She is a girl who loves the wild, the outdoors and Nature.

A tree is a friend, long grass a sanctuary for bugs and butterflies, and a pool a place to tangle her toes.

Eleanor loves to spend her days outside with creatures big and small and,

…things with fur and fin.

Going to bed one night, she dreams of all she loves, only to wake and find.

…the Wild had come in!

A story of imagination, wonder and the Wild – The Wildest Thing reminded me of a famous picture book with monsters, but with a little girl called Eleanor, instead of a cross boy named Max.

Each book overflows with imagination, strange playmates and their own fantastical world.

This beautifully illustrated hardback picture would make a gorgeous gift…

…for everyone who has ever known they are more than they seem. 

Author / Illustrator – Emily Winfield Martin

Picture Book

(2026, Penguin Random House, Imagination, Wild, Nature, Creatures, Play, Freedom, Animals)

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He even worries about his worrying because he knows his worries are not normal. There is worrying about the 1st day of school, or large animals, or noises. These worries are common. But his worries are far more frequent and long-standing worries. His worries hurt his tummy and fill his head with loud, buzzing bees.

People around him say, “Don’t worry about it.”

Or, “Wait until you’re an adult.”

But no matter what he does, he can’t stop worrying.

Worrying about stuff happening in his home and family is just making things worse. But he knows he’s loved by those around him, and has friends that like him too.

He begins to write all those names down, alongside his worries. Gradually, he discovers that he does have some control over his worries, and soon he feels more and more like his old, energetic pre-worry self.

With tips for parents and caregivers at the rear of the book, a place for young readers to write their worries down and a likeable, relatable narrator sharing his journey directly to the reader, this picture book is a great resource for all involved.

Many children are worriers like this young narrator, but with his help, they too can learn ways to dismantle their worries and get back to their pre-worry happy selves.

Beautifully illustrated in soft but full colours by Sarah Trolle.

Author Becky Overeem is passionate about mental health and education, and runs her own business developing teaching and mental health resources.

Author – Becky Overeem

Illustrator – Sarah Trolle

Age – 6+

Non-Fiction

Find a copy here

Find a companion book here

(2025, Mary Egan Publishing, Aotearoa, NZ, New Zealand, Worries, Worrying, Non-Fiction)

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The tap tap at her window at night

The creaks and cracks of the whole house too

Then there are scary shadows, and ladders, balloons and more!

Another girl named Annie Venture isn’t so scared of everyday things. In fact she revels in all the things Bea fears.

Annie scales new heights with ladders

Calmly casts shadows aside

Blows balloons without popping a sweat!

But how does she do it? wonders Bea.

This hardback picture book shows two girls who are very different. Bea Ware can’t enjoy life with her fears swamping her days and nights. Annie Venture on the other hand, looks at things around her very differently.

Fearless is clever in text and illustration. The text has excellent word play that older children will appreciate, as younger siblings or students connect with the story itself.

The illustrations show waves of words. For Bea, they flow with uncertainties, but for Annie they are fun to splash in and enjoy every day.

Fearless is something different in stories about fears, worries and anxiety.

Author / Illustrator – Kelly Canby

Picture Book

(2026, Freemantle Press, Feelings, Anxiety, Worries, Courage, Resilience, Growing Up)

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Standing alone, he meets Punawai from Honolulu. Puna for short, shows Rangi their ipu heke, used to keep the rhythm and beat to a song. Rangi shows them his poi, explaining what they used to do, and how they use them now.

They meet Kalo from Tonga and Vai from Samoa, who also have taonga from their countries for their performances. The four of them notice a group of other performers laughing at them. Rangi is used to it, proud of his poi skills even though he’s a boy. Puna, Vai and Kalo can relate to Rangi with this too, as they are seen as different in their cultures.

Puna tells them he is Māhū with male and female energy and spirit. Vai is fa’afafine – born a boy with feminine traits being a natural caregiver in their village. Kalo is fakaleitī or leiti and proud of who they are.

‘I don’t know if there’s a Māori word for people like me, but I’m going to find out when I get home,’ said Rangi.

Rangi enjoys the rest of the festival, watching his new friends perform on stage with their cultural groups. On the last day, he enjoys catching up with them all together and hoping that they’ll all meet together another day.

