Local author releases children’s book on ‘Great Kiwi’ lockdown

Local writer Alison Condon has recently released a new children’s book titled ‘The Great Kiwi Lockdown’ with the aim of bringing hope and facilitating conversation as we journey through this Covid-19 challenge together.

Targeting four to eight-plus-year-olds, Paki the Kiwi departs from his usual role as a New Zealand bicultural history educator to tell a more recent story of a strange new virus that is sweeping around the world.

Life in Aotearoa New Zealand is about to change as the country unites to fight the virus “in our good Kiwi way”.

Alison wrote the story during lockdown with her grandchildren in mind.

It was decided to add this story to Alison’s ‘Chronicles of Paki’ history series because her script was so delightful and hope-filled, with its use of rhyme, and multiple ideas in it that children will connect with. It bounces from disappointments like birthday parties alone and empty playgrounds through to extra time with family, including those walks around the block looking for teddy bears in windows.

Prior to the release of “The Great Kiwi Lockdown” the team has released 15 historical children’s books in a biographical early New Zealand bicultural history series called “The Chronicles of Paki”.

“Our early history isn’t well-known. We want to tell it in a way that children are interested in and to make it appealing,” says Alison.

“I enjoy writing the stories. We get it all checked off by iwi and historians so it’s basically a dramatisation of history.”

These are found in schools and libraries nationwide and a ‘Junior Series’ is now being added.

This ‘Junior Series’ tells the same stories as the existing ‘Chronicles of Paki’ series, that Alison has co-authored with Gina Taggart, which targets readers aged 8 to 88 years, but this time for younger audiences aged four to seven years.

‘Te Powhiri – The Welcome (Junior Series)’ is the first of this Junior history series released. It tells the story of Captain James Cook’s first visit to New Zealand in 1769, through to the first Pakeha settlement at Oihi Bay (next to Rangihoua Pa) in 1814 at the invitation of Ngapuhi rangatira Ruatar. This story sets the scene for the biographies that follow.

The creation of the ‘Chronicles of Paki’ series was begun in 2013, with the dream that New Zealanders might one day value their story.

With compulsory education in schools beginning from 2022, Alison and Gina recognise that day might be drawing near.

“We have been thoroughly enjoying the process of making our rich history available to the younger generations of Aotearoa New Zealand,” say Alison and Gina.

“Responses to these stories have consistently been very positive, and throughout the process we’ve been enjoying the profound privilege of sitting with people to hear the stories of their tipuna.

We’re loving every bit of this journey and throughly enjoy the process.”