October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 21.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens for ages 15-18 years

What if you could.

Written by Jacinda Ardern.

Adapted for young adults by Ruby Shamir.

Penguin, 2026.

Based on A different kind of power by Jacinda Ardern.

From the former prime minister of New Zealand comes a guide for young readers on chasing your dreams and embracing the unexpected qualities that truly make a person strong. When Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand, she was one of the youngest people and, at the time, the youngest woman leading a country. Many people thought she would never succeed — herself included. Wouldn’t her insecurity, overthinking, worrying, and kindness stop her from being able to achieve her goals? As she soon learned, though, it was exactly those attributes — as well as caring and wanting to listen to and serve others — that made her into the empathetic, adaptable, and effective leader that she was. While sharing her own experiences and challenges as a young person, and then as prime minister, Jacinda Ardern asks readers to realise that true strength, success, and power come from embracing ourselves just as we are — imposter syndrome and all.

Important messages for us all. Imposter syndrome is a sneaky beast.

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 20.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens that is historical – either fiction or non-fiction

 

Kupe and the great octopus of Muturangi.

Retold and illustrated by Mat Tait.

Allen & Unwin, 2026.

Kupe's voyage to Aotearoa! Kupe found that a huge, fearsome wheke (octopus) was taking all the fish in the ocean and the people of Hawaiki had nothing to eat. So Kupe chased that wheke across Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean). Finally Hine-te-Aparangi, Kupe's wife, saw land and a long white cloud: Aotearoa! Find out what happened when the wheke and Kupe had a massive battle.

Whether you consider this retelling fiction or nonfiction depends on your world view and inculturation.

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 19.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens that features river / ocean

 

Swim: the story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai.

Retold by Chris Szekely.

Illustrated by Andrew Burdan.

Published simultaneously in Māori as: Tāhoe: he pakiwaitara mo Hinemoa rāua ko Tūtānekai.

Huia, 2013.

This Te Arawa Māori traditional story tells of two lovers forbidden to meet who find a way to be together. In the legend, Hinemoa lives by Lake Rotorua and Tūtānekai on the island, Mokoia. Hinemoa falls in love when Tūtānekai plays the flute, but Hinemoa's father considers him unsuitable. They vow to be together, and every night on the island, Tūtānekai plays his flute to guide Hinemoa to him. With no canoe, Hinemoa must swim the lake with mystical creatures in it to be with Tūtānekai.

Just a glorious book. Luscious illustrations.

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 18.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens for infants or younger children written in te reo Māori

 

Toitū.

Written by Pania Tahau-Hodges.

Nā Josie Selkirk ngā pikitia.

Huia, 2026.

Also published as:

 Hīkoi: a Māori alphabet book for little (and not-so-little) activists.

E haere ana a Moko rāua tahi ko Koro ki te hīkoi ki Paremata. Koa katoa a Moko i te mea koinei tana hīkoi tuatahi. Engari anō a Koro hoki ana ōna mahara ki ērā atu tohe me ngā whakatipuranga i hīkoi mō te tika. Whakapiripiri mai ana te huinga tāngata, te huinga hapori, ko rātou katoa e haere tahi ana, kua herea kia kotahi mō te tētāhi ao e ora ai te katoa.

Inspired by the hīkoi in response to the Treaty Principles Bill, this story draws on the words of resilience and resistance that have inspired generations of Māori in the determination for our land, language and right to live as Maori and shape our own destiny. In the story, a koro and his moko join the hīkoi to parliament and remember past actions and activists who marched for justice. In the march, there are many figures from many communities and many walks of life, but they all walk in the same direction, unified in a vision of the future in which people thrive. The words of the story inspire us to be resilient and remind us that we are not alone, and that in coming together we are powerful.

I’ve heard Pania talk about the inspiration for this, and the process around the te reo Pāhekā translation. I love that the publication team decided NOT to us the English alphabet for the English language version – ie a, b, c – instead they kept with the Māori alphabet.

Toitū is brilliant. The text is much simpler than in Hīkoi, because, as Pania explained, much doesn’t have to be explained to te reo Māori readers.  

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 17.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens or ages 12-15 years

The Treaty of Waitangi = Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Written by Ross Calman.

Oratia Books, 2025.

Illustrated nonfiction.

The story of The Treaty of Waitangi/Te Tiriti o Waitangi is one of the greatest in New Zealand history. It marks the moment British and Māori history intersected and a new nation was formed. In The Treaty of Waitangi, Ross Calman outlines the impact of the Treaty from early contact between Māori and European settlers and signing around the country through to its revitalisation in the twentieth century, the formation of the Waitangi Tribunal and the present-day debates about its place at the centre of political and cultural life. Extensive illustrations, photos and fact boxes examine New Zealand's founding document from a range of viewpoints, and highlight the importance of Te Tiriti as a key to understanding the nation's past, present and future. This eighth book further extends Oratia's NZ Series, a non-fiction resource for general readers and schools, introducing complex subjects in concise terms.

A must-read, and perfect for this age group (and up).