Showing posts with label Oceania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oceania. Show all posts

Tuesday, 29 September 2026

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Oceania

Liar's test.

Written by Ambelin Kwaymullina.

Text Publishing, 2024.

Seven will come. Two will die. Two will sleep. Two will serve. One will rule. I didn't want to rule the Risen. Wreak a little havoc upon them, though? That was something else entirely. Bell Silverleaf is a liar. It's how she's survived. It's how all Treesingers have survived since they were invaded by the Risen and their fickle gods. But now Bell is in the Queen's Test-she's one of seven girls competing in deadly challenges to determine who will rule for the next twenty-five years. If Bell wins, she'll have the power to help her people and take revenge on the Risen. But first she has to make it through the challenges alive. She doesn't know how much she's been lied to, or where she fits in a bigger story, a mystery stretching back generations. And she's facing much bigger dangers than the Queen's Test. She's up against the gods themselves. Liar's Test is a fast-paced, intricately woven fantasy novel with an unforgettable heroine inspired by the strength and power of Aboriginal women.

So, when’s the next one coming?!!!

Riveting, edge-of-your-seat material.

Slight romantic interest going on.


World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Oceania

 

Migration.

Written by Steph Matuku.

Huia Publishers, 2024.

Farah can't wait to escape her mother's incessant demands and attend the legendary Western Wānanga, where the best military fighters are trained. Through daring battles against her classmates and encounters with cryptic temple masters, Farah sheds her life as a person from the upper ranks of society and becomes an intuitive. But when her world comes under attack, she learns who she really is.

Colonisation through a science-fiction lens.

Action, adventure – death and violence. A little touch of romance. 

And lots to think about. 

Sunday, 27 September 2026

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 13-18: Graphic Novel or Comic

Folk remedy: the hidden world of the yōkai. (Book 1).

Written and illustrated by Jem Yoshioka.

Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2025.

After twelve-year-old Maple Morimura reads a book detailing her family's relationship to the spirits and supernatural beings called yōkai, she unexpectedly travels to a hidden spirit world with a mischievous Yōkai named Ember.

Shortlisted for the Russell Clark Award for Illustration, in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, 2026.Shortlisted for the NZSA Best First Book Award in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, 2026.

Ends on a cliffhanger!

Jem dedicated her first book to her grandmother, Taeko, who travelled from Japan to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Which led to an online conversation between myself and Jem as to where does she feel her book fits. And the answer is, both Oceania and Asia. So, for my own sanity – and because it was an incredibly unfair question for me to ask – I’ve put it in graphic novels.

Friday, 18 September 2026

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

 

The shark prince.

Written by Malia Maunakea.

Penguin Workshop, 2026.

A middle-grade fantasy novel about Nohea, a Hawaiian boy who belongs to a family whose male members inherit the ability to transform into sharks. After his father's disappearance, Nohea lives with his mother and grandmother while trying to manage the family curse. Hoping to win prize money in a surfing competition to help his family remain in Hawaii, he enrols in school for the first time, where he forms friendships and faces personal challenges. As classmates begin to disappear, Nohea investigates whether the events are connected to his family's supernatural inheritance.

Mystery, family drama, making friends – and a world deeply embedded in ‘Ōiwi culture.

As someone with Pākehā (settler colonist) heritage – I could see the strong resonances with te ao Māori (the Māori world). 

Read along side T. K. Roxborogh's Charlie Tangaroa books. 

The author, Malia Maunakea, is Kanaka ‘Ōiwi (Native Hawai’ian).

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

  

Charlie Tangaroa and the god of war.

Written by T.K. Roxborogh.

Illustrated by Laya Mutton-Rogers.

Huia Publishers, 2024.

Like every year, the summer brings new people to Tolaga Bay. It's been a full year since Charlie saved his hometown from destruction at the hands of gods, warring sea creatures and natural disasters. Charlie and his younger brother, Robbie, are enjoying their normal lives - fishing off the wharf and helping out at their mum's store - that is, until a visiting scientist is stabbed at the local campground, days before a meeting between local iwi and the government. So begins Charlie's quest to uncover a mystery taking place in the hills above the town.

