Counting the Stars : Four Māori Myths by Gavin Bishop

This new book of Māori myths, retold by Gavin Bishop, is a reminder that there are lots of Māori myths that don’t feature Māui.

This book follows the same format as Gavin Bishop's previous retellings of Maori Myths, Taming the Sun and Riding the Waves. The tales are simply told with bold colourful illustrations integrated with the text. The four myths are
Mother Earth and Father Sky - how Te Ao Māori came to be
The battle of the birds- why the sea and land birds live apart
Kae and the whale- why failing to keep a promise can lead to your downfall
Hinemoa and Tūtānekai- one of the all-time great love stories, showing how determination can overcome adversity.

The flowing style of the test makes it ideal as a read-aloud and for silent reading.

Reviewed by Kathy

Published by Random House (2009)