Tide's Out Tai Timu

A simple counting book in both English and te reo Maaori, Tide’s Out Tai Timu is the first book by Auckland writer Frances Plumpton. It’s based on a photographic book she made for her grandchildren and is set at Huia on the Manukau Harbour.

It features three children who explore the beach once the tide has gone out, searching for treasures. It’s a scene many Aotearoa New Zealand children will identify with and may have spent time during our summer doing just that.

The illustrations are beautifully detailed water colours by Stephanie Thatcher who lives in Huia. She captures the uniqueness of each taonga as well as the surrounding bay with great detail.

A special feature of this book is that it includes pictures and vocabulary / kupu of other things often found at the beach, allowing children to extend the vocabulary in both English and te reo Maaori.

While it is predominantly written for younger children as a counting book, it would also be useful to use for older children to teach te reo Maaori sentence structure and kupu. Oral Language is supported as tamariki can predict what the next find might be and describe the illustrations.

Title: Tide's Out Tai Timu

Author: Frances Plumpton

Illustrator: Stephanie Thatcher

Translator: Dr Darryn Joseph

Publisher: Mary Egan Publishing

ISBN: 978-0-473-63712-5

RRP: (recommended retail price): $20.00

Format:  Paperback

Date of Publication: November 2022

Ages: (Age range or level that the book is suitable for) Under 10

Themes: Beach, Nature, te reo Maaori, counting

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? Coastal New Zealand

Reviewer: Ange Birks, Classroom Teacher, Ohinewai School, North Waikato

How are you recommending this book? Highly recommended

What is the book's opening sentence? Tide's in - so much water! Kua pari te tai - inā te mana o Hine-moana!

You can buy this book here.