A Place I Truly Belong Book

Larry the giraffe lives in a zoo, but he’s not like the other giraffes. Larry is small and soft and cuddly – and he feels different and alone. One night, during the magic of Matariki, Larry goes off on a journey to find a place where he truly belongs. Along the way, he meets a pūkeko, a possum, and a duck, before finding a place his heart can call home.

Poignant, purposeful, and full of aroha, A Place I Truly Belong will encourage Kiwi kids to be courageous and follow their hearts.

A Place I Truly Belong revolves around loveable and courageous giraffe Larry – based on a real-life toy giraffe of the same name – who must search high and low to discover his identity, and true place in the world. Along the way, he meets helpful creatures and never gives up on his dream of coming home.

About the Author

Anita Hinton first conceived her children’s picture book after fleeing a violent relationship and going on the run with her five-year-old daughter, Neia. Leaving home with little more than the clothes they were wearing, their books were chief among the things they would miss.

Suddenly homeless and wishing to create solace, and a ‘new normal’ for her and Neia, Hinton picked up a paper napkin and wrote a hopeful children’s story.

“I wrote this book because I wanted a book to read to my daughter, but more so I needed an escape from the pain I was going through in real life. I missed reading to her, I missed the idea of being normal, I missed having the little things in life, like a book. I wrote the story I needed to hear; that life would eventually make sense, and eventually, I would find where I needed to be,” says Hinton.

Popular te reo words and phrases appear throughout the text alongside a glossary of terms at the back of the book.

• Paperback: Full Colour
• Pages: 24 Pages + Cover
• Size: 210 x 270mm (Portrait)
• Recommended Age: 3+