Handa's Surprise

Name: Handa's Surprise
Brand: Arotahi Agency
SKU: 9780744554731
Price: 52.99 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

By Eileen Browne

Series: Big Books

0.0 (0 reviews)

Summary

Handa's Surprise tells the charming tale of a young Luo girl called Handa who carefully packs a basket with seven delicious fruits to take to her friend Akeyo in the neighbouring village. Along the way, a series of playful animals sneakily take fruit from her basket, creating a delightful surprise. Richly illustrated with vibrant colours and featuring cheeky wild animals, this picture book brings to life a warm story full of humour and anticipation, perfect for the youngest readers.
Read More

Format: Paperback / softback

TEMPORARILY OUT OF STOCK Please add to wishlist to be notified when back in stock

Sorry, we're currently out of stock of Handa's Surprise. Please add to your Wishlist and we'll send you an email as soon as it's back in stock.

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This beautifully illustrated story is ideal for toddlers and young children, especially those beginning to enjoy shared reading. It suits classroom settings and home reading alike, encouraging interaction and prediction as children watch the unfolding surprise.

AUTHOR SIGNING 20 Oct 2026

Vanya Insull (aka VJ Cooks) visits Book Hero

We were lucky to have a visit from popular foodie, home cook and baker Vanya...

FICTION 20 Oct 2026

Is the newest Jack Reacher one of the best?

Our favourite crime solving, bad guy beating nomad is back and Lizzy and Edd were...

AUTHOR SIGNING 20 Oct 2026

Heartstopper's Alice Oseman visits Book Hero

We were so excited to have Alice come to visit Hero HQ, as huge fans...

FICTION 19 Oct 2026

Shirl and Lizzy Review The Starving Bride

Catherine Chidgey does it again with another incredible novel that will have people talking for...

FICTION 19 Oct 2026

New Releases to add to your TBR this week (19th October)

One of my favourite sci-fi authors has a new book that I cannot wait to...

In this big book edition of a picture book classic, a delightful surprise colourfully unfolds when a little girl called Handa puts seven delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend.

Description

In this big book edition of a picture book classic, a delightful surprise colourfully unfolds when a little girl called Handa puts seven delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend.

A beautiful big book edition of a bestselling modern classic – perfect for sharing in the classroom – this is the story of Handa, who's part of the Luo tribe in south-west Kenya. Handa decides to take seven pieces of delicious fruit to her friend, Akeyo, who lives in the neighbouring village. But as Akeyo wonders, I wonder what fruit Akeyo will like best?, a series of sneaky animals steal something from Handa's basket, which she's carrying on her head...

When Handa reaches Akeyo, will she have anything left to offer her friend? Richly-illustrated, brimming with luscious fruit and cheeky wild animals, this mouth-watering story is for the youngest of readers. In the best pantomime spirit, children will long to tell Handa what's happening right behind her!

Series: Big Books

View all

On Sale
17% off

Big Book of ABC

Take a whistle-stop tour through the alphabet from amazing aardvarks, big brown bears and crazy cats to dancing ducks, naughty narwhals and sleeping sloths. With gorgeous illustrations by Sophia Touliatou, simple facts, and capital and little letters on every page, Big Book of ABC is a lovely book to share with a young child.

By Felicity Brooks

Board book

$19⁰⁰
Usually:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
Big Book of Nursery Rhymes

A gorgeous big board book with a QR code for tunes for the rhymes. Introduce little ones to 19 well-loved nursery rhymes in this beautiful book, including "Humpty Dumpty", "Jack and Jill", "Baa, Baa Black Sheep", and "Little Miss Muffet". With delightful illustrations by Sophia Touliatou, information about the benefits of sharing rhymes with little children, and tunes to listen...

