‘What was life like so many years ago? Find out through the eyes of a girl who’s just like you’. This is a tagline of a brilliant new series of books titled ‘New Zealand Girl’, each book written by a different well known New Zealand female author and aimed at 8-15 year old New Zealand girls. The first book is about Rebecca, a fiesty 10 year old Irish girl who escapes the workhouse and sails to New Zealand on the immigrant ship ‘Queen of Nations’. The second is about Hene, a brave Nga Puhi girl who has to leave her family to protect her from the disease ravaging her community, and finds herself right in the middle of the seige at Kororareka (Russell) in the Bay of Islands.
I’m liking
The whole concept. It is really well thought out and such a welcome addtion to New Zealand fiction. The writing is subtle and engaging, thoroughly enjoyed by this reader who is well out of the intended demographic!
Things that made me go hmmmm
No hmmmming necessary! They are a short and accessible read, which is perfect for the intended audience, but the content is so rich and suggestive it is almost disappointing that they are so compact.
The conclusion
These are our stories! Dramatic, exciting, real life events in our history brought to life by fictional characters who are each strong, intelligent and capable young women coping with extreme situations. Can’t wait to read the next one ‘Charlotte and the Golden Promise’, set during the Otago gold rush.
