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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Charlie reads the title. A Gentleman’s Rule Book for Rocks. That’s exactly what Charlie’s problem feels like. A rock.

Together, they go through each rule about rocks. At first Charlie is intrigued and relieved to have some advice, but soon wonders whether the rules in the book are the best things to follow after all. In fact, the rules are making things even worse – his rock even bigger than ever.

Can they find another way?

With Josh Morgan’s distinctive and vibrant style we loved in Dazzlehands and The Bomb, A Guide to Rocks is an entertaining and thought provoking read. This full colour picture book is perfect for ages 5 – 10 who may feel they are carrying their own ‘rocks’ around.

The age-old kiwi way of:

She’ll be right

Don’t talk about it

Keep it to yourself

is delved into brilliantly as father and son explore old and new ways to deal with a problem. This is made even clearer on the back page in a clear, fun way.

Sacha Cotter’s fun portrayal of problems as rocks aptly shows how ‘rocks’ can quickly grow bigger if ignored or by following the old-fashioned mantras. Both father and son learn from each other in the story, realising their mental health benefits from “sharing feelings, worries, problems and more.” 

Perfect for bookshelves at home and at school, and although for young readers, the topic is applicable to all of us. 

Loved it.

Author – Sacha Cotter

Illustrator – Josh Morgan

Publisher – Huia Publishers

Picture Book

Age – 5-10 years

(2025. Huia Publishers, NZ, New Zealand, Mental Health, Worries, Problems, Sharing problems, Feelings, Family, Secret, Heavy feelings, Weight on shoulders, Father Son Relationships, Solutions)

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A Kids Book About Divorce helps broach the topic before it happens or while it’s happening, all in a simple easy to understand format and text.

Beginning with a note to parents, this book helps break down the parts of divorce. The author is divorced herself, and she speaks directly to the reader.

Do they have lots of questions? Ashley answers many of them in a clear, calm way.

She explains what Marriage is first, then explains what Divorce is. Feelings can be racing around and that’s OK.

Ashley is honest about divorce, and that it can not be fixed and is not the reader’s fault in any way. There will be changes ahead, but they aren’t all bad, and explains some of the positives – from everyone’s point of view.

The format of this book (as in others in this series) guides the reader through a part of life that many young and old will experience. Its limited, simple text, with colour at appropriate times, can be read as fast or as slow as required – allowing the reader and young listener to absorb the sentence on the page, and stop and ask questions.

A Kids Book About Divorce is a helpful bridge between adult and child on this often distressing, confusing concept.

Author – Ashley Simpo

Age – 5+

(2025, Divorce, Family, Fears, Feelings, Questions, Answers, Way forward, New ways of being a family, Two homes, Series, A Kids Book)

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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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A special end of year event is organised for those school leavers, and Priyanka has been chosen to present the leaving certificates. As a student leader, she wants to do the job well, and is a little worried about pronouncing their school’s multi-cultural student’s names correctly.

With a little sage advice from a friend’s kuia, Priyanka puts her heart, mind and pronunciation skills to the task – and is proud of herself on the night.

Such an important book in our wonderful multi-cultural society. At its simplest form – this book recognises the respect and mana of a person’s name by taking the effort to pronounce it correctly. After all – our name is such an important part of us all, no matter where we are from.

As main character Priyanka learns her classmate’s correct names, many are surprised at her wanting to know how to say them properly. We often fall back on nicknames because they are easier, or even stumble over unfamiliar names without taking the time to learn them.

This full colour picture book portrays a student determined to do it correctly to honour not only the important event they will all be part of, but the participants themselves.

Bilingual in English/Maori, What’s in a name is a perfect way to kick off a conversation about this important piece of everyone’s identity – their name.

Author – Renisa Viraj Maki

Illustrator – Isobel Te Aho-White

Picture Book

(2024, Oratia Books, Aotearoa New Zealand, NZ, School, Friendship, Names, Pronunciation, Respect, Leaving Ceremony, Student Leader)

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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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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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As the day wanes, she sits with them as the sun sets.

“Smile to your ancestor, The Great Sun, who’s smiling back at you.”

Each part of the natural world has a guiding principle that the teacher shares with her students.

 

“Let’s all be kind-hearted, girls and boys, neither greedy, nor selfish.

Follow the generosity of your ancestor, The Bountiful Earth Mother.”

The Great Ocean shows them peace and rumbling calm from the waves, and The Mighty Blustering Wind can whisk away any grudges or troubles.

