Share a New Zealand book for children or teens that is translated by a New Zealander
The Little Rabbit books.
Written and illustrated by Jörg Mϋhle.
Translated by Catherine Chidgey.
Gecko Press.
Board book.
Perfectly simple interactive board books for babies who
love to take care of Little Rabbit.
There were so many books I could have chosen – but I love
the fact that Catherine Chidgey translates these!
Which dinosaur are you?
Written by Grace Rockley.
Illustrated by Valeria Danilova.
Welbeck Children's Books, 2026.
Picture book.
Illustrated nonfiction.
Can be read as a picture book.
A few dinosaurs are picked out to make you think about what
you like, or are good at.
Possible read-alikes:
Shine like the stars.
Written by Anna Wilson.
Illustrated by Harry Woodgate.
Andersen Press, 2023.
Picture book.
Connection to the natural world, and reaching our potential.
Possible read-alikes:
Jeong is Jeong.
Written by Jessica Yoon.
Illustrated by Michelle Lee.
Make Me A World, an imprint of Random House Children's
Books, [2026]
Picture book.
A wonderful glimpse into an aspect of Korean culture and
language. Some words and concepts are difficult to translate.
Possible read-alikes:
Flock.
Written and illustrated by Gemma Koomen.
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2019.
Picture book.
Shy, loneliness – but finding your place.
It is lovely. I’m sort of conflicted because being shy and
enjoying your own community and space does not necessarily mean you’re lonely.
Except Sylvia has taken it to the extreme and not socialised with anyone.
Possible read-alikes:
The butterfly house.
Written and illustrated by Harry Woodgate.
Affirm Press, 2025.
Picture book.
Isolated and depressed elderly neighbour. Curious young
neighbour. Support and care within the community.
Possible read-alikes:
Too many rabbits.
Written by Davide Calì.
Illustrated by Emanuele Benetti.
Translated from Italian by Angus Yuen-Killick.
Red Comet Press, 2023.
Picture book. Translation.
Counting and out of control rabbits.
Possible read-alikes:
The tiny star.
Written by Mem Fox.
Illustrated by Freya Blackwood.
Puffin Books, 2019.
Australian.
Picture book.
I love this book so much. The poignancy. The warmth – in text
and illustration.
It’s a circle of life story, but so much more.
Possible read-alikes:
Dragon world
Written by Tamara Macfarlane.
Illustrated by Alessandra Fusi.
Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2026.
Illustrated nonfiction.
Got to love dragons.
I found it odd that there weren’t taniwha included, as
almost every dragon book includes them. Unless the author decided it was a sea
monster?
Possible read-alikes:
The ghostkeeper.
Written and illustrated by Johanna Taylor.
Letters by Micah Myers.
G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2024.
Graphic novel. LGBTQIA+.
Ghosts, relationships, being different, life purpose, family
obligations.
Possible read-alikes:
I am here.
Written and illustrated by Kim Hyo-eun.
Scribe Publishing Company, 2026.
Translated from Korean.
Board book.
Beginning with 'below' concepts read vertically — sun,
clouds, rainbow, Mum — the book matches how babies naturally look up at their
world. It then transitions to 'beside' relationships read horizontally — grandfather,
cat, ants, nature treasures — reflecting babies' growing engagement with their
immediate environment. The journey ends with the profound moment of
self-recognition: 'me'. The ingenious format mirrors how babies actually
develop — looking up first, then engaging laterally with their environment.
A wee gem of a book. It opens both up and down; and then
back to front.
Letters in charcoal.
Written by Irene Vasco. Illustrated by Juan Palomino.
Translated from Spanish by Lawrence Schimel. Lantana, 2023.
Original published in Spanish as Letras al carbón by
Editorial Juventud S.A., Spain in 2015. Sophisticated picture book.
In the pueblo of Palenque in Colombia, hardly anybody
knows how to read. Curious about the letters her older sister Gina receives
from a young doctor each month — letters that she is sure contain promises of
love — one young girl makes a decision that will change her life, and the lives
of every child in the pueblo, forever. With the help of Senor Velandia, the
owner of the village shop, she will slowly unlock the letters of the alphabet
and discover the magic of reading. And soon she will make a discovery that is
more miraculous still — that letters are literally all around her.
The assumption by the literate and privileged that *every
one* can read.
Also the power of reading. But, I have a deep sadness for
the two worlds that struggle to meet.
The literate / online world that is dominate – and I am very
much part of – and how difficult it makes navigating the world for those who
are not part of it.
