Book Review: Digging Up The Past by David Veart

This book is in bookshops now and is a finalist in the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.

Digging Up the Past is a 106 page hard-cover book on New Zealand Archeology by David Veart, but written with inquisitive young people in mind. However, in saying that we all enjoyed the book, especially the fascinating photography. The chapter on Kauri trees is amazing.

My seven year old daughter read a chapter a night with us and this is what she had to say on the first chapter:

‘Title of Chapter One: Leave nothing but footprints. In chapter one, I was really interested in how they left their footprints behind. I mean, we can’t leave our footprints behind, the water washes them away. It’s a really good book because kids learn new big and hard words.’

She was fascinated by the first chapter about Rangitoto Island and how footprints, made in the then soft ash, had hardened over time and can still be seen today. The photographs and illustrations captivated her.

It is a wonderful learning tool that really gets children involved in our country’s history and how many treasures have been unearthed over the past years. There are harder words which need explaining as she mentioned above, so it is a nice book to read together. Now when we visit the museum next, she will have a better idea of what those historical objects we see are all about, and how they have been unearthed.

Reviewed by Vicky Marshall, Facebook fan

Digging Up The Past: Archaeology For The Young & Curious
by David Veart
(Auckland University Press)
ISBN 9781869404659