Welcome to KIWIreviews - product reviews
•  click here to return to the homepage  •
Welcome visitor.Join us or log in

Product reviews on kiwireviews.nz : Friday 29th March 2024 - 21:22:21

QuickSearch for:    What is QuickSearch?
QuickJump to:    What is QuickJump?
logon name: p/w:  

I want to:

You Are Here...

Home > Categories > Books > Young Adult > My New Zealand Story: Bastion Point review

« Red Sister reviewRed SisterTawhirimatea: A Song for Matariki reviewTawhirimatea: A Song for Matariki »

Score: 9.0/10  [2 reviews]
4 out of 5
ProdID: 7539 - My New Zealand Story: Bastion Point
Written by: Tania Roxborogh

My New Zealand Story: Bastion Point
Price:
$17.99
Sample/s Supplied by:
Click to search for all products supplied by Scholastic (NZ)

Disclosure StatementFULL DISCLOSURE: A number of units of this product have, at some time, been provided to KIWIreviews by Scholastic (NZ) or their agents for the sole purposes of unbiased, independent reviews. No fee was requested, offered nor accepted by KIWIreviews or the reviewers themselves - these are genuine, unpaid consumer reviews.
Available:
May 2017

My New Zealand Story: Bastion Point product reviews

Proud to promote NZ products"I'm writing this by lamplight. That's right. Like Swiss Family Robinson or something. We're up here with no electricity or running water, while just across from us and down the road is the real world."

Erica Tito had the perfect summer holiday planned. Then her father decided the whole family would pack up and join the protestors at Bastion Point in Auckland. No way! Instead of spending dreamy summer days training Silver, her first-ever horse, Erica and her family have to camp in tents. At first everyone thinks the protest will be over quickly, but as weeks turn into months, it becomes clear that Erica will not be going home and, worse, may never see Silver again,

Through Erica's heartfelt diary entries we learn about the daily lives of the protestors, and listen in on grand speeches and fiery confrontations between the protestors, Ngati Whatua elders, police and politicians. And we witness the distressing eviction of the occupiers - all seen through the eyes of a Maori girl previously unaware of race and land issues.

This book is part of the My New Zealand Story series which makes history come alive. It includes archival photographs of the actual event.

Check out Scholastic (NZ) onlineClick here to see all the listings for Scholastic (NZ) Visit their website They do not have a Twitter account Check them out on Facebook They do not have a YouTube Channel They do not have a Pinterest board They do not have an Instagram channel They do not have a TikTok channel



Tags:
auckland   bastion point   diary   erica tito   my new zealand story   ngati whatua   nz book   nz history   nzmade   scholastic   takaparawha   tania roxborogh   young adult
Other listings you may be interested in:
My New Zealand Story - Earthquake! : Napier, 1930-31My New Zealand Story - Earthquake! : Napier, 1930-31
Rating: 7.6
My New Zealand Story - Here Come the MarinesMy New Zealand Story - Here Come the Marines
Rating: 9.0
My New Zealand Story: Cyclone BolaMy New Zealand Story: Cyclone Bola
Rating: 9.5
My New Zealand Story: Cup MagicMy New Zealand Story: Cup Magic
Rating: 8.0
My New Zealand Story: Lighthouse FamilyMy New Zealand Story: Lighthouse Family
Rating: 9.5
My New Zealand Story - Canterbury QuakeMy New Zealand Story - Canterbury Quake
Rating: 9.8
My New Zealand Story - Harbour BridgeMy New Zealand Story - Harbour Bridge
Rating: 10.0
My New Zealand Story: Dawn RaidMy New Zealand Story: Dawn Raid
Rating: 9.5
My New Zealand Story: Chinatown GirlMy New Zealand Story: Chinatown Girl
Rating: 9.6
My New Zealand Story: PandemicMy New Zealand Story: Pandemic
Rating: 9.8
Creative Creatures: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Own CreationsCreative Creatures: A Step-by-Step Guide to Making Your Own Creations
Rating: 9.1
The King of SpaceThe King of Space
Rating: 9.6
Ella Diaries #3:  I Heart Pets    Ella Diaries #3:  I Heart Pets    
Rating: 10.0

Product reviews...

Everyone is welcome to post a review. You will need to Join up or log in to post yours.

Click here to read the profile of mumkat

Review by: mumkat (Kathaleen)
Dated: 25th of July, 2017

Link to this review Report this review

 

This Review: 9.0/10
Price:
Score 9 out of 10
Rereadability:
Score 9 out of 10
Lose Track of Time:
Score 9 out of 10
Personal Choice:
Score 9 out of 10

'Ehara taku toa he toa takatahi engari he toa takatini."

I loved this book. I didn't realise that it was a fictional story and I really felt for Erica and her family. I know this is based on a true story and can't believe how badly the maori's were treated. I definitely want to know more about this and strongly think things could have been better handled. I found the shorter entries easy to read and lost myself in the book. The passing of the young girl with the raw emotion made me sad for the people.

This book is a must read for any new Zealander who wants to learn more about the country, the trials and the history. I was slightly confused with the dates at the end of the book in the letters, however in just a few short months this won't be an issue. This also makes me want to read more about politics and more of the books in this series.

My six year old decided this is an awesome bedtime book and can't wait for me to get to the end so we can start it again and it has become a talking point in class. I totally recommend this book to others.

Click here to read the profile of savta

Review by: savta (Jo)
Dated: 3rd of June, 2017

Link to this review Report this review

 

This Review: 9.0/10
Price:
Score 10 out of 10
Rereadability:
Score 9 out of 10
Lose Track of Time:
Score 9 out of 10
Personal Choice:
Score 8 out of 10

I firmly believe that any book which can bring history alive for young readers and engage them in reading is a potential treasure. Children are so often seduced away from reading by other distractions that are more immediate: modern technology provides so many other ways of providing information. Television, the Internet, social media, cell phones - all, in their own way, stimulate learning but often at the expense of offering a deeper understanding of issues.

In this book, there are several strands which recur and are explored in such a way as to encourage the young reader to find out more. There is an extensive bibliography of works that can be accessed for further study, including film documentaries. There are some wonderful archival photographs which capture the feel of the event and the scope of the protest. There is a glossary of some of the Maori words used in the text. There is a timeline of the Ngati Whatua land claims - a history lesson in five pages! And finally, there are the words of "Erica" herself as she chronicles the time she spent (nearly 18 months) on Takaparawha (Bastion Point) with her family, vividly presented in diary form in the language of a twelve-year-old girl.

The story is told with energy and enthusiasm; there are details of contemporary social events and customs which will be of interest to the modern reader. There is a reference to the school library's not having any information on Parihaka: this would have been common in the 1970s due to the sidelining of local history, when the emphasis in the syllabus was still on British and Commonwealth history. A ballpoint pen is referred to as a biro, and Robert Muldoon is the Prime Minister. Men are the breadwinners and the warriors while the women are expected to be the home makers. Erica challenges racist and sexist stereotypes in the classroom and then in her interschool debate, foreshadowing the major societal changes that are in the wind.

Although I enjoyed the story and felt that it was thoughtfully and creatively crafted, there were a few disappointments - mainly in the editing and organisation. The glossary is useful but only to a point. There are some Maori words which are clarified in the context of the story so do not need to be included in the glossary, but there are others which are used in isolation (e.g. korero, kaore) and which might confuse a reader who is not familiar with Te Reo - especially a reader from overseas. Those of us who speak Maori, even if not particularly fluent, will recognise these words without difficulty but not all readers will.

There are also two significant errors in the Maori text which completely alter the intended meaning. The support from people throughout Aotearoa is referred to as "a miki in the noho of Muldoon". The word "noho" means something quite different: the correct spelling is "nono"! Later in the text, Erica responds to a policewoman's request for her name by delivering a full mihi. However, she says "Ko James raua ko Keri toku matua". Since she is referring to both parents, the correct form should be the plural "oku matua". I feel that it is vital that typos such as these are eliminated from future editions as it is so important to tautoko the Maori language along with the English.

With the errors noted, this is still a worthwhile read - both as an incentive for young people to read by presenting the story from the point of view of a young person they can relate to, and in terms of bringing history to life so painlessly. The story of Takaparawha is a sad example of indigenous disempowerment, and carries a powerful message for today's readers. But it is part of our heritage and as such should provide a lesson for future generations to learn from.

Random listing from 'Books'...

Score: 9.6
Product reviews for listing 3647: The House That Wonky Built -  Brand / Author: Craig Smith

Product image for The House That Wonky BuiltThe House that Wonky Built. Activity Pack.
Hee Haw! More Wonky Fun! Help Wonky decorate his house!

Includes : Fold out play set, stickers, plus a bonus copy of The Wonky Donkey book and CD!

Not suitable for children under three years. Contains small parts.

Go to the listing

General Disclaimer...

Protected by Copyscape Plagiarism Checker - Do not copy content from this page. Creative Commons Licence All trademarks, images and copyrights on this site are owned by their respective companies.
KIWIreviews is an independent entity, part of the Knock Out News Group. This is a free public forum presenting user opinions on selected products, and as such the views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of kiwireviews.nz and are protected under New Zealand law by the "Honest Opinion" clause of the Defamation Act of 1992. KIWIreviews accepts no liability for statements made on this site, on the premise that they have been submitted as the true and honest opinions of the individual posters. In most cases, prices and dates stated are approximate and should be considered as only guidelines.

"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises."
Demosthenes