This bilingual (Māori / English) picture book is the sequel to Rere Atu Taku Poi – Let My Poi Fly

Both books follow Rangi who is deemed different by his kapa haka team members because he is the only boy who swings poi. He’s very skilled and despite this difference and his team mocking him, he is proud to perform. He’s pleasantly surprised to meet others like him, who are also seen as different in their villages or islands.

Rere Atu ki Poronihia – Flight to Polynesia introduces three other performers from Samoa, Tonga and Hawai’i who are also transgender or gender fluid – explaining how they are seen in their communities and to themselves.

Each page has Māori first with English below, telling the story of a boy who is proud of his differences, and happy to meet other just like him who love kapa haka and performing as themselves. At the bottom of many pages are translations of special words from Māori to English, which helps all readers build their reo skills.

The illustrations portray each culture in colour and motion and the joy of performing and being part of a cultural festival. My favourite image is the back cover where four new friends from different islands in the Pacific have their arms around each other in a line of belonging.

A beautiful and heartwarming story about diversity and Polynesian cultures.

Author – Tangaroa Paul

Illustrator – Luca Tu’avao Walton

Picture Book

See the first book in Rangi’s story here

(2026, Oratia Books, Aotearoa New Zealand, Bilingual, Sequel, New Zealand, Friendship, Series, Real Life, Polynesia, Hawai’i, Pacific Nations, Tongan, Samoan, Cultural Festival, Performing, Kapa Haka, Diversity, Gender Fluid, Differences)

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At the sight of something smaller, she begins to wonder…

With her imagination ignited, she enjoys her new size, but wonders again and again what it would be like to be smaller… and smaller!

From girl size to possum size, right down to hanging out with ants, she experiences the lives of creatures much smaller than herself.

As soon as you open the cover, you know something extraordinary is happening. This rhyming story will resonate with many young children, as the main character is feeling invisible, left out and small.

When she sees someone smaller, her imagination takes her and the reader on an exciting journey within gorgeous illustrations.

With a beautiful ending this hardback, full colour picture book will leave young minds full of wonder and spark their own imaginings.

Author / Illustrator – Laura Stitzel

Picture Book – Age 4-6

(2026, Walker Books Australia, Animals, Small, Self esteem, Courage, Confidence)

The post Tiny appeared first on whatbooknext.com.

He doesn’t like being part of the action. He’d rather …go with the flow …stay low-key down-low.

He doesn’t brag, show off or look for attention. In fact he’s usually in the background, making sure others are having a good time, or achieving their dreams.

His friend Cake is the exact opposite. Top of his class, with lots of friends and excellent at all he tries.

Pie stays happy and humble around Cake, until he needs his help with a joint school project. Pie realises he must speak up, and speak out, and finally explain to Cake what he needs.

A story of sticking up for yourself, having awkward conversations and not taking everything on your own shoulders. You are just as important as those around you. Humble is okay, but being happy with who you are is better.

The Humble Pie is a great addition to this thought provoking Food Group Picture Book series. The entertaining and clever word play and inclusion of popular sayings, can also lead to a discussion about where sayings like this originated.

A wonderful way to help help young readers (or listeners) find their own voice.

Author – John Jory

Illustrator – Pete Oswald

Picture Book

Find more in this series here

Publisher – Harper Collins

Set – School / Home

Viewpoint – 1st person

Real Life – Feelings / Finding your voice

Fantasy – Food as characters

(2026, Harper Collins, Food Group Series, Pie, Cake, School, Self Respect, Humble, Feelings, Word-Play, Sticking up for yourself, Friendship, Finding your voice)

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After all he lives on a bank, is very stretchy and can bounce really well.

Surely it won’t be too hard to be a frog with a job?

But no… It’s not as easy as he first thought. But maybe his search is also his answer?

A tale of perseverance and determination!

Robbit the Job-Hopping Frog is simply delightful. 

Not only is the rhyme superb, the word play is clever and the message clear.

“Never give up on your dreams!”

