Otaika Valley School

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Darcie

8,239 pts

(6,287 pages read)

Be fertile with your infertility

By Winnie Duggan

5 stars

A beautiful resource for someone to create their own ceremony around infertility. It is gentle and caring, even the purposeful choice of colours on the cover suggests gentleness.
Mophead

By Selina Tusitala Marsh

5 stars

I totally resonate with this book being afakasi, teased for my big, fluffy hair and not feeling comfortable at school until I left at the end of 7th form. I never fitted in. Selina is an inspiration!!!
Children of the rush book 2

By James Russell

5 stars

Bad news draws Atarangi and Michael's parents away to try and protect their homeland, leaving the children along with Siu (a Chinese miners daughter) alone in the hotel for a few weeks. Unfortunately, the children are attacked and the hotel is burnt to the ground. Siu has premonitions and has a bad one about her father who is away mining. The children are courageous and go on a hunt for Siu's dad only to catch the awful men who stole their gold and burned the hotel.
Amy dreaming adventures

By Chrissy Metge

3 stars

My niece enjoyed this as it had all the magical creatures she adores. In the story Amy falls asleep and walks through an enchanted forest with her owl, meeting all the wonderful, colorful beings. In the end she must wake up and the writer leaves you with this question... was it just a dream or was it real???
Bugs in the kete

By Eddie Neha

5 stars

I'm going to use this book for my tw reo Māori lessons at school. It's focused on counting and bugs, it's in English and Māori so has good vocabulary learning.
A curse of queens

By Alice Bouchet

5 stars

This book in the kingmaker chronicles focuses on Jocasta and Flynn, not the main protagonists of the first 3 books. They have been in love with each other forever, but for the last 6 years both denying it. Jocasta embarks on her own adventure to cure the queen of a curse where she can't progress - doesnt age, the baby can't be born, stuck in stasis. Flynn and 3 others form the team that will go with her to the fabled garden of Circe, pass the 5 tests to ask Circe to gift them an antidote to the curse. An epic take of friendship, promblem solving, heartache and a great love mixed with Greek mythology.
Sharing with wolf

By Melinda Szymanik

5 stars

Wilf is looking for a housemate because rent is expensive on his own. A lamb applies and despite wolf saying he can't live with a sheep because he likes to eat them, the lamb insists and keeps nagging. The story is left with very clear signs that the sheep didn't make it as the wolf still had a sign up looking for a house mate
Rumpus at the Vet

By Linley Dodd

5 stars

A fun story about animals visiting the vet who get into a bit of drama as one thing leads to another in the waiting room. The rhyming and language is catchy and the story hilarious making it fun reading for my son and I.
Fifty five feathers

By Ben Brown and Helen Taylor

5 stars

Pukeko helps her friend gecko stay warm in winter by making a cloak of 55 feathers from nz native birds, including the extinct Huia. Stunning images, a very touching tale of friendship and caring and counting all woven in
Mister Seahorse

By Eric Carle

5 stars

A wonderful tale about the creatures of the sea explaining that not all mum's carry and look after the babies
The artist who painted a blue horse

By Eric Carle

5 stars

Me and my son loved this book!!! It's a fun book which demonstrates you don't have to paint things realistically... you can let your imagination fly
Heart on fire

By Amanda Bouchet

5 stars

With the power of the gods within her, Cat realizes she has been made and gifted magical talents for a specific reason and Griffin was her match made for her. Together they can heal all that is wrong in the world but first Cat has to get over the biggest barrier... herself. She is Elpis, an idea in human form and the people are ready to follow her to their salvation. Pretty epic finale to this trilogy
Hickory dickory kick

By Peter Millet

5 stars

An interesting game of rugby to the time of Hickory dickory dock! The kids will love this... so funny!!!
Mister Whistler

By Margaret Mahy

5 stars

Absent-minded Mister Whistler always has a song in his head and a dance in his feet. But he's so distracted as he goes to catch a train to his aunts house that he things he's lost his ticket. He straips off and dances at the station to the time in his head only to realize that the ticket was in his mouth. In the meantime a crowd has gathered and he's earned money in his hat. Finally, he finds the ticket, gets on the train, only to think he's lost the ticket again, laughs and swallow the ticket in his mouth. Oh dear... it sounds just like when I can't find my glasses!
A kiwi went to sea, sea, sea

By Peter Millett

5 stars

A kiwi goes fishing and doesn't catch much as the other sea animals compete for the same kaimoana. A really good way for kids to learn Te Teo Māori kupu too!
The tuatara and the skink

By Yvonne morrison

5 stars

What a cool book that talks about what might happen if you are arrogant and a skite... an old tuatara might just beat you in a race because you're too busy showing off
Breath of fire

By Amanda Bouchet

5 stars

Second book on the King Marker chronicles and it didn't disappoint. The next stage of Cat and Griffins story sees them better understand the prophecy given to Cat, as the Origin, she will be responsible got ending the realms as they know it but bringing them together again in peace. Griffin and Cat get married, meet the Olympian God'sthat Jane conspired to ensure this duo have the best shot at succeeding and fulfilling the prophecy. Their alpha fighting team and close knit fault/ friend circle enter into a death games in the neighboring realm going up against arriors, magicians, cyclops, giants, and wi. When they met with the totals of that city Cat is reunited with her younger sister who joins their side to overthrow her husband and the tyrant king. Epic love story with gigantic fight scenes and surprising twists at every turn of the page.
Why do cats have tails?

