Book Review of PETER LITTLE WING AND THE BAY OF ISLANDS-Perfect for Middle Grade, Animal-Loving Adventurers

 

TITLE: PETER LITTLE WING AND THE BAY OF ISLANDS

AUTHOR: Regan W.H. Macaulay

ILLUSTRATOR: Gordon Bagshaw

PUBLISHER: Pandamonium Publishing House

PUBLISHED: 2025

ISBN: 978-1-998467-47-1

 

 

In PETER LITTLE WING AND THE BAY OF ISLANDS, Regan Macaulays’s sequel to PETER LITTLE WING, the first book in the series, the adventures continue for Peter and his friends, old and new, feathered and furred.

 

This story finds Peter and his cousin, Bess, mistakenly released in the Northland, New Zealand rather than into the wild of the South Island as intended. Peter and Bess are third generation kiwi raised in captivity to see if they can modify their behavior and live in family units which is not typical of their kind. Peter and Bess are doing so well and have finally grown up enough to be released back into the wild to see if they can spread this new way of life among others as part of the kiwi recovery program, a mission to battle their endangerment, in hopes they can pass on this new behavior and create family units of their own to help the tokoeka thrive. However, they are mistakenly released in the wrong place due to confusion from a “storm of destruction” in the exam room of Taraute Springs where they are held for one night. Peter and Bess face many struggles as they’ve been dumped in an area that is not their natural habitat. Angry and territorial Northern brown kiwi as well as a large dog, Kurīpango, who has been wreaking havoc on the bird population, are just some of the challenges they face.

 

Fortunately, Peter’s friend, Onion, had heard Peter’s warning trill of fear and spread the word among their friends of Peter and Bess’s capture and need for saving, and a plan, therefore, was hatched. There are many ups and downs on their recovery adventure to find Peter and Bess, all the while Peter and Bess are on a mission to travel back south and get home to their friends and family. Once again, The Sheep Network and new friends along the way work to try to bring the groups back together in a very special place, called Waitomo Caves. But, will each group be able to reach the meeting place in the face of all the dangers that lie ahead? And, if so, what will it mean for the future of all?

 

There are so many stories within the story that are so engaging. Macaulay sprinkles beautiful and fun language throughout (“water sparkled like stars falling gently over a cliff,” “we should rattle our dags”), and her voice and language paint a picture of vivid scenery that is easy to imagine. All characters, old and new, are relatable and engaging, and we see much friendship and compassion throughout which is understandable and familiar for children and adults alike.

Macaulay again, as in PETER LITTLE WING, weaves a beautiful story of friendship, family and legacy with beautiful language and vivid imagery, creating a book that is hard to put down. Perfect for middle grade, animal-loving adventurers. Highly recommend!

 

In addition, the ending hints at possible adventures yet to come which is a delightful way to end leaving readers yearning for the next book in the PETER LITTLE WING series (the first chapter of which is provided).

 

***DISCLAIMER: I received a PDF copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review. This review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced in any way by the author. I did not receive any monetary compensation nor any other incentive in exchange for my review.

National Read a Book Day

 

Book lovers unite! Today is National Read a Book Day. Grab your favorite book and snuggle up. 

Books can transport us in time and place as well as provide comfort while pulling on the heart strings. Lose yourselves in the pages of a book and see where the story takes you. I plan to do the same!

If you are so inclined, please share your favorite books, either for yourself or your kids. I always love to add to my to-read pile.

MG Chapter Book Review

 

I had the privilege of reading and reviewing PETER LITTLE WING by Regan Macaulay, illustrated by Gordon Bagshaw.  It is an amazing novel, and one I cannot recommend enough for your middle grade readers, whether children or students. Below is my review.

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TITLE: PETER LITTLE WING

AUTHOR: Regan W.H. Macaulay

ILLUSTRATOR: Gordon Bagshaw

PUBLISHER: Pandamonium Publishing House

PUBLISHED: 2023

ISBN: 978-1-989506-65-3

 

PETER LITTLE WING is a chapter book for middle grade readers. It is the story of Peter, a kiwi, and his band of misfit friends who set out on an adventure to locate the ingredients needed to cure Peter’s grandfather, Nandy Enzo, who is very ill. The journey takes them through many ups and downs, all the while solidifying their bonds of friendship in the multitude of stories that twist and turn throughout their adventure.

