Gecko Press - Who we are

Gecko Press is an independent, international publisher of curiously good children’s books

Gecko Press hand-picks, translates and publishes books by some of the best writers and illustrators in the world —books of good heart and strong character, excellent in story, illustration and design.

We choose stories children and parents will want to read hundreds of times, for ages 0 to 12 (sometimes infinity).

Gecko Press is based in Wellington, New Zealand, and our books are sold throughout the English-speaking world in print and digital editions.

We use high-quality paper, sewn bindings, and sustainably sourced products, and try to make each book the best it can be.

Publisher Julia Marshall

» Image © Stephanie Blake from Poo Bum

Cover image © Leo Timmers from Elephant Island

We choose books to kickstart a lifetime of reading

A sturdy, fat, little board book, just the right size for the tiny fingers of pre-readers.

Best Books for Kids 2010, Dominion Post

Clever and raucous fun.

Starred review, Publishers Weekly

You could really inject your personality in the words and have fun with the sounds.

The Guardian

The Noisy Book by Soledad Bravi » Image © Soledad Bravi

Who’s Hiding? by Satoru Onishi

Bumblebee Grumblebee by David Elliot

… and books that tickle our funny bones

Sheer absurdity … Younger audiences will be screaming ‘There it is!’ from the get-go.

Starred review, Kirkus Reviews

This amusingly absurd story paired with the warm and wonderful illustrations will have kids coming back again and again.

Starred review, School Library Journal

Stonkingly good.

Picture Books Blogger

Have You Seen Elephant? by David Barrow » Image © David Barrow

Yours Sincerely, Giraffe by Megumi Iwasa, illustrated by Jun Takabatake Encyclopedia of Grannies by Éric Veillé

Sometimes we choose books that ask big questions

I can’t think of another book that tackles so huge a subject with such simple, heartbreaking eloquence.

Meg Rosoff

Warm, poignant and witty.

Anthony Browne

The most extraordinary picture book I’ve seen in many a year.

Patrick Ness

Duck, Death and the Tulip by Wolf Erlbruch » Image © Wolf Erlbruch

Migrants by Issa Watanabe

Tell Me by Katharina von der Gathen, illustrated by Anke Kuhl

Books about friendship

One of those joyous rarities: a book about girls who are neither infallible nor pratfall-prone … If only all early chapter books were this beautifully conceived.

New York Times Notable Book

This tale is a winner.

Books of the Year, The Independent

The clarity and simplicity of the writing are balanced by the verve and finesse of Eriksson’s captivating illustrations … A quietly compelling book for young readers.

Starred review, Booklist

My Happy Life by Rose Lagercrantz, illustrated by Eva Eriksson » Image © Eva Eriksson Can You Whistle, Johanna? by Ulf Stark, illustrated by Anna Höglund

A Perfect Wonderful Day with Friends by Philip Waechter

… and books with a lot of human nature in them

Full of warm humor and wisdom.

Best Books, Horn Book

Endearing characters and a childlike sensibility.

Starred review, Top 10 Crime Fiction for Youth, Booklist

New York Public Library Notable Children’s Book

Assoc. Library Service to Children, Notable Children’s Book

Nominated, National Cartoonists Society Silver Reuben

IBBY award for translation

Shortlisted for the Marsh award for translation

The Kiosk by Anete Melece

Bruno

Detective Gordon: The First Case by Ulf Nilsson, illustrated by Gitte Spee » Image © Gitte Spee

