“Meet a small kid with a huge sense of self-determination, a questing mind and chutzpah mixed with vulnerability."Julia Marshall, Publisher
A bold and multi-layered picture book about self-determination narrated by a young boy full of ideas and questions about growing up, belonging, spirituality, culture and who is the boss.
Paperback
PRODUCT INFORMATION
Summary
“Meet a small kid with a huge sense of self-determination, a questing mind and chutzpah mixed with vulnerability."Julia Marshall, Publisher
A bold and multi-layered picture book about self-determination narrated by a young boy full of ideas and questions about growing up, belonging, spirituality, culture and who is the boss.
Description
Paku Manu Ariki talks directly to the reader, drawing on the stories that spin around him—his father’s mātauranga, his mother’s politics, his many pet birds, and his best friend who is taller, even though he’s younger.
The book is born from the experience of growing up in a strong Māori whānau in a country and wider world that offers a conflicting version of what is right and of value.
Paku Manu Ariki is trying to understand his role in his family, community and the larger world. His preoccupation is who is the boss—his nanna at the marae, his older siblings, or any number of atua? His steadfast dad, his Pākehā mum, the “leader of the free world”, or Paku Manu Ariki himself? Paku Manu bumps up against authority, trying to reconcile the kind and just rules of nanna and the unjust power of leaders he sees every day on the TV.
Thoughtful, funny and confronting, Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai is about the hustle for belonging, and our place in the epic spiral of space, time and culture.
Critic Reviews
"A new kind of book for a new kind of world."
-- The Spinoff, Best Books of the Year 2023, New Zealand"One of the best and brightest kids’ books of 2023."
-- Kete Books, New Zealand"Absolutely joyous on the one hand, while managing to open up deep discussions about history and (de-)colonization on the other."
-- Good Books, New Zealand"A captivating journey that not only celebrates Māori culture, but also speaks to the broader theme of self-discovery and the importance of finding one’s role in the intricate web of family, community, and the world at large."
-- The Sapling, New ZealandAbout the Author
Michaela Keeble is a lover of birds, fish and social justice, who also publishes poetry and short fiction. She grew up on Wurundjeri land in Australia and now lives on the Kāpiti Coast. Paku Manu Ariki Whakatakapōkai is based on conversation with her son Kerehi Grace (Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Porou).
Tokerau Wilson is a Cook Islands Māori illustrator and multimedia artist. Co-director of Māori Pasifika art gallery Wheke Fortress, Brown is also a musician, audio engineer and animator.
Product Details
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