There are many more parts of Nature that can heal, provide peace and harmony, and years pass as this teacher advises class after class of students. As the years go by, the teacher’s hair turns grey, and she retires, eventually being cared for in a rest home with whanau by her side.

Her wisdom passed down throughout her life is now given back to reassure, entertain and finally let her go to their waiting ancestors. Another generation is ready to pass on to others what they have learnt about listening to their ancestors, never far away.

Now out in paperback, this award winning picture book portrays a teacher and grandmother sharing the values and principles of Māori gods and ancestors.

The illustration settings take the reader from field to forest, beach to classroom and beyond. Each page and setting is enjoyed along with life advice and values to guide readers, taken from examples set by Māori ancestors within the natural world.

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna – Listen to your Ancestors is a serene, thoughtful read and love shines off the pages from the teacher to her pupils, and from granddaughter to treasured grandmother.

The culmination of a tangi in the story is full of respect, love and tranquility, and the opportunity to follow in a loved ones’ footsteps of sharing ancestor’s teachings to a new generation.

Ngā Atua / The Gods are shared with the reader in more detail on the inside back cover of the book. First in te reo, then in English, we can all learn more about many Māori Gods.

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna – Listen to your Ancestors’ author Darren Joseph was a senior lecturer in Māori language at Massey University for over 20 years, and is the author or translator of dozens of Māori immersion educational titles.

Author – Darryn Joseph

Illustrator – Munro Te Whata

Picture Book

(2024, Oratia Books, Aoteroa New Zealand, Bilingual, Te reo – English, Family, Grief, Teaching, Natural World, Ancestors, Guidance, Life advice, Principles, Values, Traditions, Whanau, Family, Award winning, Māori Gods, Atua, Ancestors, Generations, Care, Love, Sharing)

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We all can have this happen to us. A knot, or a problem appears, and the more we hope it will go away – the bigger it gets. Soon we can’t think about anything else…

This book from the talented and Multi Award winning Professor of English, Poet, and Author – Selina Tusitala Marsh, is for anyone (especially children) who might have a worry or a problem that just won’t go away.

Mophead’s Guide to Life is funny, thoughtful and a journal – giving you a place to write things down, draw and experiment with making your problem smaller and more manageable.

Children from all over Aotearoa New Zealand have sent her post it notes with their question or problem written down. These are the first things a reader sees when you open this book. This shows young readers that others might have the same problem, and straight away make their own worry not so isolating.

These Post It problems from young New Zealanders tore at my heart, and it’s wonderful that this book has been written for them and hopefully provides a solution or a place where worries, problems and knots can be unravelled, even if only a little at first.

There are 11 different knotty problems tackled in this book with creative ways of looking at the problem, with colour coded pages and humour. The text is large and clear and the illustrations and exercises fun and easy to understand.

Some of the knot untangling advice will also help young writers with their creative questions or conundrums.

This journal-styled book would be a great gift to any young person struggling with something, but unable to share their worries out loud. Writing or drawing problems down can be an essential first step in problem solving directions and parental, caregiver or teacher help.

Perfectly pitched at young people with a knot or problem.

Author / Illustrator – Selina Tusitala Marsh

Age – 8 – 80 years

(2023, Auckland University Press, Problems, Worries, Fears, Conundrums, Worry, Writing, Creativity, Solutions, Answers, Sharing problems, Writing, Drawing, Journal, Guide to Life, Self help)

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The bigger his worries grow, the bouncier the T-Rex becomes – even doing twist and flips!

A young student stands alone with their worries swirling in their stomach. Someone said something mean and she’s not sure how to feel.

More worries bloom at school when words have been tossed around to make others feel mad or sad.

What can they do to make the T-Rex stop its Tummy terrors?

Maybe some fresh air with a walk outside? Telling someone they trust about the T-Rex?

‘Never feel you need to keep your worries to yourself.

Getting something off your chest, it really, really helps.’

There’s a T-Rex in my Tummy is a brightly coloured rhyming picture book for any young child with anxiety.

Many situations can upset children in their daily life. Changes in home or school life. Unkind words or exclusion at school. Or even seeing someone else upset or angry.

Getting a child to open up about their specific worries is often difficult. This simple but concise picture book is absolutely perfect to read to them – giving simple solutions they can do themselves, anywhere or anytime they feel that T-Rex stirring in their tummy.

The rhyming and coloured illustrations will capture their senses, and the text will connect with any anxiousness down deep.

A great read aloud picture book to read to young children to either counteract worries before they get too big, or tackle them once present.

