Witi Ihimaera

As her beloved grandfather, chief of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand, struggles to lead in difficult times and to find a male successor, young Kahu is developing a mysterious relationship with whales, particularly the ancient bull whale whose leg

The Whale Rider

Sarah Sammis

What a delightful read. I enjoyed every word of it. I was teary eyed at the end. It's not a very long book but no word is wasted.

Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. But he is focused on his duties as chief of a Maori tribe in Whangara, on the East Coast of New Zealand - a tribe that claims descent from the legendary 'whale rider'. In every generation since the whale rider, a male has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir - there's only kahu. She should be the next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl.Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle she has a unique ally: the whale rider himself, from whom she has inherited the ability to communicate with whales. Once that sacred gift is revealed, Kahu may be able to re-establish her people's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention - and lead her tribe to a bold new future.Also available as an eBook

luca

Read this one for college and adored it! I especially loved the writing on the concept of oneness and the whale-narrated chapters, which absolutely destroyed me. It was also a great introduction to Māori culture and def made me want to pick up more books by NZ authors in the future!

Hellboy TCR

An impressive first read from the Kiwi great. More on this later.

Taylor

I really think that I went into this with really high expectations because of how much I love the film. 

TWs: car accident, death, racism, animal death (graphic), misogyny, fatphobia

Jane Krauss

A story of female empowerment. After reading some Maori literature and having seen the film years ago, I knew I had to read it. The writing is beauty full of prose and reads like poetry.

The Whale Rider

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