Batkiwi
by Melinda Szymanik
pictures: Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Celebrating another Scholastic Publication by New Zealand author Melinda Szymanik.
This story focuses on helping friends in need, or at least trying to. Sometimes we are unable to do what we really want to, simply by being too short or too round or, in Kiwi’s case, having tiny wings. That’s when we might need a friend to assist us.
One night, as the moon rose high, a call came over the bush telegraph,
tweet by tweet, from tree to tree. “Help! Emergency! We need a hero!”
Kind-hearted Kiwi wants to rescue any forest friend in need, but he can
never quite make it on his own. Who will help Kiwi be a hero?
Melinda’s writing is to the point and graphic. It includes many of New Zealand’s forest creatures, highlighting that what one can do another maybe cannot.
So this is a story about accepting who we are and helping others to the best of our ability, including asking for help too. A great learning perspective for youngsters.
The cover art immediately captures the reader’s attention; Isobel Joy Te Aho-White’s pictures are vivid and the expressions and emotions shown draw the reader into the pictures.
I’m unsure what age group this book is targeting. Some of the words and expressions suggest an older group while the simplicity of the story and pictures indicates a younger group.
It is also available in Te Reo as Pekakiwi.
by Melinda Szymanik
pictures: Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Celebrating another Scholastic Publication by New Zealand author Melinda Szymanik.
This story focuses on helping friends in need, or at least trying to. Sometimes we are unable to do what we really want to, simply by being too short or too round or, in Kiwi’s case, having tiny wings. That’s when we might need a friend to assist us.
One night, as the moon rose high, a call came over the bush telegraph,
tweet by tweet, from tree to tree. “Help! Emergency! We need a hero!”
Kind-hearted Kiwi wants to rescue any forest friend in need, but he can
never quite make it on his own. Who will help Kiwi be a hero?
Melinda’s writing is to the point and graphic. It includes many of New Zealand’s forest creatures, highlighting that what one can do another maybe cannot.
So this is a story about accepting who we are and helping others to the best of our ability, including asking for help too. A great learning perspective for youngsters.
The cover art immediately captures the reader’s attention; Isobel Joy Te Aho-White’s pictures are vivid and the expressions and emotions shown draw the reader into the pictures.
I’m unsure what age group this book is targeting. Some of the words and expressions suggest an older group while the simplicity of the story and pictures indicates a younger group.
It is also available in Te Reo as Pekakiwi.
Review by Susan Tarr
Title: Batkiwi
Author: Melinda Szymanik, pictures by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 9781775437116
RRP: $19.99
Available: paper: bookshops
Author: Melinda Szymanik, pictures by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White
Publisher: Scholastic
ISBN: 9781775437116
RRP: $19.99
Available: paper: bookshops
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