Telling the story in te reo

Trish Gray, a late-blooming selfpublishing author, has produced a children’s picture book with a difference.

After three non-fiction works in recent years the Upper Hutt resident has changed tack with Te Kiore i roto i Te Whare a picture book in te reo.

The work translates to The Mouse in the House and carries an English translation. It is a simple story about a family trying to catch a mouse.

Illustrated by Trentham School teacher Katherine Hamilton, itis set to appeal to five-to-seven year olds.

English translation is set under the main text and in a smaller size ’’so as not to take over’’, Gray said.

‘‘I feel this book is a great way for children to learn a few words in New Zealand’s other official language,’’ she said.

For Gray, Te Kiore i roto i Te Whare emerged out of her long time love of writing and her more recent formal study of te reo.

In 2009 she began learning the language at the Orongomai Marae in Upper Hutt and Stokes Valley’s Koraunui Marae.

She studied full-time at Whitireia Polytechnic for two years, completing a diploma in Reo Maori at the end of last year.

She will carry on studying and has been inspired with the submergence into tikanga Maori that is associated with learning the language including conventions, protocols, customs, history, song and more.

Gray is planning to produce more children’s books in a similar format.

Ahead of this, marketing Te Kiore i roto i Te Whare’s initial small print into the community is taking up her time.

She has been encouraged by the response and the book, which retails at $20, can be found on the shelves of Expressions Arts and Entertainment Centre, Paper Plus Upper Hutt in the Mall and the Writers Plot Readers Read Bookshop on Fergusson Dr.

Gray’s previous books include Waitangi - The Treaty House which covers events surrounding the house’s construction and Tangiwai (Weeping Waters) which looks at the famous railway disaster’s impact on one family.