With so many kids books published in New Zealand now it can be hard to decide what are the best kids books to choose to encourage your child to develop a love of reading. That is why I have put together this handy reading list of popular New Zealand children's books in 2022 as a guide for prospective parents, grandparents and caregivers looking to make smart buying decisions. All of the books on this reading list are picture books and are targeted at kids between the ages of 3 and 8.
Description
Hairy Maclary goes off for a walk with a few of his friends - and comes up against a nasty surprise in the shape of Scarface Claw!
Description
“I was walking down the road and I saw . . . A donkey, Hee Haw! And he only had three legs! He was a wonky donkey.” Children will be in fits of laughter with this perfect read-aloud tale of an endearing donkey who is a spunky, hanky-panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky-tonky, winky wonky, donkey.
Description
Aroha's Way is a book helping children to normalise, understand and even develop their own tools for dealing with their feelings." Suitable for ages 5-12 years. A book that helps children label emotions associated with anxiety and provides tools to manage them. Notes for parents and teachers on the back included expand on the story's tools.
Description
When digging out a drain, the little yellow digger gets stuck in the mud. So they bring in a bigger digger . . . The story of The Little Yellow Digger was created from a real event, when one of Betty and Alan's grandchildren excitedly told them about a digger getting stuck in the mud next to their house and they had to bring a ‘bigger digger’ to help free it.
Description
After a well-sustained buildup evoking hilarity and disbelief, this kid-pleasing trickster tale will have readers both groaning and laughing out loud at the payoff.
Description
What to do when you need a new bum? Should you get one that is blue or yellow spotted? A rocket bum that's all fire and thrust, or a robo-bum? The options are endless -- but wait, Dad's bum crack is showing too? Maybe this is contagious.
Description
Slinky Malinki steals anything from a clothes peg, to a slipper, to a string of sausages, to a clock! Our hero is a BAD cat! The story is told in wonderful rhyme and through pictures full of life and movement.
Description
I Love Lemonade is the sequel to Baa Baa Smart Sheep. After being tricked into eating Little Baa Baa's Smarty tablets, Quirky Turkey decides it is payback time. But has Quirky got what it takes to pull the wool over Baa Baa's eyes?
Description
We all have lots of feelings, it's OK to let them show. They all live in our heart as our very own rainbow. What does your body do when you're sad or angry? How do you show someone you are proud? For children, experiencing new emotions and understanding them are two vastly different things, but poet Jessica Urlichs and illustrator Rebekah Ballagh have created an accessible and wondrous rhyming picture book about the rainbow of feelings that live in our heart that helps little ones to express their feelings.
Description
Granny's in trouble, her house is on fire and she is trapped! The two big engines go roaring off to help but both suffer misfortune on the way to Granny's place. Time for Nee Naw to step up and show what he can do!
Description
A classic tale about a bear who won't wake up from hibernation, and the surprising way he's eventually awoken. It's spring, but Bear is still fast asleep. His friends try every trick they can think of to wake him up - he keeps right on snoring. Until someone discovers the one thing bears love more than sleeping.
Description
They are ratty and tatty, a little bit mouldy and a little bit smelly! There are holes in the soles and ...look, is that Grandpa's toe? It is time for a new pair of slippers, but Grandpa can't let his old ones go.
Description
Cats from many different countries may like to do all kinds of strange things, but my cat, an ordinary round-the-house cat, likes to hide in boxes.
Description
Scarface is the toughest tom in town. He shows everyone just how tough he is - but there is just one thing that does scare him!
Description
An award-winning bedtime story by picture book creator Ruth Paul, with luminous illustrations, language evocative of the deep blue sea and a big surprise when you turn out the lights.
Honourable Mentions
Grandpa's Cardigan by Lynley Dodd
The Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy
Little Kiwi's Mataraki by Robinson Nicki Slade
What do you think of this list of 15 Best New Zealand Picture Books in 2022? Do you agree? Is there a title you think should be on it and isn't. Please feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Related Links
Whitcoulls Kids Top 50 Books for 2021-2022
Whitcoulls Kids Top 50 Books List 2019-2020 New Zealand Readers Choice
15 Best Kids Books from New Zealand for Ages 3-8 Years 2022
- Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy
- The Wonky Donkey
- Aroha's Way
- The Little Yellow Digger
- Baa Baa Smart Sheep
- I Need a New Bum (aka in USA - I Need a New Butt)
- Slinki Malinki
- I Love Lemonade
- A Rainbow in My Heart
- Nee Naw The Little Fire Engine
- Wake Up Bear Book
- Grandpa's Slippers
- My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes
- Scarface Claw
- I am Jellyfish
| 1. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy | |
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By Lynley Dodd |
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Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
Hairy Maclary goes off for a walk with a few of his friends - and comes up against a nasty surprise in the shape of Scarface Claw!