Author – Michael Gerard Bauer

Illustrator – Katrin Dreiling

Picture Book

More tales of Determination here

(2025, Scholastic, Animals, Frog, Amphibian, Job, Career, Funny, Humour, Clever Word Play, Job Wanted, Rhyme, Determination, Perseverance, Dreams, Never give up)

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Everyone looks different. It seems he is The Only Dinosaur in School. Worried about not fitting in, Theo decides he’s not going to this human school.

Mum has an amazing solution and she works hard all night on it. It is enough to sooth Theo’s worries the next day, so this time he walks through the school gates. No one is looking at him. His worries about not fitting in have all but vanished. But the more confident he gets, and after making a new friend, his secret is finally out.

But wait! The other children aren’t quite what they seem either.

From multi award winning NZ author Leonie Agnew, comes The Only Dinosaur in School. Illustrations by Julia Hegetusch highlight all the fears and worries of the first day of school, fitting in, and finally being able to be yourself.

This delightful picture book shows a child wanting to be the same as his classmates, who in fact are all wanting the same thing. Celebrating differences, first friendships and new experiences are all things that children can discover in this gorgeous story. The surprise that awaits Theo will delight young readers too!

Author – Leonie Agnew

Illustrator – Julia Hegetusch

Picture Book

(2025, Scholastic NZ, New Zealand Author, Aotearoa, NZ Illustrator, School, Fitting in, Confidence, Making friends)

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After trying to figure out what it actually is, they try to push it out of the way. This thing won’t go. It is Jo’s No.

Dodging it doesn’t work. Climbing it doesn’t work either.

The longer Jo’s No stays in front of them, the bigger it grows. Jo’s No is going nowhere.

After a while, the No is part of Jo – Giving shelter, and safety. Or does it? Jo decides if they are going to do anything of the things they have dreamed of, they will have to take the No too.

The braver Jo gets, the smaller the No becomes – until Jo realises what the No really is….

Nothing.

This beautifully illustrated hardback picture book portrays a wee bird creature named Jo overcoming adversity gradually but with positivity and persistence. The No is a block or an obstacle that prevents Jo from doing all they dream of, just as we all have our personal No’s. 

A No may be an outside No, from people telling you that you can’t do something.

A No may come from within, insisting you aren’t good enough, strong enough, clever enough or brave enough to do something.

But No’s are essentially nothing. A word spent in anger, envy, or coming from someone else’s inner No’s.

JO and the No is a simple but clever tale about taking control, being brave, facing fears and finding your personal path.

Author – Kyle Mewburn

Illustrator – Judy Watson

Picture Book

Find a copy here

(2025, Dirt Lane Press, West Words, NZ Author, Resilience, Building Self Confidence, Breaking down Barriers, Keep Going, Something New, Something Different, Overcoming, Problem, Adversity)

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Action, adventure, ships and treasure fill this wee mouse’s sleeping hours – until one day she follows her wish. Hiding in the hold of a ship, she emerges to discover not sailors, but pirates! She hasn’t waited and wished all her mouse life to be captured! This mouse dispatches the crew quick-smart, making the ship her own.

Now a pirate herself, she knows she needs a sidekick. A parrot will not do, but what will? A tiny creature presents itself – but is it evil enough?

A test is soon on the horizon as her piratey ways are under attack. One thing’s for sure – this mouse is now a pirate through and through!

With perfect rhythm and rhyme, The Ballad of the She-Pirate Mouse is an action packed and funny rollicking read. It’s one of those rare picture books that will be a joy to read over and over, and if you like to sing to your little listeners, there’s songs to enjoy too.

This little mouse is a courageous wee thing, facing challenges to her new life without a blink and enjoying every moment along the way. Humour is here too, in both the text and in the distinctive illustration style of Lisa Allen.

The Ballad of the She-Pirate Mouse is for all those young dreamers of adventure and treasure hunting on the high seas, or anyone who loves to laugh and sing.

Author – Emma Vere-Jones

Illustrator – Lisa Allen

Picture Book

(2025, Bateman Books, Action, Adventure, Animals, Mouse, Mice, Ship, Pirates, Perfect Rhyme, Sea, Ocean, Swash buckling, NZ, Aotearoa New Zealand, NZ Author, NZ Illustrator, Song, Singing, Fun, Funny, Humour)

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Embarrassed, Ollie sits quietly wishing others would try harder at understanding him. He has a cleft palate, which does make his words a little different from others, but not so much he can’t be understood.