By David Ling

5 stars

A fun book about a grandad hilarious answering his granddaughters questions about why cats have tails. At the end, it asks what the reader thinks which allowed for a lovely conversation with my son afterwards about what he thought!
Capsicum, capsi

By Toby Morris

4 stars

A pretty fun book about the adventures of a capsicum starting each activity with Capsi ...
Luther and the cloud-makers

By Kyle Mewburn

5 stars

A clever story about black clouds of pollution filling a beautiful valley and the determination of a young boy who went in search of the cloud maker. He stopped 3 different people making black clouds but they're excuses meant he doubted they were the cloud maker. When he got home he felt deflated at being unsuccessful... yet the village knew he had saved them!
My bum is so noisy

By Dawn MacMillan

5 stars

Another funny book in the Bum series! Kept my son giggling and he spotted the 'I need a new bum' book in the illustrations too.
Dashing dog

By Margaret Mahy

5 stars

Such a great, fun, relatable rhyming story with a few made up words, about a dandified, mischievous dog who saves the day after a few misdemeanors
Book's big adventure

By Adam Lehrhaupt

4 stars

A story of three life of a book from when it is new and shiny, to when it becomes second hand, forgotten and lost then rehomed and loved again.
Charlie and his amazing tales

By Dawn McMillan

3 stars

A dog for sale for $10 and he has the most amazing tales to tell but despite them being lies, the boy buys him anyway
A wind in the door

By Madeleine L'Engle

3 stars

I found this one a bit strange to follow. It was about Charles Wallace being sick and his sister Meg teaming up with a Cherubim to Kythe with and enter into Charles mitochondria in order to defeat the Echthroi.
Dawn Raid

By Pauline Vaeluaga Smith

5 stars

It's a good book for young people to be introduced to The Dawn Raids of NZ and open up discussions around it as it told from the perspective of someone near their own age using diary entries and language they understand. In a time where our kids have experienced lockdowns and protests, this is an example of how people in New Zealand can stand up for their rights.
Singing home the whale

By Mandy Hager

5 stars

A really provocative book that demonstrates the love kiwi kids can have with the creatures of our waters. After been embarrassed on you tube, Will Jackson moves to stay with his uncle in small town of New Zealand. He befriends a young abandoned orca whale that causes chaos and chooses to help protect it against a very hostile man. The boy and the whale develop a special bond, linked by Will's love of singing and brings a community together
Children of the rush

By James Russell

5 stars

It's 1861, and gold fever is sweeping through NZ. Two children have been caught up in the rush and are brought together to discover they both have magical talent. Michael and Atarangi together thwart a cut-throat gangs plans to stalk the goldfields, preying upon the innocent.
The blood countess

By Tara Moss

4 stars

An easy day read about a young girl who goes to live with her 90yr old great aunt Celia. Celia is far from looking her age, though and helps Pandora to understand her own unique powers as the 7th daughter of a Lucasta. Pandora had moved to New york to establish her career as a journalist and after securing a job at Pandora magazine, she uncovers the truth about a new anti-aging cream and vanquishes the Infamous 400yr old Blood Countess in charge.
Truelove

By Babette Cole

4 stars

Truelove the puppy adores his family, but when a new baby arrives, Truelove begins to feel left out. Then he's put outside for trying to tell his family how much he loves them, so he runs away and gets into trouble as he makes friends with the wrong crowd. Some good parallels to teach kids about
King change-a-lot

By Babette Cole

3 stars

With the help of his potty and magic genie, a baby of a 'not so good' king and queen makes some important changes for the benefit of the kingdom
That's why

By Babette Cole

4 stars

There’s bad news in the paper and war on TV. Ziggi, an aspiring rock star, is wondering why he was ever born at all, when the answer to his question miraculously appears in the form of a spectacular, all-flying, all-singing little stallion who takes him on a journey to explain all the wonderful things he could be grateful for in life
The trouble with...4 stories

By Babette Cole

3 stars

4 lovely, fun and wacky kids stories - Dad's fantastic robots, what Mum really is, which planet Gran comes from, and what happens to Grandad's dangerous vegetable.
The trouble with...4 stories

