Best Read Alouds about NZ Creatures! {+ FREE printable follow up activities}

Some awesome books by some amazing kiwi authors & illustrators! Have a peek below for a quick review and some specific reader response sheets that match the books…. have I missed your favourite? Flick me an e-mail or leave a comment below!

Whetu the Little Blue Duck

By Jennifer Beck, illustrated by Renee Haggo

The perfect book for the little activists in your class, and a window into some of the challenges facing our endangered and protected bird life.

Fifty-Five Feathers

By Ben Brown & Helen Taylor

Fifty-Five Feathers provides a stunningly illustrated journey through some of our most iconic bird life, and results in a happy ending for little gecko thank goodness!

Waata the Weta

By Josephine Carson Barr, Illustrated by Simon Barr

I loved the fresh layout of this book! The perfect hybrid of cartoon style illustrations, graphic details and unusual characters, it’s bound to hold appeal for upper primary children especially. I particularly enjoyed some of the language features included – a great example of onomatopoeia! You can order a copy of Waata the Weta here.

Tuna and Hiriwa

By Ripeka Takotowai Goddard,
illustrated by Kimberly Andrews

This delicately illustrated book shares a little known story about how the eel got his silvery belly and provides an interesting twist on the usual myths and legends. It would be the perfect spring board into creating and exploring legends with your class….

If you’re a Kiwi and you know it

Sung by Pio Terei, Māori lyrics by Kotuku Tibble
& illustrations by Stevie Mahardhika

An awesome sing along for the juniors with lots of scope for creating your own actions. My one year olds and Mr 4 were completely captivated, and if the actions are performed as enthusiastically as Mr 4 did them, it could also be counted as a work out ha ha!