic.’
Sunday Star-Times
Who is Gecko Press?
Gecko Press is an independent publisher, based in Wellington. Every year Gecko Press translates and publishes a small number of carefully-selected children’s books by some of the world’s best writers and illustrators, from countries including France, Germany, Japan, Poland and the Netherlands.
Gecko Press also publishes two or three books each year by (mostly) New Zealand authors and illustrators.
How Gecko Press began
Gecko Press started in 2005. “Ten years ago, the idea of choosing books from other languages, and translating them into English was considered madness – though I didn’t know that at the time,” says publisher Julia Marshall.
At that time, 1% of books published in the UK were reported to have non-English beginnings. “When I reported this number to the Swedish publisher of Margaret Mahy, he said: ‘I’m surprised that figure is so high.’”
“Then I found that Ulf Stark’s classic Can You Whistle, Johanna? had been translated into 20 languages but not English.”
“And that was the beginning of Gecko Press.”
Unwrapping curiously good books of the month from Gecko Press
Zanzibar by Catharina Valckx
An uplifting, warmhearted early chapter book about a crow, who proves you can move mountains (or even dromedaries) and perform truly heroic deeds if you believe in yourself.
"This story about finding the extraordinary in everyone gives readers something to crow about."
Kirkus Reviews
The Runaways by Ulf Stark
Grandpa’s in the hospital and hating it.
Gottfried Junior visits Grandpa as often as he’s allowed, and when he’s not allowed, he goes anyway.
Gottfried Junior visits Grandpa as often as he’s allowed, and when he’s not allowed, he goes anyway.
Grandpa thinks only of the place he was happiest—the island where he lived with Grandma. He wants to go back one last time, but they won’t let him out of hospital.
Gottfried Junior and Grandpa take things into their own hands. If running away is the only way to the island, then they’ll be runaways.
"A touching, realistic, gently humorous story of how a sensitive boy copes with his treasured grandfather’s decline."
Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Otto Goes North by Ulrika Kestere
Far up in the north is a blueberry-blue house with a grass roof, where Lisa and Nils live. One day a tourist arrives: Otto has cycled for months, maybe years, to visit his friends.
Otto wants to do a spectacular painting of the northern lights to remember his visit, but he is from a hot country and it is very cold here. He can’t paint for shivering so hard.
Lisa and Nils are surprised—Otto has a fur coat just like them! They didn’t know there was a difference between fur and fur.
His friends decide to knit him a jumper.
"Good friends and a how-to-manual on knitting. ONE GOOD BOOK CAN SPARK A LIFETIME OF READING."
Kirkus Review
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