 

Peter recruits his closest friends from the National Aquarium where they live in captivity—Onion, a little blue penguin with an inner ear disturbance; Tim, a tuatara with Generalized Anxiety Disorder; and Rangi, a kea with clipped wings. Along the way, they meet Pō, a Green and Golden Bell frog; and Andrew, a possum daring death on a bridge. Together, the band of six friends work to listen for “The Deep Understanding” to solve the riddles of the needed ingredients and attempt to find them. But will they? And, if so, will they be able to make it back to the aquarium in time to save Nandy Enzo?

 

Sprinkled throughout the entire book are tidbits of information for kids (and adults) to learn about the unique animals of New Zealand as well as the interesting language and slang of this island country. Macaulay uses fun language (definitions can be found in a glossary at the end of the book) and beautiful imagery (“mosses, mulch, and shrub clusters formed a patchwork forest quilt”) throughout which really paint a picture of the characters and setting.

 

While this story is animal based, the stories of these friends very similarly mimic that of humans in many ways making it very relatable for kids…from the relationships amongst family, to living with and accepting other’s ailments, our desire to belong, and the passing down of family stories from generation to generation, interwoven over time.

 

The fact that this is Ms. Macaulay’s first MG chapter book is remarkable. She weaves a terrific story using wonderful language to create vivid images and set the scenes very well, ultimately creating a book that is difficult to put down. I highly recommend it and believe readers will also love it.

 

Gordon Bagshaw’s illustrations help bring the story and friends to life, adding an important part of the world in which these friends are weaving their stories.

 

The story of this group of misfit friends on a mission to help a friend and encounter the adventure of a lifetime through the “middle of nowhere” is excellent. Macaulay uses these relatable animals to teach subtle lessons about how to treat others in such a way that readers will find themselves rooting for the characters without realizing they are also learning valuable life lessons. There are so many surprising twists and turns on the adventure beyond the “Walls of Shadows,” all the while demonstrating the bonds of friendship and ultimate importance of treating others the way one wants to be treated. Well done!

 

 

 

*** Disclaimer: I received a PDF copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my truthful review. This review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced in any way by the author. I did not receive any monetary compensation nor any other incentive for my review.***

 

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Purchase information can be found on Regan's website at Regan W.H. Macaulay

 

A Terrific Read of Adventure and Imagination for Kids

I'm back from my family fun, and I have a wonderful book for you.  Below find my review of BEVERLEE BEAZ THE BROWN BURMESE, written by Regan H.W. Macaulay and illustrated by Alex Zgud.

Title: BEVERLEE BEAZ THE BROWN BURMESE 

Author: Regan W.H. Macaulay 

Illustrator: Alex Zgud 

Publisher: Mirror World Publishing 

Published: 2019 

ISBN:  978-1-987976-52-6

Beverlee Beaz is an adventurous Burmese cat with an active imagination. Beverlee’s story taps the imagination of children everywhere as she greets the day and romps through meadows, around hills, along the edge of the woods to the bank of a river. Beverlee follows fun creatures kids everywhere will love on her caper such as a monarch butterfly as it morphs into a parrot from the rainforest, a rabbit into a kangaroo from the Australian Outback, a frog becomes a Komodo dragon from Indonesia. Bees turn into pterodactyls who give chase…but what is real and what is the product of Beverlee Beaz’s beautiful imagination?  Follow Beverlee’s story of adventure and excitement until the sun sets on her escapades and find out.

Ms. Zgud’s whimsical illustrations are vivid and colorful and bring Beverlee Beaz and her beautiful story to life.

This book is highly recommended for young readers of all ages.

 

** Disclosure:  I received a copy of this book free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This review consists of my truthful opinions, not influenced in any way by the author or publisher.