Review: Pipi and Pou, by Tim Tipene

Pipi and Pou are a series of children's books written by prolific author Tim Tipene (Ngāpuhi) and illustrated by award-winning illustrator Isobel Te Aho-White (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa).

The series is set in the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand. Cousins Pipi and Pou, aided by their Nana, are kaitiaki of the environment. They protect the natural world using their shapeshifting abilities, transforming into a pouākai and a taniwha when they yell their shapeshifting commands. Pipi’s shapeshifting command is Pouākai haere mai! And Pou’s is Taniwha kia kaha!

The series' fifth book, Pipi and Pou and the Waves of Destruction, was published in June 2024. In it, Pipi, Pou, and Nana watch the news on television, and see a town on the East Coast engulfed by rising waves. While Pipi and Pou think it's a tsunami, Nana believes differently. Undeterred by the potential wet socks, Nana is determined to take action and help fix the situation.

In book six, Pipi and Pou and the Firewoman, also published in June 2024, Pipi and Pou’s cousin, the mischievous Rawiri, was playing with matches in the ngahere (forest) when a strange old lady came up to him. She threw a fireball and scared the life out of him. Pipi and Pou go into the forest with Nana to talk with the old lady and see why she threw the fireball. Isabel Te Aho-White’s illustrations perfectly complement Pipi and Pou, in a vivid portrayal of how the characters might appear in real life. Nana is such an exciting figure in the story. Her wisdom about the environment makes her a wonderful teacher for Pipi and Pou, guiding them on how to be responsible guardians of the natural world.

These books hold great appeal for a younger audience due to their fascinating and educational plotline. Reviewed by Fleur (12)