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Good reads - Children and Youth

 

 Feel a little cover

Feel a Little: Little poems about big feelings

Palmer, J. (2017). Little Love.

Written by Jenny Palmer and Illustrated by Evie Kemp their book is designed to help and encourage kids to recognise their emotions. The book is made up of 14 poems and illustrations, each based on a different emotion.

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 How do I feel cover

How do I feel: A dictionary of emotions for children

Lipp, R., & Philips, C. (2021). Wilding Books.

With 60+ definitions to help improve emotional literacy. This hardcover book with over 140 pages, is all about our children learning to recognise and label emotions and feelings.

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 My elephant is blue cover

My elephant is blue: A book about big, heavy feelings  

Szymanik, M., & Unka, V. (2021). Penguin Group (NZ).

My Elephant is Blue is an empathetic, heart-warming story written to help tamariki cope with heavy feelings.

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 Stand by me cover

Stand by me: Helping your teen through tough times

Kirwan, J. (2014). Penguin.

An awesome resource for Kiwi parents and caregivers bringing up teens with or without experience of mental illness.

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 Whakarongo ki o Tupuna Listen to your Ancestors cover

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna | Listen to your Ancestors

Joseph, D., & Te Whata, M. (2019). New Zealand: Oratia Books.

This picture book centres around how a teacher guides her granddaughter and her pupils to walk the path of their ancestors/tūpuna.

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 Whats going on inside my head cover

What’s going on inside my head? Starting conversations with your child about positive mental health

Potter, M. (2019). London: Featherstone.

What’s going on inside my head? looks at the topic of positive mental health, and aims to help children become more self-aware, providing them with suggested ways to look after themselves and to understand their feelings.

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 When the world feels like a scary place cover

When the world feels like a scary place: Essential conversations for anxious parents and worried kids

Gewirtz, A. (2020). Workman Publishing Company.

Conversations with children can be challenging, especially when it comes to the big stuff. Bullying, violence, climate change, racism and Covid-19 are examples of subjects tackled in this book by child psychologist Abigail Gerwitz.

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 Whare tapa wha kete cover

Whare Tapa Whā Kete Resource Kit

Written by Geneva Harrison; illustrated by Katherine Hall; Te Reo by Moana Keelan. (2020). Tuhi Stationery.

This resource kit is designed as an introduction to Whare Tapa Whā, a wellbeing model developed by leading Māori health advocate Sir Mason Durie in 1984 that describes health and wellbeing as a wharenui. It is a tool to improve the wellbeing of kids and their whānau and have fun at the same time.  

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Manaaki Monday

RĀHINA | MONDAY

Start the week off with an act of kindness. On the first day of MHAW, take some time out of your day to help someone in a small but meaningful way. Even one simple thing, like carrying groceries or holding a door open for a stranger, can create a chain reaction of kindness that uplifts the whole community.

Ideas for how you can help someone today:

Tautoko Tuesday

RĀTŪ | TUESDAY

It’s no secret that the pandemic, rising costs and extreme weather events have made things tough for our local businesses and organisations over the past few years. Today, we encourage you to tautoko/support an independent merchant or community organisation. Why not purchase a small gift for a friend from a local creator, or post about an awesome business or community group on social media? A little tautoko can go a long way in difficult times.

To support a small neighbourhood business or community organisation today, you could:

Whānau Wednesday

RĀAPA | WEDNESDAY

We’ve made it to the middle of the week!

Feeling connected to others is strongly associated with better wellbeing, because it gives us a sense of meaning, safety, support and purpose. Give yourself — and your loved ones — a mid-week boost, by reaching out to a friend or whānau member you would like to catch up with.

You could connect with the important people in your life today, by:

Tūhono Thursday

RĀPARE | THURSDAY

As we move closer to the weekend, find some time in your day to connect with someone in your community that you don’t usually talk to. Introduce yourself to a neighbour, a parent at your child’s school, or someone at your local café . Building relationships with people who live in your community can create a supportive network, right at your doorstep. 

To get to know someone new in your community today, you could:

Whakawhetai Friday

RĀMERE | FRIDAY

What better way to finish off the week, than by saying thank you to someone in your community? Spread some good vibes by showing your gratitude today  it could be to the courier driver, to a local volunteer, or to a workmate or neighbour…anyone who helps make your community what it is. 

You could express gratitude to those in your community today, by: