New Zealand Children's Books

The number one bestseller now available in board book form, perfect for little hands! This traditional 'infinite loop' song is given the country treatment by the iconic Topp Twins, and the characters of Henry and Liza have been brought to uproarious life with Jenny Cooper's hysterical illustrations! When referencing the title, use There's a Hole in My Bucket (Book 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 author and illustrator Helen Taylor. All the birds in the forest are singing and dancing. All except Kakapo. Kakapo can't:...

This cute bedtime board book helps to explain where birds and animals like to go to bed. With bright colours and charming illustrations for babies to enjoy as part of their own bedtime routine.As the clock strikes bedtime around the world, and everyone is getting into their beds, we may ask, where on earth does everyone else sleep? In this...

Children will love reading and singing along in both English and Māori to these favourite and familiar songs with a Kiwi twist. Five bestsellers now in one bumper hardback compendium!

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 creative with loads of mazes, dot-to-dots, games to play, and activities to complete and colour in! Featuring two pages of...

Oh Boy is the perfect book to accompany our best-selling Go Girl. Chock-full of stories about brilliant Kiwi men who followed their dreams and made the world a better place, it's an inspiring and essential storybook for children of all ages – grown-ups included! There are many kinds of hero! Oh Boy is a striking collection of true stories about...

Discover the vibrant world of Aotearoa New Zealand with the richly engaging Amazing Aotearoa Activity Book by Gavin Bishop. This delightful activity book offers over 60 captivating games, puzzles, and activities that invite children to explore the heritage, culture, and natural beauty of New Zealand in an interactive and educational manner. Inspired by Gavin Bishop's acclaimed books Aotearoa: The New...

In the Beginning introduces the captivating creation myth of Maori legend, gracefully retold through Peter Gossage’s vibrant style. This story begins with Ranginui, the father, and Papatuanuku, the mother. Gossage's bold design and concise text recount the struggles of the children of Rangi and Papa as they endeavour to part their parents and bring light to the world. Through this...

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 book invites children to embark on new adventures with Hairy Maclary and a host of familiar, beloved characters. The story...

Cats from different countries do strange and exotic things, but this ordinary cat likes to hide in boxes. Cats from different countries do strange and exotic things, but this ordinary cat likes to hide in boxes. My Cat Likes to Hide In Boxes, first published in 1973, is a classic.

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 that are commonly seen and heard in everyday life, offering young readers a closer look at the feathered friends living...

In Sniff-Snuff-Snap! by Lynley Dodd, a scorching day brings a group of animals to a shared waterhole, seeking relief from the intense heat. However, bossy old warthog wants the entire waterhole to himself and isn't keen on sharing. Each time the other animals approach, the warthog chases them away with a threatening "SNIFF-SNUFF-SNAP!" Yet, the determined animals are not so...

Fast-knitting Granny McFlitter is craftier than ever in this award-winning Christmas story by Heather Haylock and Lael Chisholm. Granny McFlitter: The Knit Before Christmas finds Granny McFlitter back to save Christmas at the zoo, one lightning-quick stitch at a time! 'Twas the night before Christmas and down at the zoo, the keepers were ready; the animals, too... All of a...

Uh-oh—Grandpa’s back in another sticky (and sweet) situation! Straight down the hill, it went, faster and faster, a beautiful, colourful and tasty disaster. It might crash and splatter. It might topple over. We had no idea how to save our pavlova. Grandpa is back and this time he is in the kitchen baking a lofty, lustrous and luxurious pavlova. He...

A large-format, stunning visual history of the New Zealand Wars of the 1800s, suitable for children and adults, by the multiple-award-winning Gavin Bishop. Discover the key people, perspectives and battles of the New Zealand Wars in this award-winning, powerfully told and richly illustrated visual history by Gavin Bishop. Auē! Te mamae! Navigate the defining moments of the wars, visit the...

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 trees, and bananas into mice! She is the wickedest witch in all the world.

