Debut picture book by Waikato author helps kids feel okay about diverse families

Tōku Whānau Rerehua – My Beautiful Family

Rauhina Cooper

Illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

Publishing in time for the annual Schools Pride Week, Tōku Whānau Rerehua tells of a young girl’s experience learning that all families come in all types, and all can be beautiful. 

 

‘How was school today, Huia,’ her mum asked. ‘It was okay … but our news topic is our family.’

Huia feels too shy to talk to her classmates because she has two mums. What will her friends think? 

 

Over the next days, she learns that some whānau have a step-parent   or one parent, and some children are adopted. So when it’s her turn to show her family photo, she doesn’t have to be shy.

 

“I want to show tamariki that there is no such thing as a ‘normal’ family structure and that whānau is whānau,” first-time author Rauhina Cooper says. 

 

“I’ve not yet seen a picture book that discusses this topic and thought there was a need for respecting our varied and diverse families.”

Written in te reo Māori and translated into English (te reo appears first on the pages), Rauhina’s story is beautifully illustrated by award-winning illustrator Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. 

The author

Rauhina Cooper (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu) is a teacher and facilitator in kura supporting teachers in te reo Māori. She is passionate about the survival and use of te reo Māori. Rauhina lives in Ōhaupō. She was inspired to write the book by her own ‘blended’ whānau. 

The illustrator 

Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kai Tahu, UK, Denmark) is an  award-winning book illustrator. She is passionate about whānau, whakapapa and tikanga Māori. Izzy lives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington. 

Publication: 2 June 2023  |  ISBN: 978-1-99-004238-6 | RRP $22.99

Paperback, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour

 

Oratia Books Catalogue 2023 — now in booklet form to fit a growing list of books ...

 The Oratia Books Catalogue 2023 is out now in print and digital form. 

 

The new-look catalogue is 32 pages in length, offering the scope to showcase the 16 new books we are publishing this year, along with over 100 backlist titles.

This year brings a more diverse range of books than ever, from an ever-more diverse inhouse team — as noted in the catalogue introduction that follows with screenshots of relevant pages.

Thanks to Cheryl Smith for the catalogue design and content, and Simon and team at Haysom Print for the fine print job. 

Click here to view or download the PDF, or to request a print copy please email info@oratia.co.nz

Haere mai, welcome and benvenuti to the Oratia Books Catalogue 2023. 

After six years our foldout catalogue format gives way to a booklet, largely because there was no longer space to present our growing list of books adequately. This format offers a more detailed look at both new and existing titles; to learn more visit www.oratia.co.nz. 

 

For our publishing and our people also, 2023 represents development. In 2021 Oratia committed to a diversity, equity and inclusion policy that aims to have our books and our workplace embody different ethnicities and languages, sexual orientations and genders, cultures and abilities. 

We have an expanding multicultural, multilingual team. Hirini Tane (Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rahiri) is now guiding our Māori publishing as Kaiārahi/Counsellor, and Ella Fischer (originally from Austria) has joined as a part-time Assistant Editor.

You can see this in our new titles: from the bilingual Moana Oceania Series books (in Cook Islands Māori, Samoan and English) to Philippa Werry’s survey of migration in the latest New Zealand Series title. Ron Crosby and Paul Moon challenge received histories in their substantial books, respectively on an overlooked but pivotal episode in the New Zealand Wars, and Auckland in the twentieth century. 

 

Te reo Māori me ōna tikanga is fundamental to Oratia. This year’s pukapuka Māori celebrate the language of humour in Te Reo Kapekape, take Robyn Kahukiwa’s stunning Ngā Atua: Māori Gods into a bilingual paperback, and bring back to print Te Rangi Hīroa’s masterpiece Vikings of the Sunrise in the New Zealand Classics series. 

We now bring our selected books from overseas authors under the new Five Oceans (Moana e Rima) umbrella. Not incidentally, this year’s addition, Lucky Me, addresses disability — extending the diversity of local titles Toku Whānau Rerehua/My Beautiful Family (written in te reo Māori about rainbow families) and The Book that Wouldn’t Read/Te Pukapuka Ka Kore E Pānuihia (separate English and te reo editions, reluctant readers).

 

Not to take things too seriously, the New Bum! phenomenon rocks on globally! There are no less than three new titles from super-duo Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird, all publishing simultaneously in New Zealand, Australia, the US and the UK. Ross also teams up with Belinda O’Keefe for You Don’t Know How Lucky You Are, a bilingual romp inspired by Monty Python!  

From a small publishing house in the Oratia valley, we seek to open for you a wide window onto New Zealand and the world. 

Thank you for reading. 

Robyn Kahukiwa's Ngā Atua – Māori Gods returns in bilingual paperback

Ngā Atua – Māori Gods

Written and illustrated by Robyn Kahukiwa

Translated by Kiwa Hammond

Bilingual paperback relaunches Robyn Kahukiwa's classic introduction to Māori gods

A new paperback edition brings Robyn Kahukiwa’s beloved Ngā Atua – Māori Gods into te reo Māori thanks to a fine translation by Kiwa Hammond. 

 

Robyn dedicates her book to her mokopuna so they can learn  of  ‘the supernatural beings who are important to the Māori people of Aotearoa New Zealand’. 

 

In the hands of an internationally renowned artist, Robyn Kahukiwa brings to brilliant life the pantheon of Māori deities. 

 

Simple text, in te reo Māori and English, explains the arena of life for which each god is responsible: 

 

Hine Moana is a powerful being, She looks after the sea with Tangaroa.

He mana hoki tō Hine Moana e tiaki ana i te moana i te taha o Tangaroa. 

 

Then there is Mahuika, who has the power of fire; Tāwhiri-mātea who controls the weather, wise Muri-ranga-whenua, warrior god Tūmatauenga and many others.

 

This new paperback version (ISBN 978-1-99-004242-3) replaces the popular hardback edition in English (published by Oratia Books in 2017). 

The author

Robyn Kahukiwa (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti) is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most important artists. Her paintings have been exhibited worldwide and are held in galleries, museums and private collections. Robyn has written and illustrated numerous children’s picture books, garnered awards and herself been the subject of books including The Art of Robyn Kahukiwa (Reed, 2005). 

The translator 

Kiwa Hammond (Ngāti Kahungunu o Te Wairoa, Ngāti Ruapani, Rongowhakaata, Moriori, English, Irish, Scottish) is a noted writer, educationalist and registered translator of te reo Māori who lives in Wairoa. He is co-director of AATEA Solutions and a passionate advocate for language regeneration. 

Publication: 17 May 2023  |  ISBN: 978-1-99-004242-3 | RRP $22.99

Paperback, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour