Auckland Council Libraries: Gardening / Birds

Gardening / Birds

​From wētā and kiwi to the vegetables in the back garden – discover the beautiful plants and animals that call Aotearoa New Zealand home.

The little kiwi's Matariki

Nikki Slade Robinson

Picture book

A beam of moonlight shines right down into the kiwi’s burrow. She wakes, and realises it is time. Behind the hills, the constellation of Matariki rises for the first time, in the northeastern sky.

See more

One lonely kākāpō: a New Zealand counting book

Sandra Morris

Picture book

One Lonely Kakapo has been a classic New Zealand counting book since the early 1990s when it won the Russell Clark Award. Stunningly illustrated, it combines counting with our native fauna and flora.

See more

Nana's veggie garden = Te māra kai a Kui

Marie Munro

Picture book

New Zealand has the world's best summers and the magic of being a kid is still alive in kiwi backyards. This summer, Jacob, Max, Bella and Lucas help Nana grow an amazing summer garden.

See more

12 huia birds = 12 manu Huia

Julian Stokoe

Picture book

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?

See more

Kuwi’s rowdy crowd

Kat Merewether

Picture book

Kuwi the Kiwi attempts to find a moment of peace, but everywhere she turns the volume just gets louder. Tap-dancing tomtits, Karate-kicking kokako and other noisy native friends join in the rowdy fun, until Kuwi can't take any more.

See more

There’s a weta on my sweater

Dawn McMillan

Picture book

Weta and friends, including beetle, centipede, stick insect and huhu, come to school with the kids. But they don't want to stay in the classroom! Can Koro help his mokopuna keep the critters safe?

See more

Kia ora: you can be a Kiwi too

June Pitman-Hayes

Picture book

A playful new singalong in English and Māori. Tamariki holiday at the beach, splash in water fountains, climb trees and toast marshmallows around a campfire all the things we love to do, and share with others.

See more

I roto i te ngahere

Yvonne Morrison

Picture book

A retelling of Olive Wadsworth's traditional counting rhyme 'Over in the meadow', featuring New Zealand flora and fauna.

See more

Mrs Noah's garden

Jackie Morris

Picture book

With Noah’s Ark safely grounded, Mrs Noah gives herself the task of making a garden in the bare earth. with her children's help she prepares the ground, plants and waters, until on a magical midsummer's morning, the garden is there in full bloom.

See more

The garden's secrets

Sarah Johnson

Picture book

Hamilton Gardens is an award-winning garden on the banks of the Waikato River in Hamilton, New Zealand. Follow Cooper as he discovers the garden's many doors and the hidden wonders behind them.

See more

Yasmin the gardener

Saadia Faruqi

Book

When spring arrives, Yasmin and her Baba plant a garden but Yasmin's flower seedling keeps wilting until her Nani sits in the sun, revealing to Yasmin what the plant needs.

See more

How to bee

Bren MacDibble

Book

In a world where real bees are extinct, the quickest, bravest kids climb the fruit trees and pollinate the flowers by hand.

See more

Kākāpo keeper

Gay Buckingham

Book

The fictional diary of a teenager employed as the assistant to the Chief Conservator of Dusky Sound at the beginning of the 20th century. The teenager’s diary recounts he and his master’s attempts to save endangered wildlife.

See more

Nest of lies

Heather McQuillan

Book

Ashlee is terrified of birds. Everybody in The Citadel is. Birds are blamed for the Plague that destroyed most of their civilisation. Guards now patrol the city to keep it free of birds.

See more

Search for a Kiwi killer

Des Hunt

Book

Set in Kerikeri and Waitangi Forest. Kiwi are being killed by dogs. Local pets and pig-hunting dogs are suspects. A boy saves and befriends an injured pig dog in the forest. Immediately the dog becomes a major suspect.

See more

The Vanderbeekers and the hidden garden

Karina Yan Glaser

Book

Told that they will have to move out of their Harlem brownstone just after Christmas, the five Vanderbeeker children, ages four to twelve, decide to change their reclusive landlord's mind.

See more

The NZ kids' garden: a kids' guide to growing fruit and vegetables in New Zealand...

Diana Noonan

Book

This book contains all the essential information you need to start a garden plus information on the most popular plants young gardeners might like to cultivate.

See more

Wildlife of Aotearoa

Gavin Bishop

Book

Long before humans arrived, the land of the long white cloud was home to an array of unique creatures protected by its isolation. Encounter New Zealand's incredible wildlife in this spectacular visual exploration.

See more

We are the gardeners

Joanna Gaines

Picture book

Joanna and the kids chronicle the adventures of starting their own family garden. From failed endeavours, obstacles, and lessons learned, the Gaines family shares how they grew a happy, successful garden.

See more
Auckland Council Libraries:Book list Recommended reading lists about different topics and genres to help you find new books to read.