New Zealand Post Book Awards - Ihiraia reviews

Taketakerau - The Millennium Tree, by Marnie Anstis

This book begins with a child sitting with his Grandma, listening to the radio.  Grandma shares a history book with the boy.  World history of the past 2000 years is covered in the book.  There is a timeline along the bottom of each page.  New Zealand's natural history is told as well, through the growing of a Puriri tree, which actually exists in the North Island's Bay of Plenty.

I found this an interesting book, telling the history of Aotearoa, through the perspective of the tree, Taketakerau.  The illustrations are more suggestive than realistic but they match the words very well, and bring the story to life.