A review by kaila_robertson
The Pōrangi Boy by Shilo Kino

5.0

There were so many times I wanted to cry reading this. It's written with so much aroha and I wish I'd had it when I was younger because it's an easy (if heartwrenching) way into exploring the plight of tāngata whenua. It's hard to envision how to teach heavy topics like this to bored teenagers and tweens but THE PŌRANGI BOY offers insight into protests like Bastion Point and the perspective of Māori without overwhelming you with an info dump. Rather, it tackles the topic with poignancy and emotional depth.