Books Jack Reads

New Zealand singer and entertainer Jay Laga'aia has become a well-known face in the children's publishing world, having provided the music to two great sing-along stories, The Kiwis go Marching one by one, and My Old Man, He Played Rugby (look back through my website to find my review of that one!)

 

Now, Jay's written his first picture book for Kiwi kids, all a-boat (sorry, I mean all about) Team New Zealand's 2017 victory in the America's Cup.

 

It's the day of the big yacht race, and Team Kiwi (which consists of a kiwi, a sheep, a kaka, and a cow) is ready to go! They have a hand-built boat, with flax sails, bicycle power, and tied together with strong buffalo grass. But with choppy waters and a big storm on the horizon, will Team Kiwi be able to cross the finish line first?

 

If you and your kids have heard any of Jay's other musical stories, then you'll enjoy this one just as much.

 

Filled with phrases like "The magic of the weave will never fail", and "It's time to show the world just who we are", this book will be perfect to read when the next America's Cup race comes to New Zealand.

 

The talented New Zealand illustrator Donovan Bixley also has a lot of fun with the pictures in this story, featuring lots of little details for kids and parents to spot, like the sea foam spelling out "Go NZ", and the message in the bottle that says "S.O.S. We've been 6 months in a leaky boat" (which is also a little inside joke for parents who know this classic Kiwi song).

 

Not only that, but there is also a bonus section at the end featuring facts about both Team New Zealand's 1995 America's Cup win, and our win in 2017.

 

This story also comes with a bonus music CD, sung by Jay and featuring ocean sound effects, which parents and children can sing along with using the karaoke version.

 

Overall, this is a great first book by a talented NZ face, featuring a catchy song, and perfect for when the America's Cup hits our shores again.