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).

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 16.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens that has te reo Māori integrated effectively into a largely English text

 

Pō mārie, my moko.

Written by Casey Kaa.

Illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

Scholastic New Zealand, 2026.

Picture book.

Pō Mārie, My Moko is a gentle bedtime journey that carries a kuia and her mokopuna through the natural world, guided by atua, ancestors and the rhythms of te ao Māori. From the maunga and ngahere to the awa and moana, the story weaves calm breathing and reassurance into a soothing night-time ritual. It closes with a loving reminder that every child is a precious taonga. Celebrates whakapapa, kaitiakitanga and connection to the natural world, making it ideal for shared reading at the end of the day.

A lovely, gentle story. I like that the grandmother isn’t depicted as grey-haired, wrinkled and ancient. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 15.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens that is written / illustrated by a migrant to New Zealand. 

Note: this is a re-post. 

The line.

Written by Swapna Haddow. Illustrated by Farah Shah.

Scholastic, 2026. Picture book.

A powerful story about Partition, with a hopeful message at its heart. "I would draw lines that would lasso us to our neighbours and keep us close for all time. I would draw lines that made us feel safe together." When a line divides the country of India, a little girl and her family are forced to leave their home. On her journey, the girl thinks about what she would do differently if she was in charge of a line with so much power. She would draw lines that brought people together, despite their differences. Her lines would make people friends. Her lines would make the world a better place. Bringing together award-winning Indian author, Swapna Haddow, with British-Pakistani illustrator, Farah Shah, representing both sides of Partition The hopeful message of the story and warmth of the illustrations handle the subject matter with care, suitable for a young audience. Based around a historic event, but with important themes that are still very relevant today Includes a spread at the back of the book with facts about the Partition of India.

How we see lines – are they separators, or connectors. There are a number of recent books about The Partition – perhaps because it is coming up to the 80^th anniversary.

Written while Swapna was the University of Otago College of Education/Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence. 

October Kiwi Kids Books: Day 14.

Share a New Zealand book for children or teens that features different illustration media (ie not usual, eg collage / assemblage)

The bean's story.

Written by Tatiana Aslund.

Artwork by Vasanti Unka.

Scholastic, 2007.

The life cycle of a bean is presented using the traditional story structure of the The house that Jack built, with extended fold-out page at the back of the book which holds a surprise.

I wish this was still in print!