His awkward feelings fade as their coach introduces a new player. Ariā has coloured hair and bright clothing, and doesn’t seem bothered that her new team doesn’t readily accept her.

Ollie and Ariā spend some time together. She acknowledges his skill on the field and assures him that he was in the best position, and that his team mates need to listen better. She can understand him perfectly well. After seeing Ariā’s home and her skill with birds, he can see she really is a good listener.

The next day, Coach has a problem. With Ariā’s skills and Ollie’s new courage, they not only solve a mystery, but prove to everyone that they can understand Ollie. They just need to listen.

The illustration style captured my eye on the cover, and to my joy continued throughout the book. This is a special story about a boy with a cleft palate. His skills on a football field are ignored, as his team mates use his speech as a reason to exclude him.

A new player on the team soon helps restore Ollie’s confidence and receive proper acceptance. Together they solve a mystery, bonding the team, and bringing more understanding of others who might be a little different.

Ultimately a story about acceptance, understanding and empathy, The Hunt For The Whistle portrays a character with a cleft palate. After all, this is the most common craniofacial condition in the world.

At the rear of the book are many voices of children with a cleft palate – letting others know more about it. 

From – Cleft Palate New Zealand

Illustrator – Scott Pearson

Picture Book

Age – 5+

Look inside The Hunt For The Whistle – A Cleft Adventure here

(2024, Huia Publishers, Aotearoa New Zealand, NZ Illustrator, Cleft New Zealand, Cleft Palate, Football, Soccer, Acceptance, Understanding, Friendship, Team, Mystery)

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A competition is coming up, and when her coach sees her successful ride in, he suggests it to her. At first Lisa thinks the Ōhope Surf Carnival is too big a deal to enter, but her mum and dad are encouraging too.

Lisa begins to train – with her coach, weights, paddling and talking to the best in the club, wahine toa Māia. Māia explains the best thing to do when training for something is to “…show up.”

But when Lisa gets a fright in the waves, she’s not keen to get back out in the water. With patience and her parent’s kind advice, Lisa ventures back into training.

Soon the day of the Carnival arrives. Is Lisa ready?

By NZ’s most successful Olympian – Dame Lisa Carrington DNZM. But Dame Lisa had to work hard to get her title and Olympic Medals. This picture book takes the reader back to where it all began.

At only eight years old, Lisa was already pretty good on her surf ski in the waves at the beach. A nudge by her surf club coach and encouragement from her parents and older brothers to enter a paddling competition kicked things off. New Zealand knows where that led her.

This is a full colour picture book, and each spread features Lisa in action and Colin the family dog. Can you spot him?

The illustrations portray Lisa’s training journey, her loss of confidence and how she finds it again. Scott Pearson’s clean, precise style is full of movement, emotion and things to look at.

Finishing with a personal note from Lisa Carrington herself, this is sure to be a hit for any young reader with a goal in mind.

Author – Lisa Carrington

Illustrator – Scott Pearson

Picture Book for all ages

(2024, Huia Publishers, Surf Club, Paddling, Olympian, Olympic Champion, NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Beach, Waves, Surf Ski, Competition, Surf Carnival, Confidence knock, Training, Perseverance, Hard Work, Goal, Ōhope, Encouragement, Coach, Parents, Big Brothers, Sport)

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If only it didn’t come with so many complaints!

• No one likes Monday’s because the weekend has ended.
• They have to go to school.
• They have to go to work.

Everyone knows Monday is the pits, but Monday doesn’t know what to do about it. Until….

She gets a great idea! Why not swap places with one of the other days of the week?!

But there are no takers. Tuesday has yummy things to eat, Wednesday likes being in the middle and Friday just laughs at her. What is Monday to do?

Maybe if she changed her name? But no, everyone knew exactly where Monday was supposed to be. But one day on a Monday, Monday got some mail. It didn’t look like her normal mail…

Suddenly she could see that not everyone hates Mondays!