Author – Kellie Dawson

Illustrator – Sarah Healey

Picture Book

Find your copy here

(2023, WaiAko Books, NZ Author, NZ Illustrator, Worries, Fears, Anxiety, Change, Security, Friendship, Dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex, Solutions, Peer Pressure, School)

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Sun had wondered about Rain, but only knew that Rain was quick to disappear whenever she got close.

Sun and Rain don’t realise they have mutual friends that like to spend time with both of them. These friends are Clouds who appear when Sun or Rain are in the sky.

One day they ask Rain about Sun and whether they have ever met?

“Sun? I’m not sure she wants to know me. Whenever I turn up, she vanishes.”

When Clouds ask Sun about this,

Sun shook her fiery mane. “Oh no,” she said. “If I am here, she won’t come near.”

 

Clouds are left feeling sad they can’t bring their good friends Sun and Rain together. At least until they get a great idea.

Telling both Sun and Rain to meet them at the same time in a special place, these two powers of the sky finally meet – And the unexpected result is spectacular!

Such a simple story concept that culminates in one of Nature’s wonders that capture people’s attention and joy around the world – a fully developed rainbow.

A Sun Shower always seems strange to young children. How can it be raining and sunny at the same time? This awe is universal, but so is friendship – the other important theme in this picture book. Sometimes misunderstandings or apprehension between children at making new friends is a hard gap to bridge. But often, just like Sun and Rain, with their friends Clouds to help – something truly special can happen between them.

Sun Shower will be a treat to read to small children, and also kick off conversations about Weather, Seasons and Nature at kindergarten or in junior classes at school. Even if not reading the text, the illustrations are full of movement and stories of their own to pore over. I smiled as I discovered a Taniwha and when I recognised some of the buildings or places in Aotearoa.

A beautiful picture book by a New Zealand Author and Illustrator – both Multi Award Winners. A team made in the heavens.

Also in te reo – He Taru Kahika (Maori Edition)

Author – Melinda Syzmanik

Illustrator – Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

Picture Book

(2023, Scholastic, Clouds, Sun, Rain, Weather, Sky, Friendship, NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Worry, Fears, Worries, Apprehension)

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But Tui, Hinewai and Maia taunt Tama with tales of a Taniwha! They lay flat on their inflatables as they laugh at Tama dipping his toes into the edge of the water.

Grandma dives in too, and calls to Tama to join her, but Tama still isn’t sure.

Finally he ventures in, deeper and deeper, keen to escape the heat of the day. His sisters call again from out on the water until one of them suddenly squeals. Something grabbed her foot! Another shrieks with terror and his last sister joins them. They splash back to the bank as fast as they can.

But Tama decides the water is too good to leave, and he dives deep, ignoring them once more…. to find their taniwha, shimmering underwater. Not scary. Not hungry. Just a whole lot of fun.

A summer story of New Zealand family fun at a lakeside. Tama and the Taniwha has a surprise in store for the reader, just like character Tama.

Older siblings teasing their younger ones is timeless in families worldwide, and splashing on a hot summer day also recognisable in many places. But only NZ has the mighty Taniwha lurking in its depths. Or does it?

Winner of the 2023 Storylines Joy Cowley Award, this is sure to become a Summer Kiwi Classic.

Author – Melanie Koster

Illustrator – Monica Koster

Picture Book

(2023, Scholastic NZ, New Zealand. Aotearoa, Family, Fun, Holiday, Grandparents, Siblings, Teasing, Surprise, Taniwha, Swimming, Award Winner, Joy Cowley Award, Imagination, Secret)

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Her mum begins to suggest she might not need it any more, but Lucy insists she does.

“The Dark is very Dark.”

One night, Mum switches off her lamp and closes her bedroom door. The night fills her room. But wait… can she can hear breathing?

“Hello?”

Something replies, but Lucy isn’t scared because the voice sounds so sad.

The something is The Dark. They feel sad because everyone is scared of them and wants them to go away. Everyone shuts The Dark in cupboards and away out of sight. This makes them sad and lonely.

Lucy begins to talk to The Dark and soon any fears are long gone. They have a wonderful time chatting and she invites The Dark back again the next night. The Dark has an even better idea, inviting Lucy on an adventure where The Dark loves to hang out. They have a wonderful time.

But all is not right at home when she’s away with her new friend. So many people and creatures are missing The Dark, and her mum misses Lucy most of all…

Such a clever picture book! This is the perfect story for anyone scared of the dark. Drawing empathy from the reader for a sad, lonely creature (The Dark), will allow readers (or young listeners), to see The Dark in a whole new way.

