Ētahi Rotarota o Aotearoa / Kiwi Rhymes for Modern Times

AUTHOR: Janet Horwell
ILLUSTRATOR: Ana Craw
PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATOR: Tamati Waaka  

Ētahi Rotarota o Aotearoa / Kiwi Rhymes for Modern Times, is a bilingual Kiwi kids book of traditional rhymes, reimagined in English and professionally translated into te reo Māori. 

The stories that our tamariki hear shape their understanding of the world and their place in it.

When ‘Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater’ locks his wife in a pumpkin shell, or ‘See Saw Margery Daw’ sings about having a ‘Master', it's clear we need to update these traditional nursery rhymes.

'Kiwi Rhymes' is a collection of original rhymes and stories that share a world we want our tamariki to grow up in - one of modern stories and nursery rhymes that celebrates diversity of race, gender, size, shape, sexuality and ability. Stories that celebrate Aotearoa's native bush, bird life and the Māori language. The more we learn about them, the greater desire we have to protect them.

The book is professionally translated into te reo Māori by Tamati Waaka, illustrated by Ana Craw and Johannah Kātene-Burge is the cultural advisor for the book.

Kiwi Rhymes has been designed as a ‘living collaboration’, meaning pronouns and names can be replaced and tamariki are invited to continue changing any of the lyrics to make the rhymes relevant to their childhood and their lived experiences. 

DIMENSIONS: 210 mm x 290 mm x 0.5 mm
PAGES: 20
BIND: Paperback
ISBN: 9780473599003
RECOMMENDED AGES: newborn - 8 years old (newborn for parents to connect with pēpi, 1-3 years for singing and rhyming, 4-6 years for reading and singing along independently, recognising pictures and eventually the words, 6-8 years bilingual language learning)

REVIEW: We have used this pukapuka for the tamariki to learn and recite Kiwi nursery rhymes at a local remote schooling ‘Cluster’ /speech competition. The Cluster speech competition was amazing and the tamariki absolutely loved learning the rhymes in english and te reo Māori. This dual language book has unique, fun nursery rhymes which my 5-8 year olds found very easy to learn. Their speeches were very well received at the event and I was very proud of my students, especially the two very shy ones, who stood up and recited their nursery rhymes. The rhymes were so easy for my students to learn and they were fun! This gave even my newest and shyest students confidence to perform the rhymes and practice their language.
- Principal of Ohaka school