Read more
I Don't Like Wednesdays is about a young boy learning to cope with his grief after his older brother, Apa, dies on a Wednesday. The boy was very close with Apa, and his death leaves the boy with a mix of feelings and lots of questions. With the help of his community, family and school, the boy begins to understand his brother's suicide, and his own emotions. The story gently explores the challenging situation in an understated manner, with simple language and from the boy's perspective in a way that children will understand. It shows how relationships and connections to those around us support us and can help us find ways to manage difficult times.
About the author
Dr Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Tūhourangi) is Distinguished Professor at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. She is a leading indigenous studies scholar, educationalist and kaupapa Māori researcher and has given many addresses and written many publications in these areas. She was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013 for her services to Māori and education and received a Prime Minister's Lifetime Achievement Award for Education in 2017. She was awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Puawaitanga Award for Research Excellence in Te Ao Māori and Indigenous Knowledge in 2018, and she received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Winnipeg Canada in the same year.
