New Zealand Storytime Ideas
New Zealand is a fun country to use as a storytime theme, due to the Maori culture and unique animals that live there. For a craft project, make Kiwi birds from craft pompoms: www.familythemedays.com/new-zealand-crafts.html.
Campbell, Eileen. Charlie and Kiwi: An Evolutionary Adventure. A boy and a kiwi explore how evolution worked to give this flightless bird distinct features.
Cotter, Sacha. Cannonball. A young Maori boy plans the perfect cannonball jump into the swimming pool, overcoming his fears.
Guendelsberger, Erin. Inky the Octopus. This rhyming tale is based on a real incident at the New Zealand Aquarium, where an octopus escaped to the ocean.
Hay, Gay. Watch Out, Snail! A large carnivorous snail searches for food.
Mahy, Margaret. The Great White Man-Eating Shark. A boy likes swimming in the cove by himself so he wears a shark fin to get others to leave. Lots of audience interaction in this hilarious story.
Robinson, Nikki Slade. The Little Kiwi’s New Year. A little kiwi wakes others so they can prepare for the Maori New Year celebration.
Rockwell, Anne. Tuhurahura and the Whale. A Maori boy is saved by a whale who returns him to shore in this folktale.
Taylor, Helen. Kakapo Dance. A board book version of a song about a New Zealand bird.
Trussell-Cullen, Alan. The Lonely Penguin’s Blog. Palaki the penguin ends up in New Zealand and is cared for at the Wellington Zoo.
Penny Peck, Sa Jose State University iSchool