The Book that Wouldn?t Read

The boy at the centre of Tim Tipene’s striking new story doesn’t like reading, until one day in the school library he picks up The Book that Wouldn’t Read.

Suddenly the book takes on a life of its own ― with sentences moving up and down, words changing colour and disappearing, and strange fonts and characters that get the reader jumping around, even burping.
His appeals to the teacher and friends get hushed because ‘it’s reading time,’ and before he knows it, he’s finished the book. ‘What should I read next?’

An inspirational story in English (hardback) and Māori (paperback) editions that takes the viewpoint of children who have reading struggles, with design guided by educators for appeal to reluctant or even dyslexic readers.

Tim Tipene (Ngāti Kurī, Ngāti Whātua) is a pioneering youth counsellor and the award-winning author of over 15 children’s books, including Kura Toa Warrior School and Rona Moon. Tim lives in Rānui, West Auckland.

Nicoletta Benella is an illustrator, graphic designer and artisan originally from north-eastern Italy where she worked for many years as a senior visual designer for the fashion house Benetton. She lives in Hatfields Beach, Auckland.