Distinguished educator and translator Tauanu’u Perenise Tapu Sitagata joins with artist Ani Huia Ligaliga to present 30 Samoan proverbs for children in the original language, alongside translations and explanations in English.
Each proverb is presented in Gagana Sāmoa and English above an illustration, with bilingual explanations below.
Traversing themes from family, leadership and education to the environment and spirituality, Alagā’upu Fa’asamoa ma Uiga mo Tamaiti adds a valuable Pasifika resource for children and families everywhere.
-
Series: Moana Oceania Title: Alagā’upu Fa’asamoa ma Uiga mo Tamaiti Samoan Proverbs for Children Author: Tauanu'u Perenise Tapu Sitagata Illustrator: Ani Huia Ligaliga ISBN: 978-1-99-004270-6 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 6 May 2025, in association with Auckland Libraries – Ngā Pātaka Kōrero o Tāmaki Makaurau -
Title: I’m a Submarine Author: Nigel McHardy ISBN: 978-1-99-004280-5 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 3 April 2025A seagull is a seagull, and a whale is a whale. Seagull knows a thing or two about sea creatures and submarines. But after meeting Whale, Seagull learns that things are not always what they seem! Whale works hard to convince Seagull that although he/she looks like a whale, what Seagull is actually seeing is a submarine! In this highly original debut book, designer and nature enthusiast Nigel McHardy takes young readers on a fun journey that might just lead them to question what they see. That is, if they stop laughing! -
Title: Easter Bunny needs a NEW BUM! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-1-99-004278-2 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 13 March 2025 Easter Bunny has arrived to hide the Easter eggs in our hero’s garden … but something doesn’t look right … I’m looking … I’m looking … What do I see? Oh … there’s nothing at all where his tail should be! Red pants boy has another bumergency on his hands in this hilarious addition to the New Bum series. And of course, he has an eggselent idea to help Easter Bunny. ‘Hoppity hoppity, cannot stoppity. Tickety boo! Tottle-oo.’ Together they race around the garden to hide the eggs before the family wakes up – but will they sort out Easter Bunny’s bum issues? Dawn McMillan’s playful rhymes and Ross Kinnaird’s vibrant drawings bring an exciting Easter adventure to New Bum fans around the world, continuing the success of this globally bestselling series. -
Title: I Need a New BUM! Activity Book Authors: Betsy Ochester and Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-1-99-004246-1 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 48 pp, b&w Published: 5 November 2024The newest addition to the global phenomenon of the New Bum! series, here’s a book that will keep the kids busy and laughing for hours on end. Responding to popular demand from families around the world, this activity book offers amazing mazes, word games, bum puzzles, drawing challenges, code crackers, jokes and more. Author and illustrator dream team Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird partnered with US puzzle expert Betsy Ochester to bring this fun-packed book to bum fans around the world. With the zany drawings and silly humour of the New Bum! series, this activity book will keep the kids — and the whole family — entertained. -
The Ever-Standing Tree Te Rākau Tū Tonu Author: Tim Tipene Illustrator: Ani Huia Ligaliga Translated by Kanapu Rangitauira ISBN: 978-1-99-004260-7 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 2 September 2024 For Teacher Resource: click hereOver the protests of his kids, Dad cuts down a tree to get ‘a better view’ — only for a chorus of birds and insects to put it back together overnight. The battle of wills between the blade and nature goes on until Dad finally sees the light and comes to love the tree. Told in Māori and English, this lovingly illustrated story resets the beloved myth of Rātā and the Tree in a modern setting, encouraging readers to consider traditions, tikanga and respect for nature. The Ever-standing Tree/Te Rākau Tū Tonu follows on from Tim Tipene’s successful picture books Māui – Sun Catcher/Te Kaihao i te Rā and Rona Moon/Ko Rona Māhina, both Storylines Notable Book Award winners. -
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 hereHaere 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. -
Series: Moana Oceania Title: Island Toes/Tamatama'i Vae o Motu Author: Christin Lozano Illustrator: Mariko Merritt Translator: Suzie-Jo Rasmussen ISBN: 978-1-99-004245-4 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 4 July 2024Flipper toes, jandal toes Swimming underwater toes... This colourfully illustrated book takes young readers on a journey around the South Pacific — no shoes needed!A fun celebration of the different toes we have and the adventures they get up to, from clean toes to highchair toes, tan toes to pale toes, snorkel toes to buried-in-the-sand toes.Translated for Samoan readers by Auckland teacher Suzie-Jo Rasmussen, the New Zealand edition of this hit Hawaiian book will be a great read and read-to for everyone who loves toes and the islands! -
Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna Listen to your ancestors Author: Darryn Joseph Illustrator: Munro Te Whata ISBN: 978-0-947506-67-4 RRP: $22.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 5 March 2024 WINNER: NZSA New Zealand Literary Heritage Awards 2020, Te Reo Māori sectionKia toa, e hine mā, e tama mā, kia kaua hoki koutou e whakamā. Me waiata koutou ki ngā manu o tō koutou tūpuna, o Tāne-mahuta. Be bold now, girls and boys, it’s no time to be shy. Sing to the birds of your ancestor, The Great Forest. This poignant story is set in a school and then rest home environment, following the life lessons passed from a teacher to her pupils, and aligning these with the example set by Māori gods and ancestors. As the story unfolds the teacher ages and retires, and we see the beautiful and caring relationship between ‘Nan’ and her granddaughter. Nan passes away; we are reminded of the circular nature of life as her granddaughter begins to teach her own pupils lessons from the ancestors. -
Title: My Dad’s Runaway BUM! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-1-99-004254-6 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 5 March 2024Dad’s bum has blown off! With a hiss and a roar, it’s gone out our front door ... After a meal of cabbage and peas, Dad’s bum not only lets off a smell, but blows off entirely and sets off on its own around the town! ‘Let’s chase it, Dad, before it’s too late,’ says the red-panted hero in this latest New Bum escapade. Forget about a car chase, this is a bum chase — past joggers in tights and bikers with lights, until the Police have to intervene. Hilarious rhymes and drawings capture the spirit of this brilliant addition to the international hit series, cracking up readers from Aberdeen to Invercargill. -
Title: Lucky Me Author: Lawrence Schimel Illustrator: Juan Camilo Mayorga ISBN: 978-1-99-004250-8 RRP: $25.99 Specs: HB, 229 x 229 mm square, 32 pp, colour Published: 12 October 2023 Bruno's friend Sanjay is lucky: he has his own room and a pet iguana. His brother Mateo is lucky too: he has a dog who helps him get around and he can read in the dark, even after their parents tell them to turn off the light. Bruno doesn’t have his own room and he doesn't have a pet … but maybe he is lucky for other reasons? In this heart-warming story, Bruno discovers that everyone has different strengths, abilities, and reasons to feel grateful. Featuring a visually impaired character with a unique set of skills, the book invites young readers to embrace differences and celebrate what makes us unique. This thoughtful book forms part of Oratia’s Five Oceans collection of international authors translated into English for readers Down Under. -
Title: My Bum is SO CHRISTMASSY! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN:978-1-99-004227-0 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 2 October 2023My bum will look jolly, wearing some holly, but … what if I have to sit? It’s Christmas time and there’s excitement galore at the house of the boy with red pants! All the family is there to celebrate, but … something isn’t right. It’s his bum of course! It’s plain, when and he wants to zing it and bling it! He imagines all the ways he could decorate it — some Christmas stockings? Some reindeer and snowflakes that glow in the night? Best of all would be a Christmas tree — that would make for a truly stunning bum! Then he thinks again. Is having the most decorated bum the most important thing at Christmas time? Santa may just have the answer. Join the popular character from I Need a New Bum! as he finds the real meaning of Christmas. -
Title: My Bum is SO SPOOKY! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN:978-1-99-004243-0 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 2 October 2023Wait for the squeals, the shouts and the criesWhen everyone sees my … SPOOK-TACULAR BUM!Halloween is a scary time of year but when bestselling team Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird get in on the act, the fun takes over from the fright.Join the hero of the international hit New Bum! series as his Halloween costume plans take an hilarious turn! With a special pumpkin uniform around his middle, Red Pants Boy has what it takes to make Trick or Treat a crazy experience for all. And conspiring with his vampire-costumed cousins, he has a surprise in store for the family and neighbours at the end of the night — quite a ghostly surprise! -
Title: My Bum’s on THE RUN! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN:978-1-99-004241-6 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 2 March 2023Down the footpath, along past the trees I’m out in front, moving with ease. (With my new secret weapon — cabbage and peas!) Red Pants Boy (RPB) really, really wants to win a running race. But try as he might, his bum is slowing him down. What can he do? Find something to move his bum along, of course! Maybe a kite, or a rocket blast, or a big engine? Nah, he figures he needs some bum-strengthening exercises — some squats, kicks, steps and lunges. And while he’s working out, a whole lot of other folk join him. After some training he’s off — on a cross-country race near home. Think he’s set up to win? There’s a twist to this tale, involving his wee dog friend, in one of the funniest and surely the fastest of the New Bum series! -
