Tomorrow Code Poster

A great movie poster for The Tomorrow Code, designed by a student from Birkenhead Primary school. (Note who he has selected to produce and direct the movie!)

Hi to all the kids from Temuka Primary who sent me their lovely stories. Thanks Darwin, Sam, Isobel, Cameron, Jayda, Cole, Logan and Peter!

NZ Post Children's Book Awards

The results of the New Zealand Post book awards have just been announced, and I am very happy to announce that Brainjack won the Children's Choice award for the Young Adult Category.
Congratulations to all the other winners, very well deserved!

Hi to everyone from Whakatane who came to my talk today. Thanks Rangitaiki for putting me on your blog: http://ping.fm/gMcUn

A great poem from a year 8 student at Mt Maunganui Intermediate.
http://ping.fm/Cn3O9

Mt Maunganui Intermediate

Hi to everyone at Mt Maunganui Intermediate. It was a great visit today, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
I really enjoyed the poems you gave me, thanks Jonas, Victoria, Kate, Olivia, Emily and Steven.
Janetta your poem entitled 'Dreams' was simply stunning. Fantastic work everybody.

A great review of Brainjack by the CBCA

Set in the U.S. in the near future, sixteen-year-old Sam Wilson graduates from talented computer hacker and petty thief to cyber warrior in an heroic battle against cyber terrorism. As a result of his daring attack on the computer systems of the White House, Sam is recruited into the Homeland Security, Cyber Defence Division (CDD), an unlikely collection of computer whizz kids whose urgent mission is to protect the country's cyber network from imminent attack. Tension is unrelenting in this fast-paced action novel and complex issues of ethics and science are seamlessly embedded within it. The characters are well developed, Sam is an engaging protagonist, with plenty of initiative and capable of great loyalty and friendship in situations of extreme danger; the motley cast of minor characters is full of individual quirks and idiosyncrasies. Extensive use of technical jargon and information does not interfere with the non-technical reader's enjoyment, and the projected innovations in cyber technology are totally convincing. A great read. Recommended for ages 12+.