Caitlin is looking forward to her summer holidays at her Grandad’s beachside batch. She has spent many summers there and loves swimming in the rivers and the sea, and spending hours on the beach.

This year feels different. There has been more storms and the settled summer weather hasn’t arrived. Grandad is soon making repairs to the batch after the last storm and preparing for any more that come their way.

The first thing Caitlin wants to do is swim in her favourite spot on the river. It’s colder than she remembers but she relishes the memories it brings. In a matter of hours she begins to feel terribly ill. When it doesn’t ease, a trip to the doctor is made. Caitlin isn’t sure about the doctor’s tummy bug diagnosis, especially after a local asks her where she’s been swimming. Her favourite swimming hole has had a rahui placed on it by local Maori. They believe the river is sick.

This local is named Anahera, and her Koro (Grandfather) has been living on the river his whole life. He knew it when it provided enough food for all his whanau and always gave clean, clear water.

Caitlin’s alter ego Reporter Violet Vincent‘s interest is sparked. Ruined rivers? She gets her journalist friend involved and water tests reveal what local Maori already know. The problem is they’ve been telling the council for years and have been completely ignored. Why is it when a Pakeha girl falls sick, people listen?

The river is so much more to Maori than just a waterway. When their awa is sick, so are they.

“Ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au. I am the river and the river is me.”

It is only when the council finally listen to Anahera’s Koro that solutions begin to be discussed. Everyone is responsible for cleaning up their river.

As expected, another storm arrives to batter the seaside batches. This time Grandad’s batch is just too close to the pounding waves. Caitlin and Grandad must flee – straight into a torrent from the swollen river…

Read in one sitting, Viola Vincent (3) had me hooked. I haven’t read any previous books in the series, but didn’t need to, in order to take an instant liking to this climate-change-savvy-kiwi-kid.

The Tikanga Maori content was excellent, showing the knowledge and history of the local Maori elders. First it is ignored by authorities, as in real life too often, but finally realised as a powerful source of connection and a way forward.

There are many climate based issues woven cleverly throughout the story, without bashing the reader over the head with them. And as is proven over and over again in reality, seaside communities are dealing with many aspects of climate change. Unfortunately storms, king tides, whale strandings and dying estuaries are too common in New Zealand.

Author – Anna Kenna

Age – 10+

Check out the rest of the series here

(2020, NZ, New Zealand, Climate Change, Storm, Kiwi Author, Reporter, Journalist, Maori, River, Water Health, Farm Runoff, Dairy Farming, Marae, Beachside Batch, Grandfather, Community)