Alice and the Strange Bird

Based on the historical writing of Alice Mackenzie, this non-fiction picture book gives an insight into the lives of one family who lived in an incredibly isolated part of Aotearoa New Zealand. Following Alice's story of seeing a strange bird on the beach (one that is extremely tall and has large feet), this book gives children a fabulous peek into life in the 1880s. Throughout her life, Alice tried to identify what bird she had seen on the beach that day when she was only 7, to no avail. Could Alice have been the last person to ever lay eyes on a moa? This book could be a great way to launch into a study on NZ birds, or a look into extinct native species in NZ.

Isaac du Toit is both the author of the book, and creator of the evocative mixed-media images that illustrate the book. These are made by first creating dioramas using handmade illustrations and three dimensional materials, and then taking moodily-lit photographs to capture the final image for the book. These perfectly suit the tone of the mysterious tale.

This book would work well as a read-aloud.