Linda Jane Keegan reviews a stack of books themed around learning numbers, colours, days of the week and Pacific languages. A delightful and colourful collection for anyone with little (and not-so-little!) ones in their lives. My Pasifika Language Series (Mila’s…
The Sinhalese and Tamil New Year takes place this weekend, so The Sapling asked Sri Lankan writer Diyamanthi Galpoththage to tell us about what Sri Lankan stories and authors are available in New Zealand. She shares her favourite childhood books…
Award-winning author Melinda Szymanik shares her realisations about the skills and challenges involved in translating children’s books. Prompted by the publication of her books in foreign languages, Szymanik talks to Bill Nagelkerke about his experiences of translating and all that…
This week, September 11-18, is Māori Language Week, which is all about celebrating one of the official languages of Aotearoa and the language of the tangata whenua of these mōtu. This year’s theme encourages people to “Kia kaha te reo…
A lithe superhero with infinite power in the hands slides beneath to the underworld, guided by the hypnotising eyes of a Pīwakawaka. A tuatara locks it in a death grip, but she manages to break free by finger-spelling the magic…
It’s Vaiaso o le Gagana Samoa / Samoan Language Week! Sisilia Etuati reviews three recent picture books that incorporate Samoan stories and culture and are great for reading in Samoan with your kids. The struggle is real when you are…
In our second instalment for NZSL Week, parent of a Deaf child and NZSL interpreter Jennie Yang goes through their tips on reading and storytelling with their child. See our first piece on storytelling in sign here. We started our…
Chinese-Kiwi author and illustrator Nessie Sharpe struggled to find bilingual picture books that represented mixed-culture families like hers—so she wrote her own. I was watching the kids playing tea parties one rainy afternoon. They were serving each other wooden cupcakes…
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori continues with this installment of The Reckoning from University of Waikato senior lecturer Nicola Daly, where she explores different approaches to text layout in bilingual picture books! With a growing number of options in…
Following the release of the School Journal Story Library graphic novel Te Tiriti o Waitangi into schools a year ago, Lift Education have published a larger, bilingual version of the book. This is their first trade publication and unlike anything…