Taramea Publishing
Homesick in Wisconsin, 11-year-old Annie lies on an eagle-shaped mound when it breaks from the ground, flying her home to New Zealand 1000 years too early and during a battle between the birds.
About Lee’s work on this book:
Feeling homesick is horrible. The new place, while exciting, just isn’t as good. The food is different, nothing is familiar, and people talk funny. It was like that when I moved to Wisconsin. Then I discovered Wisconsin’s intriguing animal-shaped effigy mounds, ancient sites with no known purpose. I imagined these mounds were secret portals to other places. If I found the right one, perhaps it would whisk me home to New Zealand.
But they say you can never go home. Things change while you are away; new buildings go up, new roads develop, and people move on. So, when I wrote Annie’s adventure, I thought I might explore this idea, while also drawing on my experience of trail running on forest trails. I sent Annie back to a time when Moa and Te Hokioi dominated the wild New Zealand bush.
Eventually, I came to love Wisconsin with its red barns, yellow school buses and blue, blue lakes. I loved the sound of my shovel in the snow, cheesey bagels, fall leaves, sledding, and the lovely friends I made there. Perhaps it’s time I look for a New Zealand portal, so I can pop back for a visit!
Other details:
Title: BATTLE OF THE BIRDS by Lee Murray, cover illustrated by Vonnie Sterritt
ISBN 978-0-473-18928-0
RRP - $19.99
Pbl- Taramea Publishing
Age 9-12yrs |