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: Hickory Dickory Kick Author: Peter Millett Illustrator: Bob Darroch ISBN: 978-1-99-00-4225-6 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 1 August 2022 Hickory Dickory Slick, the halfback pulled a trick. He hid the ball behind the maul … HICKORY DICKORY SLICK! What’s not to enjoy about men of a certain age galumphing around a footy field, slipping in cow pats and tripping over Granny’s knitting? Add in Buck the dog chasing the ball, and there’s chaos. All the action between the black and gold teams plays out to the tune of 'Hickory Dickory Dock' in this jam-packed read for fans of rugby and riotous fun. -
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. -
Title: My Bum is SO CHEEKY! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN:978-1-99-004212-6 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 7 March 2022My bum is ridiculous! My bum acts like a fool. It causes trouble when I go to school In the newest addition to the hit ‘Bum’ series, our boy’s backside just can’t sit still — it’s jiving and dancing, puddle jumping, and then stuck down the back of a chair! Mum and Dad come to the rescue: they pull their boy out of the chair and buy the perfect thing for his bum talents — a trampoline! And guess where he goes? For Olympic gold! Also publishing in the US and UK.Join the popular character from I Need a New Bum!, I’ve Broken My Bum! and My Bum is So Noisy! as he discovers he has the cheekiest bum ever.
-
Title: I’ve Broken MY BUM! and other stories Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN:978-0-947506-94-0 RRP: $29.99 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 96 pp, colour Publishing: 19 October 2021A backwards bum … Out-of-control ear hair … A dog relates his adventures … The laugh-a-lot team of Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird brings three of their best stories together in this volume of funny and fantastical characters! Included are I’ve Broken my Bum! — Is glue the right solution to put a broken bum back together? Mister Spears and his Hairy Ears — Will corks and a helmet really stop Mister Spears’ ear hair growing? Charlie and his amazing tales — Did Charlie the dog seriously do a parachute jump? A great value edition to get the kids through lockdowns and holidays.Audiobook available from
-
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.nzKotukū 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: Early One Morning Author: Lawrence Schimel Illustrator: Elina Braslina ISBN: 978-1-99-004207-2 RRP: $14.99 Specs: Board book, 150 x 150 mm, 16 pp, colour Published: 17 August 2021 Click here for companion book Bedtime, Not Playtime! A young boy and his cat are awake before his mums and sister. It’s too early to make a sound, but his rumbling tummy needs to be fed. The boy and his cat finish their breakfast just in time to say ‘Good morning!’ to the rest of the family. Delightful illustrations and a simple story will have pre-school readers coming back. The cadence of this adorable rhyming board book will delight readers young and old, and the representation of a family with two moms makes ita meaningful addition to every bookshelf. -
Title: Bedtime, No Playtime! Author: Lawrence Schimel Illustrator: Elina Braslina ISBN: 978-1-99-004206-5 RRP: $14.99 Specs: Board book, 150 x 150 mm, 16 pp, colour Published: 17 August 2021 Click here for companion book Early One Morning A young girl is getting ready for bed when her puppy tries to play. First Rex brings his ball over, but that doesn’t work. Then he crashes story time, and she still doesn’t give in! Finally, as a last resort, Rex steals her teddy and the chase is on! Under the table, over the chair, her daddies race and, at last, rescue the bear. Now it’s really time for bed! Goodnight, Rex. An adorable rhyming board book that will have pre-school readers coming back, and the representation of a family with two dads makes this a meaningful addition to every bookshelf. -
Title: Captain Cat Author: Joan Joass Illustrator: Bob Darroch ISBN: 978-0-947506-86-5 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 3 June 2021 For Teacher Resource: Click here For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nzAn adventurous tale of two mischievous cats that find themselves in a predicament — their love for fish leads to an unscheduled journey in their owners’ dinghy. Will anyone notice them floating into the estuary?
The owner of the boat might not be on to it, but the neighbourhood kids are! Spying Fluff and Scout floating about, one of them posts on the Internet: ‘Do you know whose cats are these?Get in touch and HURRY please!’
Thank goodness Mum uses social media. Scout and Fluff are saved when the Joneses jump in their kayaks and set off to save their moggies.
Bob Darroch’s vibrant and jam-packed illustrations hilariously depict Fluff and Scout’s adventures at sea, and the efforts of the Jones family and friends to bring them back to shore.
-
Title: My Bum is SO NOISY! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-0-947506-81-0 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 2 March 2021My bum is so noisy.