A middle book in a series can be ho-hum. Thankfully, this is not the case here.

The author, Tania Roxborogh, is of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri, Scottish, German, and Irish descent.

Sunday, 13 September 2026

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Oceania

 

White Sunday and Filo's butterflies

Written by Litea Fuata.

Illustrated by Myo Yim.

Bright Light / Hardie Grant Children's Publishing, 2022 and 2025.

Picture book.

Australian.

Sina loves White Sunday, it's special Samoan day to celebrate kids. And this year is going to be the best one ever, Complete family , lots of food and adventure."

Filo is going to dance at his aunties' Samoan wedding! He's been rehearsing the steps for his first siva fa'ataupati for weeks, but now there are butterflies dancing in his belly. As the day goes on, the butterflies grow bigger and bolder. Will they stop him from performing the siva and having a good time?

Sina and Filo are related – they appear to share relatives. Particularly the aunties who are married in Filo’s story.

Filo’s story is more multicultural, as one of the aunts is of European-descent.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Oceania

  

The goodbye tree.

Written by Pip Harry.

Illustrated by Christina Booth.

Walker Books Australia, 2026.

Picture book.

Australian.

One summer morning, Nick and his family wake up early, and gather precious things to take with them. Today, they will plant a tree – a tree that will reach towards the sun and bring shade to those who rest beneath it. Together they will sow the seeds of a living memorial to someone who has gone before them, but will never be forgotten.

A gentle, and quietly moving, story.

The only hint this is set in Australia is the kookaburra in one spread.

This shows the reality of a colonised land – the majority culture is not Indigenous to the land – or to Country.

Monday, 7 September 2026

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

  

Light and colour.

Edited by Corey Tutt.

Hardie Grant Children, 2026.

Illustrated nonfiction.

Light from our Sun and other sources is all around, bringing colour, heat and energy. Over time, humans have harnessed light to create fire, fluorescent light and even scientific equipment like lasers. But light and colour are tricky. Too much or too little light changes our body chemistry, when it bends it can fool our eyes, and it can even act like a wave or a particle. Explore what First Australians and scientists have learned about the incredible properties of light and colour.

Part of a series which includes Numbers in Nature, Earth’s changing surfaces, Animal survival.

A wonderful synthesis of Australian First Nations knowledge and science, with Western science.

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 7-12: Oceania

 

My first ikura.

Written by Qiane Matata-Sipu.  

Illustrated by Isobel Te Aho-White.

Taku ikura tuatahi

Nā Qiane Matata-Sipu. 

Nā Stacey Morrison i whakamaori. 

Nā Isobel Joy Te Aho-White i waituhi. 

QIANE+co, 2025.  

Sophisticated picture book.

A gentle and powerful story that reclaims the sacredness of a girl’s first ikura (period) through a Māori lens — celebrating connection, ceremony and whakapapa. Rooted in te ao Māori, My First Ikura and the reo Māori translation Taku Ikura Tuatahi is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that follows a young girl’s first period, guided by the support of her whānau. More than a story of physical change, it celebrates womanhood as a sacred rite of passage. First of its kind in Aotearoa, it addresses first menstruation through a Māori cultural framework. Culturally affirming, it emphasises ceremony, family support and ancestral wisdom — it also includes a specially written karakia for families to learn together. Beautifully produced, with premium finishes and lush, full-colour illustrations using traditional earth pigments (kōkōwai). Created by recognised Māori creatives: Builds trust and demand from readers seeking authentic Indigenous voices. Education-friendly: Supports conversations in kura, classrooms and at home about periods, wellbeing and identity.

What an absolutely stunning book. Such positivity and support. 

Dragging out the knowledge I half-remember from the introductory anthropology paper I took (in *mumble* 1990!) - and the essay I wrote about menstruation customs - this approach is very rare. 