| 2. The Wonky Donkey | |
|---|---|
|
By Craig Smith |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
“I was walking down the road and I saw . . . A donkey, Hee Haw! And he only had three legs! He was a wonky donkey.” Children will be in fits of laughter with this perfect read-aloud tale of an endearing donkey who is a spunky, hanky-panky, cranky, stinky, dinky, lanky, honky-tonky, winky wonky, donkey.
| 3. Aroha's Way: A Children's Guide Through Emotions | |
|---|---|
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By Craig Phillips and Rebekah Lipp |
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 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
Aroha's Way is a book helping children to normalise, understand and even develop their own tools for dealing with their feelings." Suitable for ages 5-12 years. A book that helps children label emotions associated with anxiety and provides tools to manage them. Notes for parents and teachers on the back included expand on the story's tools.
| 4. The Little Yellow Digger | |
|---|---|
|
By Betty and Alan Gilderdale |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
When digging out a drain, the little yellow digger gets stuck in the mud. So they bring in a bigger digger . . . The story of The Little Yellow Digger was created from a real event, when one of Betty and Alan's grandchildren excitedly told them about a digger getting stuck in the mud next to their house and they had to bring a ‘bigger digger’ to help free it.
| 5. Baa Baa Smart Sheep | |
|---|---|
|
By Mark and Rowan Somerset |
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 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
After a well-sustained buildup evoking hilarity and disbelief, this kid-pleasing trickster tale will have readers both groaning and laughing out loud at the payoff.
| 6. I Need a New Bum! (in the USA aka I Need a New Butt!) |
|
|---|---|
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By Dawn McMillan |
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Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
What to do when you need a new bum? Should you get one that is blue or yellow spotted? A rocket bum that's all fire and thrust, or a robo-bum? The options are endless -- but wait, Dad's bum crack is showing too? Maybe this is contagious.
| 7. Slinki Malinki | |
|---|---|
|
By Lynley Dodd |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
Slinky Malinki steals anything from a clothes peg, to a slipper, to a string of sausages, to a clock! Our hero is a BAD cat! The story is told in wonderful rhyme and through pictures full of life and movement.
| 8. I Love Lemonade | |
|---|---|
|
By Mark and Rowan Somerset |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
I Love Lemonade is the sequel to Baa Baa Smart Sheep. After being tricked into eating Little Baa Baa's Smarty tablets, Quirky Turkey decides it is payback time. But has Quirky got what it takes to pull the wool over Baa Baa's eyes?
| 9. The Rainbow in My Heart | |
|---|---|
|
By Jessica Ulrichs and Rebekah Ballagh |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
We all have lots of feelings, it's OK to let them show. They all live in our heart as our very own rainbow. What does your body do when you're sad or angry? How do you show someone you are proud? For children, experiencing new emotions and understanding them are two vastly different things, but poet Jessica Urlichs and illustrator Rebekah Ballagh have created an accessible and wondrous rhyming picture book about the rainbow of feelings that live in our heart that helps little ones to express their feelings.
| 10. Nee Naw The Little Fire Engine | |
|---|---|
|
By Deano Yipadee and Paul Beavis |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
Granny's in trouble, her house is on fire and she is trapped! The two big engines go roaring off to help but both suffer misfortune on the way to Granny's place. Time for Nee Naw to step up and show what he can do!
| 11. Wake Up Bear! | |
|---|---|
|
By Lynley Dodd |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
A classic tale about a bear who won't wake up from hibernation, and the surprising way he's eventually awoken. It's spring, but Bear is still fast asleep. His friends try every trick they can think of to wake him up - he keeps right on snoring. Until someone discovers the one thing bears love more than sleeping.
| 12. Grandpa's Slippers | |
|---|---|
|
By Joy Watson |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
They are ratty and tatty, a little bit mouldy and a little bit smelly! There are holes in the soles and ...look, is that Grandpa's toe? It is time for a new pair of slippers, but Grandpa can't let his old ones go.
| 13. My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes | |
|---|---|
|
By Eve Sutton |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
Cats from many different countries may like to do all kinds of strange things, but my cat, an ordinary round-the-house cat, likes to hide in boxes.
| 14. Scarface Claw | |
|---|---|
|
By Lynley Dodd |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
Scarface is the toughest tom in town. He shows everyone just how tough he is - but there is just one thing that does scare him!
| 15. I am Jellyfish | |
|---|---|
|
By Ruth Paul |
|
 |
Buy This Book at: Fishpond Mighty Ape Amazon |
An award-winning bedtime story by picture book creator Ruth Paul, with luminous illustrations, language evocative of the deep blue sea and a big surprise when you turn out the lights.
Honourable Mentions
Grandpa's Cardigan by Lynley Dodd
The Lion in the Meadow by Margaret Mahy
Little Kiwi's Mataraki by Robinson Nicki Slade
What do you think of this list of 15 Best New Zealand Picture Books in 2022? Do you agree? Is there a title you think should be on it and isn't. Please feel free to let me know in the comments below.
Related Links
Whitcoulls Kids Top 50 Books for 2021-2022
Whitcoulls Kids Top 50 Books List 2019-2020 New Zealand Readers Choice
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