Row, Row, Row your waka is a wonderful take on the classic children’s song with a kiw te reo slant. Rebecca Larsen has written and illustrated the story of three classic Aotearoa birds: pukeko, hoiho and kiwi as they travel through all kinds of adventures.
Of course, the book represents the lyrics to the popular song and presented in both English and te reo Māori. Teaching young people through song is such an important part of the learning process, and this is an excellent example of how te reo can be incorporated into traditional tunes and nursery rhymes.
There is a CD with a recorded version of the song accompanying the book - sung by Paul Inia with musical backing from Richard Larsen - to help those who may struggle a little with the pronunciation (and the musicality!)
Row, Row, Row your waka is a beautifully presented piece with illustrations that add a magical and exciting element to the text. It’s a classic already!
Reviewer: Chris Reed
Bateman Books