Awatea's Treasure

by Fraser Smith

Awatea’s Dad is very sick in hospital and being the oldest grandchild he is sent to stay with his Grandparents and Uncles who live in a remote country area. He doesn't go to school instead his days are filled with adventures of exploration, befriending a talking parrot, finding old and forgotten treasure and making new friends. Awatea learns to face some scary challenges that he can talk about for the rest of his life.
A beautifully written New Zealand adventure story that will be a perfect fit for the reluctant reader especially intermediate age boys.

120 pages, Paperback

First published February 28, 2017

About the author

Writer Fraser Smith was born in 1951. After a couple of years as a teacher, he worked as a fisherman, musician, farmer and beekeeper before returning to teaching 10 years later. He has been a school principal for 20 years and has enjoyed sharing stories with students for over 35 years.
Fraser has always enjoyed writing and after the success of his first real book he has more in the pipeline.

Reviews

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings about this one. I can absolutely see why there are recommendations by Jack Lasenby and Sam Hunt on the cover, it is the sort of book I can see them really liking. A bit like a yarn told by an older man to his grandchildren. I was not really hooked in the first quarter of the book, it felt like it was tricky to set up the relationships, particularly between Awatea and his uncle Kim, a bit stronger editing would have made the book much better at hooking me (and the kids) in. The dialogue was not quite right but after we get past that, the story moves along and is really great.

The characters of Awatea and his grandparents and the neighbours along the beach are beautifully done. Lots of rich New Zealand country kid stuff to treasure in there, the bush, the beach, the tree hut that needs to be worked on, hidden treasure of a very interesting kind, fish and crayfish to be caught and a parrot for company.

There is a lot to like about the book but a fix up to the opening section would really have helped it.

[whatbooknext · Rating 4 out of 5]

wa loves spending time on his grandparent's farm, far from home and close to the sea. He helps bring the milk in, move Suzie the cow onto new grass and look after his three year old cousin, Tui.

His grandparents love having him stay. So do his uncles, Kim and Frank. But his uncles like to tease Awa, especially about the house next door. It's empty now, but Mrs Carol once lived there and Awa's uncles tell him it's haunted. They tell terrible tales of Mr Carol and how he died in suspicious circumstances. Awa knows they are always teasing but is not sure what to really believe.

One day, Awa meets other neighbours that his uncles can't tease him about. They are the Rumbles - an elderly couple who gather and dry seaweed for money. Awa is astonished to meet their large, loud and brightly coloured parrot named Carrot. He's  surprised at how smart Carrot is too.

From the moment they meet, Carrot takes a shine to Awa, and they explore the forest and land around their houses, right down the beach where the Rumbles find their seaweed.

But Carrot has another surprise in store for Awa, leading him to an abandoned tree hut. Awa's time is soon filled on walks with Carrot on his shoulder or fixing the hut. He meets more folk of the area, always wondering what happened to the boy who built the tree hut in the first place.


Set on the East Coast of New Zealand in a remote rural area, Awatea's Treasure is a gentle tale of a boy's beach adventures while staying at his grandparents.

It is a time before technology, when pounds are still used (not NZ dollars), and local fare was crayfish, in season fruit, home baked bread and baking. A nice bit of eel doesn't go amiss either.

The contrast to the normal, quiet, rural life is the neighbour's exotic parrot, and Awa's always joking uncles, trying to pull one over on him.

A step back to a simpler time in historical New Zealand and the first book in this series.

[Julia Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Good New Zealand story set in Northland.

[Sheryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm hoping our Y 7 / 8 students give this a go, they will have to get past it being set in the 1950s, and the money of the times being 'pounds'. That said it is up for an award at present.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet story set in a simpler time