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  • Title: He Iti te Kupu: Māori Metaphors and Similes Author: Hona Black ISBN: 978-0-947506-91-9 RRP: $39.99 Specs: 210 x 148 mm portrait, PB, 232 pp Published: 4 February 2021 WINNER: NZSA New Zealand Literary Heritage Awards 2021, Te Reo Māori section The Book: He Iti te Kupu contains nearly 500 sayings that draw a comparison between something (often the natural world) and people, events or contexts. Written in Māori and English, this accessible guide explains the use, meaning and context of a host of the principal figures of speech in te Reo.

    Divided into themes, including birds of the land and sea, parts of the body, acknowledgements, animals and insects.

    The title derives from the proverb, ‘The words are small, yet their meanings are substantial,’ highlighting the importance of these sayings in the landscape of Māori language learning and speaking.

    This volume will prove to be an invaluable resource for beginning and advanced learners of te Reo Māori.

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  • Title: Events in the Life of Phillip Tapsell Editor: Jonathan Adams ISBN: 978-0-947506-92-6 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, PB, 252 pp, b&w Published: 6 May 2021 The Book: Hans Falk, born in 1790 in Copenhagen, took to the sea as a lad, changed his name to Phillip Tapsell, and after many adventures settled at Maketū in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty. There he became the key trader for local iwi and married into the highest levels of Te Arawa, while helping other tribes to defend themselves against invasion from northern tribes. He was, in other words, one of the original Pākehā-Māori. Yet Tapsell’s life of daring is not well known today, and the memoirs he dictated to Edward Little shortly before his death were only ever published in newspaper form. Brought together, these make an important contribution to the history of the countries of his birth and death. Meticulously researched and edited by Dr Jonathan Adams, this book presents the original manuscript with close editing and annotation. Part 1 discusses Tapsell’s life and identity as a Pākehā-Māori; Part 2 reproduces his reminiscences as recorded by Little; and Part 3 summarises the key events in the story, examines the manuscript as an artefact, and includes accounts of Tapsell’s life and how that has been interpreted in Denmark.
  • Title: Blimmin’ Koro: Kātahi rā, e Koro e! Author: Jill Bevan-Brown Illustrator: Trish Bowles Translator: Māhaki Bevan-Brown ISBN: 978-0-947506-87-2 RRP: $25.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Published: 7 September 2021 For Teacher Resource: click here  For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nz
    Kotukū notices her grandfather is becoming forgetful. He hides things around the house and has trouble talking. Is Koro sick? Step by step, Kotukū and her whānau learn about dementia and help Koro to adjust to the changes in his life.

    This bilingual story tells the story Koro’s changes and how his family adapt to look after him. What doesn’t change is their unwavering love for their grandad. Trish Bowles’ watercolour illustrations sensitively trace the family’s journey and help show dementia doesn’t mean the end of life.

  • Title: The Forgotten Wars Why the Musket Wars matter today Author: Ron Crosby ISBN: 978-0-947506-79-7 RRP: $39.99 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, PB, 208 pp, b&w with 16-pp colour Published: 14 October 2020 For Teacher Resource: Click here  The Book: Muskets, potatoes and other introductions fundamentally altered the balance of power in 19th-century Aotearoa, leading to inter-iwi conflicts over almost 40 years that claimed tens of thousands of lives (killing, wounding or displacing up to half of the Māori population). Distinguished author and lawyer Ron Crosby brilliantly rewrites his seminal The Musket Wars on a thematic basis, simplifying it to a concise new work full of maps and illustrations for the general reader. Years of presentations to schools and groups is reflected in this dynamic new approach. This important book will further understanding of how the boom of muskets continues to echo in New Zealand today. And it needs to — the wars are still neglected by government and glossed over by other histories. The Forgotten Wars ensures these epic conflicts will be remembered.

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  • Title: Te Reo Māori: The Basics Explained Author: David Kārena-Holmes ISBN: 978-0-947506-69-8 RRP: $34.99 Specs: 210 x 148 mm portrait, PB, 168 pp, b&w Published: 5 February 2020 The Book: The use of te reo Māori in daily New Zealand life is snowballing, as is demand for resources to make learning the language efficient and enjoyable. This book helps answer that demand. Here in simple terms is a thorough guide to the building blocks of grammar in te reo, showing how to create phrases, sentences and paragraphs. After an introductory chapter on pronunciation and written forms of the language, 17 chapters introduce the main base words, particles and determiners that guide their use. The book employs real-life examples to illustrate how Māori grammar works day to day. Te Reo Māori: The Basics Explained draws on David Karena-Holmes’ decades of experience teaching and writing about Māori language. Building on his previous works, this updated and expanded approach will be an essential companion for speakers at any level.

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  • Title: Rere Atu Taku Poi! Let My Poi Fly! Author: Tangaroa Paul Illustrator: Rebecca Gibbs ISBN: 978-1-99-004248-5 RRP: $22.99 Specs:  PB, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 8 February 2024 For Teacher Resource: click here
    Written in te reo Māori and translated by the author, Rere Atu Taku Poi! is a beautifully illustrated story about gender fluidity in a school setting. Rangi loves doing haka but performing poi is his favourite — even though his classmates say it’s just for girls. When the lead poi performer falls sick before a school performance, Rangi has to take her place. How will the other students and audience react – ‘Surely a boy can’t lead the poi?’
    As Rangi steps on stage, the familiar movements of poi take him from scared and unsure to standing as his authentic self.

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  • Title: Te Reo Kapekape: Māori Wit and Humour Author: Hona Black ISBN: 978-1-99-004237-9 RRP: $45.00 Specs: PB, 210 x 148 mm portrait, 308 pp, b&w Published: 1 September 2023

    Following on from the successful He Iti te Kupu: Māori Metaphors and Similes, Hona Black's new book explores the rich vein of humour in Māori life.

    Want to know how to call a silly person a ‘roro hipi / sheep’s brain’, or tell someone to get stuffed in te reo Māori? The answers are all in Te Reo Kapekape (literally, ‘the language of poking fun’), with more than 130 humorous and unique phrases in te reo and English that can be used to describe people, events and actions.

    The sayings are divided into four chapters — above the hip, below the hip, other phrases, and idioms. Using a cast of characters and dramatised dialogue, Hona explains each phrase and gives examples and suggestions for use — whether to tease, crack a joke or just add some flair to your daily use.

    This book is a valuable resource for anyone wanting to spice up their te reo or English with some fun and cheeky sayings, and will appeal to both language learners and fluent speakers of Māori.

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  • Title: Ngā Hapa Reo: Common Māori Language Errors Authors: Hona Black & Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell ISBN: 978-1-99-004259-1 RRP: $39.99 Specs: PB, 210 x 148 mm portrait, 196 pp, b&w Publishing: 2 September 2024 Following on from the bestselling Te Reo Kapekape (2023) and He Iti te Kupu (2021), Hona Black's new book — co-authored with Te Aorangi Murphy-Fell — is an essential reference for any Māori learner or speaker. Surging interest in te reo Māori in recent years has led to a range of errors becoming common in classrooms and everyday use, many caused by language interference (following the patterns of English rather than te reo). This book sets out to correct that trend with easy-to-follow, fun examples of language errors. In six chapters focusing on different types of mistakes, the book directs readers to correct usages, numerous examples, and detailed explanations in both te reo and English. Ngā Hapa Reo is a stimulating read for anyone wanting to improve their command of te reo Māori, whether language learner or fluent speaker.
  • Title: The New Zealand Wars Series: The NZ Series Author: Matthew Wright ISBN: : 978-0-947506-93-3 RRP: $29.99 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, PB, 108 pp, colour Published: 8 July 2021 For Teacher Resource: click here Why did the New Zealand Wars occur? Who fought them and how did they proceed? And where were these battles fought? In The New Zealand Wars, Matthew Wright answers these questions in probing text supported by  fact boxes and illustrations that make navigating these protracted wars easy. Building on his 2014 book on the same subject, Wright covers all of the wars’ major incidents, movements and people, including the Battle of Gate Pa, Pai Marire, and figures such as Colonel G.S. Whitmore and Te Kooti. He shows that the wars, which pitted British settlers and allied Māori against other Māori over a 30-year period, really ended up as a civil war fanning flames in many regions. The book features glossaries that explain military terms, and sidebars that explore subjects like ‘Did Māori invent trench warfare?’, and ‘Food, horrible food’. There are over 70 colour images, including of battle sites that we can visit today.
  • Title: Te Whatu Tāniko — Tāniko Weaving: Technique and Tradition Author: Hirini Moko Mead ISBN: 978-0-947506-61-2 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 250 x 185 mm, PB, 136 pp b&w Published: 15 August 2019 Tāniko weaving is one of the supreme expressions of Māori art. Weaving and dyeing the fibres of native flax creates elaborate, beautiful patterns that are used to adorn clothing, with distinctive styles that have evolved over centuries of creativity.

    This has been the standard work on the subject since its first publication as Taniko Weaving in 1952. Since rewritten and updated, Te Whatu Tāniko provides the history and social context for weaving, as well as clear, practical guidelines for making tāniko.

    Using the book’s clear and concise graphs and drawings, readers can utilise this book to weave the beautiful patterns within. The instructions can be used as a beginner’s guide or a refresher resource, or simply to enjoy and admire this beautiful artform.

  • Title: Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird Author: Melanie Drewery Illustrator: Tracy Duncan ISBN: 978-0-947506-36-0 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 10 July 2018 Fact sheet for classroom use: Click here The Book: Every school holidays the kids go and stay with their nanny in her house by the sea. One morning (for some reason) Nanny Mihi gets the kids up early and they sit on the porch whistling a song until the sun comes up. Then they find out why – a bellbird appears and joins in the song. Whenever they come to stay after that, the bellbird is there to whistle the kids’ song. But in spring, there is no bellbird! What has happened? Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird is a charming story about love for family and nature, released for school holidays — a special time for kids and grandparents (and for parents as well). Nanny Mihi is back!
  • The Taniwha in our Backyard Author: Malcolm Paterson Illustrator: Martin Bailey ISBN: 978-0-947506-46-9 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 284 x 208 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 12 September  2018 For Teacher Resource: Click here The Book: Tui, his cousin Jennifer and their whānau go to the south Kaipara to visit their Uncle Rua and Auntie Mina. Exploring the area down to Muriwai, they learn about moa, kauri, Māui dolphins, kaitiakitanga (stewardship), geology and more. In the telling of their stories, a previously unknown taniwha (monster) takes centre stage! The Taniwha in our Backyard mixes English and Māori (with a smattering of Malay), profiling established and newer ethnic groups. This third book in the Sharing Our Stories series carries on the kaupapa of connecting children with the amazing environments and history around them.
  • Title: Vikings of the Sunrise Author: Te Rangi Hīroa (Sir Peter Buck) Foreword by Paora Tapsell ISBN: 978-1-99-004249-2 RRP: $49.99 Specs: PB with flaps, 210 x 140 mm portrait, 392 pp, b/w with 2 photo sections of 16 pp Published: 18 October 2023 Vikings of the Sunrise ranks as a masterpiece of Pacific studies. From the pen of one of the greatest Māori thinkers and writers of his generation, the settlement of the Pacific Ocean comes to life. The book ranges across the Pacific Ocean and the people who populated it, considering their physical and spiritual origins, and the ships they built to conquer this vast territory. It weighs evidence for different routes, retells myths of migration including the Māui series, recounts the author’s visits to islands and atolls across the South Pacific, and overall establishes the ‘vikings’ of the Pacific among the greatestever ocean voyagers. First published in 1938, Vikings of the Sunrise is here reproduced in an enhanced facsimile edition, including photos and maps compiled by the author on his voyages, and a new foreword by anthropologist Paora (Paul) Tapsell. Oratia Books is pleased to bring Vikings of the Sunrise back into print for modern readers as part of our NZ Classics series.
  • Title: First Encounters Series: The NZ Series Author: Gordon Ell and Sarah Ell ISBN: 978-0-947506-90-2 RRP: $29.99 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, PB, 108 pp, 2 colour Published: 8 April 2021 For Teacher Resource: click here The Book: Europeans had no idea what they would find when they first set eyes on Aotearoa. First Encounters selects some of the key writings from these  early traders, missionaries, explorers and surveyors — covering nearly 200 years from Abel Tasman in 1642 and Joseph Banks in 1769, through to early settlers such as John Logan Campbell in 1840. Their records of encounters with this new land and its Māori inhabitants reveal stories of wonder, curiosity, misunderstanding and adventure — all with maximum interest and impact for modern readers. The text is liberally illustrated with two-colour imagery and historical photos, alongside fact boxes explaining historical language and events.
  • Whāriki

