Project Huia

by Des Hunt

"She fell from the air, her wings no more use than a ripped parachute".
With a flash of yellow wattle glowing against the sheen of her black feathers, the frightened huia whirls clumsily across the rugged gorge. Mavis and Jim scramble after the injured bird but to reach her they have to take a jigger through the long dark rail tunnel. And halfway through, they hear the roar of a train coming..............
Fighting a family of thugs and a long-lasting jinx, Logan and Grandpop Jim attempt to unravel the mystery of a huia that vanished long ago

Genres: Childrens

289 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Des Hunt was a science and technology teacher for many years, interspersed with periods of curriculum development both in New Zealand and overseas. During this time he had several textbooks published to support the New Zealand curriculum. In recent years he has looked at other ways of interesting youngsters in science, creating computer games and writing non-fiction and fiction with scientific themes.

After living in Auckland for much of his life he moved with his wife, Lynne, to Matarangi on New Zealand’s Coromandel Peninsula. He retired from the classroom in 2007 to concentrate on writing fiction for children. He continues his aims of fostering young peoples’ natural interest in the science of their surroundings by visiting schools and libraries where he runs workshops and presentations.

Reviews

[Denika Mead · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the two storylines in Project Huia - one from the present day, and the other set in 1947. It showed me in more detail how the events from the past impact the current day. This was a fast-paced book with lots of action and suspense.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about an eleven year-old boy name Logan Whitaker who takes a trip with his Grandad, Jim Whitaker back to the town where he grew up as a kid. Jim starts to tell a story from his childhood about a Huia that he and his sister encountered in 1947. This story is fun, not too long and surprisingly suspenseful.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in NZ wildlife and science. I enjoyed it a lot but some of the characters were one dimensional and the plot was predictable at some points.

[Waddels · Rating 2 out of 5]

Do you know that nursery rhyme... with the monkeys jumping on the bed? At it repeats for like... however many times and it just gets mind numbingly boring?

90% of the book:
Two little kiwi kids, jumping on the boat.
One falls off, and kills a bird-

-AND THERES A CAR CHASE AND GUNS AND A GUY LITERALLY GETS LIT ON FIRE??!?!?!??

THE F***?

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this tale with a lot of references to the Manawatu area, which I know well.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this because my friends name is called Huia

[Micah · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROJECT HUIA WAS WRITTEN BY DES HUNT A NEW ZEALAND AUTHOR.
FORTY YEARS AFTER THE ASSUMED EXTINCTION OF THE HUIA, JIM AND MAVIS STUMBLE INTO A STRANGE BIRD. TWO GENERATIONS LATER JIM AND HIS GRANDSON LOGAN, TRAVEL BACK TO HIS GRANDPOPS BIRTHPLACE, BUT NOT FOR HOLIDAY BUT WITH DOCTOR ANAHIRA BLAKE FROM TE WHARE PUTAIAO O MANAWATU. THEIR MISSION? TO UNRAVEL THE HISTORY OF THE LAST HUIA.
PROJECT HUIA IS BASED IN TWO TIMELINES, THE FIRST ONE IS IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF LOGAN’S GRANDPOP JIM IN 1947 AND THE SECOND IS IN PRESENT DAY IN LOGAN’S PERSPECTIVE. THE STORY BOUNCES IN BETWEEN DIFFERENT TIMES AND PERSPECTIVES WHICH HELPS LINKS THE REASON WHY JIM IS BACK IN HIS BIRTH TOWN WITH VISITORS. I BELIEVE THE WHOLE MESSAGE OF THE BOOK WAS THAT IF YOU TAKE CARE OF SOMETHING IT WILL PROSPER BUT IF NOT IF NOT IT WILL DIE. THIS MEANS FOR EXAMPLE THE HUIA PERISHED BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY WERE TREATED SO THEY ARE NOW GONE. PROJECT HUIA IS AN ADVENTURE BOOK BECAUSE IT GOES FROM HELICOPTER FLIGHTS TO FIGHTING MOTORCYCLIST, AND HIKING IN THE BUSH. DES HUNT IS KNOWN TO WRITE BOOKS BASED ON NZ NATIVE ANIMALS AND A BIT OF HISTORY STUFF. I LIKED PROJECT HUIA BECAUSE IT IS TOLD FROM TWO PEOPLES VIEW WHICH IS HOW I LIKE MY BOOKS TO BE WRITTEN BECAUSE IT GIVES MORE DEPTH. THERE WAS NOTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT I DIDN’T LIKE THE WHOLE BOOK WAS REALLY INTERESTING AND PAGE GRIPPING.

[Chris Meehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The last few years my intermediate age classes have enjoyed having a Des Hunt novel read to them. This one is a little different in that there is more fact based material relating to the huia, but thats not a bad thing as it is a New Zealand bird which is gone and not very much spoken about, so this could be a good way to help children understand how we can lose certain species.
The set up of the story is clear, in delineating between the past and the present, and overall comes to a nice conclusion which will prompt a lot of interesting discussion.

[Ben Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stunning. Another great book from Des Hunt. Great plot, action and thoughtful emotions. Defiantly a book to read for people aged 8 to 15. The story follows Logan and his Grandpa as they search for the body of a hula that Grandpa had found a long time ago. The story spans two ages, with characters of both intertwining.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this to my 8 year old son and we both loved it. It's great to find an author that we both enjoy, and books about Aotearoa NZ and environmental issues. Looking forward to reading more Des Hunt books.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story

[Hanz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok.

[Justin Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with my 9yo boy. Great book for him... Some adventure, motorbikes, bullies, lasers, crashes and a good message. Will read more Des Hunt.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got my copy of Project Huia signed by Des Hunt!!!

[Rosie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good book about some kids who find a huia

[Jo Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in NZ - little slow to start but enjoyed it.

[Amber Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Project huia was quite a good book it had great language.

[Jeremy]

This book showed good excitement and was a good read. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes NZ and wants to be thrilled all the way through.

[Flora]

I really enjoyed this book and it’s a big step up for me