Nanny Rina's Amazing Nets

In this beautiful wintery picture book Nanny Rina teaches her mokopuna Haeta te Kapua, the meaning of each star in the Matariki cluster. Nanny Rina is an expert weaver, which Matariki star appears first will determine which net she will weave. Along with Haeta te Kapua, the reader learns about the different stars and what they represent along with which net Nanny Rina would weave.

The story is set at Nanny’s familiar and cosy looking cottage and filled with delicious foods, steaming cups of tea and sleeping dogs. It really is the perfect winter read. As always Isobel Joy Te Aho-White’s sweet illustrations perfectly match the vibe of the story, the colour pallet is warm and she masterfully catches the movement of harakeke, steam and spirits. Qiane Matata-Sipu gives over the narrative to the two main characters and a lot of the story is told through dialogue, the easy flow between Nanny and Mokopuna.

Nanny Rina’s Amazing Nets was originally written in te reo Māori and has been translated into English, It is also available in as Nga Kupenga a Nanny Rina. At the end of the book Matata-Sipu has included clear, concise instructions on how to make a small kupenga (net). This would be a great story for teachers to read with their classes and then attempt the nets together. This is a fresh and interesting look at a common topic, Matata-Sipu’s authentic voice is one to look out for.