Lucy and The Dark also shows how important night time really is to not only ourselves but the animal world too. Where would we be without sleep? How would nocturnal animals survive?

Vasanti Unka’s distinctive style portrays the joy and wonder within The Dark brilliantly, then brings Lucy home again to her mother.

The glow in the dark elements on the front and back covers was a lovely surprise when I turned the light out over my desk. Children will love this after they have listened to this story and the bedroom lights go out.

Author – Melinda Szymanik

Illustrator – Vasanti Unka

Age – 3+

Picture Book

(2023, Penguin Random House NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Wonder, Empathy, Scared of the Dark, Night time, Darkness, Fears, Adventure, Bedtime, Sleep, Nocturnal, Worries)

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“Hello Butterfly.”

Butterfly invites Bear on a great journey. Bear doesn’t hesitate and they set off.

Bear wants to know where they’re going, but Butterfly doesn’t seem to have a destination in mind, saying…

“The journey itself is the reward.”

Bear puts his trust in Butterfly and follows her far from home. Through trees, up mountains and down the other side. He asks questions along the way, but again, Butterfly answers vaguely.

The further they go, the more Bear learns from Butterfly. Through dark nights and hot days, and snacks of delicious berries. The further they go the more Bear forgets to think about a possible destination and notices the world around him. The sun on his back, a starry sky above them or the sound of the breeze in the grass.

But this journey isn’t all easy, and finally a challenge faces Bear that he doesn’t believe he can conquer. With Butterfly’s belief in him, he makes the leap.

Finally after many miles, and with the seasons coming full circle, Bear recognises their final destination – Home.

This is a refrain we have all said or heard in our lives. “Are we there yet?” Usually it is impatient children wanting to arrive at a destination.

This hardback picture book shares this common concept through two creatures – one big, one small. One powerful, one delicate. One young, one wise. 

Along the way, this young, strong bear listens to his friend’s advice and explanation of the world around them, learning many wise principles from Buddhist based philosophies. 

This is a gentle read with this author/illustrator’s distinctive graphic style of illustration, sharing lessons learnt through time and gathering of wisdom. There is humour, wisdom, action, kindness, questions and answers all rolled up in this story.

Perfect for bedtime.

Author / Illustrator – Sven Völker

Picture Book

See Inside here

(2023, Cicada Books, Animals, Insects, Bear, Butterfly, Enjoy the Journey, Travel, Wise, Wisdom, Action, Adventure, Trust, Love, Kindness, Growing up, Life Lessons, Buddhist philosophies, Values, Resilience, Self Belief)

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They are doing something special in her classroom the next day and Huia isn’t sure she wants to take part.

Each student has been asked to bring a photo of their family as part of a new class topic. But Huia knows her family is different and isn’t sure what her classmates might say and think?

Her efforts to avoid it are waylaid by her mum who visits school with what Huia needs. Huia soon learns that hers isn’t the only family that is a little different from ‘Mum, Dad and the kids.’

There are adopted children, children raised by aunts, or grandparents, or only one parent. There are step mums and step dads too.

Huia finally shares the photos of her own whanau. She’s surprised to hear her friends exclaim with joy,

“You are so lucky! You have two mums!”

The perfect picture book to show that all families are special no matter their make up. 

Many things worry children and being different in any way from their classmates can cause uncertainty. Written in both te reo Māori and English (te reo appears first on the page), My Beautiful Family is a book for every shelf, whether at home or school which can help counter these fears.

Illustrator Izzy White captures main character Huia’s apprehension, dread, then realisation that everything is going to be okay – perfectly.

Author – Rauhina Cooper

Illustrator – Isobel Joy Te-Aho White

Picture Book

(2023, Oratia Books, NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Bilingual, English, te Reo Māori, Family, Whanau, School, Photograph, Fears, Feelings, Different, Two Mums, Fitting in, Confidence, Kindness, Inclusivity, Diversity, LGBTQ+)

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What she doesn’t like is the storm that descends on her home one night, roaring and shrieking at the windows. It is Cyclone Gabrielle, and it has only just begun. So much rain falls, that water begins rising outside. Suddenly her family must flee but they can’t find Pearl in her hiding place. She yowls but the storm is louder! Pearl is all alone.

But she is not forgotten. As soon as it is safe, a neighbour comes looking for her. Saved from her home filled with sticky, thick mud she is airlifted to safety along with others from her community. After meeting a group of other cats and a dog, she is finally reunited with her family and friend Decca the dog.

