Waitangi Day - the New Zealand Story: What it is and Why it Matters ~ Paperback ~ Philippa Werry

Aimed at younger readers but providing an excellent resource for the whole family, this new book looks at the rich history behind Waitangi Day, universally recognised as New Zealand's national day. It reviews the historic events behind the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and charts the celebrations, tensions and protests witnessed in the years that followed, concluding with a summary of the Waitangi Day events held around the country on 6th February today. All aspects of the story are covered, from the first interactions in Northland with Maori, sealers, whalers and missionaries, to the gifting of the treaty grounds by Lord and Lady Bledisloe, the impact of the New Zealand Wars and two World Wars, royal visits, the rise of Maori activism and claims for sovereignty. Historic and colour photographs portray the numerous historic sites in and around the Bay of Islands which have relevance to the Waitangi story, and record the politics of change that led to formal recognition of The Waitangi Day Act in 1976. An engaging informative text gives children a very well balanced view of the significance and background to New Zealand's celebration of Waitangi Day.Author BiographyPhilippa Werry is a librarian and children's writer whose non-fiction, poetry, stories and plays have been widely published. Her work has appeared in the School Journal and other educational publications, and some stories have been broadcast on National Radio. Several of her books are listed as Storylines Notable Books and Anzac Day published by New Holland was shortlisted for both the NZ Post Children's Book Awards and LIANZA Children's Book Awards in 2014. She is the author of Best Mates, illustrated by Bob Kerr and also published by New Holland.