By Felicity Brooks

Board book

$22⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
The Usborne Big Book of Dinosaurs

For the younger fact-fan, this book depicts and describes nearly 100 different dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ichthyosaurs, and other prehistoric creatures. The emphasis is on size: how big, tall, and heavy were these creatures? Which was the biggest (and smallest) of all? Each page has either two giant folding flaps to reveal more dinosaurs underneath, or a 4-page concertina-fold pull-out to reveal...

By Alex Frith

Board book

$19⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

Backorder
Ships mid November
Big Book of Machines

Huge fold-out pages show some of the biggest and most powerful machines ever made, from giant excavators and monster trucks to enormous ships. Children can discover how many people the biggest passenger plane can carry, facts about giant tractors, and how fast the fastest train can go. Big Book of Machines includes links to video clips to watch big machines...

By Minna Lacey

Board book

$20⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
Big Book of Stars & Planets

Children can explore the wonders of space in this incredible picture book with giant fold-out pages full of fascinating facts to satisfy the curiosity of every young space enthusiast. From the Sun and the planets in our Solar System to massive stars and vast galaxies and lots, lots more, there's a whole universe to discover. Big Book of Stars &...

By Emily Bone

Board book

$22⁹⁹

In Stock
Ships today
Big Book of Big Tractors

A large-size, highly illustrated book to show off all kinds of tractors, with fold-out pages. Open the giant fold-out pages of this bright, friendly book to discover some of the biggest and most amazing tractors ever built - and some little ones too. Colourful pictures show all kinds of machines, from combine harvesters to snow and sea tractors, with facts...

By Lisa Jane Gillespie

Hardback

$22⁹⁹

In Stock
Ships today
Big Book of Numbers

There are hundreds of fascinating facts to discover in this journey through the wonderful world of numbers. How many hearts does an octopus have? Why is the number 9 lucky in China and how many people have walked on the moon? With delightful illustrations and a page of facts for each number, Big Book of Numbers is a lovely book...

By Felicity Brooks

Board book

$22⁹⁹

In Stock
Ships today
Big Book Of Bugs

Big Book of Bugs offers a skin-crawling introduction to the world's largest bugs, from gigantic spiders as big as dinner plates to butterflies larger than dogs. Find out about the biggest swarms and colonies, the deadliest insects, and the bugs with the best camouflage. Huge fold-out pages with life-size illustrations show kids just how big bugs really are.

By Emily Bone

Board book

$22⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
Handa's Surprise

In this big book edition of a picture book classic, a delightful surprise colourfully unfolds when a little girl called Handa puts seven delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend. A beautiful big book edition of a bestselling modern classic – perfect for sharing in the classroom – this is the story of Handa, who's part of...

By Eileen Browne

Paperback

Sold Out
Big Book of the Body

A big book with fun, fold-out pages about the human body for young children Open up the huge fold-out pages of this vivid, illustrated book to discover the remarkable ways the human body works. Explore a giant skeleton, see how your heart pumps blood, find out what's inside your head, and learn what happens to the food you eat. A...

By Minna Lacey and Peter Allen

Board book

Sold Out
Big Book of Colours

Winner - Schools Library Association Information Book Award A fantastic journey through an amazing world of over 130 colours, including the primary and secondary colours and descriptive colour words, such as canary yellow, russet, and mint green. Includes a colour wheel to turn to see which colours go well together and a see-through acetate page to flip to see what...

By Felicity Brooks

Board book

Sold Out
Big Book of The Body

A book with fun, fold-out pages about the human body for young children. Open up the huge fold-out pages of this vividly illustrated book to discover the remarkable ways the human body works. Explore a giant skeleton, learn how your heart pumps blood, find out what's inside your head, and see what happens to the food you eat. A fun...

