Cover of The Whale Rider

The Whale Rider

by Witi Ihimaera · 1987

+ Want to read

Eight-year-old Kahu, a member of the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand, fights to prove her love, her leadership, and her destiny. Her people claim descent from Kahutia Te Rangi, the legendary 'whale rider.' In every generation since Kahutia, a male heir has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir, and the aging chief is desperate to find a successor. Kahu is his only great-grandchild — and Maori tradition has no use for a girl. But when hundreds of whales beach themselves and threaten the future of the Maori tribe, Kahu will do anything to save them - even the impossible.

Genre
fantasyfantasyMore like thisLess of thismagical realismmagical realismMore like thisLess of thishistorical fictionhistorical fictionMore like thisLess of thiscoming of agecoming of ageMore like thisLess of thismythologymythologyMore like thisLess of this
Themes
diversitydiversityMore like thisLess of thisanimalsanimalsMore like thisLess of thistraveltravelMore like thisLess of thisfeminismfeminismMore like thisLess of thismoviesmoviesMore like thisLess of this
Setting
1980s1980sMore like thisLess of thisNew ZealandNew ZealandMore like thisLess of thiscollegecollegeMore like thisLess of this
Audience
young adultchildrensmiddle gradeadult
Length
short · 150 pages

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