Great Te Reo Māori Reads for Kids!

Kia ora tamariki mā, pākeke mā! We’re sure you already know that all of our libraries have special sections where you can find books written in te reo Māori, with reorua (bilingual) books mixed in as well. What you might not know is that these sections have been growing, fast! Recently, and especially over the last few years, there have been many more books being written in te reo, some of which are translations of stories that already existed in other languages, and some of which are being written originally in te reo by tangata whenua authors. All of these gorgeous new books are so exciting to see, and we love to buy lots of copies for all of our libraries when they come out — but even more, we love to see those books being borrowed by you, the tamariki of Te Whanganui-ā-Tara!

To help you make that crucial choice of which book to borrow, and with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori being in full swing, we thought that we would share with you some of our favourite pukapuka in te reo Māori. Check them out next time you visit your local whare pukapuka, or use the links below to place a reserve on the ones you want most!

Ngake me Whātaitai / Ngaia, Ben
“A traditional story told in te reo Māori from the perspective of the Kāhui Maunga people about Ngake and Whātaitai. These two taniwha inhabited Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington Harbour, long before the ancestral migrations. The story tells how the shape and landscape of Wellington, its harbour and the Lower Hutt area came about because of the actions of Ngake and Whātaitai.” (Catalogue)

Aroha te whai ora : he mahere piropiro mā te tamariki / Phillips, Craig
“Nau mai, hoake tātou ko Aroha, i a ia e kaupare ana i te taiatea, i te mataku, i te māharahara, me te anipā, ki ana tukanga māmā ka taea e te katoa. Come along on a journey with Aroha as she wards off nervousness, fear, worrying thoughts and apprehension, with simple, yet effective tools that everyone can use.” (Catalogue)

Kei hea a Spot? / Hill, Eric
“Join Sally, Spot’s mum, on her search to find where the mischievous puppy is hiding. A lift-the-flap story. This classic story, which has just turned 40 years old, is available once more in te reo Māori.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Ko wai e huna ana? / Ōnishi, Satoru
“Simple sentences, counting, colours, recognising emotion, the names of animals, beginner-level te reo Māori for children and learners. 18 fun-loving animals can be found on each question-posing page, sending readers into an up-close, attention-to-detail discovery.” (Catalogue)

Te Uruuru Whenua o Ngātoroirangi / Winitana, Chris
“This is the story of the arrival of Ngātoroirangi in Aotearoa and his exploration of the landscape and subduing of kaitiaki, such as the guardian of Tarawera, Tamaohoi; the guardian of water on Kaingaroa, Torepatutai; and the King of the Patupaiarehe, fairy folk, Ririō. This adventure story traces the places Ngātoroirangi travelled through, such as Waimahunga, the large spring where he conducted his cleansing ceremonies, and Te Whārua o Ngātoroirangi, where his footprints are still visible in the land today. The story is written in te reo Māori.” (Catalogue)

Hare Pota me te whatu manapou / Rowling, J. K
“No te huringa o te kopaki, i tana ringa e wiri ana, ka kite iho a Hare i tetahi hiri-wakihi waiporoporo e whakaatu ana i tetahi tohu kawai; he raiona, he ikara, he patiha me tetahi nakahi e karapoti ana i tetahi pu ‘H’ e rahi ana. Kaore ano a Hare Pota i paku rongo korero e pa ana ki Howata i te taenga haeretanga o nga reta ki a Mita H. Pota, i Te Kapata i raro i te Arapiki, i te 4 o te Ara o Piriweti…

Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake surrounding a large letter ‘H.’ Harry Potter has never even heard of Hogwarts when letters start arriving for Mr H. Potter, The Cupboard under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive…

In the first volume of one of the greatest children’s stories of all time, Ron and Hermione, Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall introduce Harry and the reader to Quidditch and You-Know-Who, to the promise of magic and the inheritance of the past. Now inspirationally translated into te reo Maori by Leon Heketu Blake, the story starts here.” (Catalogue)

Kuwi & friends Māori picture dictionary / Merewether, Katherine Q.
“From the #1 bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator of the Kuwi the Kiwi series, Kat Merewether, comes a large scale, stunningly illustrated visual dictionary. Full of over 1000 basic words in te reo Maori and English, perfect for every New Zealander.” (Catalogue)

The standing strong house = Te whare tū māia / Kahukiwa, Reina
“The fictional story of hapū Ngāti Tū Māia revolves around multiple generations, weaving their stories together in a way that celebrates tīpuna (ancestors, grandparents), mokopuna (grandchildren, descendants), and kaitiaki (guardian).” (Catalogue)

