Notes

New Zealand history like never before! ... Look for New Zealand on the map. There is the North Island like some long-necked creature leaping up and away, trying to escape from the South Island and Stewart Island, anxious to have a few adventures on its own. But the South Island, sternly oblong, holds it back and Stewart Island finally anchors it down. 'You're not having any adventures without me,' it mutters. Don't think you can leave me behind just because I'm smaller than you two!' For New Zealand is certainly an adventurous country ... we have forests and rocky beaches. We have earthquakes and volcanoes, and pools of boiling mud and these days we also have the All Blacks-a world famous rugby football team. Earthquakes, boiling mud and rugby players! Who could wish for more? And New Zealand seems to be one of those countries that has crumbs in its bed and needs to wriggle around in order to be comfortable. It buries bits of itself and then pushes other pieces up. It is not one of those countries that lies around peacefully yawning from time to time and having a bit of a snooze ... The famous children's writer joins forces with her country's top political cartoonist in this hilarious and irreverent history of Aotearoa-or New Zealand, to use its other name.