A bright and colourful book about overthinking other people’s perceptions of you. It’s easy for Monday to believe all the negative stuff she hears about herself, but soon she discovers that not everyone thinks the same.

Negative feelings are so much heavier than positive ones, especially when they outweigh the good stuff. This is a great way to show young children not to just think and believe that others only think badly of them. They are the perceptions and views that should be forgotten – and the positive ones be let to shine.

Confidence in identity is getting harder and harder, for younger and younger children. If only there were more books like this to help children have more belief in themselves earlier, to help build them up and strengthen their self confidence for life. This is to be proud of who they are and to value their own individuality.

Author – Kelly Lee

Illustrator – Amy Calautti

Age – 4+

(2024, EK Books, Exisle Publishing, Identity, Self Confidence, Perceptions, Positivity, Negativity, Individuality, Self Esteem, Self Acceptance, Confidence)

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She feels free and confident and loves being home on her horse, but school brings entirely different feelings.

“She doesn’t feel brave or smart or strong or wild.”

School steals her confidence, filling her with anxiety and quiet. If only she could show everyone how clever she is on her horse? But after a little time back home and out riding, her happiness returns.

One day, Sal returns from school with a smile on her face. Taking some of her courage from her riding, she tells others of the things she can do. Her bravery helps her find a friend. This friend loves riding just as much as Sal and might just be brave enough to be a cowgirl too.

This beautifully illustrated hard back picture book is a tale about horses, dreams and also anxiety.

Sal’s horse tells the story as he watches his human friend deal with her anxiety. He can see she loves riding fast and free at home, but becomes small, quiet and sad after school.

The facial expressions on Sal’s horse-friend show his own feelings, from anticipation at the paddock fence, to joy riding, worry when Sal is sad and happiness when Sal finally makes a friend and can be her happy self all the time.

Find the budgies (on most pages) as you read, for an extra activity whilst reading this story.

Author – Isabelle Duff

Illustrator – Susannah Crispe

Picture Book

(2024, Exisle Publishing, Horses, Animals, Anxiety, Feelings, Fears, Worry, Animal Point of View, Horsemanship, Farm, Rounding Cattle, Cows, New Friend, True Self, School, Riding)

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We are made up of a plethora of feelings and states of mind, and What Feelings do When No One’s Looking is positively adorable.

Each page shows a quirky wee monster as a feeling. Curiosity has long ears stretched up above him as he sits on top of a tall chimney after scaling a cobbled together ladder.

Anxiety lives in a small tin can in a dark corner under a wardrobe – only their eyes visible.

Patience tends a beautiful garden with a content wee smile and a watering can, and my personal favourite – Delight is a monster running with a huge smile on her face, keen to show another a newly discovered book.

Each monster perfectly captures these feelings from sad, to mad and everything in between. Each page is a joy to discover, and my own feelings were triggered by each image.

This is a book to be enjoyed by both the reader and a little one on their knee. Meeting each monster is the first step, opening a door into chats about feelings and how the monsters show them.

Loved it!

Author – Tina Oziewicz

Illustrator – Aleksandra Zajac

Picture Book

(2024, Allen & Unwin, Feelings, States of Mind, Read Aloud, Adorable Monsters, Being)

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Spotty really doesn’t like her spots, especially when other zebras are unkind. She doesn’t like being different from her peers, and even tries to disguise her spots. But it never works. She begins to despair, wandering away from her herd. It’s only then she meets another creature who is also very different.

This creature however, lives underground and can’t even see Spotty’s spots. But this mole soon knows there is something wrong as Spotty wails…

“Just look at my patterns,” poor Spotty declared.

“The other young zebras all tease and compare.”

The mole understands Spotty’s dilemma, but has some advice.

“…but all of our quirks and our kinks and our shades 

are part of the wonders that nature parades.”

Spending time with the mole and with the help of some new friends, Spotty tries another look. At first it seems to have done the trick, but it’s not long before her new look backfires too.

The mole’s advice soon becomes clear as Spotty’s loved ones gather around her. Spotty can finally see that she is the one who has to accept the wonderful quirky way she is, before anyone else can.

Spotty the Zebra is just wonderful!