Timeline: science & technology: a visual history of our
world.
Written and illustrated by Peter Goes.
Translated from the Dutch by Bill Nagelkerke.
Gecko Press, 2020.
Illustrated nonfiction.
A visual introduction to our planet and society told
through the history of our greatest inventions and the technology that has
changed the world. In his signature playful style, Peter Goes illustrates the
most fascinating technologies, from the first tools to the most specialized IT,
from medical breakthroughs to the creation of YouTube. He includes remarkable
scientists and innovators and highlights lesser-known stories. A compelling
history of technology from the Stone Age to the present day, from America to
the Southern hemisphere and beyond.
Busy and detailed – the human figures are not stereotyped –
which is great.
Invisible.
Written by Eloy Moreno.
Translated from Spanish by Cristina Gahan.
Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2026.
A boy wakes up in a hospital room with no memory of how
he got there. As time passes, the pieces of what happened that terrible fateful
day start falling into place, and the boy remembers his secret: he has the
power to become invisible. The boy is hesitant to tell anyone the truth. What
will they think of him if they find out why he gained this ability? And what if
it makes everything worse? One thing is certain - the invisible boy has become visible.
Can he stand up to his biggest fear?
Be gentle with yourself, on reading this.
Told through multiple points of view, this is a confronting,
challenging, and heartbreaking investigation into bullying – and the perpetrators,
including the bystanders, observers, and those who laugh. Adults are complicit in this story of school bullying. Whether it is parents laughing at viral videos, or school staff who don't want to deal / acknowledge the issue. Or, parents who are so tied up with their lives, they don't see.
So much is heartbreaking, but the interaction between the boy and his father, who is at his hospital bed, is right up there:
"You don't work today either, Dad?"
“No, not today. They gave me leave so I could stay with you, look after you.”
“And can’t they give you leave when I’m fine, when I’m not sick, so we can spend more time together?”
And that’s when his heart started hurting him. That night he tried to remember the times he’d spent at home on a weekday: when he caught that awful flu, when he had that accident with his hand, when Grandpa died, when he’d taken the day off for his mother-in-law’s burial, but they’d never given him time off to celebrate a first tooth falling out, to show a child how to ride a bike, to spend a birthday together, to go for a swim at the beach…. In other words, they had never given him time off for the only real important things in life.
Asad's secret: a novel of Gaza.
Written by Najlaa Attaallah.
Translated by Sawad Hussain.
Translated from Arabic.
Levine Querido, 2026.
Asad lives in Gaza, in a tiny house, on a narrow street
pocked by half-destroyed buildings, in a camp that looks shabby to him and
feels claustrophobic. He walks virtually the same route every day to his summer
job at a printing press, passing the prison that holds his father, for reasons
that have not been fully explained to him. As the oldest son, he feels the
weight of responsibility for his seven brothers, his sisters, and his Ummi, who
wants him to study hard and excel in school, as all mothers do. Moody and
reserved Asad has few friends, and fewer distractions. Thank goodness for Um
Fawzi, a feisty, cigarette-smoking old woman, who's the only one who seems
willing to tell it like it is, sharply enough, and with a biting sense of humor
that snaps him out of his fog sometimes. There's also Houriya, a lovely and
smart girl, who brings him books to read and sometimes prompts him to think
about a future that he can't truly imagine. There seems to be no escaping. But
Asad has a secret, too, a mysterious black bag that holds something important
that he keeps hidden from everyone.
A tiny but powerful book. The book is so far in Asad’s head
that it feels all-consuming. He’s not the easiest character to like.
Earth.
Written by Anna Skowrońska.
Graphic design and illustrations by Agata Dudek and
Matgorzata Nowak.
Translation from the Polish by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.
Illustrated nonfiction.
The earth seems to be the most unshakable and solid of
the elements and yet it changes all the time only we don't notice it on a daily
basis. Where oceans once were, today mighty mountains pile up. In the place
where glaciers stood, there are lakes. And if we go back 4.6 billion years, we
won't find our planet at all. Where the globe moves today, there was only gas
and dust.
Like Timeline (reviewed under Language Spoken by a
Friend), this is a large format illustrated nonfiction.
The boy from Clearwater. Book 1.
Written by Yu Pei-Yun.
Illustrated by Zhou Jian-Xin.
Translated from Chinese by Lin King.
Levine Querido, 2023.
