The Mog and the Frog illustrator Laura Wenden Green (left), author Kaye Arnott and translator for A Mavis rāua ko Poraka Ian Christensen with one of the StoryWalk boards at Ahimate Reserve. Photo / Judith Lacy
The Mog and the Frog illustrator Laura Wenden Green (left), author Kaye Arnott and translator for A Mavis rāua ko Poraka Ian Christensen with one of the StoryWalk boards at Ahimate Reserve. Photo / Judith Lacy
StoryWalk has finally come to Palmerston North with the 11 boards at Ahimate Reserve telling of Mavis the mog’s encounter with a frog.
The River Stop Awapuni project was opened on Monday by The Mog and the Frog author and Palmerston North resident Kaye Arnott.
Ian Christensen translated the story into te reo Māori, A Mavis rāua ko Poraka, with both languages side by side on the boards.
In unseasonably warm weather, Arnott and Christensen lead launch attendees around the limestone pathway and across a bridge, reading the story.
Illustrator Laura Wenden Green has included landmarks from the Ahimate Reserve area.
As well as the storyboards there are other activities for children including a crazy mirror, quiz, conservation tips, exercise ideas from Sport Manawatū and Kind Hearts suggestions.
Arnott got the idea for The Mog and the Frog when her cat Maddie brought home a frog. Mavis the mog is based on her son and daughter-in-law’s cat.
Arnott started writing children’s books in 2014 when she found out she was going to be a grandmother.
Penny Green, 11, makes the most of the activities provided by Sport Manawatū at the Ahimate StoryWalk launch on Monday. Photo / Judith Lacy
Speaking on behalf of River Stop Awapuni, David Chapple said it had not been an easy project and the community group had been working on it for some time.
That The Mog and the Frog is completely local makes it special. “The idea, the story, the illustrations, the printing, the installation are all from our amazing community.”
It was important the story was able to be read in both te reo Māori and English, Chapple said.
“I hope other parts of the city will support local writers and artists to create similar walks.”
Arnott said it was a joy having her rhyming words translated into that wonderful language.
Palmerston North City Council and the Awapuni Community Centre funded the project. Menzshed Manawatū made the boards.
A StoryWalk board and a crazy mirror, part of Ahimate Reserve's latest attraction. Photo / Judith Lacy
The StoryWalk Project was created by American Anne Ferguson and developed in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
The concept took off in New Zealand during the first Covid lockdown in 2020. Libraries throughout the country put up boards with laminated book pages for people to read on their walks.
The bilingual The Mog and the Frog is available from Paper Plus, Bruce McKenzie Booksellers, Te Manawa and Marigolds, or directly from the author at dkarnott@inspire.net.nz.
It can also be borrowed from Palmerston North City Library.
Judith Lacy has been the editor of the Manawatū Guardian since December 2020. She graduated from journalism school in 2001 and this is her second role editing a community paper.