Peter Millet’s rhyme is perfect, his story heart-warming and there are over 10 fun, bright, double spreads by NZ illustrator Raymond McGrath!

The first page / double spread introduces Spotty and her zebra herd. Finding her took only a moment as she has spots not stripes. She is unique. Different. She stands out.

But as in many young zebras / people, she doesn’t want to stand out. She’d much prefer to be just the same as her friends – not different. She tries to change herself to fit in better, but this only brings more heartache. A new friend / mole, personally understands about being different and tells Spotty it’s a good thing.

As in many young zebras / people, it takes a little convincing, and some more wrong turns. When Spotty finally realises being unique is great and her friends and family love her because of it, life is so much better.

Unfortunately, younger and younger people struggle with self esteem, so I can’t wait to show school librarians this wee gem. Spotty the Zebra is perfect to kick off important discussions at school and home about self acceptance, uniqueness, differences and embracing them.

An added extra at the end of the book is another double page spread, this time with photographs of other rare colours in the wild, and one-of-a-kind designs in nature.

Author – Peter Millett

Illustrator – Raymond Mcgrath

Publisher – Scholastic NZ

Picture Book

More book reviews of Peter Millett titles here

More book reviews of Raymond McGrath titles here

(2024, Scholastic NZ, Aotearoa New Zealand, NZ Author, NZ Illustrator, Wild Animals, Camouflage, Humour, Funny, Zebra, Mole, Differences, Identity, Self Esteem, Fitting in, Being Different, Looking Different, Peers, Family, Confidence, Stripes, Spots, Patterns)

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She keeps it with her others until they begin to hatch. She watches them one by one, and counts six healthy yellow duck chicks. The extra egg lay still, until… it too begins to crack. Mama and her chicks watch another chick emerge. But it’s not yellow and looks nothing like a duck!

This strange chick is striped with big feet and red feathers on its face. Papa duck isn’t kind, but Mama accepts this odd baby bird.

As the chicks grow, it’s soon obvious that feathers and feet aren’t the only difference between them. The striped chick has strange behaviours too, bringing taunts from the ducklings.

“Chucky Ducky!”

“Chunder Wonder!”

One day while on the water, the chick gets separated from its adopted family. Will it find its way home, or will it find something even better? Birds just like him aren’t far away…

With every sale supporting essential Pūteketeke conservation, The Proud Pūteketeke is a welcome addition to New Zealand bookshelves. Many had never heard of this distinctive NZ Native bird before becoming Aotearoa New Zealand’s Bird of the Century.

British comedian John Oliver got behind the Pūteketeke and shared its plight and strange behaviours on his show. Millions of people around the world saw this bird for the first time and donations poured in, also nearly crashing the NZ Forest & Bird site. Many didn’t like the Brit’s ‘interference’, but the bid for Bird of the Century was won by the Pūteketeke by a landslide.

This book is not only a story about an ugly ‘duckling’, its also the perfect way for NZ children to get to know this now-world-famous bird of Aotearoa New Zealand for themselves.

Fifi Colston’s lush illustrations cleverly catch the bird’s feelings through its journey to discover his true identity.

The Pūteketeke is a clever bird, building floating nests and also protecting itself against any sharp bones from its main diet of fish. Puking is a key theme in the book bringing humour and fascinating facts about this distinctive bird. There is more information in the back of the book, and an invitation to read the book again on a search and find mission.

I for one am pleased this pretty, puky, and punk-looking bird is now paddling its way away from extinction.  

Author – Peter Millett

Illustrator – Fifi Colston

Picture Book

Find more books by Peter Millett here

Find more books illustrated / written by Fifi Colston here

(2024, Penguin Books NZ, Native Bird, John Oliver, Forest & Bird, Aotearoa New Zealand, Identity, Family, Fitting In, Self Esteem, Kindness, Change, Floating Nests)

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But wait. What? They have to read a book in the holidays? A WHOLE book? What is her teacher thinking!? She HATES books!

Her friends aren’t fazed by the task ahead, but she shares the terrible news with her mother, who knows just the place to help. The library.

There are soooo many books. And they all look soooo boring. Her mum shows her a book she once enjoyed, and it is issued out for the school holidays.