By Minna Lacey

Hardback

Sold Out

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

"Rich, hot colours and fluid brush-strokes zap each scene into life..." – The Independent on Sunday
"...so luscious it seems almost edible..." – The Observer

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780744554731

Publisher: Walker Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 07 July 1997

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Walker Books Ltd

Contributors:

Illustrated by Eileen Browne
Illustrated by Eileen Browne

Audience: Children

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 4.0mm

Width: 452.0mm

Height: 372.0mm

Weight: 540g

Pages: 32

Collections

Children's Books Children's Fiction Children’s, Teenage and Educational Eileen Browne Series: Big Books Young Adult

About the Author

Eileen Browne is a bestselling author and illustrator, well known for her picture book classic, Handa’s Surprise, and its sequel, Handa’s Hen, both of which have been adapted into national puppet theatre productions and which have, together, sold over one million copies in more than twenty countries worldwide. In 2014, Handa’s Surprise was named one of the ‘Diverse Voices 50 best culturally diverse children’s books’ of all time, in a list compiled by a distinguished independent panel of children’s book experts. Originally from Birmingham, Eileen now lives in Wiltshire.

Also by Eileen Browne

View all

Handa's Surprise

In this board book edition of a picture book classic, a delightful surprise colourfully unfolds when a little girl called Handa puts seven delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend. A beautiful board book edition of a bestselling modern classic, this is the story of Handa, who's part of the Luo tribe in south-west Kenya. Handa decides...

By Eileen Browne

Board book

$13⁹⁹

In Stock
Ships today
Handa's Hen

In the sequel to the modern classic, Handa's Surprise, two girls count all of the exotic and exciting animals they discover as they search for their grandma's hen. Learn to count with Handa in the sequel to the bestselling Handa's Surprise. Every morning, Handa, a young girl from the Luo tribe of Kenya, feeds breakfast to Mondi, her grandma's black...

By Eileen Browne

Paperback

$18⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
Handa's Noisy Night

The latest instalment in Eileen Browne's acclaimed Handa series is a warm, funny story about night-time fears featuring a cast of nocturnal animals and a Kenyan setting. When Handa has a sleepover with her friend Akeyo, the girls are allowed to spend the night in a little hut near the house. They’re excited to be on their own, but as...

By Eileen Browne

Paperback

$18⁹⁹

Available
Ships in 4-6 weeks
Handa's Surprise

Handa's Surprise tells the charming story of Handa, who fills her basket with seven delicious fruits to take to her friend, Akeyo. However, as she walks with the basket balanced on her head, various creatures sneakily take her fruits. A monkey swipes the banana, an ostrich snatches the guava, a zebra takes the orange, an elephant plucks the mango, a...

By Eileen Browne

Paperback

$18⁹⁹

In Stock
Ships today

More from Children's Books

View all

New Release

Fight or Flight: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (21)

When the going gets tough, what’s a wimpy kid to do? In Fight or Flight, Greg Heffley faces his biggest challenge yet as he becomes a target for the school bully. Luckily for Greg, his best friend, Rowley Jefferson, takes karate, so at least Greg’s got someone in his corner. But an unexpected twist makes Greg realize he’s facing an uphill...

By Jeff Kinney

Paperback

$16⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$21⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Gruffalo Granny

The brand new Gruffalo picture book from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. The Gruffalo said to his daughter one day, "Your Gruffalo Granny is coming to stay." Return to the deep dark wood with the first new Gruffalo story in over 20 years, and meet Gruffalo Granny as she visits the Gruffalo family. This fresh and exciting new Gruffalo adventure...

By Julia Donaldson

Hardback

$24⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$30⁰⁰~~

(2)

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

The Sixth Faction

Beatrice Prior stands on the brink of a decision every person in her world must make: five factions, five futures, five lives. She has a plan: she's going to make the bravest choice, and leave Abnegation behind to join Dauntless, even though it means leaving her family behind. But when tragedy strikes at her Choosing Ceremony, everything changes—her world, her...

By Veronica Roth

Paperback

$29⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$34⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Detective Beans Colouring Club

Help Detective Beans solve the case of the missing colours! Join the Colouring Club now! Join the Detective Beans Colouring Club! Inside you'll find 40 removable colouring pages featuring scenes from all over Cat Town. Filled with all the characters you know and love from the Detective Beans graphic novels like Biscuits, Beans' mum, Mr Brickle, Bear, Detective Baby Bird...

By Li Chen

Paperback

$17⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$21⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Wahine

From a majestic mermaid to a clay woman, the creator of glaciers to the mother of gardening, discover powerful wahine and how their stories shaped the world around us. Wahine introduces readers to twelve purakau of brave, bold, and inspiring women of Aotearoa. A beautifully illustrated collection that will delight the whole whanau, from award-winning illustrator Isobel Joy Te Aho-White....

By Isobel Joy Te Aho-White

Hardback

$31⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$39⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Lottie Brooks’s Twelve Disasters of Christmas

From hilarious MEGA bestselling author, Katie Kirby, comes a new story collection from the world of Lottie Brooks! But this time... it's not about Lottie! From hilarious MEGA bestselling author, Katie Kirby, comes a new story collection from the world of Lottie Brooks! And it's CHRISTMAS! In The Completely Chaotic Christmas of Lottie Brooks we spent the holiday season with...

By Katie Kirby

Paperback

$17⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$21⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
On Sale
21% off
New Release

Matihe! Achoo!

What happens when a grumpy tupua has to sneeze? Matihe! Achoo! is a bilingual story about the tupua Mataoho and his connection to the volcanoes of Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland. It comes with an action song to engage young readers! He pūrākau e pā ana ki a Mataoho me ngā puia o Takamaki Makaurau. He tupua pukukino a Mataoho e noho...

By Qiane Matata-Sipu

Paperback

$15⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$21⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today
The Sweet As Looky Book

Can you find all the chocolate fish? Is it possible for kiwi to fly? Can you spot the difference? See Aotearoa New Zealand through the eyes of award-winning artist Donovan Bixley in The Sweet As Looky Book. Use your finest skills to seek out pirates in the Bay of Islands and birds in Rakiura Stewart Island. Get in a car...

By Donovan Bixley

Hardback

$22⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

Backorder
Ships Unknown - Contact Us
New Release

Pocket Observology

Pocket Observology is a practical field guide designed for those who love to explore and understand the natural world around them. Slip this guide out of your pocket to identify, measure, compare, or find clues to the things you encounter every day in nature. This pocket guide is a useful tool and a fun reminder of how to engage with...

By Giselle Clarkson

Paperback

$23⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$27⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

The Day of the Dinosaur Disaster

Angry anacondas, blizzarding blobs, carnivorous cactuses ... what kind of twisted curse will Glam-Evil think up this time?!Only it's not just Glam-Evil's curse the gang needs to worry about; they've got a few other problems, too. Swooping Pteranodons, a hungry T-Rex, a missing mother, and ... is that ... an ASTEROID?!Join MILES AND JONES as they face their biggest challenge...

By Sam Smith

Paperback

$14⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$14⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
On Sale
15% off
New Release

The Neverfear

A world of richly-imagined wonder Cressida Cowell It’s the Midsummer Feast on the Islet of Glimt and on this magical moonlit evening, the word on everyone’s lips is bandits. Reports of masked men burning villages are spreading throughout the Archipelago, but worse is still to come: Christopher and Anya are ambushed and one of the people they love most is...

By Katherine Rundell

Paperback

$17⁰⁰
Elsewhere:
~~$22⁹⁹~~

In Stock
Ships today
New Release

Mari the Unwonderful Witch

A charming, cosy and thought-provoking tale about a wonderfully unconventional little witch, by bestselling author of BUTTER, Asako Yuzuki. Perfect for fans of WICKED, KIKI'S DELIVERY SERVICE, and THE HATMAKERS series by Tamzin Merchant - and anyone who likes an enchanting adventure with just a hint of mischief. Mari the Unwonderful Witch introduces us to Mari, an eleven-year-old witch who...

By Asako Yuzuki

Paperback

$19⁹⁹
Elsewhere:
~~$24⁰⁰~~

In Stock
Ships today

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.