A true story in graphic novel form, that lays bare the
tortured and triumphant history of Taiwan, an island claimed and fought over by
many countries, through the life story of a man who lived through its most
turbulent times. Tsai Kun-lin, an ordinary boy was born in Qingshui, Taichung
in 1930s Taiwan. Part 1 depicts a carefree childhood despite the Japanese occupation:
growing up happily with the company of nursery rhymes and picture books on
Qingshui Street. As war emerges Tsai's memories shift to military parades, air
raids, and watching others face conscription into the army. It seems no one can
escape. After the war, the book-loving teenager tries hard to learn Mandarin
and believes he is finally stepping towards a comfortable future, but little
does he know, a dark cloud awaits him ahead.
A mammoth book, with text colours used to show what the
original languages were. The use of darkness to signify the differences in the character’s
situation is subtle but clear.
A glimpse into a little-known (especially to the West)
episode in history.
This is our place.
Written by Vitor Martins.
Translated from Brazilian Portuguese by Larissa Helena.
Push, 2022.
The house at Number 8 Sunflower Street tells the stories
of three teenagers who have lived within its walls in the 21st century: Ana, a
lesbian forced to leave her home, Greg sent to live with his aunt when his
parents divorce, and Beto, a would-be photographer living during the COVID
pandemic.
The blurb makes it sound like Ana is kicked out – when the
fact is that her father accepts her, and they move out to a different city.
The timelines and characters meet and entwine throughout the
book.
Electric birds of Pothakudi.
Written by Karthika Nair.
Illustrated by Joëlle Jolivet.
Tate Gallery, 2025.
First published in French by Hélium / Actes Sud 2022.
Sophisticated picture book.
Inspired by a true story about a family of birds nesting
in a village's streetlamp, this poetic picture book is a moving exploration of
community, solidarity, ecology, and the preservation of wildlife.
Sparked (sorry) by a true story – this is a community and
nature centric story which is solidly (and magically) set in rural India.
The fluffy futon.
Written and illustrated by Yuichi Kasano.
Translated from Japanese by Cathy Hirano.
Gecko Press, 2026.
Picture book.
Originally published by Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers, Inc.,
Tokyo, Japan, in 2000 under the title of Under the sun on the fluffy futon.
Grandma spreads her newly washed futon to dry in the sun.
The futon is so soft and smells so clean! The cat can't resist nestling down
for a snooze. Instead of chasing it away, Grandma settles in alongside, soon
followed by the hen and her chicks, a little boy, the dog, the goat, and the
pig family. . . . Soon the whole household is taking a nap! Until Grandma
starts to find the futon so comfy that no one else can fit.
A fun and cute read. I’ve heard from translators that
translating sounds is hard. That emergency service vehicles, and animals, make
different sounds in different languages. I wonder how this translator handled
them.
Our beautiful darkness.
Written by Ondjaki.
Illustrated by António Jorge Gonçalves.
Translated from the Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann.
Enchanted Lion Books, 2024.
During a blackout in a war-torn Angola, two teenagers
explore their deepest emotions as they share personal stories and dreams in the
intimacy of the darkness.
A tiny taonga (treasure), with flashes of intensity and
emotion – like the flickering shadows and lights on the wall.
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.
Who Will Make the Snow?
Written by Taras Prokhasko.
Illustrated by Marjana Proshasko.
Translated from Ukrainian by Boris Dralyuk and Jennifer
Croft.
Elsewhere, 2023.
The two newest moles in the forest learn to dig
themselves out of their comfort zones and experience the boundless,
unpredictable world around them – a Social Emotional Learning adventure. Twin
moles, Purr and Craw, are born on the first day of spring. The newest members
of their woodland world, they’re curious about everything. What is swimming?
Why does mother speak French as she makes pancakes? What does father scrawl in
his notebook? Do animals live in the sea? Why do grownups eat smelly cheese?
How do we get better when we're sick? What happens when we die? As they start
to grow up, every day is filled with another adventure as they explore the
peculiar characters that surround them in the forest. Home is always waiting
for them, filled with the clacking of father’s typewriter, the sound of mother
playing her upright bass, and the smells of quince jam and medicinal moss
brews. During their adventures outside the home, they learn that the world is
sometimes scarier, stranger and more dangerous than it seemed from the pocket
of their father’s coat. Each new encounter leaves Purr and Craw a little braver
and wiser and with a few extra friends. Beautifully illustrated with scenes of
mischief and discovery by Marjana Prohasko, Who Will Make the Snow?
reminds us that the world is always larger and more wonderful than we can see
from our own corner of the woods.