Tuesday, 1 September 2026

World Kid Lit Month 2026: Explorer Challenger: 0-6: Oceania

Pukapuka.

Written and illustrated by Vasanti Unka.

Nā Justin Kereama ngā kōrero i whakamāori [Translated into te reo Māori by Justin Kereama.]

Beatnik Publishing in association with Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau [Auckland Council Libraries], 2025.

Picture book.

A family’s delightful journey across town and into a place which is fun, restful, informative, musical and absorbing in turn. A very special treat for library lovers, young and old alike, from one of Aotearoa’s best-loved author/illustrators. 

A glorious story and celebration of libraries and books.

Like The Goodbye Tree, this book shows the multicultural reality of a colonised land. 

#WorldKidLitMonth

Wednesday, 24 September 2025

World Kid Lit Month: Bingo for 0-6: Oceania

The dynamic duo of Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Rongowhakaata).

  •  Keys / Ngā Kī (Huia, 2014). 
  • The Marble Maker | Te Kaihanga Māpere (Huia, 2016). 
  • The Bomb | Te Pohū (Huia, 2018). 
  • Cannonball (US edition of The Bomb; Sourcebooks, 2020). 
  • One Bird Band (Little Steps Publishing, 2022) 
  • When Daddy Tucks Me In (US edition of Keys; Sourcebooks, 2023). 
  • Dazzlehands / Ringakōreko (Huia, 2023). 
  • A Guide to Rocks / He Taonga te Toka (Huia, 2025)

Te reo Māori editions translated by Kawata Teepa (Tūhoe, Te Whakatōhea).


I had the privilege to be part of the audience for the inaugural performance of A Guide to Rocks at the Auckland. Claire Mabey, in this article for The Spinoff, wasn’t the only one crying – and wanting the pair to have a recording contract. Like Crissi Blair, in her report, I thought Ice Cream was a hit – I heard it once, months ago, and now my earworm is ‘brain freeze emergency.’

One the face of it, not all of their books are obviously from Oceania / the Pacific region / Aotearoa New Zealand, but there’s a certain quality that infuses them all.

Monday, 22 September 2025

World Kid Lit Month: Bingo for 0-6: A Language Spoken by a Friend

Miro / Look and Titiro / Look. 

English text, and illustrations, by Gavin Bishop. 

Spanish translation by Zab Translation. 

Te reo Māori translation by Darryn Joseph. 

Gecko Press, 2024. 




I love, love, LOVE the te reo Māori / English version of this, so finding the Spanish / English version in our collection, was a joy.

Gavin Bishop is a legend – a taonga (treasure).

Recently, he has been tasked with creating little gems of board books, perfect for our littlest readers.

Titiro / Look won this year’s Best Picture Book Award in the New Zealand Books Awards for Children & Young Adults. 

As reviewers have noted, it is deceptively simple.

Monday, 30 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Traditions.

From celebrations to traditions - over this month I've travelled the globe, and subjects - and I hope you enjoyed the journey with me. 


The big bath house by Kyo Maclear & Gracey Zhang. 

A celebration of traditions and growing up. And of bodies of all shapes and sizes. 


Come together: things every Aussie kid should know about the First Peoples by Isaiah Firebrace & Jaelyn Biumaiwai. 

In this essential book, Isaiah, a Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man, establishes a foundation of First Nations knowledge with 20 key topics. Alongside bright and contemporary illustrations by Mununjali and Fijian artist Jaelyn Biumaiwai, Isaiah connects us to each topic through his own personal story and culture, from the importance of Elders to the Dreaming. From Koori Curriculum. 

This is a taonga (treasure). It is worth trying to find, to get some insights into one of the oldest continuous culture on our planet. 


Coming home to country by Bronwyn Bancroft. 

The colours, smells, and sounds of the author's Country are vividly brought to life. Australia is home to many a Country.
Country is the connection Australian First Nations have to a place. To the lands, seas, and waterways. To their family and community. 


The ocean calls by Tina Cho & Jess X. Snow. 

The pull of traditions, and aspirations. But, seriously, wouldn't you want to grow up and be a haenyeo - a free diving mermaid? 


