Ko Ihaka me te Manuwhiri i Puta Ohorere mai product reviews

Mr Four was delighted when I produced a book that he immediately decided was just for him! He is well into the swing of things at his Kohanga Reo now, and eager to practise his Maori language. Despite having three bossy older sisters, who love to correct him, he is very much in tune with words and is even able to sound out the odd one when shown it in print. We read the book together in Te Reo, and enjoyed the repetition as Tane asked each of the gods whether he had seen the lost cloud. Before long, Mr Four was calling out to the rest of the family, "Kua kitea e koe taku kapua kua ngaro?" and then giggling when they asked him how he could be so careless!

As with many children's books written in Te Reo, this one has a comprehensive Maori-English wordlist included at the end. This is really useful for families where parents are still learning and trying to keep up with their children. Mr Four is already more fluent than his parents after his time at the kohanga, and his sisters, all at a kura kaupapa, are equally at home in both English and Te Reo. It is important that as a nation we encourage our children to be bilingual; it is part of their heritage.

I like the way that the three gods are introduced into the story as various manifestations of the natural world. The girls have been learning about them at their kura as they study nature: the wind, the sea, the bush, the volcanos, and all the other aspects of their country. A cloud is part of that natural world too, but what happens when it is not where it should be? There is scope for the adult reading the book with the child to talk about the different atua and their role in the Maori world view.

The story alone appeals to preschoolers, but the graphics need a special mention. The contrast of European clothing, buildings and hairstyles with the stylised atua in their various realms does not seem at all out of place; Mr Four and I both thought the juxtaposition was ideal for a kiwi context. The lines are bold and uncluttered, perfect for a small child as they are easy to understand. Mr Four's favourite picture was that of Ruaumoko, the atua of volcanos and earthquakes, standing amidst all the steam and unstable rocks. He remembered going to Whakarewarewa once with his family, and we had to stop reading for a moment while he told me all about his trip!

When we had finished reading, he informed me he was going to tell his friends at his kohanga all about the story, and if they were nice to him, he might actually let them see his new book. However, he was going to "read" it a few times more before he did that. He might even let his sisters look at it too!