ONE DAY Written by Joanna Ho Illustrated by Faith Pray HarperCollins; RRP: $29.00 Hardback This book is a mother’s ode to her baby boy, as she shares her hopes and dreams along with the adventures she imagines her son will have as he finds his own way and learns that it is okay to cry, feel scared or be uncertain. The lyrical text follows the young baby to boyhood. The stunning heartfelt illustrations captures the mother’s love and offers a sense of magic to the page. For tamariki 3+. IN OR OUT: A TALE OF CAT VERSUS DOG Written by Stacy Gregg Illustrated by Sarah Jennings HarperCollins; RRP: $17.99 Paperback This is a fun simple book about friendship and patience between a dog and a cat. A mischievous cat who can’t decide whether he wants to be ‘in’ or ‘out’, much to the growing frustration to dog. The clever descriptive illustrations add to the overall humour. A book that tamariki 2+ will enjoy over and over. DREAMS OF A MOA Written by Carly Waddleton Illustrated by Megan Salole Little Love; RRP: $25.00 Hardbac The young protagonist of the story asks his father just before sleep, ‘Where did all the moa go?’, and instead of the usual facts, we hear some quirky and adventurous tales of other possibilities. This fantastical and rhyming text shares the story of moa with big dreams and the sense of adventure, highlighting storytelling, the power of imagination, having big dreams and to give things a go! The amusing illustrations add to the story and will be a delight for tamariki 3+. At the back of the book is a fact page all about the life of a moa. DUCK GOES MEOW Written by Juliette Maclver Illustrated by Carla Martell Scholastic; RRP: $21.99 Paperback This is a gorgeous book about a duck who meows. Duck is surrounded by animals who correct Duck every time he says ‘meow’, that is until Duck’s mama arrives and everyone gets a surprise! This charming book inspired by a true story from YouTube is a lot of fun and will be enjoyed by tamariki 2+ as they join in with the animal sounds and the repetitive line … and Duck goes … AH-CHOO! Written by Angela Walker Illustrated by Ross Hamilton Bateman Books; RRP: $21.99 Paperback Ah-Choo! celebrates diversity in a unique way through sharing how there are many ways to say ‘ah-choo’ in other languages and cultures. Max, after hearing his neighbour, Jun, from Japan sneeze ‘hakushon’ Max searches for someone who sneezes like him, but discovers there are many ways to ‘sneeze’ and along the way discovers friends can be the same but different too. This book is a fun and gentle way to learn about diversity and difference, and will encourage lots of thought and discussion from tamariki. The illustrations too are humorous and remind us of the joy and fun of simply being a kid! For tamariki 3+. June 2023 { 42 }
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