Weekend reading: 15 September Part One

Helga makes a name for herself. 

Written by Megan Maynor. 

Illustrated by Eda Kaban.

Clarion Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.

ISBN 9781328957832. 

A story of dreams, persistence, and determination. And the friendship of a loyal pet. 

Viking stereotypes and references are many, with an author's note about horned helmets and female warriors. 

A sprinkle of happiness. 

Written by Lucy Rowland. 

Illustrated by David Litchfield. 

Scholastic UK, 2024. 

ISBN 9780702313776. 

Rhyming couplets tell a story of spreading kindness and love through a community. 

This worked quite well at a daycare storytime about growing and spring. 

A unicorn, a dinosaur, and a shark were riding a bicycle. 

Written and illustrated by Jonathan Fenske. 

Scholastic Australia, 2024. 

ISBN 9781761528217. 

Sequel to A unicorn, a dinosaur, and a shark walk into a book. 

There are stories that demand dramatic reading. I can see this as a four-part readers theatre in my head. I've even cast the parts, based on my team. 

One more day until Pride. 

Written by Gareth Peter. 

Illustrated by Max Rambaldi. 

Puffin Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9780241632406. 

A diverse group of children prepare for Pride, each representing a colour of the rainbow. 

There are various disabilities featured, including: wheelchair user, glasses, cochlear implant, vitiligo, prosthetic arm. 

The children are from many cultures, and have different family dynamics. 

The last double page spread shows the children as adults, again with different families, and breaking gender norms. 

New Zealand title: Titiro Look. 

Written and illustrated by Gavin Bishop. 

Translated by Darryn Joseph. 

Gecko Press, 2024. 

ISBN 978177657545. 

What a taonga! Bilingual / dual language te reo Māori and English, with the te reo Māori as the first / prominent language.  The words include the usual, but then there's others that lift this book out of the ordinary. 

Words like: maimoa cherish; tipihaere roam. 

The people featured are all different, with different cultural backgrounds. 

The very polite knight. 

Written and illustrated by Ian Smith. 

Affirm Press, 2024. 

ISBN 9781922848314. 

Cute, with fairytale leanings: the youngest and quiet son / child who is polite, and achieves the impossible quest. 

Be true to you!

By Maggie Hutchings and Hayley Wells. 

Affirm Press, 2024. 

ISBN 9781922863898. 

Rhyming text. Diverse children, including one in a wheelchair, and transgender. 

The knight snacker. 

Written and illustrated by Valeria Wicker. 

Little, Brown and Company, 2023.

ISBN 9780316456340. 

I really wish publishers would routinely include information about how the book was illustrated. Especially with the rise in AI - it would be good to have this information to hand. To know that there was a creative person behind the work. 

Sparkle and Splodge. 

Written and illustrated by Neil Clark. 

Ladybird Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9780241563328. 

Rhyming couplets tell the lives of two opposing characters. The key is balance: a tidy place, with messy play.

I felt this was borderline didactic, and was close to shouting 'message'. 

Pie-rats! 

Written by Lisa Frenkle Riddiough. 

Illustrated by David Mottram. 

Viking, 2024. 

ISBN 9780593203286. 

Rhyming couplets, mostly, and enough to make you hungry! Thanks publisher - because I now know that the art of this book was made using pen and ink drawings, then coloured digitally. 

Goodnight Sun. 

Written by Eoin McLaughlin.

Illustrated by Morag Hood.

Faber and Faber, 2024. 

ISBN 9780571377527. 

Poor Sun doesn't want to go to sleep, and is a bit afraid of the dark. Thankfully, Sun has friends around to help.

A gentle and reassuring book. 

A fairy called Fred. 

Written by Robert Tregoning. 

Illustrated by Stef Murphy. 

Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781526648884. 

Rhyming couplets tell the story of a fairy who wants to grant dress wishes, and a young boy who wishes for the perfect princess gown to wear to a friend's party. 

There's no judgement here, just a couple of people living their dreams. 

Not-a-box city. 

Written and illustrated by Antoinette Portis. 

HarperCollins, 2024. 

ISBN 9780061827280. 

