Taming the Taniwha

by Tim Tipene, Henry Campbell (Illustrator)

Tama needs to find out just how to tame the meanest, greenest taniwha he's ever met. Tama is being bullied by a nasty taniwha. At a loss for solutions, he goes to his family for ideas about how to tame the taniwha. Taming the Taniwha explores a range of different methods for dealing with bullies and send a fun, positive message to children and their parents. Tim Tipene (Nga Puhi) has worked extensively with children, helping them develop strategies to deal with anger and emotions.

32 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2001

Reviews

[Sharlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Available to read for free online at children's library.org

I have never known someone calling another person a taniwha.

I haven't seen this kind of illustration or colouring in a book.

I liked how the story looks at getting help from your family and teachers when dealing with bullying. I also like how when Tama takes matters into his own hands, it makes the situation worse.

This book also touches on why James was a bully in the first place. He doesn't have kai. Too many children in NZ live in poverty, with little or no food to eat at school. This situation is all too real.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tama, a young boy is trying to deal with a very mean "taniwha" at school who steals his lunch and rips up his paintings. Tama seeks the advice of his extended family about how to tame this mean-spirited creature. In the end, Tama learns that sometimes even the meanest taniwha (a Maori reference to a mythological monster) needs a friend. This is a sweet tale of how one boy deals with a bully. This book is from the country of New Zealand where the indigenous Maori tribe often refer to a mythological monster of the sea they call the "taniwha." The beautiful artwork combined with a beautiful lesson will quickly make this book a favorite!