Ko Hea rāua ko Ruru : he takitaro mārire / Shallcrass, Laura
“Ko te wāhi noho o Hea, ko tētahi kokonga mārire. Engari, he wāhi turituri tonu… E kōrero ana te pūrākau nei mō Hea e momou ana, ki te kimi i te mārire, tae noa ki ngā wahi ukiuki. Ka tāwhai haere e Hea kit te kimi whakamāramatanga. He pūrākau Hūmāeika, he pūrākau mānawa, hei pānuitanga mō ēra e mamae ana i ngā āhuatanga o te turituri, o te āwangawanga, o ngā whakaaro turituri.” (Catalogue)

Tio Tiamu / Kurahau
“Gentle, clever Toe Jam grows to be huge, and this causes a problem because his feet smell. The bigger he gets the worse the smell. Toe Jam is kind, but the people tease him and avoid him, and finally, they make him leave and live far away. Toe Jam never loses his kind heart, and when there are floods, wild winds and droughts, he returns to help his people. But afterwards, the people always send him away again. Until, one day, when Toe Jam saves the people from an eruption, they finally see Toe Jam’s goodness.” (Catalogue)

Kids’ Fiction 2020: Picks of the Bunch

Let’s face it, 2020 was…umm…different! BUT our topsy-turvy year, that will surely go down in history, hasn’t stopped us from getting some great kids’ fiction onto the Wellington Library shelves!

But how do you pick the best from such a great selection? Trust me, it’s hard! Here are just TEN stand-outs from an awesome year, book-wise. But if you think we’ve missed out a real sizzler, let us know in the comments section below, or jump onto the Kids’ Club review form, and write a review of your own.

So, here goes, and in no particular order…

Across the risen sea / Bren MacDibble. / MacDibble, Bren
Across the Risen Sea is an action-packed, compelling and heartfelt middle-fiction adventure, set in a post-climate change landscape, from the multi-award winning author of How to Bee. Across the Risen Sea is an action-packed, compelling and heartfelt middle-fiction adventure, set in a post-climate change landscape, from the multi-award winning author of How to Bee. (Catalogue)

 

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Top 10 Children’s DVDs for Summer 2018

There are some great sequels and spin-offs in the library film collection at the moment!  Cars and Despicable me are both in their third incarnation.  With more problems and robberies involving bubblegum these movies are entertaining, fun and who wouldn’t want to see more minions?!

Looking for some DVDs to watch in the school holidays? There were the most popular ones borrowed from the library over the summer months – give them a whirl:

  1. PAW patrol.
  2. Octonauts.
  3. Peter Rabbit.
  4. Despicable me.
  5. My little pony, friendship is magic.
  6. Moana
  7. Cars.
  8. The LEGO Batman movie
  9. The boss baby
  10. The emoji movie

Top 10 Children eBooks Summer 2018

eAudiobooks and eBooks are a great way to read what you want when you can’t get into the library.  Harry Potter is dominating the online borrowing at the moment.  A significant addition to the Top 10 is Wonder.  The book about dealing with difference at school has proved really popular in print, online and in movie theatres. The author uses four points of view to tell the story giving the reader an understanding how people are affected by August Pullman’s differences.

  1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two, by J. K. Rowling
  2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, by J. K. Rowling
  3. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, by J. K. Rowling.
  4. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, by J. K. Rowling
  5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Read by Eddie Redmayne, by J. K. Rowling
  6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling
  7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, by J. K. Rowling
  8. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J. K. Rowling
  9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, by J. K. Rowling
  10. Wonder, by R. J. Palacio

Top 10 Children’s Fiction Summer 2018

Great children’s series with new additions! Author Rachel Renee Russell wrote her first book when she was still at school, she was around 10 years old! It was a birthday gift for her brothers.  The Dork Diaries books are inspired by her daughter Nikki and Erin.  Does one of those those names seem familiar?  Russell credits her daughters in authoring the books. Cool!

Have you ever written a book for anyone’s birthday?  It would be a such a great gift.  Or an terrible one if you wrote awful things. Maybe don’t write terrible things!

But definitely check out these popular authors for some great ideas:

 

  1. Diary of a wimpy kid, by Jeff Kinney
  2. Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey
  3. Storey Treehouse series, by Andy Griffiths
  4. Tom Gates, by Liz Pichon
  5. Dork Diaries, by Rachel Renée Russell
  6. The World’s Worst Children, by David Walliams
  7. Fantastic beasts and where to find them, by J. K. Rowling
  8. Harry Potter and the prisoner of Azkaban,  by J. K. Rowling
  9. Magnus Chase and the ship of the dead, by Rick Riordan
  10. The bad book, by Andy Griffiths

Top 10 Children’s Comics Summer 2018

There are some fantastic new additions to some great comic series here in the library.  It’s great to see they have been so popular with readers over summer.

