TAYLOR, Helen Kakapo Dance Penguin, 2014 unpaged NZ$19.99 pbk ISBN 9780143506010 SCIS 1672652
One of the joys of living in the New Zealand country is to hear the cheeky chirp of the fantail, the ‘wowo’ of the gliding native pigeon and the extraordinary ‘chime’ of the bellbird. But what about the sound of that rare bird, the kakapo? Well, all the birds of the forest sing together but the kakapo asserts ‘Kakapo DON’T sing or dance, we’re just not made that way!’ Indeed they don’t. Kakapo sound recording can be found online. The creator of this blend of words and pictures captures it well when Kakapo thuds and chings, tumbles and shuffles, and booms, booms BOOMS!
At one level this book is a delightful example of faction where, in narrative and illustrative format, we gain insight into the sounds of birds (representation) and the book invites the reader to be sensitive to the sounds of nature. But at another more anthropomorphic level, the story gives permission for living difference. We may all be humans but some of us do not play sports, do not gyrate to the sound of music, and do not take pleasure in the complexity of dance. But we may, like this illustrator, have a wonderful ability to paint! Recommended.
reviewed by John McKenzie
