Short Stories in Te Reo Māori for Tamariki – Free Bilingual eBooks
Because our tamariki deserve pukapuka (books) with Māori kupu woven right through them — stories they can see themselves in, hear their language in, and enjoy reading again and again.
The Backyard is Broken started as a fun little way for my 5-year-old and I to learn some new kupu. We were trying to remember from a vocabulary list — but honestly, it was a bit boring, and I wanted an engaging way to make it stick.
So I decided to take those kupu and turn them into a short, playful story we could read together. Instead of memorising words in isolation, we got to live them in a little adventure — and suddenly, the kupu made sense.
That first story became the start of a seasonal carousel series over on Instagram, each one packed with everyday Māori kupu and phrases, set against the changing seasons in our own backyard.
We’ve turned the first two stories into easy-to-read eBooks so we can add MOA reo Māori pukapuka into the world. They’re perfect for a quick bedtime read, a cosy weekend snuggle on the couch, or even a screen-time win — just flick through the pages together on your iPad.
And if you’re keen-as, you can print them out so your tamariki can hold the pages in their hands, draw on them, or add their own illustrations.
The Backyard is Broken – Autumn 🍂
A blustery visit from Tāwhirimātea sends a pōtae flying through the backyard, past the veggie garden, into the leaves — and along the way, we learn kupu for autumn weather, clothing, colours, and kai in the māra kai.
The Backyard is Broken – Winter ❄️
Our little tama knows what’s happening this time… frost, snow, and the perfect weather for building a tangata hukapapa! Along the way, tamariki will pick up kupu for winter weather, clothing, snow play, and cosy winter treats.
The Backyard is Broken – Spring 🌸 (Coming Soon)
Our little tama is prepared for the season this time — with a scavenger hunt list in hand! We’ll be spotting bees, flowers, sprouts in the māra kai, and other signs of koanga together.
Releasing soon – keep an eye out!
The Backyard is Broken – Summer ☀️ (Coming Soon)
What will summer bring to the backyard? We can’t wait to explore it with you.
Coming this Raumati!
Our Tamariki Deserve ‘Moa’ Pukapuka with Māori kupu in them!
You can scroll through the pictures in this blog post and enjoy the full story, but if you join our whānau you’ll also get access to the downloadable eBook versions you can then pop on the iPad — plus heaps of other free reo Māori resources, activities, and printables to make learning fun at home.
And honestly… if you love these little stories, let me know! Drop a comment or flick me a message — should we make more like this? Would you want a full printed book? Or even an interactive story app? I’d love to hear what you and your tamariki would enjoy most!
We hope these stories bring some reo Māori joy into your home — and show tamariki that te reo Māori belongs everywhere: in our gardens, in our puddles, in the changing of the seasons, and in the stories we tell together.