Bird Child & Other Stories

Patricia Grace is an iconic and celebrated Māori author, so when this book was sent to be reviewed, I was very excited.

In this anthology there are three parts; part one is dedicated to exploring pūrākau, part two is a mix of old and new tales based on Grace’s childhood memories and experiences centred on the character Mereana, and part three contains newer stories.

There is a mixture of English and Te Reo Māori used and for some it might be helpful to have a glossary of terms. However, using a mixture of languages is more and more commonplace which shows how normalised Te Reo is becoming. This is heartwarming and a big achievement in this day and age.

Mahuika et al., Sun’s Marbles and The Unremembered are all new interesting takes on well known pūrakau, offering another perspective. These will work well in a classroom setting as they explore themes around the environment and challenge us to think about our actions in relation to the world we live in. Grace breathes new life into old tales and I like the new Mahuika perspective.

Part three also offers a mix of old and new works. Some of the standouts in this section were Matariki All-Stars, Thunder and Green Dress. Again these stories are rich in description and teach the audience valuable lessons about life. The anthology ends powerfully with Whakarongo. It seems to be a gentle reminder to appreciate Aotearoa and all its beauty.

Overall, this piece offers a stunning collection of well crafted stories by one of Aotearoa’s most well known authors. You will be enchanted by the cover and by the works that lay beneath. With stories like these, I feel as an English teacher we will continue to have contemporary and relevant pieces to teach ākonga. It shows that we don’t have to rely on old and stale Eurocentric pieces to teach a rich curriculum using diverse writers. I look forward to using this in my classroom.

Advisory warning: alludes to violence in some pieces.