Punga: The Goddess of Ugly by Deborah Nourse Lattimore
While practicing the haka, a traditional dance in which dancers stick out their tongues to demonstrate their ferocity, two young Maori sisters suddenly find themselves visiting Punga, the goddess of ugly. Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal Kindergarten-Grade 3-When a mischievous twin is turned into a wooden statue by Punga, the hideous and vengeful goddess of all things ugly, her sister devises a scheme for rescuing her (and Mudfish and Lizard in the bargain). Since it is the one night of the year when the creatures on Punga's lodgepole are allowed to dance, Kiri challenges the goddess saying, 'if any one of us is ugly, that one should be on your roof beam for all to see.' Then she and Maraweia, Lizard, and Mudfish perform a perfect haka, a fierce and beautiful traditional Maori dance, and earn their freedom. When Punga reacts by sticking out her tongue, she is turned into a repulsive wooden decoration on her own lodge house. The mixture of greens that dominates the watercolor illustrations evokes the lush tangle of the New Zealand forest. Lattimore's own interpretations of Maori traditional wooden carvings add a feeling of authenticity and are scattered throughout the paintings; at least one of these scenes is as vivid as a nightmare and is potentially frightening. A glossary of Maori words and a map round out this picture book, which is long on folkloric feeling but lacks any sources other than an author's note explaining some Maori customs. Ellen Fader, Oregon State Library, Salem Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Ages 5-9. This lively and handsomely illustrated story about two sisters trying to learn the beautiful haka, a dance performed with the dancers' tongues sticking out, incorporates an ancient and complex Maori legend. When Maraweia runs off into the forest and becomes stuck on a wooden lodgepole as punishment for making herself look ugly when she dances, Kiri tricks Punga, the Goddess of Ugly, into letting her twin come down. While there's little reason to doubt the dust jacket claim that Lattimore engaged in painstaking research in preparation for the book, it has an outsider's perspective (They lived . . . with their grandmother, who taught them all about Maori ways). Dominated by rich shades of green punctuated by red, the watercolor and colored pencil compositions incorporate the lush flora and fauna of the South Pacific into the background. These plants and animals can be identified in the borders that surround the author's note, regional map, and glossary. The fact that mischievous children can be found all over the world, from Polynesia to Paris, gives this tale universal appeal. Julie Corsaro From Kirkus Reviews An art historian who's created picture books on several cultures (The Winged Cat, 1992) explores the Maori custom of sticking out the tongue in a way that's considered beautiful, especially during the haka dance. Sisters Kiri and Maraweia must learn to do this to earn a moko (chin tattoo), but Maraweia keeps making silly faces. Grandmother warns that she'll meet the fate of Mudfish and Lizard, who wiggled their tongues in a very ugly way'' and were entrapped as wood figures on Punga's lodge. Sure enough, Maraweia is so caught; but Kiri confronts the goddess and persuades her to free her so that, together, they can show her the haka as it should be danced--and, magically, their tattoos appear. A note and glossary place the invented tale somewhat in context, but more precise details about the role of Maori tradition would have been welcome. Still, the meaning the Maori attach to this classic gesture will intrigue; while Lattimore's art--with its vibrant, humorous characters, detailed Maori carvings, and dozens of other faces and species to spy in a freely rendered, lush green setting--is, once again, the book's strength. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright 1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Publication Details
Title:
Author(s):
Illustrator:
Binding: Hardcover
Published by: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich: , 1993
Edition:
ISBN: 9780152928629 | 0152928626
36 pages.
Book Condition: Very Good
Pickup available at Book Express Warehouse
Usually ready in 4 hours
Product information
Â
New Zealand Delivery
Shipping Options
Shipping options are shown at checkout and will vary depending on the delivery address and weight of the books.
We endeavour to ship the following day after your order is made and to have pick up orders available the same day. We ship Monday-Friday. Any orders made on a Friday afternoon will be sent the following Monday. We are unable to deliver on Saturday and Sunday.
Pick Up is Available in NZ:
Warehouse Pick Up Hours
- Monday - Friday: 9am-5pm
- 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon NZ
Please make sure we have confirmed your order is ready for pickup and bring your confirmation email with you.
Rates
-
New Zealand Standard Shipping - $6.00
- New Zealand Standard Rural Shipping - $10.00
- Free Nationwide Standard Shipping on all Orders $75+
Please allow up to 5 working days for your order to arrive within New Zealand before contacting us about a late delivery. We use NZ Post and the tracking details will be emailed to you as soon as they become available. There may be some courier delays that are out of our control.Â
International Delivery
We currently ship to Australia and a range of international locations including: Belgium, Canada, China, Switzerland, Czechia, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Finland, France, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong SAR, Thailand, Philippines, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden & Singapore. If your country is not listed, we may not be able to ship to you, or may only offer a quoting shipping option, please contact us if you are unsure.
International orders normally arrive within 2-4 weeks of shipping. Please note that these orders need to pass through the customs office in your country before it will be released for final delivery, which can occasionally cause additional delays. Once an order leaves our warehouse, carrier shipping delays may occur due to factors outside our control. We, unfortunately, can’t control how quickly an order arrives once it has left our warehouse. Contacting the carrier is the best way to get more insight into your package’s location and estimated delivery date.
- Global Standard 1 Book Rate: $37 + $10 for every extra book up to 20kg
- Australia Standard 1 Book Rate: $14 + $4 for every extra book
Any parcels with a combined weight of over 20kg will not process automatically on the website and you will need to contact us for a quote.
Payment Options
On checkout you can either opt to pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard or American Express), Google Pay, Apple Pay, Shop Pay & Union Pay. Paypal, Afterpay and Bank Deposit.
Transactions are processed immediately and in most cases your order will be shipped the next working day. We do not deliver weekends sorry.
If you do need to contact us about an order please do so here.
You can also check your order by logging in.
Contact Details
- Trade Name: Book Express Ltd
- Phone Number: (+64) 22 852 6879
- Email: sales@bookexpress.co.nz
- Address: 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon, 4821, New Zealand.
- GST Number: 103320957 - We are registered for GST in New Zealand
- NZBN:Â 9429031911290
Â
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unread.Â
To start a return, you can contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz. Please note that returns will need to be sent to the following address: 35 Nathan Terrace, Shannon, New Zealand 4821.Â
If your return is for a quality or incorrect item, the cost of return will be on us, and will refund your cost. If it is for a change of mind, the return will be at your cost.Â
You can always contact us for any return question at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.
Â
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Â
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalised items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). Although we don't currently sell anything like this. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.Â
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on gift cards.
Â
Exchanges
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
Â
European Union 14 day cooling off period
Notwithstanding the above, if the merchandise is being shipped into the European Union, you have the right to cancel or return your order within 14 days, for any reason and without a justification. As above, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
Â
Refunds
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you’ll be automatically refunded on your original payment method within 10 business days. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund too.
If more than 15 business days have passed since we’ve approved your return, please contact us at sales@bookexpress.co.nz.
Â