Wrapping Things  

 Linda Burgess  

Hilary Jean Tapper

 

Wrapping Things (2025)
Linda Burgess, Illustrator: Hilary Jean Tapper
Allen and Unwin
Picture Book, Paperback, 32 pages
ISBN 978 1 991142 00 9 

 

‘Rosie wraps Rabbit in the blanket she had when she was a baby.’

Linda Burgess has spotted a useful metaphor and turned it into a splendid story. Rosie enjoys wrapping up her toys and crayons. We see her helping her mother wrapping a parcel for Granny.

 ‘Rosie helps her wrap the box in brown paper.’

When Rosie has a bath, her father wraps her in a towel and carries her to where her pyjamas are warming by the fire.

(There are hints in the illustrations that Rosie’s mother is pregnant, but the focus in this beautifully-told story concentrates on Rosie and her feelings.)

Rosie is delighted when Granny comes to stay and the story’s mood of comfortable warmth is emphasised when she and Rosie make muffins. ‘They cover them with a clean cloth to keep them warm.’

When Rosie realises that her parents have suddenly gone away, her Granny comforts her and soon has her wrapped up in Granny’s bed for a warm hug.

Next morning Granny takes Rosie (clutching carefully-wrapped flowers) to the maternity ward where her mother shows her a baby wrapped in a blanket.

‘”Hi Bella,” says Rosie.’

Hilary Jean Tapper, already acclaimed for her illustrations to Joy Cowley’s At the Bach (2023), has excelled herself in Wrapping Things. Her beautiful watercolour illustrations capture the domestic life of a small family as well as providing touching cameos of the main characters. The most skilful portrayal has gone into every illustration. Particularly impressive is the scene where Rosie is woken by the car leaving and realises her parents have left her behind. Our view is from outside, with Rosie (and her kitten) pressed up to the window. Rosie is sad; her cheeks are red and she is about to start crying. Behind Rosie, her Granny stands, well aware of how Rosie feels and knowing exactly what needs to be done. Or, as the text puts it, ‘My bed, I think.’ Warm blankets await. A perfect match of pictures and words.

The items shown in the pretty endpapers can all be identified by young readers.

 

This is an ideal book for reading to children when a baby is on the way. Or at any other time.

 

Trevor Agnew 

25 Sep 2025 [Review 3798]

 

 

Meri Kirihimete, Kererū    Juliette MacIver   Daron Parton

 

Meri Kirihimete, Kererū  (2025)  
Juliette MacIver,  Illustrator: Daron Parton  
Allen and Unwin
Picture book, paperback, 32 pages
ISBN 978 1 991142 30 6 

 

Meri Kirihimete, Kererū translates from Māori as Merry Christmas, Wood Pigeon. Juliette MacIver has written a cheerful Christmas story making full use of her usual witty phrases and clever rhymes.   The animals of the bush are all busy preparing for Christmas, and each has a wish.

‘Kiwi has a secret wish: she’s always longed to fly.

But Tuatara only wants a safe warm place to lie.’

Centipede has musical hopes, Bat wants better eyesight and Kea dreams of car parts. [The world’s only mountain parrot, the kea is famous for amusing itself by damaging tourists’ cars. Windscreen wipers are favourite targets.]

Kererū the wood pigeon, however, is quietly despairing:

‘She yearns to sing like Tūī does, a silver, trilling flute.

But Santa can’t change who she is. All he’s got is fruit.’

Each of the bush creatures receives a Christmas present from Santa that meets their needs, so Bat gets spectacles and Kea gets a windscreen wiper! But poor Kererū is disappointed. Then her friends gather and co-operate to bring her dearest wish to fruition. Tuatara has worked out that since Kererū can only coo, ‘we’ll host a Christmas COO-ALONG.’ And they form a choir.

‘And oh! The coo of Kererū is sweet as any dove,

and all the bush resounds at last with Christmas joy and love.’

 

Daron Parton’s colour illustrations are a perfect match for this warm-hearted tale. He even manages to make the centipede look adorably cuddly. Each picture creates attractive shapes and bold colours as well as matching the mood of the story. The portraits of the various animals are delightful. Santa Claus has dressed appropriately for the summer season, arriving in jandals and shorts.

With its touching conclusion and smooth rhythms, Meri Kirihimete, Kererū is a pleasure to read aloud. 

 

Trevor Agnew 

25 Sep 2025 [Review 3799]

 

 

 

Kuwi the Kiwi Treasury   Kat Quin           

 

Kuwi the Kiwi Treasury  (2025)
Author and illustrator: Kat Quin  
Illustrated Publishing (Te Awamutu, NZ)
Picture book, hardback 200 pages
ISBN 978 1 7385904 9 0 

 

This handsome hardback picture book, with a cute kiwi peering through the peekaboo cover, brings together Kat Quin’s first five Kuwi the Kiwi picture books in a single volume.

The stories included are:

1.     Kuwi’s First Egg (2014) where Kuwi’s egg survives disaster and little Huwi hatches out.

2.     Kuwi’s Huhu Hunt (2015) where picky chick, Huwi, explores bush cuisine with his mother.

3.     Kuwi’s Very Shiny Bum (2016) where Kuwi creates appropriate Christmas presents for her friends.

4.     Kuwi’s Rowdy Crowd (2018) where Kuwi seeks peace and finds noisy friends.

5.     Kuwi’s Fluey Huwi (2024) where Huwi has the sneezes and Kuwi seeks a cure for him.

The writer-illustrator, Kat Quin, has also included an illustrated account of how Kuwi was created, complete with concept sketches. Kat Quin’s illustrations for these books often include amusing details. Her creatures furnish their homes with Tiffany lamps and classic paintings ranging from Vermeer’s Weta with a Pearl Ear-ring to Leonardo’s Mona Kiwi. Among the Quin family photos included is one of artist Dick Frizell looking at a sweetly satirical rendering of his iconic Tiki to Mickey as Tiki to Kiwi! 

Treasury is the right word. These five books in one are as much fun to look at as to read.

 

Trevor Agnew 

29 Sep 2025 [Review 3801]