My bum brings me shame.
It makes weird noises and I get the blame.
This poor kid really has trouble with his bum. This time he’s in a fix because some strange noises unpredictably issue from his behind!
There’s tooting and hooting, and burping and slurping, and popping and squeaking when Auntie is speaking. But Mum and Dad love their boy and they refuse to make a fuss. And see what happens when he is talent-spotted (or talent-heard) by movie scouts …
Join the popular character from I Need a New Bum! and I’ve Broken my Bum! when he discovers he has the loudest, the proudest, the most uproarious, victorious, sound-system backside!
-
Title: Sir Singlet Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-0-947506-75-9 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 2 October 2020 For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nz The latest collaboration from author Dawn McMillan and illustrator Ross Kinnaird Sir Singlet brings their zany rhyms and illustrations to a colourful story of a knight who can’t stand the sloppy underwear he wears under his armour. Narrated by his nephew, Sir Singlet celebrates special talents: Sir Singlet is clever with needle and thread. See all the cushions he’s made for his bed? Sir Singlet’s solution to his problem is to design his own line of comfortable, and colourful ‘knightwear’. But before he can launch the product, the king gets in the way by declaring war. Wearing his new undergarments, Sir Singlet wins the battle, not using hand-to-hand combat — but by scaring his enemies away when he displays his wonderful wearable creations. The king is so pleased that he … well, you’ll have to read the story to find out how it all ends up! -
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. -
Title: The Longdrop Author: Joan Joass Illustrator: Bob Darroch ISBN: 978-0-947506-71-1 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 16 June 2020 For Teacher Resource: Click here For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nzHere’s a fantastic tale for kids about the classic Kiwi holiday that includes a caravan, a beach and the sometimes-smelly toilet shed out the back of the holiday section — the longdrop.
The kids need to go, and the public loo is sooo far away from their caravan. So, Dad builds a longdrop! When the paper builds to capacity Dad thinks and thinks and solves his problem — with a match ...
Based on a true story (Joan’s husband is ‘Dad’), this fun rhyming story celebrates the hilarious situations that arise from the Kiwi ‘she’ll be right’ approach to life. Bob Darroch’s jam-packed illustrations perfectly depict New Zealand holiday time.
-
Title: Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow Author: Melanie Drewery Illustrator: Tracy Duncan ISBN: 978-0-947506-65-0 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 5 November 2019 For Teacher Resource: click here The Book: Nanny Mihi’s mokopuna (grandchildren) come to stay during the school holidays. Each day, she sends them out to collect objects of a different colour. They scour the local beach collecting shells, flowers, seaweed and beach detritus left by humans, all the time asking, ‘why?’. By the week’s end they have a collection of coloured items for a beach rainbow. Nanny Mihi teaches her grandchildren and the kids who will read the book patience, creativity and connection to nature — and that sometimes the best things are not those we keep but those we give away. The text includes te Reo throughout, for which translations are provided. Tracy Duncan’s revamped artwork and Melanie’s enduring story ensure that once again children’s imaginations will be captured. -
Title: I've Broken My Bum! Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-0-947506-64-3 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: 9 October 2019 For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nz What should you do when you fall off your bike and your bum breaks into pieces? Collect them up, take them home and glue them together, of course!But then what happens when the pieces get stuck to the tray on which you’re making the repairs?
Join the popular character from I Need a New Bum! as he discovers the joy and fun that can be had when you have a tray stuck to your bum! You can slide like a boss, you can be an ace at paintball, you can be a superhero, you can ride a geyser — and imagine how good you can be at surfing …
Dawn McMillan’s rollicking rhyme is accompanied by Ross Kinnaird’s reliably hilarious images, pulling the story along to a conclusion that encourages children to embrace and celebrate their differences.