Rabbit, from Not-a-box, attempts to keep their box city to themselves, but has a change of heart. And, with the help of friends, makes a wonderful city to share. 

A book in which the message of sharing = great / selfishness = sadness - doesn't override the story.  

Beach bummer. 

Written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins. 

Disney-Hyperion, 2024.

ISBN 9781368090247. 

BRUCE!!!! 

Poor Bruce. Poor, poor Bruce. For such a grump, he is so easily persuaded by pleading eyes. 

I love Bruce. I identify with Bruce. 

A rainy dragon day. 

Written and illustrated by Julie Völk. 

Translated from the German by Melody Shaw. 

Original title: Drachenregentage. 

Gecko Press, 2024. 

ISBN 9781776575794. 

A toilet book that I'd happily read at storytime. Yes, this is a book that deals - mostly - with where dragons go to the toilet. 

This is an interesting question. 

Another question is: are Germans more open / relaxed about toilet routines than those of English heritage? I don't live in the UK, but my ancestors did. I live in colonised Aotearoa New Zealand, which has inherited many English hang-ups. Including toileting. 

This is not the first Germanic-area book I've read, in which the human is shown on the toilet, with toilet noises. 

Michael Morpurgo presents Owl or Pussycat? 

With set design by Polly Dunbar. 

David Fickling Books, 2020. 

ISBN 9781788450720. 

A delightful story of school firsts, including childhood crushes, and stage fright. 

Polly Dunbar's set design is as warm and cuddly as the story. 

Stegosaurus makes its way home. 

Written by Elizabeth Gilbert Bedia. 

Illustrated by Marie Bollmann. 

Dorling Kindersley, 2024.

ISBN 9780241636695. 

Although a bit longer for my regular storytime, there's a few dinosaur-loving preschools in my area, that this would be perfect for. 

This is a solid example of non-fiction facts woven into a story, without lessening the story itself. 

The boy who said wow. 

Written by Todd Boss. 

Art by Rashin Kheiriyeh. 

Beach Lane Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781534499713. 

A true story of a non-verbal child, who's heartfelt 'wow' at the end of an orchestral concert was recorded, and wowed so many. 

The last zookeeper. 

Written and illustrated by Aaron Becker. 

Walker Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9781529517873. 

A magical wordless book, the tale of Nöa, the robot, and their mission to rescue the animals under their care, as their part of the world succumbs to rising sea levels. 

The detail of the tiger in a cage, as the only predator, is a nice touch. There is no sign of the tiger at the end, however they must be there somewhere. 

There's nothing cuter than a puppy. 

Written by Tom Nicoll. 

Illustrated by Ross Collins. 

Macmillan Children's, 2024. 

ISBN 9781035029327. 

Alliteration is the name of this game, with increasingly bizarre combinations of animals and clothing. Perfect to read for speech therapy and pronunciation practise. 

Agatha May and the anglerfish. 

Writtey by Nora Morrison and Jessie Ann Foley. 

Illustrated by Mika Song. 

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2022. 

ISBN 9780593324752. 

Rhyming text. Agatha moves to her own beat. 

I picked this because the anglerfish was my favourite in a book we had. It was so scary and ugly - and I loved it. (I mentioned to this book to a couple of my siblings, and they were terrified and couldn't even look at the book as children.) 

I found a story of a child who doesn't fit, but also a teacher who cares and knows the child will achieve their dreams. 

Merdaddy. 

Written and illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan. 

Greenwillow Books, 2024. 

ISBN 9780063280274. 

Collage forms the vase of the art work. 

A tale of fun and connection between a father and child. 

A tale of imagination and play. 

The gecko and the echo. 

Written by Rachel Bright. 

Illustrated by Jim Field. 

Orchard Books, 2022. 

ISBN 9781408356067. 

Rhyming text in a moralistic tale of sharing and giving out love, to receive in return. 

No cats in the library. 

Written and illustrated by Lauren Emmons. 

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024.

ISBN 9781665933681. 

I wish my library had a read-aloud cat.

Diverse characters, including in a wheelchair, and different body types, populate this tale of an inner-city library. Illustrated in shades of oranges and turquoise. 

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Food

Food, glorious food! 