How my Koro became a star by Brianne Te Paa & Story Hemi Moorhouse. 

The author, Brianne Te Paa, is a local for me. Literally works a ten minute walk away. We've done story readings at the same events - at a venue equidistant. 

Even without that geographical connection, this book would pull on my heart, and I would find a home for it in my house, and my life. 

Thursday, 26 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Self-esteem

We all need to believe in ourselves, and this books express this perfectly. 

The boy who tried to shrink his name by Sandhya Parappukkaran & Michelle Pereira. 

With the help of a new friend Zim - Zimdalamashkermishkada - learns to celebrate his name - and himself. 


Fauja Singh keeps going by Simrat Jeet Singh & Baljinder Kaur. 

Age does not limit your drive or ambition. And this picture book biography shows that, in spades. 

I love me by Sally Morgan & Ambelin Kwaymullina. 

I Love This Book. It is simple and expressive and so joyous. This mother-daughter pair of creators works perfectly. Sally's mother was from the Bailgu  people of Western Australia, and was part of the Stolen Generations. 

Koko and the coconut by Turia Pitt, Célestine Hitiura Vaite, & Emilie Tavaearii. 

The authors' Tahitian heritage - and personal stories - help to add nuance and depth to a story of determination. 

Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai by Michaela Keeble & Tokerau Brown. 

The power of standing strong in your identity, and being who you are, is so powerful. And is beautifully expressed in this book. The main character's identity is front-and-centre, with the Māori tino rangatiratanga (self-determination) flag around his arms. 

Tuesday, 24 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Nature

Up in a tree a bird sings so sweetly

Nature's own voice, I hear

Rustling whistling trees turning breeze to speech

Talk to me now, ease my mind 

~ Nature, by The Fourmyula. 


The Observologist by Giselle Clarkson. 

If you are planning a trip into nature, wherever it may be in the world, you need this book! No, seriously. 


Our Dreaming by Kirli Saunders & Dub Leffler. 

Dreaming has a specific meaning for Australian First Nations. It can mean asleep-visions, but also something so much more. You could read it as a straight story, like so many lullaby-style stories of animals going to bed. But, if you know a little teeny bit, about the depth of what Dreaming and Country means - then this book means so much more. 


Seree's story = Te kōrero mō Seree by Irma Gold, Kanapu Rangitauira, & Wayne Harris. 

Another addition to the collection of bilingual te reo Māori and English Vox talking books. 


The story of Rosy Dock by Jeannie Baker. 

Australian icon Jeannie Baker does it again, with her 3D assemblages, and commentary on nature and 'process'. In this case, it is the story of an invasive species to Australia. 


Tuatara, a living treasure by Katie Furze & Ned Barraud. 


Aotearoa has some amazing fauna and flora - and the tuatara is right up there. 



Where are you, Puffling? By Erika McGann & Gerry Daly. 

Baby puffins are called pufflings - and I think that is one of the cutest names around! How could you resist this Irish tale, with some of the cutest birds you could find. 

Sunday, 22 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: LGBTQIA+

For some people, these books push the boundaries and need banning. 
I think they need highlighting and celebrating.
And, this is only a tiny selection of the books I *could* have recommended. 

Rere atu taku poi! Let my poi fly! By Tangaroa Paul & Rebecca Gibbs. 

Another moment for me to share my pride in my work organisation. For those who don't know, poi are a female accessory. But, if you are a boy - or AMAB (assigned male at birth) - who loves the poi, what do you do? Based on the author's own experiences. You can see Tangaroa in action, in this video - filmed in one of the local libraries. 




The frog's kiss by James Mayhew & Toto. 


A queer retelling of the Frog Prince fairy tale. 




 

Grandad's Pride by Harry Woodgate. 

This book has faced negative review bombing online. It is a sequel to Grandad's Caravan, and both are beautiful, and deserve support. 


Jenny lives with Eric and Martin by Susanne Bösche, Andreas Hansen, & L. Mackay. 

