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KUAKA’S JOURNEY SERIES:
KUAKA VISITS NIUE, FIJI AND
SAMOA
By Vanessa Peterson
Couch Monster Publishing Limited
Early childhood teacher Vanessa Peterson
noticing a lack of resources for teaching
about different cultures during Samoan
Language Week responded by creating her
own books. These books follow Kuaka (Bar-
tailed Godwit) who is native to New Zealand
and who flies long distances between Alaska,
Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific
Islands.
So far in the series Kuaka has flown to Niue,
Fiji and Samoa (with India, Cook Islands,
Solomon Islands and Iran to follow soon).
Each book follows a similar formula, where
Kuaka meets a native animal, eats local
delicacies, visits iconic destinations and
attends important cultural celebrations
such as the Niuean Ukulele Festival and the
Hibiscus Festival in Fiji.
These brightly coloured books celebrate
different cultures and will be enjoyed by all
children including those who get to hear
their own language and culture within a
story. Each book has teaching resources
with facts and useful links to further
information, as well as templates to copy for
colouring and art. To help with pronunciation
there are tips throughout the book.
Great books for all ECE centres.
TE REO MĀORI: HE TAONGA MŌ
Ā TĀTOU MOKOPUNA
A Teaching and Learning Guide
Edited by Roimata Rokx
New Zealand Tertiary College
Last year the New Zealand Tertiary College
published
Te Reo Māori: He taonga mō
ā tātou mokopuna – A Māori language
resource designed to support early childhood
practitioners.
This resource offered te reo
Māori learners with beginner words and
pronunciation support, as well as complex
phrases and sentences for the next step.
Greetings, grammar, numbers, colours,
shapes, feelings, positons, introductions,
the learning environment, prayer and much
more were covered throughout this resource.
The Teaching and Learning Guide addition
has been produced to support early
childhood practitioners in incorporating te
reo Māori into their daily centre life. The
guide shares invitations, provocations and
ideas to use te reo in natural and authentic
ways. Ideas include: He aha te wā, Matua
Wuruhi? (What’s the time Mr Wolf), creating
question and answer cards to carry with
you on hand to practice asking and helping
children answer in te reo Māori, Ika Ika
(Go Fish) and promote stories around food
such as telling stories about Tanagaroa and
his tamariki of the ocean to promote an
awareness and appreciation of kai moana
and sustainable practices.
The Teaching and Learning Guide alongside
the original language resource will support
and encourage ECE teachers to incorporate
te reo Māori in the learning environment and
will also extend beginner and intermediate
learners of te reo Māori through the
language phrases, ideas and provocations
offered.
THERE’S A MONSTER IN YOUR
BOOK
By Tom Fletcher
Illustrated by Greg Abbott
Puffin
There’s a Monster in Your Book
by Tom
Fletcher is a fun, interactive read that
children will love. This book has the potential
to get even the children who are hesitant
towards story time excited to listen.
Filled with bright colours, onomatopoeias,
adjectives and charming illustrations
children are sure to love this book. Children
get the opportunity to intertwine playing
and reading with this story, such as being
instructed to tilt and shake the book in order
to get rid of the monster in their book, only
to have to lure him back in at the end. This
book is creative and young minds will be
entertained and engaged, I’m sure they’ll
even be a few giggles throughout. I’d
recommend this book for one-on-one or with
groups.
Reviewed by Fern Marie
December 2017
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