There are many books out there, which use food as a vehicle to foster cross-cultural understanding. 

I get that. I believe they're coming from a good place.

But, do we have to 'shame' children for their food, in order to get a message through? 

These books don't do that. They just celebrate food, especially that with cultural meaning and history. 

Awâsis & the world famous bannock by Dallas Hunt & Amanda Strong. 

I'm recommending this book on a friend's love of it. The use of Cree names, rather than English, helps this book stand out. And, there's use of gender-neutral pronouns, too. Not to mention glorious illustrations, and all-around goodness. 

Bang Bang Noodles by Nessie Sharpe. 

Nessie is a New Zealand-based Chinese-Kiwi (her words) who celebrates her heritage in a couple of cute board books. Each are English-Cantonese dual language, with English to the forefront. 

Chaiwala! By Priti Birla Maheshwari & Ashley Barron. 

A celebration of an Indian tradition. The book is warm and cosy, like a welcoming cup of chai. 

Cora cooks pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore & Kristi Valiant. 

I've shared this book for previous World Kid Lit Month years, and I'm recommending it again. Because it is beautiful. There's even a recipe. Which I've used. 

Lunch at 10 Pomegranate Street by Felicita Sala. 

Food brings people and community together, especially when the smells spread throughout an apartment building. Recipes are included, so you can recreate the experience. 

Olive harvest in Palestine by Wafa Shami & Shaima Farouki. 

The heart-break. A world that will never be, again. 
People who no longer with us. 
Taken and destroyed. 

World Kid Lit Month 2024: Feelings

Some of these titles have a looser connection to feelings than others. But, I wanted to showcase them all. 

Choices by Roozeboos. 

Not an obvious choice for feelings, but trepidation, and uncertainty are also feelings. I love the diversity of the people around the main character. There are many expressions of queer identity quietly shown - just people going about their lives, as it should be. 

The Grand Hotel of Feelings by Lidia Branković. 

I don't know how many languages this has been translated into, but it's still not enough. All of them. Every single one. Note that the last page, depicting other hotels, falls into cultural stereotype territory. 

My heart by Corinna Luyken. 

My heart aches reading this one. It is a beautiful story about protecting your heart, but also letting it experience things. 

What do you do with a problem? = Ka pāngia ana ki te raru, me aha? By Kobi Yamada, Kanapu Rangitauira, & Mae Besom.

To say I'm proud of the organisation I work for / with is an understatement, when it comes to these books. These are te reo Māori translations, produced as a Vox book product. Vox books have readers attached. 
World-first - and world-class - material, here. 

Milestones in te ao Māori and te reo Maōri picture book publishing

Tēnā koutou kua huihui mai nei

    (Hello to all gathered here)

E mihi ana ki ngā mana whenua

    (Greetings to the indigenous people of the land)

Nō Airangi me Ingarangi ōku tīpuna

    (My ancestors came from Ireland and England)

I tipu ake ahau ki Opanuku

    (I grew up in Henderson, Auckland)

Ko Anne tōku ingoa

    (My name is Anne)

E mahi ana ahau hei poukōkiri

    (I work as a senior librarian)

Nō reira, tēnā koutou katoa

    (Once again, hello to you all)

This is a list dear to my heart. 

I’ve been around children’s publishing for quite a while, and watched New Zealand’s publishing landscape change, and trends come and go – and grow… Some books have stood out and made me cheer. Made me celebrate how far our country – our reading public – have come along a bilingual journey. I know we have miles to go, but we have made progress.

A step along our path was the creation of LIANZA’s Te Kura Pounamu Award in 1985, which in 2016 became New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Te Reo Māori (Te Kura Pounamu Award).

There are so many books and so many creators I could have highlighted – but it came down to my memory and the books that stuck with me.

The Caltex book of Maori lore text by James Cowan; revised by J.B. Palmer; illustrated by Dennis Turner. 

Published in 1959, this was a much read and loved book in my Pākehā household. It is dated, but it introduced te ao Māori to a wider community. In a similar vein was Maori legends retold by Alistair Campbell published in 1969. 

 

The boy and the taniwha by R. L. Bacon, the story teller; Para Matchitt, the painter. 

