Language, Identity and Diversity in Picturebooks

This insightful academic work examines how language, identity, and cultural diversity are represented in New Zealand picturebooks, with a particular focus on the linguistic landscape of Māori-English bilingual texts. Drawing from published research by the author and colleagues, the book organizes its exploration into two distinct sections that analyze the deliberate use of both Te Reo Māori and English within children's literature. The first section specifically investigates how these linguistic choices create complex cultural narratives and reflect New Zealand's unique bilingual environment through picturebook texts.

What makes this volume particularly valuable is its scholarly yet accessible approach to understanding how picturebooks serve as cultural artifacts that shape young readers' perceptions of identity and belonging. The research provides crucial insights for educators, librarians, and scholars interested in multicultural children's literature and linguistic diversity in educational materials. By focusing on New Zealand's specific context of indigenous language revitalization and cultural representation, the book offers important perspectives relevant to global conversations about diversity in children's publishing and the power of bilingual picturebooks in affirming cultural identity.