-
Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna Listen to your Ancestors Author: Darryn Joseph Illustrator: Munro Te Whata ISBN: 978-0-947506-62-9 RRP: $25.99 Specs: 270 x 210 mm portrait, HB, 32 pp, colour Published: 10 September 2019 WINNER: NZSA New Zealand Literary Heritage Awards 2020, Te Reo Māori section The Book: One night in June 2016, Massey University language lecturer Darryn Joseph sat in a hospital room minding a teacher who had become a dear friend and mentor to him. Darryn wrote her a poem of appreciation, kissed her hand and said goodbye; the next day she passed away. That poem is contained in Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna/Listen to your Ancestors, which is written in te Reo Māori with English translation. The story follows a beloved teacher giving her pupils and grand-daughter guidance by directing them to follow the examples of Māori gods and ancestors. The book is illustrated by emerging artist Munro Te Whata, who has vividly brought to life settings in a school, the outdoors and a rest home in a colourful and fun style. Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna teaches the values represented by Māori gods and ancestors, and provides a much-needed tool for reading in te Reo. And at its heart this is a story of love and respect, harking back to the friendship that inspired its writing. -
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! -
Title: I Need a New Bum! and other stories Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-0-947506-32-2 RRP: $29.99 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 96 pp, colour Publishing: 9 November 2017 The Book: Bum problems ... Naughty seagulls ... Mysterious smells ... This collection from the fun team of Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird brings three favourite stories together in one fantabulous volume: I Need a New Bum! —What to do about that crack? Seagull Sid and the naughty things his seagulls did!— How can the seagulls reclaim their beach? Doggy Doo on my Shoe — Who’s to blame for that awful smell? Hilarious rhymes and zany drawings make this a book to treasure. -
Title: Squeakopotamus Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-0-947506-11-7 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Publishing: 6 October 2016 The Book: Is he a hippo that looks like a mouse? Or, is he a mouse too big for this house? Just who or what is Squeakopotamus? And how will the kids, Mum and Dad keep him fed? No one yet has ever had a pet like the astonishing, demolishing Squeakopotamus! A memorable tale for younger readers, Squeakopotamus crosses hippo-sized fun and zany illustrations with mouse-proud rhyme, rhythm and a happy ending. -
Title: Holy Socks Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Philip Webb ISBN: 978-0-947506-44-5 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: October 2013 REPRINTED OCTOBER 2017 The Book: ‘One Christmas Eve, some years ago, a ginger kitten wandered along a street on the far side of town. He was hungry, and cold and wet.’ Bertie McGinty finds the kitten and christens him Holy Socks. Soon the pair are inseparable. Even after Bertie’s death, Holy Socks sticks by his master and takes up home in the church near his grave. Captivated by Holy Socks as she sits in church, young Christie calls out, ‘Can I keep the cat?’ Father John, by way of answer, tells everyone the story of Holy Socks. A heart-warming tale with beautiful illustrations. -
Title: Snowy the Doganaut Author: Diego Albuquerque ISBN: 978-1-877514-62-3 RRP: $14.99 Specs: 200 x 200 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: June 2014 The Book: Snowy is a dog with a difference – an alien canine, with ears where he should have eyes, and eyes in the back of his head. Can a kindly veterinarian make him normal, even if he has to travel to Pluto to do it? This is the first English translation of a classic in its native Brazil, where author Diego Albuquerque wrote it as a child. Viva Snowy! -
Title: I Need a New Bum! AS READ BY THE SCOTTISH GRANNY ON FACEBOOK Author: Dawn McMillan Illustrator: Ross Kinnaird ISBN: 978-0-947506-18-6 RRP: $21.00 Specs: 230 x 215 mm portrait, PB, 32 pp, colour Published: September 2012 For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nz The Book: I need a new bum! Mine's got a crack. I can see in the mirror a crack at the back. What to do when you need a new bum? Should you get one that’s blue or yellow spotted? A rocket bum that’s all fire and thrust, or a robo-bum? The options are endless – but wait, Dad’s bum crack is showing too? Maybe this is contagious. I Need a New Bum! is a multiple bestseller in New Zealand and has gained a legion of fans around the world. I Need a New Bum! is available in New Zealand through this website and good booksellers. It’s also in the fun collection I Need a New Bum! and other stories: http://oratia.co.nz/product/i-need-a-new-bum-and-other-stories/ For orders from outside New Zealand, email: sales@oratia.co.nz For the US edition I Need a New Butt! (Dover Publications): http://store.doverpublications.com/0486787990.html For Australian orders, John Reed Books: https://www.johnreedbooks.com.au/p/children-s-books-i-need-a-new-bum--2?barcode=9780947506186 For the UK edition, Scholastic UK: https://shop.scholastic.co.uk/products/I-Need-a-New-Bum-9781407196015 For the Chinese edition (CITIC Press): https://www.amazon.cn/%E6%88%91%E8%A6%81%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%AA%E6%96%B0%E5%B1%81%E8%82%A1-%E5%94%90-%E9%BA%A6%E5%85%8B%E7%B1%B3%E8%8E%B2/dp/B071VCT9Z6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499929058&sr=8-1&keywords=%E6%88%91%E8%A6%81%E4%B8%80%E4%B8%AA%E6%96%B0%E5%B1%81%E8%82%A1E-book available from