    $39.99
    Title: Whāriki The growth of Māori community entrepreneurship Authors: Merata Kawharu and Paul Tapsell ISBN: 978-0-947506-63-6 RRP: $39.99 Specs: 234 x 153 mm portrait, PB with flaps, 200 pp, b&w Published: 5 November 2019 The Book: Understanding what drives enterprise within an indigenous cultural space is not widely understood in New Zealand. Whāriki reveals how kin-based business ventures created by Māori have promoted social, economic and environmental wellbeing from the whenua (land) up. Its core is eight case studies — some arising from iwi-driven ideas, some ideas from marae-based whanau. These range from a bee school in Northland, ginseng growing in the King Country, to the rehabilitation of Māori prisoners in Dunedin and a web-engaged response to accessing tribal marae. Always reaching into ancestral ties and lessons to provide guidance and foundation for their ideas, these businesses are wrapped in cultural approaches that engage kin communities in improving the wellbeing of their iwi, hapū and whānau. This book explores the successes, the failures, the learnings and the futures of these opportunities for Māori.
  • Title: There's a Tui in our Teapot Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Nikki Slade Robinson ISBN: 978-0-947506-47-6 RRP: $25.99 Specs:  270 x 210 mm portrait, HB, 32 pp, colour Published: 16 October 2018 For Teacher Resource: Click here The Book: There’s a tui in our teapot. He’s looking out at me. A tui in the teapot? Yes … he wants a cup of tea! A tui and his various friends including takahe, kea, korimako (bellbird), pukeko and hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin) invade the family kitchen, getting up to all kinds of high jinks and making a tremendous mess! What will Nan say when she sees what the hilarious gang of mischievous birds have done to her kitchen? Two of New Zealand's best children's book creators join together in this classic bit of fun that concludes with a handy fact list on the native birds featured.
  • Title: Heke Tangata: Māori in Markets and Cities Author: Brian Easton ISBN: 978-0-947506-43-8 RRP: $29.99 Specs: 234 x 153 mm portrait, PB, 130 pp, b&w Publishing: 15 May 2018 The Book: Heke Tangata can broadly be translated as ‘migration of the people’, and in this book economist Brian Easton tracks the major relocations Māori have made into the cities and market economy since 1945. The book’s first part provides a narrative of the post-war Māori experience while the second part gives the statistical basis, covering areas including criminal justice, demography, education, employment, health, housing, incomes and wealth. The picture that emerges is stark: Māori remain a generation behind Pākehā in economic well-being. Commissioned by Te Whānau o Waipareira, Heke Tangata is a concise, clear overview for policy discussion and general understanding of Māori economic participation in contemporary Aotearoa/New Zealand.
  • Title: Urban Māori: The Second Great Migration Author: Bradford Haami ISBN: 978-0-947506-28-5 RRP: $39.99 Specs: 234 x 153 mm portrait, PB, 304 pp, b&w Publishing: 1 February 2018 The Book: The post-1945 migration to the cities by Māori transformed Aotearoa New Zealand forever. Before the Second World War 90% of Māori lived in rural tribal communities; by the mid-1970s almost 80% lived in the cities —perhaps the fastest movement of any population from traditional homelands to the cities. Economic opportunity improved the lot of many but created huge disruption and challenges, making this a story of expectation, need, loss, isolation and revival. Exploring what being Māori means today, Bradford Haami looks back to the experience of the first migrants, and traces the development of an urban Māori identity over the following years. Commissioned by Te Whānau o Waipareira, Urban Māori intersperses first-person accounts of migrants with readable history and numerous photos, covering the full spectrum of the migration experience — including ground-breaking accounts of urban marae, social deprivation, trade training schemes and the Māori experience in Australia.
  • Poutini

    $75.00
    Title: Poutini The Ngāi Tahu History of the West Coast Author: Paul Madgwick ISBN: 978-1-99-004244-7 RRP: $75.00 Specs: HB, 250 x 185 mm portrait, 528 pp, colour Published: 5 November 2024

    Māori have lived on Te Tai Poutini for at least as long as anywhere else on these islands called New Zealand, bound by ancient stories and a unique affinity to pounamu. So why is the Māori story so impoverished in a region so rich in storytelling?  — Paul Madgwick, from the Introduction 

    Poutini aims to correct this by recording the Ngāi Tahu history of the West Coast. Esteemed kaumātua and ‘Coaster’ Paul Madgwick guides the reader through early Poutini mythology, the discovery of pounamu, the story of settlement, battles between iwi, life in the pā and contact with Europeans.

    The book then explores the land sales and Māori reserves, through to the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998. It is rounded off by a look at modern challenges and opportunities, and topics such as the legacy of the World Wars.

    Illustrated with beautiful images and extensive appendices, this is a landmark publication bringing together a lifetime of expertise and research, with special relevance to Te Wai Pounamu (the South Island).

  • Title: Te Kooti’s Last Foray Author: Ron Crosby ISBN: 978-1-99-004234-8 RRP: $49.99 Specs: 240 x 160 mm portrait, 288 pp (16 pp colour) Published: 8 August 2023 For Teacher Resource: click here

    On 7 March 1870 the prophet and rebel Te Kooti swept out of Te Urewera to Ōpape, east of Ōpōtiki, in what would be his last major action of the New Zealand Wars. His forces abducted 218 Whakatōhea (mostly women, children, and old men) and marched them into the bush to build a pā called Waipuna. Before long the government sent troops in pursuit — almost exclusively Māori.

    In this captivating book, historian Ron Crosby draws on his decades of experience in Te Urewera and recently discovered diaries to recount this overlooked yet crucial episode in the New Zealand Wars — for the first time locating precisely where the events occurred, and telling what really happened. A foreword by Justice Joe Williams sets the scene …

    Illustrated with detailed maps, sketches and photos, Te Kooti’s Last Foray sets straight the historical record of Ngāti Porou and Whanganui’s chase, casts new light on the character and abilities of Te Kooti, and brings to life an incredible story of hardship, endurance and conflicting loyalties in colonial New Zealand.

