Hello! Kia ora! Welcome new friend! Is a beautifully illustrated book that models a kind and caring attitude to welcoming new children into their play and learning environment taught by their teacher Miss Riggs.
Ruby goes from feeling like an outsider, to feeling like she belongs to her new kindergarten family. These pre-school kids have learnt a smile is easy to do and costs nothing to share and their kind actions have a transforming eff ect.
Hello! Kia ora! Welcome new friend! can be read with other language ‘hello’ greetings found in the book, such as; “Hello! Talofa! Welcome new friend!”. A simple way to include the cultures of our New Zealand children.
Hello! Kia ora! Welcome new friend! is a perfect read aloud book to help teachers, families and children feel welcome in their early childhood learning.
Illustrated by Deborah Hinde who has worked on over 70 books; both fiction and non-fiction, with 40 of these being picture books. Other books Deborah has illustrated include the classic A Kiwi Night Before Christmas (Scholastic NZ, 2003) Moo and Moo and the Little Calf too and the sequel Moo and Moo and Can You Guess Who? (Allen and Unwin, 2016, 2017).
Reviews
“This book is a great resource that captures the thoughts and feelings of a young child as they begin at a new kindergarten. Hello! Kia ora! Welcome new friend! highlights what kindergarten is all about; being inclusive, belonging and learning through play. Auckland Kindergarten Association recommends this book to whānau and tamariki in supporting the settling process of children new to early childhood education.”
NZBooklovers.co.nz – “This beautifully illustrated book models the importance of a kind and caring attitude. Author Rachel Weston was inspired to write the book after her experience with her children – who attended various early childhood education settings, including Playcentre kindergartens and pre-schools.”
Goodreads.com reviewer – “The story and message within hits a chord, it depicts a situation which is experienced by all children at some time. It’s Ruby’s first day at kindergarten and she is understandably anxious. We feel her nervousness as she enters the room, we empathise with her need to belong, and then we share her joy and excitement as one by one each of the diverse group of children welcomes her into the class by offering to play, share and care for her. All children will be able to connect with at least one of the characters in the book. My personal favourite was Fetu with his, ‘big toothy grin. Showing Ruby his tongue could reach to his chin.’ “
Meet Kiwi author Rachel Weston
Author Rachel Weston, lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty on a kiwifruit orchard with her family, a horse in the backyard and her dogs, who are her loving writing companions – and thankfully get her up from her writing desk for a walk each day!
Rachel’s love of writing for children evolved from writing keepsake stories of her three children, when they were young. She jotted things down – funny things they did and said, and wrote madcap family vignettes.
Find out more about Rachel and how to contact her on her author page.
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