With trepidation, the girl begins to read. But wait. Hang on a sec. Woooow!

Suddenly she meets a strange masked creature who leads her on a quest. There is quicksand and pirates. Enchanted forests and Houses of witches! They must gather special ingredients whilst swinging swords, dancing with frogs and distracting a witch!

Dinner comes too soon, but the young girl keeps the book close by, knowing there is more adventure to come. There is a special spell that must be cast, and soon she is right in the centre of it!

I purchased this wonderful book for my own collection as it portrays the astonishing moment of realising how incredible a story can be! 

When you open the front cover, there are several illustrations of the main character with a device in her hands, on her ears, or on her lap. By the end of the book, the devices have been replaced with all kinds of books.

Getting kids addicted to story is one of the best parts of my profession as a children’s author and bookseller. Seeing their faces light up as the latest in their favourite series arrives in store for them, or they chatter excitedly about their latest read at our Tweens Bookclub to other members – is magical.

Books and story take us anywhere and everywhere with no restrictions except the human imagination. This is turn feeds young reader’s imaginations, which can then take us all into amazing things in our future.

I Hate / Love Books captures this moment with humour, wonderful illustration and exciting adventure.

Brilliant!

Author – Mariajo Ilustrajo

Picture Book

Age – 4+

(2024, Allen & Unwin, Quarto Publishing, Books, Reading, Funny, Humour, Cat, Library, Story, Wonder, Adventure, Quest, Book lover, Storybook World, Magical, Witches, Spellcasting, Fantasy)

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Her passion of sharing te reo Māori with children, shows in her brightly coloured and cheerful picture book Because I’m Māori – He Māori Ahau.

This picture book begins with four children waking up inside the kopa iti / matakopa (meeting house). They are stretching and happy, looking forward to a great day.

Outside they acknowledge where they are, their happiness to be there and the feeling of belonging that it brings them.

Hīkoi haere me te mea e hīteki ai

I walk around with a little kick in my step

Tē ware ai nō  hea ahau

I can’t forget where I am from

nō hea ahau

where I belong

Acknowledging their maunga (mountain), their (moana) ocean and their waka is part of them. As is their whanau (family), kapa haka and past. They know that with all these supporting aspects of their cultural identity, they can achieve anything they want to be.

Such a beautiful, positive, bilingual picture book for New Zealand children in te reo Māori and English.

Author – Nicolla Hemi-Morehouse

Illustrator – Story Hemi-Morehouse

Picture Book

Listen to the song here on You Tube here

(2024, Bateman Books, Tamariki, Cultural Pride, Culture, Identity, Belonging, Family, Te reo, Bilingual, Māori New Zealand, Aotearoa, Song, Self Confidence, Marae, Happy, Positive, Waka, Wharekai, Moana, Maunga, Music, Confidence, Cooperation, Security, Self Esteem)

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When she invites Duck to join them he replies as expected…

Meow!

The first lesson is how to wash. Those tricky places behind the ears are the first place they learn about. The kitten’s follow Mama Cat’s instructions. And so does Duck.

Climbing is next. Kittens use their claws. Duck doesn’t have claws, but he doesn’t give it a second thought. He has his own way of climbing.

Stalking. Waiting. Pouncing are next on the list. Landing isn’t quite Duck’s thing, but maybe he just needs more practice.

Eating is certainly not a problem and Duck aces that. He loves his Cat lessons.

But then others begin to laugh…

Duck’s confidence is a little shaken. Maybe he is too different?

Mama Cat is not far away, ready to smooth Duck’s feathers and fears.

A follow up story to the award winning book – Duck Goes Meow.

This time Duck is not just sounding like a cat, but learning the finer points of being one.

A perfect rhyming, reading-on-knee picture book to share, whilst also touching on self confidence.

Author – Juliette MacIver

Illustrator – Carla Martell

Picture Book

Find more reviews of Juliette MacIver books here

(2024, Scholastic NZ, Animals, Duck, Cats, NZ Author, New Zealand Illustrator, Aotearoa, Mothering, Teaching, Learning new skills, Humour, Cute, Self Confidence, Bullies, Be Yourself, Series, Fitting In, Resilience, Self-Esteem, Identity)

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