The power of place

The author discusses the books and writers published between 1970 and 1989. She argues that the New Zealand seascape and landscape have been powerful forces in our children's literature. Inherently dangerous, they have given rise to to stories of challenge and adventure. She also shows how a sense of place has given writers a way of exploring characters and their points of view, as well as the concerns of contemporary society. The book includes extensive bibliographies grouped by author, geographic location and dates of publication.