Kiwi books offered by Jacinda Ardern to the Royal Baby

Gecko Press

7 years ago

The Longest Breakfast Jenny Bornholdt Sarah Wilkins

Jacinda Ardern sent a collection of children’s books from New Zealand to the royal baby. The selection of books were carefully chosen by author Kate De Goldi.

1. My New Zealand ABC Book; learn the alphabet with art and objects from Te Papa

by James Brown

2. My New Zealand 123 Book; Learn counting with the art and objects from Te Papa

by James Brown

3. My New Zealand Colours Book; learning colours with the art and objects from Te Papa

by James Brown

4. Nga Ahua-Shapes

by Kitty Brown & Kirsten Parkinson

5. The Word Witch

by Margaret Mahy; illustrated by David Elliott

6. The Fish of Maui

by Peter Gossage

7. Slinky Malinki

by Lynley Dodd

8. Bad Dog, Flash!

by Ruth Paul

9. The Longest Breakfast

by Jenny Bornholdt, illustrated by Sarah Wilkins

In The Longest Breakfast we’re in suburbia where a very contemporary dad jostles competing breakfast demands from extended family and neighbours, amid the baby’s persistent but baffling cries of “Toot! Toot!” Text and illustrations capture enchantingly the morning clamour and a familiar family poser: decoding the burblings of a toddler on the brink of coherent speech.

-Kate de Goldi

10. The House that Jack Built

by Gavin Bishop

Gavin Bishop’s The House that Jack Built, his revisualisation of the British nursery rhyme in the context of colonial Aotearoa, is both a pungent history lesson and an introduction to the origin myth and symbols of Māoridom. The new edition from Gecko Press gives full throat to Bishop’s vision. It’s both thrilling and disconcerting to be followed through the story of Jack Bull Esq by the watchful eyes of Papatuanuku and Ranginui.

-Kate de Goldi