Description
On a beach clean-up, thirteen-year-old one-legged Charlie and his half-brother, Robbie, find a ponaturi – a mermaid – washed up on a beach. An ancient grudge between the Māori gods Tane and Tangaroa has flared up because a port being built in the bay is degrading the ocean and creatures are fleeing the sea. This has reignited anger between the gods, which breaks out in storms, earthquakes and huge seas. The human world and realm of the gods are thrown into chaos. The ponaturi believes Charlie is the only one who can stop the destruction because his stump is a sign that he straddles both worlds. So begins Charlie’s journey to find a way to reunite the gods, realise the power in the ancient songs his grandfather taught him, and discover why he was the one for the task.
Interest age: 9 – 12+
Reading age: 9 – 12+
Themes explored include: Family and belonging, identity and whakapapa, friendship and loyalty, courage and resilience, grief and loss, environmental responsibility, kaitiakitanga (guardianship), Māori mythology and spirituality, colonisation and cultural connection, survival, trust and betrayal, coming of age, teamwork, hope, healing, adventure and discovery, respect for the ocean, the relationship between humans and nature
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