Bad Guys author Aaron Blabey is heading into the movie making business! Yes his award winning talents have caught the eye of DreamWorks Animation who have brought him along for the ride as executive director.  One of my favourites of his is The Ghost of Miss Annabel Spoon.  I know it sounds serious for a funny writer and illustrator of books but it’s good!

What was your favourite comic over the Summer? Let us know in the comments. In the meantime, here are the Top 10 most popular over summer:

  1. Garfield, by Jim Davis
  2. Big Nate, by Lincoln Pierce
  3. Amulet, by Kuzu Kibuishi
  4. Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz
  5. Smurfs, by Peyo
  6. Pokemon, by Hidenori Kusaka
  7. Tintin, by Herge
  8. The Bad Guys, by Aaron Blabey
  9. My little pony, by Ted Anderson
  10. Adventure time, by Ryan North

Top 10 Children’s Non-Fiction Summer 2018

So favourite reads over summer? Minecraft and LEGO top the billing!

Did anyone go to see the Brickman exhibition at Te Papa? Were you inspired? If you were we have the perfect creative outlet for you Let’s Go LEGO

Karori Library: First Saturday of each month, 2:30-3:30pm
Cummings Park (Ngaio) Library: First Thursday of each month, 3:30-4:30pm
Mervyn Kemp (Tawa) Library: Second Thursday of each month, 3:30-4:30pm

Where you can create with others like yourselves =)

  1. Minecraft, by Stephanie Milton
  2. Minecraft, by Craig Jelley author, Ryan Marsh illustrator
  3. LEGO, by Daniel Lipkowitz
  4. Terraria, by Daniel Roy
  5. Guinness world records 2018.
  6. Harry Potter and the cursed child, by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and J.K. Rowling
  7. The LEGO ideas book, by Daniel Lipkowitz
  8. Good night stories for rebel girls, by Elena Favilli
  9. Star Wars, by Adam Bray
  10. Star Wars, by Patricia Bray

Top 10 Childrens eBooks October 2017

Did you know there is a Scottish version of the David Walliams book Mr Stink? Translated by Matthew Fitt it’s called Mr Mingin, so you can  decode the way they talk in Scotland.  Your brains are marvellous things and in a few paragraphs it will all start to make sense.  And you’ll have some great words to try out on your family and friends =)

  1. Harry Potter series, by J. K. Rowling
  2. Diary of a Minecraft Zombie, by Russell Robinson
  3. The Volcano of Fire: Geronimo Stilton and the Kingdom of Fantasy Series, by Geronimo Stilton
  4. Gangsta Granny, by David Walliams
  5. Mr Stink, by David Walliams
  6. The Boy In the Dress, by David Walliams
  7. Ghosts, by Raina Telgemeier
  8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney
  9. Warriors series, by Erin Hunter
  10. The Heroes of Olympus series, by Rick Riordan

Top 10 Childrens Fiction October 2017

The latest adventures from Jeff Kinney and Liz Pichon are on the shelves.  Jeff Kinney has the Heffleys escaping the holiday stress for their own special kind of fun in the twelfth Diary of a Wimpy Kid book.

The latest Tom Gates book release saw author Liz Pichon travelling around London in a Taxi covered in Fur!  They were handing out free copies of the book Family, Friends and Furry Creatures.  Want to read a copy for free?  You can! head down to your library and reserve your copy now (it’s really popular!).

  1. Diary of a wimpy kid series, by Jeff Kinney
  2. Tom Gates series, by Liz Pichon
  3. Story Treehouse series, by Andy Griffiths
  4. Just series, by Andy Griffiths
  5. Where’s Wally? by Martin Handford
  6. The Secret Seven, by Enid Blyton
  7. Matilda, by Roald Dahl
  8. The enormous crocodile, by Roald Dahl
  9. The bad book, by Andy Griffiths
  10. Gangsta granny, by David Walliams

Top 10 Children’s DVDs September 2017

Moana has been such a popular movie.  I’m sure that some people must have seen it more than once =)  The te Reo version of Moana that was showing for te wiki o te Māori must have helped make it one of the favourites.  It’s great to see New Zealand actors and singers take part.  Actor, Rachel House is also in the new Thor movie playing a very different role from Grandma Tala!

  1. Moana
  2. Beauty and the beast
  3. Strawberry Shortcake.
  4. Smurfs
  5. Trolls
  6. My little pony, friendship is magic.
  7. The LEGO Batman movie
  8. Ballerina
  9. The boss baby
  10. LEGO Nexo knights