E Hoa

A simple board book in te reo Māori that shares how to talk about feelings through a friendship between a child and their dog.

Through the up-close expressive faces of a child and their dog, we learn the Māori words for a range of feelings.

Taku kurī pai – my good dog. He hātakēhi ia. My dog is happy … angry … excited … sad … shy … hopeful … Taku hoa pūmau, my faithful friend.

This simple board book is a starting point to talk about how we feel. Key words describe the many emotions a dog can go through in a short time, while the expressions on the faces of the people nearby convey a whole new raft of feelings as they respond and react. And so the story becomes one of friendship and how our friends make us feel.

This new board book is a multi-layered delight joining Mihi and Koro in Gavin Bishop’s powerful series to share with the smallest children. There is also an English-language version available here.