New Zealand Children's Books

Meet Theo, the only dinosaur in a school full of humans—or so he thinks! Theo is a dinosaur, which came as a shock to his human parents. Nevertheless, they love him dearly. On his first day at school, Theo refuses...

Tawhirimatea, blow winds blow, Ra, warm us up with your sunshine glow. Papatuanuku, we plant seeds in you. Ua, rain, helps new life come through... Read and sing along to this catchy Matariki song celebrating Earth, sky, seasons and whanau....

Immerse your little ones in the vibrant underwater world of Aotearoa with Ocean for Kiwi Babies by Matthew Williamson and Fraser Williamson. This captivating board book serves as an enchanting introduction to the ocean's wonders, both in English and Maori....

Lift the flaps with Hairy Maclary and the gang to discover all the noises animals make, and find out WHO is making the most noise of all! Join Hairy Maclary and the gang on a lift-the-flap adventure to find out...

Behind dusty orange hills, where the sky stretches down to the sea, there’s a magical, wild, windy place called Te Mata Hapuku. Sam and Te Rerehua love to visit their Grandma and Poua at Te Mata Hapuku (also known as...

Kiwis have a long history of great achievements. Everyone knows we were the first to split the atom and give women the right to vote, but did you know that we've achieved A LOT of things in health and medicine,...

When a passing dragon decides to swipe their dog Coco, brothers Flynn and Paddy decide they should do something about it. In the dead of night, they pack their bags, make some terrible sandwiches, and, setting off before dawn, embark...

Full of fun and charm, this activity book will keep kids amused for hours with puzzles, things to make, and colouring pages. Includes: Spot the difference Join the dots Make your own diggers' chains Colouring in Mud pie cookies recipe...

What can you see Under the Sea? A ginormous whale (tohora) or a tiny scallop (tipa)? Under the Sea is a fun and engaging adventure that is perfect for Kiwi kids! "Early concept boardbooks and picture books are essential as...

In TE RATAKA a Tama Hungoingoi, Jeff Kinney's beloved series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, undergoes a brilliant transformation through the te reo Māori language. This delightful translation, by Heni Jacob, offers readers a chance to experience the humorous and...

The Pitbull is furious. His evil plans to capture the dragons on Flynn and Paddy's paradise island have come to nothing. And now his niece, Briar, has joined forces with the brothers. As he musters his men and machines for...

New Zealand's Backyard Birds PB by Ned Barraud is an enchanting and educational guide designed specifically for children, introducing them to the birds that inhabit their very own backyards. This vibrant and engaging book explores a wide variety of birds...

Celebrating 40 years of Greedy Cat, we are proud to re-release this NZ classic picture book. Greedy Cat sat on a mat by the fridge. Meow, meow, meow! What will happen next?

Animals of Aotearoa is a must-have compendium for children curious about New Zealand’s wild animals. Based on the award-winning and best-selling Explore and Discover children’s series about New Zealand’s natural history, this book is packed full of illustrations and information...

A powerful new historical novel from one of New Zealand's best-loved YA authors An exciting new novel from the author of Alex. In September 1840, two ships arrive on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour to establish Auckland, the new...

As the sun sets, which creatures come to life as others drift to sleep? What goes on in the forest under cover of darkness? This stunning picture book explores the hidden world of nocturnal creatures in Aotearoa New Zealand's bush....

A melodious counting picture book bursting with troublesome tūī, perfect to read aloud! The familiar antics of one of New Zealand's favourite native birds have been captured by award-winning picture book creators Elena de Roo and Paul Beavis. SQUAWK! Things...

While the people puzzled over how to shift a boat this BIG, a little yellow digger came and just began to dig. Inspired by the TRUE STORY of a giant container ship wedged in a tight spot and blocking one...

Embark on a whimsical adventure down to the sea on a radiant summer morning in A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy. With the sun shining brightly and the sound of waves crashing gently on the shore, join a lively...

Schnitzel von Krumm Forget-me-not by Lynley Dodd is a heartwarming and enchanting tale perfect for young readers. This delightful story centres around Schnitzel von Krumm, a lovable wire-haired dachshund, who faces an unexpected adventure when his family leaves for a...

Near mountain, scrub and oceanfront, we tiptoe on our Easter hunt.We look over. We look under. And then...A group of lambs are on an Easter egg hunt. They find all kinds of eggs - kiwi, tui, keruru, little blue penguin...

The iconic Kiwi song, Ma is White, is given the Donovan Bixley treatment and made into a wonderful first board book. The book also includes additional colours not covered in the song, so readers can can expand their Maori vocabulary.

A heartwarming story about aroha, whānau, passing down traditional knowledge, and welcoming in the new year - an English translation of the original Nga Kupenga a Nanny Rina. Nanny Rina's Amazing Nets introduces Nanny Rina, an amazing weaver who can...

A wonderfully illustrated Donovan Bixley board book for learning shapes in both English and te reo Maori.Including the circle (porowhita), diamond (taimana) and stars (whetu). Perfect for Kiwi kids."Early concept boardbooks and picture books are essential as a way to...

Kimi the Kekeno's Big Adventure is about Kimi the kekeno on the biggest adventure of his life—the long and scary journey to the magical Stone Circle. Along the way, Kimi and his friends encounter a giant squid who needs their...

The Wild and Windy Stars of Matariki by Miriama Kamo is a captivating tale about the adventures of Te Rerehua and Sam at Te Mata Hapuku, a wild and windswept place where the stones tell stories and the stars shine...

If you ever thought detectives can't be divas, you need to meet Lulu and her fabulous mystery-solving dance troupe! This illustrated chapter series is ideal for dance-mad emerging and confident readers. Will Lulu and the Silver Stars deliver a stolen...

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.

Join Sam and Te Rerehua as they prepare a Matariki feast! It’s the day before Matariki, and a big feast has been prepared. Eeling took place months ago, and Te Rerehua and Sam are excited to give thanks to Tupuanuku...

Nga Wira o te Pahi begins with "Ko nga wira o te pahi ka taka-huri-huri . . ." This well-known song now takes us on a journey across the beautiful landscapes of Aotearoa, where you might recognise some of the...

Based on true events, this lively picture book about a sprightly granny who knits warm jumpers for little blue penguins following the oil spill resulting from the wrecking of the Rena features illustrations by the winner of the Storylines Gavin...

Number 1 Bestselling Children's Book 'Tis the day before Christmas And all through the trees The fairies are working As busy as bees... Have you ever wondered what Christmas is like for fairies? This Christmas, step into the hidden world...

My Family Tree, My Whānau and Me by June Pitman-Hayes is a delightful journey into the heart of a family’s unique history. This enchanting narrative is perfect for readers of all ages who wish to explore their own roots and...

Flit the Fantail and the Christmas Crash by Kat Quin brings Flit back into a hairy situation—caught in Santa’s majestic beard! With Santa at the helm, Flit accidentally embarks on a jolly journey, delivering presents to all the children and...

Join Pee Wee on fun-filled adventures to his Koro’s farm! Meet all the farm animals including Kura the Dog, Heihei the Chicken, Hipi the Sheep, and more. Count the bees and spot the ladybug on each page! Every book comes...

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy is 40! To celebrate the raggedy rascal's birthday, this is a very special upsized hardback edition of Lynley Dodd's iconic first Hairy Maclary story. A very special upsized hardback 40th birthday edition of Lynley Dodd's...

Read and sing along with this hilarious tale about hungry possums creating havoc in our forests... and find out how they get their desserts! This hugely popular story about solving New Zealand's pesky possum problem also has its very own...

Join Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy and his delightful gang of canine friends in Hairy Maclary and Friends Off For A Walk, a charming colouring book illustrated with love and delight by Lynley Dodd. Offering 64 pages of illustrations, this...

Five little kea exploring in the shed,one fell over and bumped their head.The cheekiest birds in the world are getting up to mischief in Ranger Tui's shed. But what are they planning?Based on the nursery rhyme Five Little Monkeys, Five...

A wonderfully illustrated Donovan Bixley board book for learning animal names in both English and te reo Māori. Featuring cow (kau), horse (hoiho), and sheep (hipi), but also bat (pekapeka), gecko (moko papa), and morepork (ruru). Perfect for Kiwi kids....

Vex is used to people being afraid of her special power, the ability to persuade others to do what she wants. But when she arrives at a new school, Tiebold Academy, it is packed with people who have the same...

Donovan Bixley's Kiwi classic The Wheels on the Bus has been turned into a fabulous colouring-in book. The Wheels on the Bus goes round and round, round and round... Join our Kiwi bus driver as he travels across Aotearoa New...

Learning animal names in English and te reo Maori is fun and interactive with this vibrant board book from award-winning illustrator Donovan Bixley.What can you see on a day at the zoo? A lion (raiona), an elephant (arawhana), or a...

Nee Naw the Little Fire Engine by Deano Yipadee is a delightful tale that brings the excitement of a fire engine's world to young readers. "Nee Naw! Nee Naw! I'm a little fire engine. Nee Naw! Nee Naw! I'm happy I'm...

Stink-o-saurus tells the tale of Stan, a rare dinosaur like no other. While most dinosaurs roared from their front, Stan's roar came from his behind! You’ll split your pants laughing at Stan, the world’s only stink-o-saurus. But can his stinky...

How can we celebrate Matariki? Let's look to the stars! Maumaharatia: Remembering our past Tiakina te taiao: Caring for our environment Te whakawhanaungatanga: Connecting with our people Me pēhea tātou e whakanui i a Matariki? Tirohia ngā whetū! Maumaharatia te...

When Zeb uses his superpower to blend in with a zebra crossing to play tricks on unsuspecting pedestrians, he finds himself in hot water with a very angry lion who threatens to eat him! In an effort to extricate himself...

From the author and illustrator of the popular children's picture book The Gruffalo, Kei Hea Taku Mama? (originally titled Monkey Puzzle) is now translated into te reo Māori. Featuring the same stunning illustrations as the original book, the te reo...

The Gavin Bishop Treasury is a very special hardback collection of 10 classic children's stories for young readers to treasure, written and illustrated by the multiple-award-winning New Zealand author Gavin Bishop. Comprising over two hundred pages of fabulous storytelling and...

With the same lively, creative illustrations as the original book, the te reo Maori version retains the simplicity and imagination of Maurice Sendak's story, capturing Max's feisty character, the magic of the adventure and 'wild rumpus', and the pleasure of...

A sequel to Taming the Sun and Riding the Waves, Gavin Bishop's latest stunning book contains four more Māori myths, including two well-known legends (Ranginui and Papatuanuku and Hinemoa and Tutanekai) and two less well-known legends (The battle of the...

From the marae to the whare, from getting to know each other to sharing kai, this illustrated picture dictionary is a fabulous guide to the Māori way of life! Stacey Morrison has created an illustrated guide to Māori customs and...

Oh no! How can that be? Granny’s cow Ploppy is stuck up a tree. With a loud toot-toot and a hip-hooray, look who’s coming to save the day… Nee Naw! Nee Naw! I’m a little fire engine. Nee Naw! Nee...

The popular children's picture book Who Sank the Boat? is now translated into te reo Māori. With the same beautiful illustrations as the original book, the te reo Māori translation retains the humour, simplicity, and fun of the original story,...

Created by well-known children's writer and illustrator Gavin Bishop, this is the story of a little white kiwi. When he is born, his mother doesn't recognise him because he's not brown. Little Kiwi looks to the moon as his mother...

A new book in the brilliant Which? series by Andrew Crowe. This book makes it simple to identify a spider and learn about its lifestyle. All spiders commonly seen in New Zealand will be covered, both native and introduced. Which...

Celebrating 40 years of Greedy Cat, we are proud to re-release this NZ classic picture book. When Grandma goes on holiday, Katie offers to look after her goldfish. Greedy Cat thinks that's an excellent idea...

Celebrating 40 years of Greedy Cat, we are proud to re-release this New Zealand classic picture book. Greedy Cat and the School Pet Show follows the story of Katie, who is determined to take Greedy Cat to the School Pet...

Using high frequency kupu, Kararehe - Animals (Reo Pēpi Tahi Series 1) introduces us to the all-important pēpi vocab of everyday animals! Animal noises are, of course, optional.

