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  • Published: 30 April 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143772224
  • Imprint: Picture Puffin
  • Format: Board Book
  • Pages: 14
  • RRP: $12.99

Kakapo Dance



New Zealand birds have such an amazing variety of sounds and movements! Dance and sing along with Kakapo and his friends in this read-aloud story about birdsong.

A playful readalong story about New Zealand bird song and movement, from award-winning author and illustrator Helen Taylor.

All the birds in the forest are singing and dancing. All except Kakapo.

Kakapo can’t
coo and glide like Kereru,
chirp and twirl like Fantail,
hop and chime like Bellbird, or
whistle and waddle like Whio.

But the other birds are having so much fun that he can’t help joining them –
in his own Kakapo way . . .

Thud, ching, tumble, shuffle, BOOM!

  • Published: 30 April 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143772224
  • Imprint: Picture Puffin
  • Format: Board Book
  • Pages: 14
  • RRP: $12.99

About the author

Helen Taylor

Helen Taylor is an award-winning children's book illustrator and an exhibiting artist with works in private collections around New Zealand and overseas.

She has been illustrating books since 1992 and has been twice shortlisted for the LIANZA Children's Book Awards. In 2006, Helen won Best Picture Book in the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, with A Booming in the Night, a collaboration with writer Ben Brown. Helen has also written and illustrated a number of picture books and in 2015 her book Kakapo Dance won a Storylines Notable Picture Book Award.

Helen lives in an old yellow house on a red-boned hill in the portside town of Lyttelton.

Also by Helen Taylor

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Praise for Kakapo Dance

Who knew so many interesting sounds and quirky movements could describe our beautiful New Zealand birds?

Viv Walker, Northern Advocate

The words of Kakapo Dance teach more about the different birds, describing their sounds and movements in simple wording that is fun for kids to chant out. More than that, this picture book has a lovely message that everyone is different, and that being different is a good thing! Suitable for ages 2-5.

JJ McConnachie, NZ Booklovers

Full to the feathers with wonderful New Zealand birds, Kakapo Dance is a celebration of all things kiwi . . . The illustrations are spectacular and each native bird has a chance to be the centre of attention, although quite rightly, Kakapo ultimately steals the show. A beautiful New Zealand picture book.

Lucy Barker, Good Reads

With a dance-inducing rhythm, Kakapo Dance [offers] a fun selection of words to describe the dance and song of our native birds.

Anushka Perinpanayagam, The Sapling

Awards & recognition

Storylines Notable Picture Book Award

Awarded  •  2015  •  A Storylines Notable Picture Book