by Catharina Valckx, illustrated by Nicolas Hubesch

We choose books by writers and illustrators we love

Aleksandra Mizielińska Alexandra Tylee Anete Melece Anke Kuhl

Anna-Clara Tidholm Anna Höglund Annemarie van Haeringen

Annie Hayward Antje Damm Astrid Desbordes Aurore Petit

Barbara Else Barbro Lindgren Béatrice Rodriguez Bei Lynn

Bénédicte Guettier Bertrand Santini Bernardo P Carvalho

Blexbolex Catharina Valckx Cédric Ramadier Claude Dubois

Clotilde Perrin Constanze Spengler Damien Laverdunt Daniel

Mizieliński David Barrow David Elliot Delphine Perret Dorothée

de Monfreid Édouard Manceau Ed Franck Eirlys Hunter Elizabeth

Knox Éric Veillé Ester Eriksson Eva Eriksson Eva Lindström Frida

Nilsson Gavin Bishop Giselle Clarkson Gitte Spee Heinz Janisch

Hélène Rajcak Hilary Jean Tapper Hiroshi Ito Isabel Minhós

Martins Jack Lasenby Janik Coat Jenny Bornholdt Jonathan

King Jörg Mühle Joy Cowley Julia Liu Juliette MacIver Jun

Takabatake Jutta Bauer Katharina von der Gathen Katja

Gehrmann Kazumi Yumoto Kieran Rynhart Kimberly Andrews

Komako Sakai Kristina Andres Kristina Sigunsdotter Leo Timmers

Lisa Moroni Marc Boutavant Margaret Mahy Maria Jönsson

Mario Ramos Megumi Iwasa Michaela Keeble Nicolas Hubesch

Nora Brech Ole Könnecke Paula Bossio Pauline Martin Peter

Goes Peter Schössow Philip Waechter Rascal Ronan Badel Rose

Lagercrantz Sabrina Malcolm Sarah Davis Sarah Wilkins Satoru

Onishi Soledad Bravi Stephanie Blake Tatsuhide Matsuoka Thé

Tjong-Khing Thomas Tidholm Tokerau Brown Tomoko Ohmura

Toon Tellegen Ulf Nilsson Ulf Stark Ulrika Kestere Vincent

Bourgeau Wolf Erlbruch Yasunari Murakami

Some of our books don’t behave (even when they know how to)

Splendid introductions, chock-full of villainous revelations and insights both figurative and literal.

Starred review, Kirkus Reviews

The perfect gift.

London Review Bookshop

Supreme.

Best 50 Kids Books, The New Zealand Listener

2018 Best Picture Books, New Zealand Herald Christmas shopping guide: the 20 best kids books of 2018

Inside the Villains by Clotilde Perrin » Image © Hiroshi Ito

Poo Bum by Stephanie Blake

The Chicken Thief by Béatrice Rodriguez

We choose books that slow you down

A wonderful interactive little book

Axel Scheffler

I LOVED Tickle My Ears. Such a gorgeous little book.

Meg Rosoff

Tickle My Ears by Jörg Mühle » Image © Jörg Mühle

Stories of the Night by Kitty Crowther

Song of the River by Joy Cowley, illustrated by Kimberly Andrews

… or speed you up

A joyous ride for any pre-schooler in love with the fast and the furious.

Dominion Post

A good example of less is more ... For best results, tackle at full throttle.

The Age

Who’s Driving? by Leo Timmers » Image © Leo Timmers

That's Not a Hippopotamus by Juliette MacIver, illustrated by Sarah Davis

The Mapmakers’ Race by Eirlys Hunter

Books that tell us things in beautiful ways

Rich, accessible treasure trove of facts and figures. Hugely informative, hugely entertaining.

Financial Times

Here is a glowing sucker octopus, with its limbs spread out, pumpkincolored, looking like a just-exploded Roman candle in the night sky.

Wall Street Journal

Mass extinctions, the rise and fall of empires, wars, and pop culture trends, conveyed with playful details and masterly use of negative space.

Starred review, Publishers Weekly

Ribbons of pitch black winding through subtly coloured, deeply involving pages.

The Guardian

Best Books, The Sunday Times

Top 50 independent books, Wordery

Timeline by Peter Goes » Image © Peter Goes Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals by Damien Laverdunt and Hélène Rajcak A Mother Is a House by Aurore Petit

Join our newsletter

We curate a monthly newsletter for children’s book lovers.

Sign up here on our website to discover themed book lists, new children’s books, upcoming events, our latest blog articles, competitions, behind-the-scenes, author Q&As and more.

We also curate specialist newsletters for:

› Teachers and librarians with activity sheets, teacher notes, themed book lists and more.

› Bookstores with details about the latest releases, reviews and shareable digital assets.

› Media with new release details for review and upcoming events.

› International rights with new books that have rights available for sale, updates on rights sales and awards selections.

Follow us on social media

» Image © Antje Damm from The Visitor

Gecko Press worldwide

Gecko Press books are sold throughout the world, and marketed directly into North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, in digital and print editions.

In the United Kingdom, we work with Bounce Sales & Marketing, a leading specialist children’s sales service.

In the United States and Canada, we work with Lerner Publishing Group, one of the largest independent children’s book publishers in North America.

In Australia and New Zealand, we work with Walker Books Australia, a well-known publisher of quality children’s books worldwide.

In each market Gecko Press employs a specialist book publicist to promote our books through traditional and new media, conferences and festivals.

Post PO Box 9335 Wellington 6141 New Zealand

+64 (0)4 801 9333 | office@geckopress.com | geckopress.com

There is a robust nature to the books, a strength, a quirkiness, and a depth ... We have customers who seek out Gecko Press books ahead of any others.

John

McIntyre, The Children’s Bookshop

Inspirational publishing ... Their current list is adventurous and dynamic.

Sunday Star-Times

I love Gecko Press ... This is a shameless endorsement.

Meg Rosoff, author and winner of the ALMA

It’s such a Gecko book: gorgeous, surprising, filled with kindness.

The Spinoff