Rākau: The Ancient Forests of Aotearoa
Up close to the wonderful world of our native trees.
By Ned Barraud
Publication: September 2025
Pages: 48
Format: Hardback
ISBN: 978-1-99-107206-1
RRP: $35
This beautifully illustrated and handsomely packaged guide to the evolution, habitats and variety of the rākau (trees) and ngahere (forests) of Aotearoa for young readers is written and illustrated in award-winning Ned Barraud’s hallmark accessible, informative and captivating style.
Featuring gatefolds and framed throughout by core mātauranga Māori and the expertise of curators at Te Papa, New Zealand’s national museum, Rākau takes young readers from pre-history to the present day. It introduces key species and highlights the significance and use of different native trees and the impact of humans on their vitality.
Ideal for both the library and home, this engrossing book helps young readers discover what makes our rākau so special and worthy of our care.
Review highlights
Bobs Book Blog. “Ned Barraud’s illustrations, as always, are top class, and the information given is easy to understand. ... Altogether a first class hardback publication that all school libraries should have and would make a great publication for the home.”
NZ Booklovers, by Lyn Potter. “This book should be in every school library, but is also one for nature-loving families to read together at home. It will grow children’s knowledge and awareness of how special our ancient rākau are and how important it is to protect them.”
What Book Next?, by Adele Broadbent. “Fold out pages (gate folds) conjure the magnificence of Tāne Mahuta – the grandest, oldest and tallest tree in New Zealand, and lush illustrations point out the complicated ecosystems that can live on and around the tree. ... A beautiful production for all ages and shelves across Aotearoa.”
Author interviews
The Sapling, Ned Barraud on creating his new book on the New Zealand forest: “When you step into a New Zealand forest, the world changes. The light shifts, the air is damp with earth, and the trunks of rimu, tōtara and miro rise like pillars. You feel small, but also connected to something that has been here far longer than you. That sense of awe has been with me since childhood, and it’s what I wanted to capture in Rākau.”
The Nelson Mail, Ned Barraud interviewed by Frederico Magrin.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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