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For children aged 3 to 7.
Reviews
Adele Broadbent, WhatBookNext.com ~ A homage to the elephant slide in a playground in Bishopdale, Christchurch, New Zealand. This elephant has had generations of children climbing over it and sliding down its attached slide, providing endless hours of fun since the late 1970’s. The connection between child and animal is everlasting, and with exotic animals, even more so. The child in this story sees someone (the elephant) in need of some kindness and goes the extra mile to help. This combination of a beloved playground slide and extending the hand of kindness makes a lovely story for young children, and also something for us all to think about in our own daily lives. I love Jenny Cooper’s illustrations in this story.
About the Kiwi creators
Melanie Koster was born on the wild West Coast of the South Island and was brought up in a book-loving, story-telling family. She lives in Ōtautahi, Christchurch with her whānau of artists, inventors and tinkerers. Melanie is the author of picture books including The Reluctant Little Flower Girl and Milly Maloo and the Miracle Glue, and has been shortlisted six times for the Joy Cowley Award, finally winning the award in 2022 with Tama and the Taniwha, inspired by the song
‘Don’t Put Your Waewae in the Water’ by Linda McGilvary. Melanie works as a teacher aide at a local primary school, where she enjoys helping young writers hone their craft.
Jenny Cooper lives in Amberley, near Christchurch, and has been illustrating children’s books for over 20 years. After gaining a qualification in graphic design, Jenny and her family moved to Samoa, where she taught art, before returning to live in Christchurch and beginning a career as a children’s illustrator. In these days of digital art, Jenny is proud to be ‘old-school’ and still creates her art in pencil and watercolour. In 2015 she won the Mallinson Rendel Illustrator’s Award.
