Reviews
'Booknotes' Review (The New Zealand Book Council Magazine)
'Battle at the Gate'
Subtitled The Story of the Battle of Gate Pa, Tauranga NZ intentions are fairly clear - and picture books are especially well placed for making the past come alive. Potter's realistic artwork easily creates a sense of time and place (however some will wonder about the strikingly modern Maori faces). This strong visual element, however, frees up the author, allowing her to keep the text brief and straightforward.
The story of Gate Pa is well known for one woman's unexpected act of kindness, and its celebration of humanity on the battlefield makes it particularly well suited to the child market. Understanding that the New Zealand Wars were mostly brutal and bloody will make this book all the more poignant.
Simple text with more sophisticated content.
'Creativebeat' Review (Published by Creative Tauranga)
The Story that 'changed the face of the Bay' - the Battle of Gate Pa - has been turned into a book especially for children.
Author Jenny Jenkins of Matapihi believes she has written the first historical story of Tauranga aimed at children, in her retelling of the battle of Gate Pa in 1864.
The Tauranga Children's Writers Group member was looking for ideas when her father, Don Campbell who lives in Gate Pa, put her on to the story.
Battle at the Gate concentrates on Heni Te Kirikaramu, ( also known as Jane Foley), the Maori woman who gave water to a dying British officer Lieutenant-Colonel Booth after the battle - the water sculpture at the corner of Spring and Grey streets represents the water gourd that Heni carried on to the battlefield.
Jenny says her story teaches children about role models.
"The book is not just about our roots, it's also that Heni is an excellent role model. For a total stranger to come and give him (Booth) water; he could have killed her. When children read of these role models, maybe they might push past their own selfishness, - as children naturally are- and reach out to others that might need help."
The battle for Gate Pa was "arguably Tauranga's most important history story, yet many local school children had never heard of it", Jenny says.
The illustrator is Auckland artist Bruce Potter, and Battle at the Gate is published by Raupo Books (formerly Reed but now owned by Penguin).
Bay of Plenty Times former editor Craig Nicholson said of the book, "There is something quite magical about reading a children's book that is based in our region. And a story based on the truth is even better. It's a picture book we can all be proud of."