Cyclone Gabrielle hit New Zealand on Monday 13th February 2023, and in the early hours of Tuesday morning (Valentines Day), a third of Hawke’s Bay entire year’s predicted rainfall fell in 12 hours. Six bridges were destroyed and eight people lost their lives as stop banks also burst across the region. Although one of New Zealand’s worst ever weather events, Pearl in a Whirl shares the story in a sensitive way through a beloved family puss.

Pearl is first introduced as cheeky and funny and a much loved member of a family. Tension arrives in the story as the cyclone does and everyone leaving Pearl behind tugs at the heartstrings. The illustrations however show a puss still trying to play and wondering where her family is. Her rescue isn’t far behind though and Pearl’s tail is high in greeting – showing she is okay to young readers or listeners to her tale.

Best selling author Catherine Robertson and creative extraordinaire Fifi Colston have collaborated on this gorgeous picture book in support of the Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery. Royalties from sales of Pearl in a Whirl will be donated to the Hawke’s Bay Foundation and its HB Cyclone Relief Fund.

More thanks are to go to Penguin Random NZ for their help in this special release, Brebner Print in Napier for producing such a beautiful book and Wardini Books for also donating to the Hawke’s Bay Foundation Relief Fund.

Fun Fact: On close inspection at the floating items inside the house, there is another animal story to be seen. Have you read it? It’s a great read. Grab yourself a copy at Wardini Books to support the illustrator of Pearl in a Whirl.

Author – Catherine Robertson

Illustrator – Fifi Colston

Picture Book

Find the Hawke’s Bay Foundation’s Cyclone Relief Fund here

(2023, Penguin Random House, New Zealand, NZ, Cyclone Gabrielle, Floods, Puketapu, Puss, Cat, Animals, Rescue, Airlifted, Family, Fundraiser, Donated Royalties, 14 February 2023, Valentines Day, Flooding, Mud, Reunion)

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There are special ways to keep themselves safe, and they discover what privacy, instincts and unsafe behaviour is. Lots of examples of unsafe behaviour are suggested, and they learn the tools of how to protect themselves against it.

Some of the tools are having adults around them that they can trust and talk to, knowing what unsafe behaviour or words could be, and what to do if it ever happens to them, or they see it happening to someone else.

After writing for Mindfood magazine and different newspapers, Rosalind Harrison has built this toolkit in the shape of a picture book, for kids to keep themselves safe.

Learning of a friend’s childhood sexual abuse, Rosalind liased with other abuse survivors, and experts in child development, to publish My Body, My Taonga.

Teaming up with illustrator Suzanne Simpson, this bright, positive picture book asks the reader questions, gives answers and also possible scenarios of precursors to abuse. It also advises where and how to get help if something has already happened. Te reo is interwoven throughout this picture book under the the guidance of a Māori education consultant, also making My Body, My Taonga a must for all families in Aotearoa, NZ.

In the rear of the book is a te reo Māori Glossary and a list of related services, resources and support.

An easy to understand body safety toolkit for kids. Excellent!

Author – Rosalind Harrison

Illustrator – Suzanne Simpson

Picture Book

Age – 4+

Find your copy here

(2023, Copy Press, NZ, New Zealand, Aotearoa, Friends, Bodies, Body safety, Strategies, Strategy, Trusted Adults, Instincts, Unsafe, Behaviour, Bribes, Threats, Lies, Secrets, Getting help, Asking for help, Stranger Danger)

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Each rhyme is eight lines long, and within the rhyme is an emotion, an action and a colour – attributed to that feeling. eg happy = yellow.

The design of the poem also includes different fonts, accentuating the action or feeling, and also drawing the reader to the text.

A note for Parents in the rear of the book and useful Questions for Parents and Teachers to use at home and in the classroom adds even more to this helpful resource. Illustrator Rebekah Ballagh is a trained counsellor and mental health advocate in New Zealand. She says…

“When our wee ones know how to identify and name how they are feeling, it gives them a sense of control and autonomy. Being able to communicate to you how they are felling is a key step in growing their sense of self… “

Author – Jessica Urlichs

Illustrator – Rebekah Ballagh

Picture Book / Non Fiction

Meet the Author and Illustrator here

(2021, Moa Books, NZ Author, NZ  Illustrator, New Zealand, Emotions, Feelings, Mental Health, Rhyming text, Feelings equals colours, Sad, Happy, Angry, Calm, Shy, Worried, Scared, Fears, Proud, Excited, Love, Family, Parents, Non-Fiction)

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