Illustration of a mother dog and her puppy surrounded by flowers and grass, with a pastel pink and green background. Text in Māori and English reading 'Happy Mother's Day' and names of authors, Norah Wilson and Kimberly Andrews.

Hoppy Mother's Day | Kia Hīteki i te Rā Whakanui Māmā

Hoppy Mother's Day | Kia Hīteki i te Rā Whakanui Māmā
$19.99

Written by Norah Wilson | Nā Pānia Papa i whakamāori
Scholastic NZ,  March 2026  |  Photoshop

It is almost Mother’s Day and Little Rabbit and his friends are preparing something special to surprise their mothers.

Written by Norah Wilson | Nā Pānia Papa i whakamāori
Scholastic NZ,  March 2026  |  Photoshop

It is almost Mother’s Day and Little Rabbit and his friends are preparing something special to surprise their mothers.

Kimberly Andrews provides endearing colour illustrations which are particularly well thought-out. Mother hen at the picnic lies back with her arms stretched out, exhausted. (Young readers will often have seen a parent do this.) Smaller creatures like the snail often hitch rides on the taller animals. Little Rabbit springs onto the calf’s head to make his announcements. Foreshortening and changes of viewpoint means that readers can always see the facial expressions of all the animals. Kimberly Andrews may be the only artist able to create a picture of an eel smiling. 
— Trevor Agnew - The Source.

Awards & Recognition

'Here are three sweet and delightful rabbit books to enjoy with your tamariki. Te Wā Tākaro / Playtime, Te Rēhi / The Race, and Pō Mārie / Goodnight are simply told and beautifully illustrated tales of Rāpeti and friends. Te Wā Tākaro is told entirely in short pieces of dialogue, conveying an all-too-familiar experience of being too busy playing to go to the toilet. Te Rēhi involves a cast of supportive animal friends cheering Rāpeti on in a race—the best bit I think (spoiler alert!) is that Rāpeti doesn’t win... perfect for bedtime reading.

—  THE SAPLING, APRIL 2023

Kimberly Andrews has created the various friends and given them a remarkable range of expressions. Equally remarkable is the way that she makes it seem possible for a rabbit to climb a tree or a hen to lift up a rock. She has also managed to show one of Rāpeti’s friends interacting with the ISBN box on the rear cover of each book in the series!

— TREVOR AGNEW, NZ CONTRIBUTOR, THE SOURCE, MAGPIES

'What transforms these books, beyond playful stories and useful language tools, are Kimberly Andrews’ sublime illustrations. I have such a special attachment to Kimberly’s work having adored the illustrations she did for my Little Tales of Hedgehog and Goat. These recent examples strengthen my fanship. The animals are rendered in a heavenly warm watercolour effect and I just want to hug the books close.'

— PAULA GREEN, NZ POETRY BOX, MAY 2023

'This wee series about a playful rabbit is just the cutest. Each book introduces te reo Maori alongside English words for support.... I do love how these books capture the essence of early childhood. The picture books are gentle, fun, relatable, and every parent will smile knowing exactly how rabbit feels. Just delightful. Great for whānau to share and enjoy.'

— BOOK TRAILERS 4 KIDS AND YA, APRIL 2023