Pure Books
book shop — Timaru Central · Timaru
About Pure Books
Pure Books is a specialist Christian bookshop at 14 Station Street in Timaru Central, serving South Canterbury readers in-store and online through its webstore at purebooks.nz. Bibles are the backbone of the range: editions across the major translations — AMP, CEV, CSB, ESV, GNB, ICB, KJV, NASB, NIrV, NIV, NKJV and NLT — plus large print, Bibles in other languages, comic-format and Children/Youth Bibles, and Bible covers.
Around the Bibles sits a broad selection of Christian books: biographies, church history, classics, devotionals, Bible study guides, discipleship and spiritual growth titles, family reading, books for reaching unbelievers, and a Thought-Provoking section alongside a Recommended Authors shelf. There is a dedicated NZ Authors category — homegrown voices including Bible & Treaty: Missionaries Among the Māori — and a Secondhand section of pre-loved books, plus a Sale range and regular new arrivals.
Families are well catered for. Children's books are organised by age from 0-7 through 16+, and by type — picture books, board books, true stories, science, activity books, comics, fiction, Bible stories and more — with the Discover series of Bible notes for young people. Homeschooling families have their own section, stocking Rod and Staff, Pathway Readers, Math-It, Winston Grammar, Memoria Press, Answers in Genesis, Master Books, Schoolaid, Targeting Handwriting and resources for parents.
Rounding out the shop are gifts and stationery, Bible games and toys, gift cards, calendars and diaries. The website lets you search by keyword, title, author or ISBN, save wishlists and order for delivery, with events and a blog keeping the community connected.
Pure Books Timaru: Bibles, Christian Books and Homeschooling Resources on Station Street
On Station Street in Timaru Central, Pure Books is a specialist Christian bookshop serving South Canterbury readers of every age — and, through its online store at purebooks.nz, browsable from anywhere. Step inside and the range is broader than the word 'bookshop' suggests: shelf after shelf of Bibles in every major translation, Christian living and church history titles, children's books sorted by age, homeschooling curriculum, gifts and stationery, and a corner of secondhand finds. Whether you arrive with a specific title in mind or just a vague sense that you want something worth reading, there's a fair chance you'll leave with it.
A Bible for every reader
Bibles are the backbone of the shop. Pure Books carries editions across the full spread of translations — AMP, CEV, CSB, ESV, GNB, ICB, KJV, NASB, NIrV, NIV, NKJV and NLT — so whether you love the cadence of the King James, the study-friendly precision of the ESV or the plain language of the CEV, there's an edition to suit. Around the standard translations you'll find large print Bibles for easier reading, Bibles in languages other than English, comic-format Bibles that win over reluctant young readers, dedicated Children and Youth Bibles, and a selection of Bible covers for protecting a daily companion or completing a gift.
Books to read, share and grow with
The wider book range covers the breadth of Christian reading. Biographies and church history ground faith in real lives; classics and devotionals anchor a daily rhythm; Bible study guides, discipleship and spiritual growth titles help readers go deeper; and there are dedicated sections for family life, for reaching unbelievers, and for books that are simply thought-provoking. A Recommended Authors section points readers toward writers the shop keeps coming back to. The NZ Authors shelf is a particular feature — homegrown perspectives including Bible & Treaty: Missionaries Among the Māori – A New Perspective. Alongside the new titles sit a Secondhand section of pre-loved books and a Sale category, with new arrivals flagged regularly on the site.
For children and homeschooling families
Children are well looked after. The children's range is broken down by age — 0-7, 8-11, 12-15 and 16+ — and by type: picture books, board books, true stories, science, activity books, comics, fiction and historical fiction, alongside Bible stories, Bible studies, children's devotionals, apologetics and history. The Discover series of Bible notes for young people, running from Issue 1 through Issue 12, gives older kids a structured path into regular reading. Homeschooling families get a section of their own, with curriculum and resources from Rod and Staff, Pathway Readers, Math-It, Winston Grammar, Memoria Press, Answers in Genesis, Master Books, Schoolaid and Targeting Handwriting, plus a shelf of resources for the teaching parent.
Gifts, cards and shopping online
Pure Books doubles as a gift shop. There's a gifts and stationery range, Bible-themed games and toys, gift cards for the hard-to-shop-for, and calendars and diaries for the year ahead. Shopping online is straightforward: search by keyword, title, author or ISBN, add titles to a cart or wishlist, and create an account to keep track. The site's Shipping & Terms page covers delivery, customer reviews live on the Reviews page, and the Events page and blog keep the community in the loop. Aspiring writers can also find a Book Submissions page, and anyone planning a visit should check the Shop Hours page for current opening times.
Whether you're replacing a well-worn Bible, building a homeschool library, hunting a thoughtful gift or browsing for something that will make you think, Pure Books offers an unusually deep shelf for a small-city shop — in person at 14 Station Street, Timaru Central, or online at purebooks.nz.
Signature items
- Bibles in Every Translation
- Discover Bible Notes
- Homeschooling Hub
- NZ Authors Shelf
- Secondhand Section
- Children's Corner
Menu
Books
- Biographies — Life stories of faith, past and present
- Bible Study — Guides and workbooks for digging into Scripture
- Church History — How the church took shape across the centuries
- Classics — Time-tested Christian writing that endures
- Devotionals — Short readings for a daily rhythm
- Discipleship — Practical titles for growing and mentoring faith
- Family — Books on marriage, parenting and home life
- Going — Books for following God into what's next
- NZ Authors — Homegrown Christian writing from Aotearoa
- Reaching Unbelievers — Accessible books for sharing faith with sceptics
- Recommended Authors — Trusted writers the shop keeps coming back to
- Spiritual Growth — Titles for maturing in faith and character
- Thought-Provoking — Books that ask harder questions
- Secondhand — A rotating shelf of pre-loved books
Bibles
- ESV — English Standard Version editions
- NIV — New International Version editions
- KJV — King James Version editions
- NKJV — New King James Version editions
- NLT — New Living Translation editions
- NASB — New American Standard Bible editions
- CSB — Christian Standard Bible editions
- CEV — Contemporary English Version editions
- GNB — Good News Bible editions
- AMP — Amplified Bible editions
- ICB — International Children's Bible editions
- NIrV — New International Reader's Version for younger readers
- Large Print — Bibles set in easier-reading type sizes
- Different Languages — Bibles in languages beyond English
- Other Translations — Less common translations and editions
- Children/Youth — Bibles designed for kids and teens
- Comic — Comic and graphic-format Bibles
- Bible Covers — Protective and gift-ready covers
Also In Store
- Gift Cards — Let them choose their next great read
- Calendars & Diaries — 2027 calendars and diaries now in stock
- Sale — Discounted titles across the range
- New Arrivals — The latest additions to the shelves
Homeschooling
- Rod and Staff — Well-known workbook-style curriculum
- Pathway Readers — Graded reading series
- Math-It — Hands-on maths skills resources
- Winston Grammar — Grammar taught piece by piece
- Memoria Press — Classical education curriculum
- Answers In Genesis — Creation-based science and Bible resources
- Master Books — Creation-based homeschool curriculum
- Schoolaid — Core subject workbooks
- Targeting Handwriting — Handwriting practice workbooks
- Resources for Parents — Support for the teaching parent
New & Featured
- 9 Common Lies Christians Believe — Subtitled 'Why God's Truth Is Infinitely Better'
- How to Find God in the Bible — A personal plan for the encounter of your life
- Clutter-Free Christianity — What God really desires for you
- Bible & Treaty: Missionaries Among the Māori — A new perspective on missionaries among the Māori
- Building the Christian Family You Never Had — A practical guide for pioneer parents
- Discover: Bible Notes for Young People — Structured reading notes, Issues 1 through 12
Children'S Books
- True Stories — Real-life stories written for young readers
- Picture Books — Read-alouds with big illustrations
- Science — Age-appropriate science titles
- Activity Books — Puzzles, crafts and things to do
- Ages 0-7 — Books for babies through early primary
- Ages 8-11 — Chapter books for middle-primary readers
- Ages 12-15 — Books for intermediate and early teens
- Ages 16+ — Young adult and up
- Bible Stories — Retellings of Scripture for children
- Bible Studies — Kid-level study guides
- Board Books — Sturdy first books for the very young
- Comics — Graphic-format reads for kids
- Devotionals — Short readings for young hearts
- Fiction — Novels and stories for young readers
- Historical Fiction — Stories set in the past
- Apologetics — Answering big questions for young minds
- History — The past, retold for children
Gifts & Stationery
- Gifts / Stationery — Gift-ready stationery and small treasures
- Bible Games / Toys — Faith-themed games and toys for kids
Frequently asked questions
- Where is Pure Books?
- At 14 Station Street, Timaru Central, Timaru — with the full range also online at purebooks.nz.
- What are the opening hours?
- Hours aren't shown on this page — check the Shop Hours page on purebooks.nz for current times before visiting.
- Which Bible translations do you stock?
- AMP, CEV, CSB, ESV, GNB, ICB, KJV, NASB, NIrV, NIV, NKJV and NLT, plus large print, other languages, children's/youth, comic Bibles and covers.
- Do you sell secondhand books?
- Yes — there's a dedicated Secondhand section alongside a Sale category.
- Do you have homeschooling resources?
- Yes — Rod and Staff, Pathway Readers, Math-It, Winston Grammar, Memoria Press, Answers in Genesis, Master Books, Schoolaid, Targeting Handwriting and resources for parents.
- What if I can't decide what to buy as a gift?
- Gift cards are available, and the gifts, stationery and Bible games/toys ranges make easy wins.
- Do you accept book submissions from authors?
- The website has a Book Submissions page — a good starting point for authors.
Tips
- {"body":"Hunting an exact edition? The site's search works by keyword, title, author or ISBN.","title":"Search by ISBN"}
- {"body":"Opening times aren't listed here — the Shop Hours page on purebooks.nz has the current times.","title":"Check hours before you go"}
- {"body":"The Sale category and secondhand section are the smart first stop for budget readers.","title":"Start in Sale"}
- {"body":"Sign up online and save titles to a wishlist for birthdays and Christmas lists.","title":"Build a wishlist"}
- {"body":"Not sure which translation they want? A gift card lets them choose.","title":"Gift cards save the day"}
Good to know
- {"family":"Children's range spans ages 0-7 to 16+, from board books to young adult"}