Three years ago, we asked Thalia Kehoe Rowden to put together a list of picture books showing a variety of family set-ups. At the time, she had to go beyond our shores in order to complete the list. Since then, several beautiful new picture books from Aotearoa that are relevant to the topic have hit shelves. Today’s quiz will test how much you know about them. Answers are at the bottom of the page. Good luck…
Test yourself, share with a friend, and let us know on Facebook or Twitter how you do!
1. Who wrote the first Kiwi picture book to feature same-sex parents?
A. Margaret Mahy
B. Joy Cowley
C. Linda Jane Keegan
D. Lynley Dodd
2. Which of the following family dynamics/structures was not present in Elizabeth Pulford’s Rasmas?
A. Single-parent
B. Multi-generational household
C. Step-parent
D. Childless couple
3. Dawn McMillan’s Home Child tells the story of four British siblings who are sent to New Zealand for a better life. Which two siblings are adopted together by a Kiwi family in Nelson?
A. Bill and Pat
B. Sheila and Alma
C. Pat and Sheila
D. Alma and Bill
4. Stephanie Thatcher released a book this year, centred around a single mum. What is it called?
A. Magic Mummy
B. Mummy Monster
C. Me, Myself and Mummy
D. Messy Mummy
5. Who takes care of Maui and his brothers in Tim Tipene’s Māui – Sun Catcher?
A. Mum
B. Nan
C. Poppa
D. Uncle Tamati
6. Which award-winning title has a grandparent as the main featured caregiver?
A. The Bomb
B. I Am Jellyfish
C. That’s Not a Hippopotamus!
D. Jim’s Letters
7. In The Singing Dolphin, Grandmother is raising three brothers. What are their names?
A. Tane, Potiki, Wiremu
B. Tahi, Rua, Toru
C. Wiremu, Toru, Kahurangi
D. Tahi, Rua, Potiki
8. Which of the following titles by Margaret Mahy doesn’t feature a single-parent family dynamic?
A. Summery Saturday Morning
B. The Boy With Two Shadows
C. Down the Back of the Chair
D. A Lion in the Meadow
Answers
1. C – Linda Jane Keegan
2. D – Childless couple
3. C – Pat and Sheila
4. B – Mummy Monster
5. A – Mum
6. A – The Bomb
7. D – Tahi, Rua, Potiki
8. B – The Boy With Two Shadows