An early chapter book. Very cute, however many tasks are assigned
based on gender stereotypes.
Feather.
Written and translated from the Welsh by Manon Steffan Ros.
Firefly Press, 2024.
Originally published in Welsh as Pluen.
Huw always pops in to see his nan on the way home from
school – she bakes him cakes and never fusses about his homework. So it's a
great shock when, one day, Nan forgets his name, and calls him Johnny – the
long-unmentionable name of her late brother. As Nan slowly slips into the grip
of dementia, Huw and his friends go on a quest to learn more about Johnny and
what happened to him. Exploring themes of friendship, family bonds and the
history of conscientious objection in WW2, Feather is both modern and
historical, as well as being relatable, particularly for children who may have
grandparents with a similar dementia struggle to Nan.
Sympathetic and gentle, with moments of strength and
sadness. Huw standing up to his father and asking for some attention is so
brave.
The village beyond the mist.
Written by Sachiko Kashiwaba.
Illustrated by Miho Satake.
Translated from Japanese by Avery Fischer Udagawa.
Restless Books, 2025.
A mountain town that's not on any map, a messy bookstore
with infinite doors, and a spoiled prince under a forgetful wizard's curse...
this summer might hold more than Lina bargained for! When a gust of wind
carries off her umbrella, it leads Lina down a secret path between the trees to
a strange and incredible world. In the hidden village of Misty Valley, centaurs
roam the cobblestone streets and gnomes visit shops stuffed with spellbooks and
enchanted desserts. All magic has a dark side, though, and sometimes even
sorcerers need a human's helping hand.
For the younger age group – more 12 to 14 years.
Ethereal and mystical.
Hello little ones.
Written, illustrated, and translated by Amandine Piu.
Originally published in French as Bonjour bestioles :).
Annick Press, 2025.
Board book.
Small children really are like wild animals – and this book
provides proof.
That swingin' sound!: the musical friendship of Ella
Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
Written by Rekha S. Rajan.
Illustrated by Ken Daley.
Beach Lane Books, 2025.
Sophisticated nonfiction picture book.
Music and biography of two greats.
Possible read-along:
The history of we.
Written and illustrated by Nikkolas Smith.
Rock the Boat, 2025.
Sophisticated picture book.
Stunning art illustrates this suitable-for-children
exploration of human evolution out of Africa.
Possible read-alongs:
Narwhal vs. kindergarten.
Written and illustrated by Vanessa Roeder.
Dial Books for Young Readers / Penguin Random House LLC,
2025.
Picture book.
Teamwork solving problems so all can participate.
Possible read-alikes:
Can I play, too? by Mo Willems.
We can play anything! by Marit Törnqvist, translated and adapted by Polly Lawson.
Fitting in by Haruka Aoki and John Olson.
The search for our cosmic neighbours.
Written and illustrated by Chloe Savage.
Walker Books, 2025.
Sophisticated picture book.
What is home? Are we the only ones? A tale of joy and
wonder.
Possible read-alikes:
I have three cats...
Written by Michelle Sumovich.
Illustrated by Laura Park.
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2025.
Picture book.
A stray cat is sneakily adopted, hopefully without the
grown-ups noticing.
Possible read-alikes:
Bust! or trust: a kids' mystery book.
Written by Small Wardour.
Illustrated by Sam Peet.
words & pictures, 2025.
Illustrated nonfiction.
Critical thinking.
Possible read-alikes:
Caterwaul!: a story of sorting.
Written by Ann Marie Stephens.
Illustrated by Jenn Harney.
Astra Young Readers, 2025.
Picture book.
Grandma is moving – so there’s sorting and packing to be
done.
A great book about maths.
Possible read-alongs:
Stop the ball!
Originally published in German as Haltet den ball!
Written and illustrated by Susanne Strasser.
Translated by Melody Shaw.
Board book.
A tale of snowballing tragedy and momentum.
Possible read-alikes:
The newest gnome.
Written and illustrated by Lauren Soloy.
Tundra Books, 2025.
Picture book.
What is the new gnome’s skill? With friends like the gnomes,
you’ll never feel left out – or lesser.
Possible read-alikes:
Simple concept books, originally in Turkish, translated to
English, and into many languages:
I am, however, disappointed that the translator into Urdu isn’t noted in the publication information.
A little delight of a book, with boundless fun and energy.
From the author’s afterword:
[W]e are all connected [land, plants, beetles, etc], living in relationship and in care to one another, in kinship. In Cree, this is called wâhkôhtowin.
