The Water Bottle by Philippa Werry, Illus. Burak Akbay. Pub. Oratia, 2022

Derya is a new immigrant to New Zealand from Turkey and her Great grandfather Hasan fought against ANZAC forces at Gallipoli in WW1. The Turks regarded the Gallipoli landings as an invasion of their country and many were killed on both sides.

Now Derya is in the land of the former enemy, a land that reveres Gallipoli and the men that died there with great reverence. How will she cope?

First day at school is hard but she sits with Airini and Tom. Tom’s Great grandfather fought at Gallipoli and was killed and he has a desire to go there to see what it was all about.

During a battle at Gallipoli Hasan received a water bottle from a New Zealand soldier and it is still with Derya’s family. When Derya touches the Water bottle she dreams horrible dreams about the battles that took place. Could their be a link between the two great grandfathers? Check it out and see what you think.

Superbly illustrated by Turkish Illustrator Burak Akbay who is able to portray the action through Derya’s dreams.

Old enemies can be friends. Just in time for ANZAC Day. For everybody.

Tinui – The last Post by Michelle O’Connell.

Tinui – The last Post by Michelle O’Connell. Pub. BMS Books, 2017.

This is as moving, accurate and powerful picture book about Gallipoli and those who have fallen in war, as I have read.

Tinui is a small town in the Wairarapa with a reputation as being the first town to remember ANZAC day on 25 April 1916. On the hill above Tinui is a large cross and every year people come from all over New Zealand to remember the fallen.

This story was inspired by Linda Morgan who played the Last Post and Reveille at the 100th remembrance day in 2016. The illustrations in pen and ink and watercolours of her playing are some of the most moving in this book.

The memorial service is shown with 3 tiger moth bi planes flying over head. All those that fell from Tinui are featured as is Mary Innes the only woman to fall.

At the back of the book are suggested project ideas for teachers and portions of writing from Wairarapa students on what ANZAC Day meant to them. The one that got me was by Mathew Byl who wrote “if I was in war I would hate to see my friends shot and dying right beside me”. Me too Mathew.

This book has wide appeal for everybody but particularly valuable in schools. The illustrations and written text are moving.

Kiwis at War: 1914 Riding into War by Susan Brocker.

Kiwis at War: 1914 Riding into War by Susan Brocker. Pub. Scholastic, 2014.

The first of a new series from Scholastic that has quality NZ writers telling about New Zealanders  in  World War 1, featuring each year of the Great War, the war to end all wars. If only that were true.

This novel is accessible to a wide range of readers from middle school through to secondary students and I expect the others will be the same.

Billy Bowman is 17 when he, his best mate Jack and work colleague, Chopper, ride off the farm to sign up for the big adventure. What they and their horses got fell well short of that description. At Awapuni Racecourse they were assigned to the 6th Manawatu Squadron of the Wellington Mounted Rifles Regiment.

They expected to ride gloriously into battle on their chargers but instead got Gallipoli and the battle of Chunuk Bair. At home New Zealander’s were greeted with the headline” How the ANZACS gained a foothold at the Dardanelles, No finer Feat in the War”. At the front it was a different story.

Before the action the men and horses were shipped to Egypt and experienced the heat and culture shock while champing at the bit to go into action. Leaving their horses behind was a telling blow.

Susan Brocker tells it well through the character Billy and through letters from home. She knows the story of the horses having written the story of Brave Bess one of only 4 horses that returned. A review appears earlier on this blog.

Much has been written about the Gallipoli Campaign but this account adds the dimension of the horses and will still bring a tear to your eyes as Billy learns two new words – amputee and prosthetics. Lest we forget.