Old school review! How many people have ever heard of this one? It is from 1981, and has faced controversy since its first publication. 


You need to chill by Juno Dawson & Laura Hughes. 


I want the confidence of this main character, if I ever need to defend my relatives - politely. 



Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, & Daniel Sousa. 

A retelling of a traditional Hawai'ian moolelo (a story which bridges legend and history) about a group of mahu (beings who carry both male and female mind, spirit, and heart). 

Wednesday, 18 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Grandparents

I had a wonderful relationship with (most of) my grandparents. And, the relationship between child and grandparent can be a very special one indeed, with support going both ways. 

The encyclopedia of Grannies by Éric Veillé & Daniel Hahn. 

Quirky illustration and text makes this a riotous read. 


Koro / Pops by Gavin Bishop. 

A deceptively simple board book, which is available in both English and te reo Māori. 


Maia and what matters to Tine Mortier, Kaatje Vermeire, & David Colmer. 

The relationship between a grandchild and their grandmother, especially after the grandmother has a stroke, and their grandfather dies. 


Tibble and Grandpa by Wendy Meddour & Daniel Egneus. 

Tibble and Grandpa has a similar story to the above: a grieving grandparent, recovering from a stroke. 

Thursday, 12 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Family and friends

This is a bit (a lot!) of an amalgamation of things, someone of a 'I want to include this, but where does it fit?' method of categorisation. 


Crow Baby by Helen Milroy. 

Crow Baby was born with two spirits: crow and human. This timeless tale, set in a timeless time - no-time and yet all-time - is deeply rooted in Australian First Nations stories and histories. 

Helen Milroy is a descendant of the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. 


Halu Bongo! Be quiet Bongo! By Lani Young, Sisilia Eteuati & Nikki Mariner. 

A story of a beloved - yet barking - dog and how he annoys everyone. Until he saves the day. The lushness and busy-ness of a Samoan village is to the fore. I love how you can see the brushstrokes in the bright art. 



The Hug by Eoin McLaughlin & Polly Dunbar. 

This treasure is the first in a series of picture books featuring friends Hedgehog and Tortoise. The story reads from front-to-back, and from back-to-front, in parallel texts. 


L is for Love by Atinuke & Angela Brooksbank. 

I L is for LOVE this book - and the previous stories about this mischievous baby and their family in and around Lagos. 


'Ohana means family by Ilima Loomis & Kenard Park. 

A cumulative tale that celebrates Native Hawai'ian culture. 

Friday, 6 September 2024

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Colonisation & History

Because, it's not all fun and games. And, sometimes, children's books have a way of cutting through all the crap and obfuscation, and get to what matters. 


Freedom Soup by Tami Charles & Jacqueline Alcántara. 

History through family, traditions, and food. And joy. So much joy! 
(And, let's leave it at that, because searching for the Haiti Independence Debt will not do anything positive for your mental health. Because f*** colonialism.) 


Somebody's land by Adam Goodes & David Hardy. 

This is part of a series of picture books, focusing on First Nations / Australian Aboriginal culture and history. Although a picture book, this is an introduction to the concept of 'terra nullius' - the Western concept that the land was nobody's, and they had the 'right' to claim it. 


Young dark emu by Bruce Pascoe. 

The history in this is tied in with the concept of 'terra nullius' - that the Australian First Nations people didn't farm the land. As Pascoe has shown in Dark Emu (his adult book), they did - just not in Western European ways. 


The house that Jack built by Gavin Bishop. 

This is a tale told in pictures, and fine details. You need to read the illustrations - and every single piece, every little side picture. 


Patu by Gavin Bishop. 

Gavin Bishop has been at the height of his powers for years, which means he is stratospherically / astronomically brilliant. 



True Story by Robyn Kahukiwa. 

Robyn Kahukiwa is a taonga (treasure) and has not been backward in fronting with historical realities and violence, but it has been rare for her to be so upfront in a children's book. This is self-published which, I think, gave her the freedom to truly express herself and the history she needed to share.