Counting the Stars

book cover


Retold and illustrated by Gavin Bishop, Published by Random House NZ Ltd 2009
ISBN Hard cover: 978-1-86979-072-1
Full colour picture book, 48 pages
Page size: 210 x 280
Level: 4 – 10 years

A third in the series of Maori myths for children this book is a companion to TAMING THE SUN and RIDING THE WAVES. The four stories in this book are “Mother Earth and Father Sky”, “The Battle of the Birds”, “Kae and the Whale” and “Hinemoa and Tutanekai”.

Aimed at children 4-10 years, these myths are simply yet elegantly written. The illustrations are stunning - the different colour palette for each story and the strong mix of techniques create bold and beautiful images that integrate with the words in a powerful and meaningful way.