By Babette Cole

3 stars

4 lovely, fun and wacky kids stories - Dad's fantastic robots, what Mum really is, which planet Gran comes from, and what happens to Grandad's dangerous vegetable.
The winter witch

By Paula Brackston

4 stars

Book feels slow and then a bit predictable. Morgana lives in a small village in Wales. She is married off to Cai Jenkins a widower drover who needs a wife for his job, but there are things that set her apart from other girls - her silence, and magic. A dark force is at work in her new home—a person who will stop at nothing to turn the townspeople against Morgana and gain the land Cai owns. Having fallen in love with her new home and life, she defends her home, her man, and herself as she comes into her power.
The silver witch

By Paula Brackston

4 stars

A year after her husband's death in a car accident, ceramic artist Tilda moves into the secluded Welsh cottage that was to be their new home. The nearby lake sparks something dormant in her – a power of some sort. Animals are drawn to her, electricity shorts out when she's near, and strangest of all, she sees ghosts. On this same lake in Celtic times lived Seren, a witch and shaman. Who Tilda discovers she is connected to.
Thread and needle

By Cari Thomas

3 stars

Slow to start and then a bit predictable but good in the end, this story is about a curse, love and a coven of teenage witches exporting their friendship, youth and magic
The one and only Ivan

By Beth Ferry

5 stars

Ivan the gorilla who lives in a mall is joined by a new friend Ruby the elephant and together they draw beautiful pictures of their friends
The awesome night sky

By Kay Barnham

5 stars

Cool non fiction book about the night sky, galaxies and constellations
Ming' Iceberg

By Kiri Lightfoot

5 stars

The world is full of wonder for a curious little penguin who hops on an iceberg that travels into the ocean and starts to melt... she starts to worry when a whale saves her. Then she sets her sights on being able to fly.
Ruffles and the red, red, coat

By DAVID melling

5 stars

Cute story about a dog who doesn't want to wear his raincoat but his best mate persuades him to do they can have fun in the rain
The little yellow digger saves Christmas

By Peter gilderdale

5 stars

The little yellow diggers rescues Santa whose red truck got stuck in a mudslide!
The 12 days of kiwi Christmas

By Pio Terei

5 stars

Had so much fun singing this with my son on English and te reo. Another fun version of the 13 days of Christmas with items and activities that are relevant to a NZ Christmas
Do you really want to meet a platypus?

By Cari Meister

5 stars

A fun way to give information and explain all about the platypus
Pukeko in a Ponga Tree

By Kingi M. Ihaka

5 stars

Great, fun song to teach NZ kids... the NZ version of 12 days of Christmas
Yule not open this book

By Andy Lee

5 stars

A hilarious addition to this series about how our turning the page made Wizz look like he was being naughty.
My mouth is a volcano

By Julia Cook

5 stars

A book that illustrates the challenge of teaching kids about interrupting in a way that is easy to understand and relatable for kids.
Maccas Christmas Crackers

By Matt Cosgrove

5 stars

Macca has no money for presents so instead he finds new ways to show how much he appreciated and loves his friends
The unbelievable truth about santa

By Holly Lansley

5 stars

A funny story that the kids totally didn't believe but brings Santa more into this time with an electric sleigh and flash suits.
Pig the elf

By Aaron Blabey

5 stars

A hilarious story of a greedy little dog who stays up to demand more presents from Santa and ends up falling from the sleigh to be saved by a Xmas tree.
One minute to bedtime

By Kenn Nesbitt

5 stars

Great collection of poems that even my son enjoyed reading with me before bed each night.
The symmetry of Stars

By Alex Myers

3 stars

2 gods, Nature - who believes you are who you are from the moment you are born - and Nurture - who believes your potential can be realised with love and care - vie to rule the world. They make a bet and select sets of twins on earth as their champions who will eventually battle in 3 contests. The story leads you, in the end, to an understanding, that nature and nurture are 2 faces of the same coin and one cannot exist without the other.
Hine and the tohunga portal

By Ataria Sharman

5 stars

Story of a brother and sister who go through a portal and awake in a realm of God's, patupaiarehe , taniwha,moa, a tribe of talking birds and cursed creatures; where sides must be taken in the battle between good and evil to save this world from the chaos and destruction Kae is intent on creating. The key, of course, are the 2 young children you must find the way to lead them against the evil of Kae. Awhi was my favorite character, her courage despite her small size was inspiring
Smith of Wootton Major

By J R R Tolkien

4 stars

It was interesting to note that this began as an introduction to a book of George Macdonald's the Golden Key, but Tolkien realized it morphed into its own story. Being the last book published while Tolkien was still alive, it attempts to explain the Faery and had allegorical interpretations at certain points to Tolkien. This story is about the biggest annual festival held in the village of Wootton Major every 24 years, for 24 children, with the highlight being the great cake filled with trinkets and a faery star.

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