Auckland Council Libraries: Matariki stories for tamariki

Matariki stories for tamariki

A selection of Māori titles for tamariki chosen to illuminate Matariki, the Māori New Year. These books include bilingual and books written in te reo Māori as well as English.

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Colour the stars = taea nga whetū

Dawn McMillan and Keinyo White

Picture book

Isaac and Luke are friends. Luke is blind and believes that he doesn't need colours in his life. Isaac can't imagine a world without colour and decides to teach his friend about them.

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Matariki around the world: a cluster of stars, a cluster of stories

Rangi Matamua and Miriama Kamo

Book

The Matariki cluster is celebrated by many cultures around the world. This illustrated book features 21 stories from the Pacific Islands to Australia, Asia, the Americas, Europe and Africa.

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Ruru's hangi

Nikki Slade Robinson

Picture book

Aue! Ruru's babies have hatched! In this delightful sequel to the award-winning 'The little Kiwi's Matariki', the loveable little kiwi and friends welcome Ruru's babies with a special surprise celebration.

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Stories from our night sky

Melanie Drewery

Book

A beautiful collection of stories and poems about our southern skies. From the legends of Matariki and Rona and the Moon through to how tuatara made the stars.

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Puanga me Matariki

Sharon Holt

Picture book

A picture songbook about Puanga and Matariki. Matariki is a star cluster and Puanga is a star in the sky too. According to some tribes Puanga is a sign of the start of the new year.

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The astromancer : the rising of Matariki

Witi Ihimaera

Book

The Astromancer chooses Aria to be his apprentice to learn about Matariki. She is bored by the lessons and doesn’t want to be told what to do. But these are dangerous times and Aria must step up to save her people.

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Te kokorangi : te aranga o Matariki

Witi Ihimaera, Hēni Jacob

Book

E kimi ana a Te Kokorangi i etahi pia hou tokowha hei ako i nga korero o Matariki me te maramataka.

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The Seven stars of Matariki

Toni Rolleston-Cummins

Picture book

When Mitai's seven handsome brothers are bewitched by seven beautiful wahine, Mitai seeks advice and learns that the women are patupaiarehe and must be cast far away. A myth of love, magic and adventure.

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Te Huihui o Matariki

Toni Rolleston-Cummins

Picture book

When Mitai's seven handsome brothers are bewitched by seven beautiful women, Mitai seeks advice and learns that the women are patupaiarehe and must be cast far away.

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Matariki

Kirsten Parkinson and Kitty Brown

Picture book

How can we celebrate Matariki? Look to the starts, remember our past, care for our environment and connect with our people.

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Celebrating Matariki

Jill MacGregor

Book

Tamarau and his friends share some ideas and activities to celebrate the season of Matariki in the classroom.

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The little kiwi's Matariki

Nikki Slade-Robinson

Picture book

This gentle tale about celebrating Matariki, the Māori New Year, finishes with an explanation of Matariki - its origins, traditions and how it is celebrated today. The text contains some simple words in te reo Māori alongside English.

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Te kī taurangi a puanga

Kirsty Wadsworth

Picture book

There is a bright new star in the winter sky - Puanga, cousin to the Matariki sisters. Each year, she appears to the people of Aotearoa, a special sign (for those unable to see Matariki) that winter and the Māori New Year are coming. In te reo Māori.

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Daniel's Matariki feast

Rebecca Beyer and Linley Wellington

Picture book

Daniel is nervous on his first day at school but through the class activities that mark the Matariki Festival he learns that it is a time of sharing and beginning new friendships. He learns the true importance of Māori New Year.

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Ngā whetū Matariki whānakotia

Miriama Kamo

Picture book

Someone has stolen some stars from the sky. And then the patupaiarehe come out to play on the beach. Can Sam and Te Rerehua rescue the Matariki stars? In te reo Māori.

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The seven kites of Matariki

Calico McClintock

Picture book

A fictional retelling of the traditional Matariki story.

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Matariki

Sharon Holt

Picture book

The song follows a family through their Matariki celebrations over the course of a day. As the evening draws in, the children create their own stars using sparklers.

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Twinkle, twinkle Matariki

Rebecca Larsen

Picture book

Pukeko, Kiwi and Hoiho want to fly very high. Join them as they blast off to explore the nine stars of Matariki. In English with some Māori phrases. Also includes song text in te reo Māori.

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Ko Flit, te Tīrairaka me te mahere Matariki

Katherine Q. (Katherine Quin) Merew...

Picture book

Join Flit, Keri the kiwi and wise old Ruru, as they explore the night skies to work out how to capture a sparkling star. When the friends get lost, they follow the twinkling clues in the sky to find their way back home. In te reo Māori.

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Nanny Mihi's medicine = Ngā Rongoā a Nanny Mihi

Melanie Drewery

Picture book

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.

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How my koro became a star

Brianne Te Paa

Picture book

A boy learns about Matariki customs from his grandfather. When his Koro suddenly dies, the boy convinces his whanau to climb their maunga before sunrise and carry out the rituals he has learnt so that his Koro can become a star.

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The twin stars of Matariki, Waiti and Waita

Miriama Kamo

Picture book

Te Rerehua and Sam know that nothing in nature is identical; not the eels, not the stones on the beach, not even the twin stars of Matariki, Waiti and Waita: one looks after fresh water and lakes, the other salt water - the ocean.

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Matariki

Gavin Bishop

This bilingual board book for young children shares the meaning behind each star in the Matariki cluster.

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Matariki

Melanie Drewery

Picture book

A family celebrate the Māori New Year and talk about what Matariki means to different people.

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