  • Title: Nanny Mihi's Medicine Ngā Rongoā a Nanny Mihi Author: Melanie Drewery Illustrator: Suzanne Simpson Translated by Kanapu Rangitauira ISBN: 978-1-99-004211-9 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 15 June 2022 For Teacher Resource: click here Nanny Mihi’s grandchildren excitedly visit her every school holidays. Only this time they arrive with colds … Nanny takes the kids around her forest and garden, showing them plants that can make them feel better. They find kawakawa and make tea, mānuka to put in the bath and clear their stuffy noses, koromiko to help their headaches, and cabbage tree leaves to help with the cuts and scratches they get in the forest. By the time they’re well, Nanny is tired and scratched from their foraging — and the kids know just what she needs! This latest in the popular Nanny Mihi series features an all-new illustration style and a spread of information about the medicines growing around us.
  • The River in our Backyard
    Te Awa e Pātata Rawa Ana
    Author: Malcolm Paterson Illustrator: Martin Bailey ISBN:978-1-99-004219-5 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 284 x 208 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 17 October 2022
    For Teacher Resource: click here
    Continuing the successful series that connects kids with local heritage, in this fourth Sharing our Stories book Tui, cousin Jennifer and whānau go on a voyage of discovery into the history and nature of Auckland’s Te Atatū peninsula and the wider Waitematā Harbour. The children learn about the impact humans have had on the river and ocean, how places got their names, and how their family friends Kōmako and Kumar help to conserve nature. Everyone then joins in the fun of Diwali, attending a local market and watching their friend Rani perform in a dance. Martin Bailey’s vibrant artwork brings to life a story of connection that celebrates our shared heritage, with text in English and Māori along with words from the Tamil language.
  • Title: Kia Hou Taku Tou! I Need a New Bum! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird Translated by Stephanie Huriana Fong ISBN: 978-1-99-004224-9 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 1 September 2022 To mark ten years since the first publication of I Need a New Bum!, and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022, Oratia is delighted to present this children’s favourite in a new bilingual edition. All of the colourful and active main text is in Māori, following our hero as he searches for a tou hou/new bum, after finding that his one has a crack. ‘Subtitles’ in English run at the bottom of the page to help readers of all ages to understand and learn. After editions in Chinese, Italian, Korean and Portuguese, it’s a pleasure to ‘bring the bum home’ into Stephanie Fong’s gorgeous rhyming reo.
  • Title: Ratana the Prophet Author: Keith Newman ISBN: 978-1-99-004258-4 RRP: $45.00 Specs: 230 x 153 mm portrait, PB, 284 pp, colour and b&w Published: 7 May 2024  
    ‘A life-changing vision in 1918 inspired an ordinary man to accept an extraordinary challenge. In championing a deep cultural shift among the decimated Māori people of New Zealand, Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana helped rechart the course of a nation.’ T.W. Ratana is a tōtara of modern history — the visionary founder of New Zealand’s largest homegrown religion, the Ratana Church and movement. Ratana the Prophet tells his life story, from his early days as a hard-working farmer, heavy drinker and gambler to the ‘divine’ encounters where he picked up the mantle of earlier Māori prophets, and championed the Treaty of Waitangi as the nation’s founding document. This new edition builds on Keith Newman’s decades of research into T.W. Ratana, updated to take in the events of the 2010s and early 2020s, and includes previously undisclosed and untranslated material.
  • Title: Greenstone Carving: Techniques and Concepts in Pounamu Author: Len Gale ISBN: 978-1-99-004216-4 RRP: $39.99 Specs: PB, 250 x 185 mm portrait, 84 pp, colour Publishing: 15 June 2022 This helpful practitioner’s guide takes the reader from the origins of pounamu/greenstone through the basics of design, tools and techniques, leading on to popular styles like hei tiki, toki, pekapeka, mere and patu. Illustrated with helpful drawings and photos of work in progress, this new edition also features photography of finished work from leading studio Moko Pounamu, Ōtautahi/Christchurch.
  • Title: Rona Moon Author: Tim Tipene Illustrator: Theresa Reihana Translator: Stephanie Huriana Fong ISBN: 978-1-99-004233-1 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Paperback edition publishing: 17 November 2022 (Hardback edition originally published: 16 September 2020) The Book: ‘Everything looks so small from up here,’ said Rona. ‘I know,’ Whaea beamed. ‘Even the reasons we felt angry seem so little’ The beloved myth of Rona and the Moon comes to 21st-century Aotearoa in English and Māori in Tim Tipene’s sensitive telling, strikingly illustrated by Tai Tokerau artist Theresa Reihana. Rona Moon gets angry with everyone — her brother, her Nana and Papa — and then one night she calls the moon stupid! Taken to meet her ancestor Whaea Rona on the moon, she learns a lesson in how to control her temper. Published originally in hardback in 2020 and reprinted soon after, Rona Moon/Ko Rona Māhina is now available in a quality paperback edition.

