- Published: 31 August 2021
- ISBN: 9780143775690
- Imprint: Picture Puffin
- Format: Hardback
- Pages: 64
- RRP: $39.99
Atua
Maori Gods and Heroes
















- Published: 31 August 2021
- ISBN: 9780143775690
- Imprint: Picture Puffin
- Format: Hardback
- Pages: 64
- RRP: $39.99
Bishop's gorgeous illustrations are the true heroes here, with a dreamy quality that breathes fresh life into stories that deserve this retelling on such a grand stage.
Joanna Wane, Weekend Herald - Canvas
[A] splendid cloak of knowledge, to be worn proudly by any New Zealander
Trevor Agnew, agnewreading.blogspot.com
With gatefold spreads and extraordinary artwork, the stories build our knowledge of te ao Maori whilst also being entertaining, with a big dose of humour and poetry. A treasure for the whole family to share. Reading aloud recommended.
Crissi Blair, Family Times
Gavin Bishop’s Atua: Maori Gods and Heroes is one of those special books I imagine the author has germinated and carried for a long time...The book is a treasure house, a gift, a kete stocked with an abundance of knowledge and wisdom in both the narrative and the artwork. ...I picture this book in the arms of a parent as they read to youngsters, as teachers hold it up to a class. It is a book of Maori gods but it is also a handbook for life. How to be kind to earth, how to be kind to ourselves, and to those near us. I am reminded how stories have resonant, necessary and enduring power, and can be sung, whispered or rendered in paint. How we pass stories along, and as Gavin suggests, adding this and that. I hold this book out to you, hoping you will hold it out to someone else, young or old. It has earned a place upon our shelves of book taonga.
Paula Green, Poetry Box
...a wonderful keepsake book for both families and educators alike...Highly recommended.
Sue's Reviews, Wairarapa Times-Age
This book sits perfectly alongside the new Histories Document. It is a collection of te ao Maori myth and legend and covers all the stories that underpin tikanga. Gavin includes the tales we all know and introduces us to the Atua wahine whose stories we may never have learned of before. Interwoven in the stories are many facts to support the reader to develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between tikanga, science and the environment...Highly recommended.
Leanne Nathan, Clendon Park School, The School Library, Read NZ Te Pou Muramura
For every whanau and whare. Like Peter Gossage’s retellings of the exploits of Maui, or Stacey Morrison’s My First Words in Maori, Atua is an essential book that happens to be targeted at tamariki - But should actually be grabbed and cherished and learned from by everyone who lives in Aotearoa.
Sarah Forster, Newsroom
Atua tells the tale of Aotearoa's creation in a wondrous pukapuka (book of purakau (myth). Extraordinary illustrations punctuate each korero (story), a glossary is dotted throughout, to grow your knowledge of te reo kupu (words) and facts. A companion in style and size to Aotearoa, Atua is a must for every bookshelf.
Jenna Todd, The Dominion Post Weekend
New Zealand Booklovers Awards
Finalist • 2022 • NZ Booklovers Best Children's Book Award