New Nanny Mihi book shares gardening wisdom with kids ahead of Matariki

 

Publishing ahead of Matariki, Nanny Mihi's Harvest/Te Hauhake a Nanny Mihi is the perfect book to learn about growing a garden, harvesting, and sharing food — letting tamariki (kids) and whānau (families) explore the significance of harvesting for the Māori New Year.

 

When her mokopuna arrive for the spring school holidays, Nanny Mihi enlists their help to plant seeds in her garden. 

As they return each season, the kids see their labours bear fruit, helping Nanny harvest, cook and preserve all the produce. 

When a gardening disaster strikes, in Winter, the hard work they put in earlier means that there’s still enough kai for a soup that tastes like ‘Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter’. 

Author Melanie Drewery shares the values of growing our own food, informed by respect for the Maramataka (Māori lunar calendar).

 

With this fourth book, the fast-growing Nanny Mihi series is becoming a perennial for Kiwi kids. 

Like the previous story, Nanny Mihi’s Medicine/Ngā Rongoā a Nanny Mihi, this new release is fully bilingual, beautifully illustrated by West Auckland-based artist Suzanne Simpson and superbly translated by Rotoiti-based Kanapu Rangitauira. 

A teacher resource is available at this link to assist with reading in class. 

The authors

Melanie Drewery (Ngāti Māhanga) works as a potter and writer from her home in Māpua, Nelson. She is an established children’s writer with over 20 titles to her name, including Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow and Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird. 

Suzanne Simpson is an artist who has illustrated numerous picture books and educational texts for children. She lives with her family in Titirangi, Auckland. 

Kanapu Rangitauira (Te Arawa, Ngāti Porou, Te Whakatōhea) is a registered translator and teacher of te reo. He lives with his whānau in Rotoiti, Rotorua. 

Publication: 4 June 2024 | ISBN: 978-1-99-004257-7 | RRP $21.00

Paperback, 230 x 215 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour

Rongoā Māori shines through bilingual Nanny Mihi story

Nanny Mihi’s Medicine/Ngā Rongoā a Nanny Mihi

Melanie Drewery

Illustrated by Suzanne Simpson

Translated by Kanapu Rangitauira

Nanny Mihi returns in the third book of the popular series to teach rongoā Māori and connect her grandkids with nature

The upsurge in public interest in traditional Māori medicine (rongoā Māori) and her own lifestyle close to nature on the Nelson coast led author Melanie Drewery instinctively to the theme of her newest book in the Nanny Mihi series for children.

So when the grandchildren arrive for the school holidays with colds, Nanny leads them to the forest and garden to find remedies — kawakawa for tea, mānuka for the bath, koromiko for headaches, and cabbage tree leaves for cuts and scratches.

 

By the time they’re well, Nanny is tired and scratched from their foraging — and the kids know just what she needs!

A spread of information follows the story, giving details about the medicines growing around us. 

Nanny Mihi’s Medicine/Ngā Rongoā o Nanny Mihi features a new illustration style by Suzanne Simpson. It’s also the first in the series to be fully bilingual, with sparkling reo Māori text by Rotorua-based translator Kanapu Rangitauira. 

 

The authors

Melanie Drewery (Ngāti Mutunga) works as a potter and writer from her home in Mapua, Nelson. She is an established children’s writer with over 20 titles to her name, including Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow and Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird.

Suzanne Simpson is an artist who has illustrated numerous picture books and educational texts for children. She lives with her family in Titirangi, Auckland. 

Kanapu Rangitauira (Te Arawa, Ngāti Porou, Te Whakatōhea) is a registered translator and teacher of te reo. He lives with his whānau in Rotoiti, Rotorua.

Publication: 15 June 2022  |  ISBN: 978-1-99-004211-9 | RRP $19.99

Paperback, 230 x 215 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour

 

New colours for Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow

Of the five picture books in the original Nanny Mihi series, the story about Nanny and her grandchildren making a rainbow on the beach during the school holidays was the most popular among children and adults alike.

Now, in time for the summer break and after more than ten years of being out of print, Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow returns in this new edition. 

Oratia Books relaunched the series last with a new story from Melanie Drewery, Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird, featuring a fresh illustration style from Tracy Duncan. 

That book has already reprinted twice, proving Nanny still has a place in readers’ hearts. 

Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow marks the next in the refreshed series, and integrates te Reo Māori into the text with translations provided. 

Nanny Mihi teaches her grandchildren and the many kids who will read the book patience, creativity and connection to nature — and that sometimes the best things are not those we keep but those we give away. 

The book is available from all good booksellers and there's more on our website by following this link.

The authors

Melanie Drewery works as a potter and writer from her rural home in Marahau,  Nelson, where the beach is close by. She is an established children’s writer with more than 20 titles to her name, including 2018’s Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird. Tracy Duncan is an author, illustrator and teacher who lives in Upper Moutere, Nelson. She has illustrated all of the Nanny Mihi stories.

Publication: 5 November 2019  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-65-0 |  RRP $19.99

Paperback, 230 x 215 mm, 32 pages colour

Nanny Mihi is back to stay for the school hols

In a series of picture books published by Reed up until 2006, writer Melanie Drewery and illustrator Tracy Duncan developed the world of the warm and wise Nanny Mihi. 

The late John McIntyre of the Children’s Bookshop in Wellington was among a number of book lovers who lamented the end of the series.

So when Melanie Drewery approached Oratia with a new Nanny Mihi story, we leapt at the chance to remake this beloved kuia (grandmother). 

Melanie resumed her collaboration with artist Tracy Duncan (both live in the Nelson area), and a fresh look and feel for Nanny and the books emerged.

Nanny Mihi and the Bellbird thus marks both a return and a new departure — in time for the winter school holidays. 

In this colourful picture book, Nanny Mihi welcomes her grandchildren to stay with her during every school break. 

On one holiday Nanny introduces her mokopuna to the beautiful melody of a visiting bellbird, and they even teach him to sing a song they have created!

However, bellbird does not visit them on their next holiday with Nanny. Where has he gone?

When the bird returns to sing with some babies along, Nanny explains: “He is a she and she has come to show you her tamariki’.

Their song will live on forever, and we hope the same will be true for Nanny.

Melanie Drewery

Tracy Duncan

Publication Date: 10 July 2018 |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-36-0 |  RRP $19.99

Paperback, 230 x 215 mm, 32 pages colour