A joyful board book to share with young children that will have them jumping with glee. A frog jumps. Boing! A kitten jumps. Boi-ing! A dog jumps. Boiyyyyyyoiingg! A grasshopper jumps, a rabbit jumps, then a snail...uhm, maybe not. Mother and chick jump together, a fish jumps out of the water, and last comes a little girl to join the...

The delightfully rambunctious dog's adventures continue in Hairy Maclary's Caterwaul Caper by Lynley Dodd. In this lively tale, Scarface Claw, the fiercest cat in the neighbourhood, finds himself in a spot of trouble when his curiosity leads him high up into the branches of a tree. Unable to get down, Scarface's piercing yowls echo throughout the town, creating a cacophony...

Join the mischievous and adventurous dog, Hairy Maclary, as he sets out from Donaldson's Dairy and embarks on a whimsical walk through town. With his friends in tow, the curious and lively Hairy Maclary encounters a series of delightful and surprising events. Each turn of the page brings a new discovery and another reason to smile. Hairy Maclary no te...

Spadge Returns by Ivan Wilson is a colourful children’s picture book, featuring the brilliant images of artist Les Holmes, who brings to life Spadge's new adventure. Spadge leaves his country town to return to the city on a quest to find the sparrows who didn't get home with him last time. In the city, Spadge meets all sorts of birds...

Six-year-old Kate loves helping around the house, it makes her feel very grown up. But when she shakes out the kitchen mat on the first day of the school holidays, she accidentally launches a tiny stowaway straight into her hair. Little Flea soon makes himself at home in Kate's ear, chatting away, asking cheeky questions and occasionally getting her into...

When a kiwi's crate tumbles off a Department of Conservation truck, he finds himself lost and alone at a bus stop, until a curious boy named Kauri discovers him. Together, Kauri and his teacher, Mrs McTilley, must find a way to get the kiwi safely home. Kauri Boy and the Lost Kiwi is a tender, funny story about empathy, problem-solving...

The maunga of Tamaki Makaurau are worried. The natural world is changing – rivers are polluted, forests are shrinking, and the birds' waiata are fading away. While Kohukohunui and his fellow maunga keep watch, Naana gets her mokopuna onto the case. She teaches them about the mountains' korero – stories spoken through the wind, sung by the birds, and shared...

Rewi Romney is a bilingual story. Te reo Māori & English. Rewi Romney feels like the odd one out in the paddock of spring lambs. Follow his journey to make new friends.

He rakau iti a Taika e tahuri atu ana i ona whakaaro whakakino e tiaho muramura ai ia.

Te whitinga roa mai o te rā, te pakiki me te kore here i te taha o te moana... Ma tēnei pukapuka kua whakarakeitia ki ngā whakaahua waiwaia e toko ake ai te manaru o tētahi hararei raumati i Aotearoa. Also available in English: Sand in my Toes, Salt in my Nose Translation by Urupikia Minhinnick

Te Reo version of I Gaze up at the Trees, with Dirt on my Knees Te huhuatanga o ngai kirehe, me te mahi matatoa e noho pu ana i te puihi. Ka whakakipakipa tenei pukapuka miharo i te arotau ki te taiao me te matemate a-one ki te whenua. This wonderful book fosters a love of nature and our sense...

Merlion Magic is a 16-page retelling of a traditional tale from Singapore - Level 23. The "flip" side of the book is Singapore Lion City - Level 26. Singapore - Lion City contains 8 pages of information on the life and culture of Singapore. Contents: Onward Singapore, Rising to the Challenge, Street Eats, Singapore National Day.

There's a Hole in My Bucket, dear Liza, dear Liza... This traditional 'infinite loop' song is given the country treatment by the iconic Topp Twins, and the characters of Henry and Liza have been brought to uproarious life with Jenny Cooper’s hysterical illustrations! Includes a CD of the song recorded by the Topp Twins that will bring a chuckle to...

Join Hipi as he explores the seaside and learns to count to 10! Some numbers are straight, some are quite round and some may appear to be upside down. Yet they all have an order to count up to 10. Try counting with Hipi ... 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!

A New Zealand re-imagining of 'This Little Piggy Went to Market' with a special picnic twist, for the littlest readers in your life.'This little kiwi went to market.This little morepork stayed home. This little kea found food to eat. But this little pukeko found none. And this little kiwi went cree cree cree all the way home.'What have kiwi's little...

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 (korora) and kakapo - before the little lambs finally find what they've been looking for: Easter eggs to share with...

Wonderfully witty and delightfully silly collection of stories and rhyming nonsense from all-star author and artist team, Margaret Mahy and Quentin Blake. Readers meet the man from Fandango who pays a visit once every five hundred years, the word wizard who casts his spell over the Delmonico family, and many other unforgettable characters in this veritable carnival of stories and...

Call For The Ambulance featuring the catchy #1 Hit "111 Ambulance Song" will save lives by empowering children with the knowledge of how to react in an emergency. Written and sung by #1 Children's Hit Songwriter Chris Sanders, the picture book and song (CD included) has been created for St John New Zealand to support their ASB St John in...

Freestyle: The Israel Adesanya Story is the inspirational story of Israel Adesanya's journey from Nigeria to New Zealand to UFC stadiums around the world. But it's more than a martial arts fighter story. It's about the power of our imaginations. The need to back ourselves. The joy that comes from going for it!

Set in a future dystopia with no internet or global communications, where books can no longer be made and have become invaluable, eleven-year-old Herman’s life is turned upside down when he’s sent off to an orphanage – known as Castle Grim. Surrounded by pirates and stalked by kidnappers prowling the land, Herman is determined to find out what has happened...

Something is making a racket in the attic!Since the mysterious disappearance of their parents, Willow and Hunter have been living with their grandfather in his creaky old house. But Grandpa’s memory is fading fast, and the twins dread the prospect of being placed into foster homes.Willow can barely sleep for the worry, not to mention the crashes coming from the...

Where Is It In Town? is a 'look and find' book for all children who want to learn about New Zealand's wildlife. A sister publication to the highly successful Where is it?, this book focuses on wildlife that Kiwi kids will encounter in town. Each page illustrates a different urban environment, including a garden both in the daytime and at...

In 1934, four-year-old Derek Challis found a homemade book in his Christmas stocking. On the typed pages bound with pink ribbon were poems written for him by his mother, the writer Robin Hyde. Derek—known as Derry—treasured the gift and could recite the poems until his death in 2021. Hyde hoped the collection would be published one fine day and that...

Skiddies tells the story of Benji, a mischievous young lad who lives on a farm. Things keep happening to him—funny things, silly things, and SCARY things. But are they real? Skiddies develops a child's sense of fun, bringing a smile and giggle into reading. It also deals with accidents humorously, helping kids handle the adversities of childhood. This high-spirited, energetic,...

Parker, the Very Nosy Cat is an engaging story about a curious feline named Parker, who often finds himself getting into mischief. His inquisitive nature leads him to poke his nose into anything that’s happening around him. Parker isn’t just nosy; he's also rather clumsy. Despite having the best of intentions, his antics usually result in a bit of chaos....

Children and toddlers will love lifting the sturdy card flaps to discover what is in the ketes. These two brightly coloured bilingual books will encourage learning to count and recognise colours. The benefits of lifting the flap books are endless, as we compete with devices for interaction. Children will learn to develop hand-eye coordination, cause and effect, fine motor skills,...

Herbert was a small dog who lived in Nelson by the sea. Everybody liked him, but the person who loved him most was Tim. One fine day, an excited Herbert set off with Tim's father on a boat, heading for their cottage in the Marlborough Sounds. However, the weather soon turned rough and Herbert was catapulted into the biggest adventure...

Every Friday night, the family has dinner with Grandma and Grandpa. They all join in making pizza, and over dinner, Grandpa often talks about the stars, especially around the time of Matariki. This is a heart-warming family story about togetherness, celebration, and coping with loss and change. Dinner with Grandpa by Gillian Torckler beautifully captures the essence of familial bonds...

Where's Kiwi Around the World? Kiwi's got itchy feet again! His bags are packed, and it's time to take off and explore the wonders of the world. Will Kiwi meet the Queen, run into a madcap mummy, have lunch with a portly panda, or pull some wild stunts at the movie studios? Can you spot Kiwi around the world? Remember—don't...

Where's Kiwi? is the perfect book for anyone with a sense of adventure. Kiwi's got itchy feet! There are sights to see and adventures to be had: waves to surf, rivers to raft, cities to explore, and mountains to climb. This delightful 'spot the kiwi' book is designed to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Each page offers a...

Look at that baby donkey over there... awww, it’s a dinky donkey! Hee-haw! This pint-sized package from the world-famous Wonky Donkey stable is full of laugh-out-loud fun!

Meet New Zealand's beautiful birds, from the friendly fantail to the playful kea and the morepork, wide awake at night. Anne Hunter's delightful rhyming story introduces young readers to a number of New Zealand birds, named in both English and Māori, and beautifully illustrated by Dave Gunson. One Little Fantail is an engaging tale that celebrates the unique birdlife of...

A shy kiss, a bold kiss. A warm kiss, and a cold kiss ... There are oh, so many kisses! Can you catch them all?

This is the third book in celebrity cook Nadia Lim's bestselling children's book series, set on her South Island farm, Royalburn Station. There's a new baby to care for on the farm! Milly is a mischievous goat who nibbles on clothes, gets through the fence and leaps over gates. She wants to play, escape and explore! Will she find a...

A sequel to celebrity cook Nadia Lim’s bestselling debut children’s book, Marvellous Marvin. No longer a newly hatched chick, teenage Marvin is trying to find his flock. He meets many animals on the farm, but will any of them be Marvin’s friend?

CHEEP-CHEEP! PECK-PECK! One day there is a crack, and cheeping from the smallest egg, the one way at the back. Meet Marvellous Marvin, the newest member of the family, for fun on the farm. A debut children's book inspired by true family and farm adventures, by best-selling author and celebrity cook Nadia Lim. Includes family photos, egg-citing farm and food...

In this follow-on to Faelan the Wolf: Odd Wolf Out, Faelan’s pack is under threat from the white wolf, Varg Akafar. The Pack Leader is dying, and his successor, weaselly Weylin, is not a fan of odd-ball Faelan and his unwolflike ways. Bardolph’s daughter, Tala, and Faelan must go and meet Varg, who is in possession of the sacred Moonstone,...

Flit the Fantail and the Mystery Eggs by Kat Merewether. Flit has found some eggs… but whose could they be? It is a misty morning in the forest. Flit the fantail chick is practising his landings. Flap, flop, slip, FLIP. Flit slips on something slippery and round. He has stumbled upon eight rubbery white eggs. Join Flit and his friends,...

The final book in this wonderful fantasy animal trilogy, Faelan the Fearless (Faelan the Wolf #3), begins with the death of Pack Leader Bardolph Lupus, and his son Weylin is set to take the Stone. Faelan is fretting about how he is going to fulfil his promise to his chicken friend Avian to help get her flock of a thousand...

Winner of the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year and Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Awards Winner Best Children's Book, PANZ Book Design Awards 2023 Te Wehenga is the separation of Ranginui, sky-father, and Papatūānuku, earth-mother. Award-winning illustrator Mat Tait has written and illustrated this stunning retelling of the Māori creation story for a new generation. Te reo Māori and English are...

Ngā Āhua - Shapes (Reo Pēpi Rua Series 2) by Kitty Brown and Kirsten Parkinson invites readers to find the shapes hidden within our kiwiana illustrations. Learn another handy simple sentence and discover the shape of things in both English and Te reo Māori!

The Grinny Granny Donkey is the third book from Craig Smith and Katz Cowley, the creative team behind the Scottish Granny internet sensation, The Wonky Donkey! At a time when bringing stories of laughter, hope, kindness, and courage to children seems more important than ever, The Grinny Granny Donkey delivers a heartwarming hug and a dose of laugh-out-loud family fun...

It is wartime. In the midst of the fighting and devastation, an unusual friendship is formed. A delightful and poignant story that touches on humanity and unexpected friendship in times of war. At the heart of the story is a little bantam―a character children will instantly warm to. The talents of best-selling author Jennifer Beck and prize-winning illustrator Robyn Belton...

The Grinny Granny Donkey is the third book by Craig Smith and Katz Cowley, the creative team behind the Scottish Granny internet sensation, The Wonky Donkey! At a time when bringing stories of laughter, hope, kindness, and courage to children seems more important than ever, The Grinny Granny Donkey delivers a heartwarming hug and a dose of laugh-out-loud family fun...

Every so often, a dolphin graces the shores of the island, near the Pathway of the Whales. This playful creature leaps and dances with the people, offering gifts and enchanting songs. Award-winning author Mere Whaanga weaves a captivating story of the land, the sea, and the changing seasons. Explore the bonds between living creatures and family ties, and discover the...

Down in a gully on a farm far away,  a clan of kiwi put on a dance display, invited friends to join, one sunny day,  to do the Hokey Tokey, and here’s how to play . . .    New Zealand animals of all shapes and sizes come together to do the Kiwi Hokey Tokey. A playful, familiar, catchy song, with...

We're so lucky to have this place, Simon's mother would say. The caravan may be small, but it's great to have our own home. When Simon sees a competition in the newspaper for the best-decorated Christmas house, he is keen to enter it. His mother says she can't afford expensive lights and decorations, so Simon decides to decorate their caravan...

This is the story of how Paua came to have his colours. Paua is sad and lonely. The other sea creatures mock his slowness and unattractiveness. Tangaroa, god of the sea, takes pity on him and gives him a dazzling shell of many colours. But the jealousy of the other sea creatures results in Paua still being miserable, so Tangaroa...

Join Flit the fantail and his forest friends on a nighttime adventure, this time to capture a star shining brightly on the horizon. It is one of a cluster of nine stars and Flit is determined to explore! But when he gets lost, wise Ruru swoops down and Flit learns about Matariki stars and navigation. Discover the enchanting journey of...

It’s a beautiful night, let’s have some fun! The two little kiwi bounce and leap, but all the other animals are fast asleep. “Let’s wake them up!” says Kiwi One. “Playing with us will be much more fun!” Kiwi One and Kiwi Two have been asleep in their burrows all day, and now that it’s night time, it’s time to...

From singer-songwriter June Pitman-Hayes comes this rousing and fortifying new waiata for Kiwi children from all backgrounds, celebrating the strength in community, with the focus from a child’s everyday viewpoint. This book features an accompanying CD of the heart-warming song, with its catchy, easy-to-learn melody, sung in English and Māori by June Pitman-Hayes, with harmonies by popular NZ entertainer, Pio...

On her first venture out of the nest, Little Hoiho admires the other birds around her and tries desperately to imitate them—with unfortunate results. But when she accidentally trips and falls into the water, she discovers that she is no longer awkward and clumsy—she is graceful and agile! Hoiho Paku by Stephanie Thatcher is a delightful tale of self-discovery and...

Christmas in Summer, it's always a stunner, the children, they laugh and they play. Sing along with this Down Under delight! This catchy new song from Suzy Cato and the Itty Bitty Beats will be a hit with young and old. Santa's having a fun day at the beach, surfing and cooking a BBQ for Mrs Claus and the reindeer....

'Twas the night before Christmas and all round the bach, not a possum was stirring; not one could we catch. Take one Santa dressed in singlet and shorts, and put him on a miniature tractor pulled by eight flying sheep, and you have a Kiwi version of the well-loved Clement C. Moore poem. Children will delight in Yvonne Morrison's humorous...

A delightfully quirky tale that will stimulate the imagination, and will leave a fun and lasting impression on children. Filled with striking and colourful illustrations by Toby Morris, this book will bring a smile to adults and children alike. The moral of the story that everyone has a role to play is a valuable lesson for children to discover and...

What on earth is causing the cat to zoom, skitter and kung-fu kick in the air? Could it be a ghost? A delightful tale that celebrates our feline friends in all their quirks, and why they deserve a warm spot on the bed after a busy day spent keeping all the ghosts away. Find out in My Cat Can See...