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  • Title: The Grandmothers of Pikitea Street Ngā Kuia o te Tiriti o Pikitea Author: Renisa Viraj Maki Illustrator: Nikki Slade Robinson Māori translation by Kanapu Rangitauira ISBN: 978-1-99-004217-1 RRP: $22.99 Specs:  PB, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Published: 8 September 2022 For Teacher Resource: click here Scents of lemongrass, garam masala, baking and smoked meat drifted down the street as the children’s grandmothers made food for their lunchboxes. Māori, Ethiopian, Samoan, NZ European, Indian and Chinese grandmothers share traditional stories and recipes with their grandkids as they get ready for bed — explaining how the food will benefit the kids at school the next day. The grandmothers aren’t cooking only for the children. They are also making dishes for their monthly gathering at one of their homes, where they continue to share their traditional dishes and stories, crossing cultural boundaries. Renisa Maki tells a beautiful story of connection between cultures, and nanas and grandchildren, sumptuously illustrated and with a fine te reo translation. Winner of a Storylines Notable Book Award 2022, Picture Books category
  • Title: There's a Weta on my Sweater Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Stephanie Thatcher ISBN: 978-0-947506-76-6 RRP: $25.99 Specs:  270 x 210 mm portrait, HB, 32 pp, colour Published: 4 November 2020 For Teacher Resource: Click here The Book: There’s a weta on my sweater! He’s climbing up my sleeve … A humungous weta! An awesome weta! He doesn’t want to leave. Weta and friends, including beetle, centipede, stick insect and huhu, come to school with the kids for Show and Tell. In the classroom weta marches along while his friends show what they can do — singing, dancing and scaring the teacher! But they don’t want to stay in the classroom! Where will they go? Will Koro be able to help his mokopuna keep the critters safe?

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  • Title: There’s a Moa in the Moonlight He Moa kei rō Atarau Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Nikki Slade Robinson Māori text: Ngaere Roberts ISBN: 978-0-947506-96-4 RRP: $25.99 Specs:  270 x 210 mm portrait, HB, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 2 November 2021 For Teacher Resource: click here There’s a Moa in the Moonlight. He’s in our garden plot. He’s munching all our melons. He likes the seeds a lot. Moa and friends are invading the garden — Huia is hanging out in the hibiscus, Wren is darting around and Adzebill is hunting lizards! What will Mum say when she sees all these animals in her garden? An effortless combination of rhyming text and funky illustrations extends Dawn McMillan’s nature-story series to bring our extinct animals back to life. Featuring a spread of animal facts at the back.
  • Title: Te Ahi Kā: The Fires of Occupation Author: Martin Toft ISBN: 978-1-911306-38-2 Imprint: Dewi Lewis Publishing; distributed in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific by Oratia Books RRP: $65.00 Specs: 205 x 165 mm portrait, HB, 200 pp colour; alternate female (green, fern) and male (yellow, ember) covers Publishing: 5 December 2018 The Book: Danish photographer Martin Toft spent six months living among iwi deep in the Whanganui River lands in the mid-1990s. They honoured him with the Māori name Pouma Pokai-whenua. By returning 20 years later, again with his camera, Toft completed part of a promise to the iwi, and publishing this book fulfils the rest of that pledge. Te Ahi Kā: The Fires of Occupation  explores in photographs, archives and interviews some of the key political, environmental and cultural issues for the iwi as it has sought return of its historical lands at Mangapapapa. This sumptuous hardback production, with fold-out pages, fine binding and alternate female (fern) and male (embers) cover designs, is now featuring in photo book festivals worldwide. Te Ahi Kā evokes the physical and metaphysical relationship between a river and its ancestors, between Māori and the author. It aims to leave a legacy for future guardians of the Whanganui, and to share the aspirations and desires of this unique community.
  • Title: Nanny Mihi’s Harvest Te Hauhake a Nanny Mihi Author: Melanie Drewery Illustrator: Suzanne Simpson Translated by Kanapu Rangitauira ISBN: 978-1-99-004257-7 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 4 June 2024 For Teacher Resource: click here
    Haere mai,’ called Nanny Mihi, when we arrived to stay. ‘You are just in time to help me plant the garden.’ The fourth book in the Nanny Mihi series extends the nature connection from 2022’s Nanny Mihi’s Medicine/Ngā Rongoā a Nanny Mihi, with a fully bilingual text about gardening (publishing ahead of Matariki 2024). When her mokopuna arrive for the spring school holidays, Nanny enlists their help to plant her garden. As they return each season, the kids see their labours bear fruit. By winter there is nothing in the garden, but the products of the harvest have gone into a soup that ‘tastes like spring and summer and autumn and winter’! The fast-growing Nanny Mihi series is becoming a perennial for Kiwi kids.
  • Title: Tōku Whānau Rerehua My Beautiful Family Author: Rauhina Cooper Illustrator: Isobel Joy Te Aho-White ISBN: 978-1-99-004238-6 RRP: $22.99 Specs:  PB, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Published: 2 June 2023 For Teacher Resource: click here

    How was school today, Huia’ her mum asked. ‘It was okay … but our news topic is our family.’