Stinkypoo! Stinkypoo! Knickers, knickers, knickers! Spike Milligan's Badjelly the Witch is a children's cult classic. Her name is Badjelly and she can turn children into sausages or chop them up to make boy-girl soup. Sometimes she turns policemen into apple...

Celebrating 40 years of Greedy Cat, we are proud to re-release this NZ classic picture book. What is Greedy Cat to do when lunch doesn't meet his tastes? It's time to take matters into his own paws! Lunch for Greedy...

Mihi is a simple book to share with babies, allowing them to explore their whānau and their place in the world. With repeating colours and shapes, it illustrates the connections between waka, mountain, iwi, through to māmā, pāpā, and the...

The roof-raising, sing-along story of Nee Naw the Little Fire Engine is now available in a new board book edition! Granny’s in trouble – her house is on fire and she is trapped! The two big engines go roaring off...

A lively story with stunning illustrations that reveals the tradition of Matariki. The Astromancer is looking for four new apprentices to learn about Matariki and the Maramataka calendar. She chooses three boys and an orphan girl, Aria, who will come...

"I a Koro Meketanara tetahi pamu - TI-HAI-TI-HAI-HAU . . ." E mohio whanuitia ana tenei waiata. Engari, inaianei to Koro Meketanara he pamu ataahua kei Aotearoa tonu - a, kei taua pamu etahi kararehe whakaharahara - kei te aha...

Cricket Crazy follows the life of Tom Willard, a cricket-crazy eleven-year-old living in Wellington with his solo dad, Dave, and their dog, Archie. Tom dreams of making the junior representative cricket squad and playing at the fabled Basin Reserve. However,...

Hairy Maclary, Sit by Lynley Dodd is a delightful and engaging children’s story that follows the mischievous adventures of Hairy Maclary. The tale begins with Hairy Maclary causing chaos in town as he blissfully ignores the commands of his owner...

A captivating and award-winning bedtime story by picture book creator Ruth Paul, with luminous illustrations, language evocative of the deep blue sea - and a big surprise when you turn out the lights. Winner - Best Picture Book New Zealand...

On a bright and cheerful Saturday morning, excitement fills the air in a small seaside town. This idyllic day unfolds as children and pets alike venture down the winding track towards the sea. With playful spirits, they scatter seashells and...

New Zealand birds have such an amazing variety of sounds and movements! Dance and sing along with Kakapo and his friends in this read-aloud story about birdsong. A playful readalong story about New Zealand bird song and movement, from award-winning...

In The Little Lambs' Great New Zealand Christmas Rescue, we helped the lambs deliver lost presents to their animal friends. Now, in The Little Lambs' Great New Zealand Christmas Activity Book, join the Lambs and their new friends to get...

Queenie Rikihana Hyland brings together a collection of her favourite Maori myths and legends—from the creation and the ever-popular mischief-making of Maui, to the great love stories of Hinemoa and Tutanekai, and Turongo and Mahinarangi. The stories are brought to...

Distinguished educator and translator Tauanu'u Perenise Tapu Sitagata joins with artist Ani Huia Ligaliga to present the ‘ava ceremony, one of the key customs to welcome visitors to a village in Samoa. Drawing on his deep knowledge of fa'asamoa (the...

Elvie the sheep lived at the back of the Pollock’s home in Kilbirnie, in Wellington, New Zealand.She really did go for walks to the local park with Mrs Pollock and she really did hang out with the hens in the...

Having a new baby in the family is a big adjustment for not only the parents, but existing siblings as well. Kia Ora Baby by Donovan Bixley captures this transition beautifully. The book illustrates a family expecting a new baby,...

I te ahua o nga pikitia, me te takoto o te hatepe tohutohu, ka mama noa to ako ki te tunu i enei kai e hangai pu ana ki Aotearoa. Kia tu koe hei toa ki te tao panikeke, hei...

The House that Jack Built is a book with two strands. The main rhythmic text, based on the well-known rhyme, tells the story of Jack Bull, who travels to New Zealand from London as a new settler in 1798.  ...