When I was a student, I learned a lot from reading Linda Tuhiwai Smith's academic work such as her writings about decolonisation and Māori resistance and resilience.
So I was excited to see a book by her in the children's section of my local library. It is about a boy who experiences family violence and how he feels he has a little voice. With the help of his whānau, a child therapist and his whakapapa, he finds a stronger voice.
It is really helpful to see family violence being talked about in a medium that children can access and through which can know that they are not alone. The story is through the eyes of a tamaiti Māori living in Aotearoa New Zealand which makes it an important and unique contribution to children's literature.
It shows how Māori ways like whanaungatanga and whakapapa and pepeha give hope, identity and healing.
The story is powerfully illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. There is a Te Reo Māori version and a Te Reo Pākeha version, in different books. I recommend this book for four-year-olds to adults.
He Reo Iti Noa Ahau, nā Linda Tuhiwai- Smith ngā korero, nā Isobel Joy Aho-White ngā Nikita, published by Huia
