Meet the locals

Book Review

Gill, M.  (2011).  New Zealand hall of fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis (B. Potter, Illus.).  Auckland, New  Zealand: New Holland.

               The first thing you see when you open this book is Sir Edmund Hillary’s face looking out from a five dollar bill –  your attention is captured, and you can’t help but be drawn in.  Maria Gill has penned a book which shows New Zealand children that in this country ‘we do pretty darn well when it comes to medals, famous deeds, sporting achievements and just being WORLD FAMOUS.’1   Fifty remarkable New Zealanders are represented in this interesting, engaging, and visually stimulating book.  Each person is presented on a two page spread with a colourful and creative mixture of caricatures and photographs, while the author’s ‘tireless research builds a picture of their lives.’2  Basic facts, such as birthplace, birth date, and name, are depicted as a New Zealand passport, trophy boards list achievements, and a timeline presents the major events in each person’s life.  Embellishments such as postage stamps, bank notes, and photograph filmstrips add to the visual appeal.

The individuals have been chosen with the interests of children in mind3 and the ‘informative and accessible’ text will appeal to children.4  The use of text boxes to highlight quotes and passages of text will assist children of different reading abilities to access the information.  There is plenty to interest children who find it difficult to read long passages of unbroken text, while avid readers will find plenty to sink their teeth into.  A list of websites and online documentaries is included, as well as a bibliography, to help children to extend their learning.  The book is organised in colour coded sections for different types of achievements, and a table of contents and extensive index are included.  Although there is no glossary, definitions of difficult words are included in-text.  This is an example of a ‘bright, eye-catching contemporary non-fiction’ book that does live ‘up to its appearance.'5

Many children, particularly boys, read non-fiction for pleasure.6  Boys also respond well to texts with positive male role-models7  and to books that feature sports.8  With its many male role models, such as Sir Ray Avery who began life on the streets and became an inventor and humanitarian, and sporting greats, such as former All Black Sir Colin Meads, New Zealand hall of fame is likely to be very appealing to boys, and will therefore go towards filling gaps in this area.

Maria Gill has a background in teaching as well as a diploma in journalism.  She has written several trade and educational books for children.  Her books have been shortlisted for a number of children’s book awards, and her books have twice been in the Storylines Notable Books List.  New Zealand hall of fame is a Storylines Notable Book and a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.

Notes

1. Gill, 2011, p. 4

2. Beattie, 2011
3. Gill, 2010
4. Whalley, 2011, p. 8
5. The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand, 2011, p. 8
6. Open Polytechnic, 2011, p. 16
7. Husband, 2012, p. 24
8. Palmer, 2008

References

Beattie, G. (2011, May 26). New Zealand hall of fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis [Web log post]. Message posted to http://beattiesbookblog.blogspot.co.nz/‌2011/‌05/‌new-zealand-hall-of-fame-50-remarkable.html

Gill, M. (2010). Books: New Zealand hall of fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis: Journal note. In Maria Gill: Children’s author - freelance writer. Retrieved May 4, 2012, from http://www.mariagill.co.nz/‌newzealandhalloffame.php

Husband, T. (2012). Why can’t Jamal read? Phi Delta Kappan, 93(5), 23-27.

Palmer, T. (2008). Reading the game: Using sport to encourage boys and men to read more. APLIS, 21(2), 78-83.

The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. (2011). Module 3. In 72276 Literature and information resources for children and young people. Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Author.

Whalley, A. (2011). New Zealand hall of fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis [Review of the book New Zealand hall of fame: 50 remarkable Kiwis]. Magpies: Talking About Books for Children, 26(2), 8.

How you doin'?

Book Review 

Duncan, T.  (2008).  Kei te pēhea koe?  How do you feel?  North Shore, New Zealand: Puffin Books.

               ‘Kei te pēhea koe?  How do you feel?’  Tracy Duncan asks.  After reading this book, you would be able to answer that question in Māori, and if you relished this book as I did, then likely you would reply ‘Kei te pai rawa au! I feel fantastic!’

This simple picture book is an example of a ‘total entity’ which brings together the elements of illustration, text, and design to create a stunning work or art.1  The vivid and evocative illustrations use water-colour and ink, together with a combination of traditional Māori design and modern styling, to skilfully capture the various emotions and feelings.  Each emotion is presented on a two page spread with the text in Māori and English on one page, and the illustration on the other.  Behind the text is a colour block which complements the colours and mood of the illustration, and small details from each illustration are duplicated beneath the text.  In this way the design and illustrations are used together to expand on the concept of the book. 

The text of the book is very simple, and is accessible to Māori and non-Māori alike. The subject matter is one that young children will easily relate to.  Although the book has no plot, there is still a slight build up prior to the conclusion.  This is accomplished by the repetition of the question “How do you feel?” before the final feeling is presented.  In Kei te pēhea koe? Duncan has managed to avoid the contrivance of ‘self-conscious direction towards a particular market’2  found in some New Zealand children’s books.  The bilingual picture book Tutu Taniwha Fun by Robyn Kahukiwa is an example of a book where the desire to write a book with Māori content has resulted in a book that is didactic and self-conscious.   

Te reo Māori is a significant part of New Zealand cultural identity, and of the New Zealand school curriculum.  ‘By learning te reo... Māori students strengthen their identities, while non-Māori journey towards shared cultural understandings. All who learn te reo Māori help to secure its future as a living... language.’3  Although bilingual books are rare4 they assist teachers who are not confident at korero Māori to incorporate te reo into their classroom programmes.  According to the 2006 census, 23.7% of Māori, and only 4.1% of all New Zealanders, are able to converse in Māori.  Not only would Kei te pēhea koe? be useful for junior school teachers wishing to further the school goal of integrating te reo into their classroom teaching, but it would also be a valuable book for children to share with their whanau.

Kei te pēhea koe? was listed in the Storylines Notable Books List in 2009.

Notes

1: Hunter, quoted in Open Polytechnic, 2011a, p21

2: Gilderdale, 1982, p. 2

3: Ministry of Education, n.d.

4: Open Polytechnic, 2011b, p. 15

References

Gilderdale, B. (1982). A sea change: 145 years of New Zealand junior fiction. Auckland, New Zealand: Longman Paul.

Ministry of Education. (n.d.). Official languages. In The New Zealand curriculum online. Retrieved April 22, 2012, from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/‌Curriculum-documents/‌The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/‌Official-languages

The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. (2011a). Module 1. In 72276 Literature and information resources for children and young people. Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Author.

The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. (2011b). Module 2. In 72276 Literature and information resources for children and young people. Lower Hutt, New Zealand: Author.