Jacinda Ardern has always been busy, and ever since she saw classmates at her Murupara school with no shoes or lunch to eat, she has wanted to help.

This desire remained through high school, Waikato University and her Big OE, (working in soup kitchens in New York). Along the way she had worked for the NZ Labour Party, UK’s Prime Minister Tony Blair, and President of the Int. Union of Socialist Youth.

Back in NZ she was elected to Parliament as the country’s youngest MP, keen to introduce Te Maori to all schools, combat Climate Change, and eliminate poverty. “Let’s do this!” became her mantra.

Despite being called, “…too girly,” amongst other things, Jacinda went on to win over NZ’s voters, become a mother and NZ’s youngest leader for 160 years, and the world’s youngest female leader. She soon was applauded all over the world, for her compassion in the wake of the terrible mosque shootings of 2019.

An inspiring sophisticated picture book about own own trailblazer, politician, mother and partner, full of interesting information and a clear timeline of NZ Politics and Jacinda’s part in it. The newest in this acclaimed series about inspirational New Zealanders, Taking the Lead is a window into the world’s youngest women leader’s life.

Author – David Hill

Illustrator – Phoebe Morris

Sophisticated Picture Book

Teacher’s Resources here

(Politics, NZ, New Zealand, Biography, Historical, Series)