School Journal Level 3 August 2015
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Spirit of the Bird
by Ben Brown
illustrations by Tom Simpson
The bird of the title is the moa, and this fictional story is set in the time of the early Māori moa hunters. Little is known of this era, but the author conveys (often indirectly) the hardships of a subsistence lifestyle and the impact of human settlement on the moa.
Thirst
by Paul Mason
illustrations by Andrew Burdan
In a realistic story set in the not-too-distant future, Paul Mason conveys a message that has increasing relevance today. The plot involves a family that cannot afford to buy water during a severe drought. Through implication, it appears that a single company owns the water and employs the parents of the family. When their neighbours receive a delivery of water, Ryder decides to take matters into his own hands.
Richard Owen’s Giant Mystery
by Quinn Berentson
illustrations by Spike Wademan
Richard Owen was a British scientist of the early nineteenth century, most famous for his identification and naming of dinosaurs. This article reports on the role he played in unravelling the mystery of the moa and in identifying it as the largest bird ever known to humans. The nature of scientific endeavour is conveyed well, from the initial presentation of a bone fragment and through the research needed to have a new species recognised.
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