The River in Our Backyard Te Awa e Pātata Rawa Ana

This is the fourth book in the series but is the first to be fully bilingual in both English and Te Reo Māori. It also exposes readers to some Tamil language. Each page has a glossary of words to support the reader, with Tamil in purple to distinguish between the two languages.

This text would be great for looking at local histories and comparing them to the stories of our areas. The link to conservation tied in nicely the importance of the awa to Māori and the responsibilities we have as kaitiaki.

Title: The River in our Backyard- Te Awa e Pātata Rawa Ana

Author: Malcolm Paterson

Illustrator: Martin Bailey

Publisher: Oratia

ISBN: 978-1-99-004219-5

RRP: $22.99

Format: Paperback

Date of Publication: Oct 2022

Ages: 7-10 years

Themes: Local heritage, human development, environment and conservation, Diwali

Do you have any advisory warnings for this book? No

Would this book work as a read aloud? Yes

Is there a particular part of the country that it’s set in? Auckland’s Te Atatū Peninsula

Reviewer’s name: Leanne Nathan, Associate Principal, Clendon Park School, Auckland

How are you recommending this book? Highly recommended

What’s the book’s opening sentence? Tui and Jennifer arrived at Orukuwai with their whānau.

You can buy this book here.