Winner of the Best Picture Book at the 2012 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards, Rahui commands your respect and interest from the outset. The illustrations, the choice of paper and the tightness of story line are all designed to be evocative.
Days of summer holiday enjoyment at the bay are described, but tragedy is sensed. Thomas’s death confirms the mood conveyed by the illustrations. His friends and whanau observe his passing. A tangi is held and a rahui is observed, allowing time for mourning and healing. 

This story is beautifully told. In fact everything about this book is thoughtfully crafted. It is a work of art. It feels good to the touch, is visually pleasing and it tells a story with the honesty it is due.

Rahui is a book for sharing, or, alternatively for reading and thinking about in order for it to find a place in one’s memory.

Review by Barbara