    Huia feels too shy to talk about her family to her classmates because she has two mums. Will her friends laugh at her and tease her?

    Over the next days, she learns that some whānau have a step-parent, some have one parent, and some children are adopted. There are all sorts of families! So when her turn comes to show her family photo, she doesn’t have to be shy.

    Written in te reo Māori and translated into English (te reo appears first on the pages), Rauhina Cooper’s story is beautifully illustrated by award-winning illustrator Izzy White.

  • Title: 12 Huia Birds/12 Manu Huia Author: Julian Stokoe Illustrator: Stacy Eyles ISBN: 978-0-947506-78-0 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 14 July 2020 For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nz Previously published in hardback in English, this popular book is now back with Māori text in a quality paperback. The Listener named the first edition one of its Top 50 Children's Books of 2016, and called it: “A striking reminder of the many ways this beautiful bird was wiped out.” 12 beautiful huia birds play and sing in the forest. But is that a canoe arriving? A rat sniffling? A ship on the horizon? One by one, the huia start to disappear – what will remain? 12 Huia Birds is a captivating celebration of one of our loveliest birds. Through gentle rhyme and colourful imagery it subtly conveys an environmental message – and includes links to a 12 Huia Birds app, educational resources and games.
  • Legends of Rotorua and the Hot Lakes Author: A.W. Reed Illustrator: Dennis Turner ISBN: 978-0-947506-57-5 RRP: $29.99 Specs: 210 x 148 mm portrait, PB, 164 pp, b&w Published: 20 March 2019 The Book: First published in 1958, this is the classic collection of myths relating to that cradle of Māori culture, Rotorua – with relevance across New Zealand Rotorua is one of New Zealand’s most visited cities. It is impossible to avoid the area’s Māori history and, in this book, it is easy to learn about the most popular legends of the area. These include Ngatoro the Fire-Bringer, whose avoidance of fire demons left them raging underground to make the famous geyser and mudpool formations in the Rotorua area; and Hatupatu, who bravely escaped from the birdwoman, who would have him as her slave. A.W. Reed is renowned for his telling of Māori stories; his list of published works in this area is long and his popularity has rarely waned. The Dennis Turner beautiful illustrations are reproduced unaltered, speaking to the era of the book’s original publication.
  • Title: What’s in a Name? He aha tō te Ingoa? Author: Renisa Viraj Maki Illustrator: Isobel Te Aho-White Māori translation by Hona Black ISBN: 978-1-99-004263-8 RRP: $22.99 Specs:  PB, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Published: 5 November 2024 For Teacher Resource: click here ‘I’m worried about saying the names correctly,’ Priyanka says when she gets tasked with reading out student names at the end-of-year school assembly. Determined to say them correctly, she goes on a chase to find her classmates and learn how to pronounce their names. She meets Arihia, Xinze, Somachandra, Sean and Tausa’afia, learns about their names and practises hard for the big day. Renisa Maki tells a gentle and heart-warming story that crosses cultures and highlights the mana our names carry. Superbly illustrated by Isobel Te AhoWhite and translated into te reo Māori by Hona Black, What's in a Name? is a book to read and reread at home or school.
  • Title: Te Pukapuka ka Kore e Pānuihia Author: Tim Tipene Illustrator: Nicoletta Benella Translator: Kanapu Rangitauira ISBN: 978-1-99-004247-8 RRP: $22.99 Specs:  PB, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pp, colour Published: 1 September 2023 For Teacher Resource: click here
    He uaua te pānui pukapuka mā ētahi tāngata — he uaua mā te tamai roto i tēnei pukapuka. Engari, arā ētahi pukapuka ka tohua kia pānuihia e koe, mea rawa ake ka puare mai he ao whakamīharo i roto i ngā whārangi.
    Ko Te Pukapuka ka Kore e Pānuihia tētahi o aua pukapuka. Pūtake mai ai i ōna wheako, ka whakaahuatia e te kaituhi whiwhi tohu, e Tim Tipene ētahi o ngā uauatanga i ngā wā he uaua te pānui, he whakamōhio atu ki ngā tamariki e taea ana aua uauatanga te eke panuku. The boy who narrates this story doesn’t like reading, until one day in the school library he picks up Te Pukapuka ka kore e Pānuihia. Suddenly the book takes on a life of its own – and before he knows it, he’s finished the book. ‘What should I read next?’
    Te Pukapuka ka Kore e Pānuihia takes the viewpoint of children who have reading struggles, with design guided by educators for appeal to reluctant or even dyslexic readers This inspirational story is available in Māori (in this paperback edition) as well as in English (hardback).
  • Out of stock
    Title: Ngā Atua: Māori Gods Author/Illustrator: Robyn Kahukiwa Translator: Kiwa Hammond ISBN:978-1-99-004242-3 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 17 May 2023  TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK, REPRINT DUE MID-JUNE 2025

    A book to treasure for young and old, Robyn Kahukiwa’s Ngā Atua – Māori Gods takes the reader on a stunning visual journey while imparting simple and effective explanations of the major Māori gods.

