Taming the Sun: Four Maori Myths

Written and illustrated by well-known children’s writer and illustrator Gavin Bishop, Taming the Sun contains four stories, including two well-known legends (Maui And The Sun and Maui And The Big Fish) and two less well-known legends (Rona And The Moon and Kahu The Taniwha). Aimed at children with reading ages 3-7 years, these myths are simply and yet elegantly written. Gavin’s characteristic sense of humour is evident in all of the stories; and while each story is exciting and often a little bit scary, they are resolved beautifully. Gavin allows the essence of the original myths to remain while also re-telling them for a new generation of children. The illustrations are stunning the different colour palette for each story and the strong mix of techniques create bold and beautiful images that integrate with the words in a powerful and meaningful way. Taming the Sun is an imaginative, fresh and much-needed addition to the picture book genre, which takes traditional myths to a new level. Created by one of New Zealand’s most talented and passionate children’s book writers and illustrators.