Home Feed
Home
Search
Search
Add Review, Blurb, Quote
Add
Activity
Activity
Profile
Profile
The Whale Rider
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. But he is focused on his duties as chief ofa Maori tribe in Whangara, on the East Coast of New Zealand - a tribe that claims descent from the legendary 'whale rider'. In every generation since the whale rider, a male has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir - there's only kahu. She should be the next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl. Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle she has a unique ally: the whale rider himself, from whom she has inherited the ability to communicate with whales. Once that sacred gift is revealed, Kahu may be able to re-establish her people's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention - and lead her tribe to a bold new future.
Amazon Indiebound Barnes and Noble WorldCat Goodreads LibraryThing
review
ClairesReads
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Mehso-so

A rare case of “I think the movie did it better.” Whale Rider is a powerful story, but I found it cinematically more moving (which is a rare take for me). I listened to the audio on this reread and think that perhaps it would have benefited from not being read by the author. Not my fave Ihimaera.

review
Gillyreads
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Pickpick

Beautiful story

review
MaggieCarr
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Pickpick

<>

30 likes1 stack add
review
holarosarita
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
Mehso-so

Maybe I was set up by the author‘s note at the beginning talking about how he wanted to write a story for his daughters where a girl is the hero, but our hero had a disappointing lack of agency. I‘d love to know what was driving her besides, apparently, being the fulfillment of a prophecy.

blurb
holarosarita
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

Picked a new #ownvoicesOceania book for #readharder2019 (the most obvious choice, I know) and it is short! 🙌

review
nelehelen
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Pickpick

3.5/5
Short YA novel about the Maori people that does a great job of weaving mythology with reality. Writing isn‘t perfect and there isn‘t much character development, BUT it‘s really about the legend and its message – both of which are beautiful. I‘ll need to pick up more books about and written by people of Oceania.

#ReadHarder2019

review
bookwrm526
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Pickpick

I picked this up for my #ownvoices book set in Oceania for the #ReadHarder challenge - it was a great YA book that provided an introduction to Maori folklore and world view. There were a few scenes that were very difficult to read, and the grandfather‘s attitude was awful, but it was worth it.

BookNAround The outlets not too far from me! 6y
bookwrm526 @BookNAround my mom lives nearby, and I grew up in Blacksburg :) 6y
phatsallylee Awww! I know that peach-butt water tower! 6y
34 likes3 comments
review
gentlepet
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Mehso-so

I mean this can‘t have been too bad because I picked it up off the bookshelf and read it in one sitting. Parts of it I really enjoyed. If you‘re familiar with Witi Ihimaera and you like his style then 1) you‘ve probably already read this and 2) you probably enjoyed it. Personally, although I think his writing is good enough he‘s not like, my FAVE.

blurb
kaysworld1
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

Sorry about the long delay in posting there's been a lot of strikes at the postal service here I finally got my #fallingforfallswap package thank you @jhod 💝

@Avanders 💝

jhod Hurrah! 6y
jhod What about rudi's ball?! 6y
kaysworld1 @jhod He's playing with that and the box, thank you for everything x 6y
Avanders 🎃🎉🎃🎉🎃 6y
22 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
TheBookstorePodcast
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

There‘s a new episode up! We talk about Witi Ihamaera‘s novel The Whale Rider and about New Zealand 🇳🇿. Pictured here are the books I bought for myself while I was there. A Pocket Guide to New Zealand Birds, The Whale Rider, and The Bone People by Keri Hulme. Also pictured is a cute letterpress bookmark from The Dead Souls Bookshop, which is a great place.
.
Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts!

blurb
TheBookstorePodcast
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

I‘m currently in New Zealand 🇳🇿 , which of course means I‘ll be checking out the local shops. This one is McLeod‘s Booksellers in Rotorua where I picked up The Whale Rider by Witi Ihamaera. We‘ll have a mini about the book and New Zealand when I get back home.

review
Redheadrambles
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Mehso-so

The melding of the rational world and the world of maori mythology is well done. The famous legend of Paikea who travels to NZ on the back of a whale is lovingly reimagined. I liked the mythical, majestic whales right up until the point they started considering the genetic effects of oceanic radiation from Moruroa - which seemed an anthropomorphism too far. On the whole I thought the storytelling ham-fisted but it did make a beautiful film.

ClairesReads Yes yes yes- exactly how I feel. I find he has a way of making stories that have the potential to be quite poignant and beautiful just a bit...awkward and tacky somehow! 7y
Redheadrambles @ClairesReads that‘s exactly it. I wasn‘t sure if it was just because this was YA. I haven‘t read anything else by him. 7y
ClairesReads @Redheadrambles it's an unpopular opinion- but his writing doesn't do a lot for me. 7y
15 likes4 comments
review
ChicaReads
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Bailedbailed

I loved the movie and tried to love the book. It took me six days to read six pages. Sorry for the blurry image.

blurb
ChicaReads
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera

A great example why the book is so much better than the movie.

ItsAngel I haven't read this one...or seen the movie. @Christalynn 7y
RaimeyGallant Welcome to Litsy! #LitsyWelcomeWagon P.S. A bunch of us posted Litsy tips a few days back. Check about 9 posts back on my page. :) 7y
8 likes1 stack add4 comments
blurb
Chelsibno
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

I loved this novel #SetInSouthernHemisphere. Since seeing Moana, I need to reread this empowering Maori novel. #JuneBookBugs

blurb
Blueberry
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

Witi Ihimaera is believed to be the first published Maori novelist. I read and watched this for my movie/bookclub.

@NataliePatalie
#junebookbugs #indigenousauthors

JazzFeathers Me too. Loved both 😊 7y
37 likes5 stack adds1 comment
blurb
shelf-improvement
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

I struggled to think of an #indigenous author aside from Alexie and Erdrich until I thought outside the Americas. Either way, I think I need to do some research to find more. #JuneBookBugs

review
JazzFeathers
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Pickpick

#JuneTanz #BeYourself

I'm fascinated with the question of identity, both personal and cultural. Maybe this is why l read so many authors belonging to traditional cultures, who address the relationship between tradition and modernity.
I like to believe one doesn't exclude the other.

blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

#longlongwayfromhome

The farthest I've been from home was my post-University trip to Australia and New Zealand. I went with one of my closest friends and we spent three months seeing as much as we could.

#lyricalapril @Cinfhen

Cinfhen So fun!!! Traveling with friends is the best!!! I'd love to go to Australia & New Zealand 😍 8y
JazzFeathers I read The Whale Rider years ago. Loved it 💕💓 8y
TheKidUpstairs @Cinfhen they are amazing countries to visit. I how you get the chance someday! 8y
TheKidUpstairs @JazzFeathers it's still TBR for me. Will get to it someday! 8y
48 likes5 comments
blurb
TheKidUpstairs
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

#bookhaul from the sale table at my local library. $2 for all these goodies!

review
SadieRuin
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image
Pickpick

The story of Kahu who struggles with being a first born female to a patrilineal family. Vividly told, wonderfully written. I feel that the book is more graphic than the movie but it shines just as bright.

7 likes1 stack add
blurb
SadieRuin
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

I wonder if it will make me cry like the movie...

gentlepet yussss sah good! 8y
6 likes2 stack adds1 comment
blurb
Sarrie
The Whale Rider | Witi Ihimaera
post image

A page in and I'm already loving this. Oh my poor sweet wallet, I have a suspicion I'll be ordering a few of Witi Ihimaera's books soon.