Sharing Our Stories books back in print, with new Teacher Resources online

The second and third books in Malcolm Paterson's Sharing Our Stories books are now back in print.

The Tunnel in our Backyard tells the story of heritage in the Mount Albert, Owairaka and Point Chevalier areas of Auckland. 

The Taniwha in our Backyard focuses on the southern Kaipara from Helensville to Muriwai. 

The reprints join the latest in the series, The River in our Backyard (published in 2022) and the first, The Castle in our Backyard (2010). 

Sharing Our Stories began life as a project by the Future Auckland Leaders programme, aiming to show young readers the rich heritage that lives 'in our backyard'. 

The stories follow cousins Tui and Jennifer and their whānau on adventures in various locations around Auckland.

Malcolm has developed Teacher Resources for both the reprinted books, which can be downloaded for free from the new, dedicated page on the Oratia Books website. 

While the stories are situated in Auckland, the themes of environmental care, value of Māori and Pākehā histories, respect for other cultures and active recreation resonate wherever children might need persuasion to drop their devices and head into their backyards. 

The Tunnel in our Backyard | ISBN: 978-0-947506-04-9

The Taniwha in our Backyard | ISBN: 978-0-947506-46-9

RRP $22.99 Paperback, 284 x 208 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour