LIFE

Feature Articles 33
YOU’VE BEEN REVIEWED
UNDER THE NIGHT SKY
WHAT DOG KNOWS
He tātai whetū ki te rangi, ko te ira tangata ki te
whenua.
Like the myriad of stars in the heavens, so is the
essence of mankind spread across the land.
Regardless of who we are, we all have a few things
in common; one of them being the night sky and our
fascination with worlds out there.
Last year we hosted Haritina Mogosanu, an
astronomer from Romania, who moved to New
Zealand because it is the best place to view the Milky
Way. She spoke about stargazing and the wonders
of the universe. Over 180 people, ages 3 to 80+,
from all walks of life attended.
In response to the interest in what lies beyond our
skies, we launched a new programme, a bi-monthly
Astronomy Night. In April, Hutt City Libraries hosted
Mark Gee, the 2013 Astronomy Photographer of the
Year. You may have seen his Full Moon Silhouettes
video which went viral!
150 people attended the evening, including a
couple who drove 55 km to be there! Mark is a
natural storyteller and had everyone mesmerised
with stories of his experiences photographing the
night sky, including hilarious anecdotes about what
happened when things didn’t go to plan. After his
talk, we headed outside to look at the Moon, the
Jewel Box Nebula, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn through
telescopes provided by the Wellington Astronomical
Society. It was wonderful to see people from
diverse backgrounds sharing their enthusiasm and
excitement.
Following the success of the Mark Gee event, we’re
hosting another Astronomy Night in June with guest
speaker Dr. Pauline Harris from Victoria University
and the Society for Māori Astronomy, Research
and Traditions. Pauline is an Astrophysicist of Ngāti
Rongomaiwahine descent and her talk will be about
Matariki and how Māori tracked the passage of time
and navigated using the night sky. If the sky is clear
after the talk (cross your fingers for us!), we’ll once
again head outside and view the night sky.
Lillian Park
“Have you finished the book?” asks Wolf.
“No,” says Dog. “Not yet.
But the more I read, the more I know. And that’s the
only way to go.”
Dog and Wolf are cousins. Dog is tame and loyal,
and he’s a reader. Wolf is wild, fierce (a bit scary
sometimes) and full of rhyme. He doesn’t read (well),
but we get the feeling he wants to. He likes to know
things. This delicious book explores a number of
subjects that are magnetic for children: mummies
and skeletons, robots, knights and pirates, dinosaurs
and dragons, rockets and the moon. Dog and Wolf
explore them all amidst gorgeous illustrations, playful
dialogue, quirky rhymes and puns, with a fair amount
of fun-poking and teasing between the canine
cousins.
What Dog Knows is a beautiful blend of genres;
delicately drawn characters with deep personalities
weaving with compelling non-fiction. Throughout each
subject there is a peppering of quick quizzes, ideas
for creative projects (marshmallow robots, how to
make dried apples) and fulsome facts can be found
which will be enjoyed by readers and listeners alike
beyond the recommended ages of 6-9. Gecko Press
has delivered another sumptuous treasure that is as
magical to read as it is to hold.
What Dog Knows
Written by Sylvia Vanden Heede
Illustrated by Marije Tolman
Translated by Julia Marshall
Gecko Press 2016
Sarah Gallagher
Issue 446 • Library Life • www.lianza.org.nz