New Release (last 3 months)

From master storyteller Witi Ihimaera, a spellbinding and provocative retelling of traditional Maori myths for the twenty-first century. In this milestone volume, Ihimaera traces the history of the Maori people through their creation myths. He follows Tawhaki up the vines into th...e firmament, Hine-titama down into the land of the dead, Maui to the ends of the earth, and the giants and turehu who sailed across the ocean to our shores . . . From Hawaiki to Aotearoa, the ancient navigators brought their myths, while looking to the stars - bright with gods, ancestors and stories - to guide the way. 'Step through the gateway now to stories that are as relevant today as they ever were.'
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The colossal squid has been the most popular exhibit at Te Papa since it arrived there in 2007. Now this appealing book for young readers tells the fascinating story of these creatures from the deep, through sparkling and informative text and amazing illustrations. A must-have na...tural history book for young readers and their whanau and teachers.
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Ko tetahi o nga tino korero ma nga tamariki a mohoa nei, ko ta J. K. Rowling Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, kua whakawhitia ki te reo Maori. One of the greatest children's stories of all time, J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, translated into te... reo Maori.
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It was winter. Lauren Keenan was separated from her husband, lonely, and miserable. Then came the Night of 27 Rejections of Doom: asking 27 people to hang out one Friday night, and every single person saying no. Her attempts to console herself by going to the movies and eating ic...e-cream were thwarted by dropping her ice-cream on the toilet floor while fumbling with her phone looking for text messages that weren't there. Lauren realised that this version of life wasn't working and that she needed to change it. It was time to try something new. 52 new things in fact. 52 new things in 52 weeks. From entering a public dance competition to trying fake lashes; from starting a Wine and Netflix club to zip-lining; from giving up drinking for six months to going to a music festival alone to feeding a lion; Lauren put herself out there with surprising results. Each chapter in The 52 Week Project looks at a wider societal issue - chapters include alcohol, parenting, loneliness and social media - and is informed by both Lauren's extensive research into social psychology and her observations about pop-culture. Her year of new experiences was a game changer. It repaired her relationship with her husband, she regained confidence in herself, and she realised how satisfying it can be to push yourself to your limits and to do things alone. She also learned that true happiness is more likely to be found in the everyday fabric of life.
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Common Ground: Garden histories of Aotearoa takes a loving look at gardens and garden practices in Aotearoa New Zealand over time. While a lot of gardening books focus on the grand plantings of wealthy citizens, Matt Morris explores the historical processes behind 'humble gardens...' - those created and maintained by ordinary people. From the arrival of the earliest Polynesian settlers carrying precious seeds and cuttings, through early settler gardens to 'Dig for Victory' efforts, he traces the collapse and renewal of home gardening culture, through the emergence of community initiatives to the recent concept of food sovereignty. Compost, Maori gardens, the suburban vege patch, the rise of soil toxin levels, the role of native plants and City Beautiful movements ... Morris looks at the ways in which cultural meanings have been inscribed in the land through our gardening practices over time. What do our gardens say about us, and where we have been? Matt Morris digs deep in Common Ground.
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