    Robyn introduces the pantheon of Māori deities and explains the arena of life for which each one is responsible. For example:

    Tumatauenga is the greatest warrior. His powers are extreme strength and courage. He fights for truth and justice.

    This new paperback version is fully bilingual, incorporating a superb translation by Kiwa Hammond, building on the popular hardback edition in English (published by Oratia Books in 2017). The vibrant paintings bring the gods to life and help this beautiful book to affirm their continued relevance to today’s world.

  • Title: Toby Curtis Unfinished business: Ki hea āpōpō Author: Sir Toby Curtis, with Lorraine Berridge McLeod ISBN: 978-1-99-004230-0 RRP: $39.99 Specs: 234 x 153 mm portrait, PB, 180 pp Published: 17 November 2022 The Book: Born into poverty in 1939, Toby Curtis rose to the peak of achievement in Māoridom. His long history of leadership in education, broadcasting and the powerful Te Arawa confederation of iwi belied the challenges he had to overcome, and the legacy of colonisation that still overshadow the fields in which he contributed. In this thoughtful and lively memoir, Sir Toby looks back frankly on his life and career — interspersing memoir with text boxes that address policy and academic issues in education, language and indigenous rights. He reflects on a teaching career spent creating connection to tikanga and te reo for his students; leadership in broadcasting, where he helped chart the path to creating an independent voice for Māori; and his 16 years as the leader of Rotorua’s influential Te Arawa Lakes Trust. Toby was knighted in 2014 for his services to Māori education and yet, as this book’s subtitle and contents assert, he saw a lot more work to be done.
  • Title: Illustrated Māori Dictionary Māori–English Essentials Author: A.W. Reed Illustrated by Roger Hart ISBN: 978-1-99-004213-3 RRP: $34.99 Specs: 210 x 148 mm portrait, PB, 144 pp, b/w Published: 16 August 2022 In compiling this dictionary A.W. Reed set out to entertain as well as educate. Its succinct entries encompass modern and traditional Māori language and customs, as do the fine illustrations by Roger Hart. These Māori to English definitions delve into a variety of associated meanings and derivations — providing interest for either beginning or more advanced speakers of te reo. The new Illustrated Māori Dictionary preserves the retro feel of the 1965 original — including its early adoption of macrons to mark long vowels, and indication of transliterated words. The text has been updated to reflect modern scholarship and language use. Not only a handy reference work, this corrected facsimile edition represents a classic of Kiwi publishing.
  • Title: There’s a Crab in my Castle He Pāpaka kei taku Pā Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Nikki Slade Robinson Māori translation by: Stephanie Huriana Fong ISBN: 978-1-99-004262-1 RRP: $25.99 Specs:  270 x 210 mm portrait, HB, 32 pp, colour Published: 15 October 2024 For Teacher Resource: click here There’s a cool crab in my castle! He’d like to be the king. He sits there on his throne, watching everything. The newest addition to Dawn McMillan’s Nature Stories series takes readers to the rocky shore, where crab meets sandhopper, snapper, kina, manta ray and more. Enticing rhymes and Nikki Slade Robinson’s evocative illustrations bring the beach to life. With a fun ensemble of seaside creatures and text in Māori and English, this is an educating and entertaining read for young readers and their whānau, out in time for summer.
  • Title: You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are! Me i Mōhio Koe ki tō Waimarietanga! My Beautiful Family Author: Belinda O’Keefe Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird Translator: Te Ama-Rere-Tai Rangihuna ISBN: 978-1-99-004236-2 RRP: $21.00 Specs:  PB, 230 x 215 mm, 32 pp, colour Published: 5 July 2023

    When Izzy moans about unloading the dishwasher, Great-uncle Arthur says, ‘You don’t know how lucky you are!”

    He’s always done something worse — like hand-washing stacks of dishes, or dodging arrows in a battle.

    As the stories get wilder — taking three days to finish a meal of tough old food, for example — his great-niece starts to wonder if Arthur may be exaggerating a little …

    Emerging author Belinda O’Keefe joins forces with well-known illustrator Ross Kinnaird in this fun book that helps young readers connect with the experience of their grandparents’ generation.