Published in 1966, this book introduced R. L. Bacon to the reading public. This original story was illustrated to evoke traditional Māori carving and cave painting. This is a true milestone: quality of illustration, text, and publishing standards. 

Maori legends for young New Zealanders by Katarina Mataira; drawings by Clare Bowes. 

First published in 1975, this is the book I remember from childhood. It is particularly notable, as it announced the arrival of a literary luminary: Dame Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira. 

How Maui found his mother by Peter Gossage. 

Originally published as How Maui-tiki-tiki-a-Taranga found his mother in 1975, Peter Gossage went on to have a heralded career in publishing, and, it was through his work that many non-Māori came to know Māori legends.

The house of the people by R.L. Bacon; illustrations by R.F. [i.e. R.H.G.] Jahnke. 

Originally published in 1977, this won the inaugural Russell Clark Award for illustration in 1978.  Bacon published versions of many traditional stories, presenting te ao Māori and tikanga Māori to the non- Māori world.

The wonder book of Māori legends by A.W. Reed; illustrated by A.S. Paterson. 

First published as Wonder tales of Maoriland in 1964, this 1977 title literally demonstrates New Zealand’s movement to a more culturally-aware climate. Reed was a powerhouse in New Zealand publishing, collating and sharing our stories.

The kuia and the spider by Patricia Grace; illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa. 

These two wahine toa teamed up to create two classics of New Zealand’s publishing, this, and Watercress tuna and the children of Champion Street. Together, or separately, they are worth checking out.

The house that Jack built by Gavin Bishop. 

Originally published in 1999, although this features no te reo Māori in the text (being a traditional English rhyme) the illustrations are a tour de force in imagining the colonisation of New Zealand. It is stunning, end paper to end paper.

 

Tekiteora, kei hea o hu? nā Ngareta Gabel; nā Ali Teo raua ko Astrid Jensen ngā pikitia.

Published in 2003, and then adapted and translated into te reo Pākehā as Oh hogwash, Sweet Pea! by Hannah Rainforth.  Yes, this began life in te reo Māori. It is a joy to read in any language.

Nanny Mihi's treasure hunt written by Melanie Drewery; illustrations by Tracy Duncan.

The first Nanny Mihi book, Nanny Mihi and the rainbow, was published in 2001. This title in 2004. I rejoice in the fact there is no glossary – we are expected to understand te reo Māori kupu (words). See also Tracy Duncan’s solo titles.

Te haere ki te rapu pea nā Michael Rosen ngā kōrero; nā Helen Oxenbury ngā pikitia [retold by Michael Rosen; illustrated by Helen Oxenbury]; nā Kawata Teepa i whakamặori. 

In 2012, Huia began publishing te reo Māori translations of classic picture books, with We’re going on a bear hunt. It was great to see big-name, overseas publishers so willing to have their works translated into te reo Māori. 

 

Ngā ngeru nā Amiria Stirling ngā kōrero; nā Sarah Illingworth ngā pikitia. The cats of Pāia Street by Amiria Stirling; illustrated by Sarah Illingworth.

This manuscript was the first winner of the Storylines Te Kahurangi Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira Award, which is for a manuscript written originally in te reo Māori. 

Look: a tummy time book by Gavin Bishop.

A recent addition to Gavin Bishop's growing collection of board books, I've included this wordless title based on how fabulous it is - which has been recognised by overseas critics. Mainly, Betsy Bird:

YUSSS!!! Oh lord, people, why is something like this so rare? All I want is for accomplished picture book illustrators to hone their talents to the board book format and THEN be paired with those books that will be most useful to children. I’m talking accordion books/high contrast/lift-the-flaps/you name it. Gavin Bishop is of Maori descent (Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Mahuta, Tainui) and is a friggin’ New Zealand national treasure. He’s also been making books for kids for decades upon decades. LOOK is a particular delight with faces on one side of the accordion pull-out pages, and objects on the other. Meanwhile FRIEND goes through a range of different emotions with a little dog as your avatar. More of this please!

`

Originally published with Auckland Libraries. 

See also, my post on Exploring te ao Māori through picture books, with Storytime Solidarity.