Kids' book on historical path

RHYME TIME: Illustrator Viv Walker (left) and author Tania Connelly, have created a rhyme book about Greytown history. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

Samuel Oates' epitaph reads "gone but not forgotten" and now that he has been immortalised in a children's book, the phrase has even more significance.

After months of hard work, local writer-illustrator team Tania Connelly and Viv Walker have the final proof of the book in their hands, ready for its launch today.

Over the Hill to Greytown is based on Samuel Oates' famous journey when he pushed a loaded wheelbarrow across the steep Rimutaka Ranges from Wellington to Greytown in the 1850s.

The idea for the book was brewed up in 2010, when Mrs Connelly wanted to write a nursery rhyme for her granddaughter Niamh, who was four at the time.

"I have known about Samuel Oates for a long time, then when I came here [to Greytown] I wanted to write a nursery rhyme for my granddaughter so she would learn something about the town."

"The story seemed highly suitable as something to spark an interest in history."

The book has all the things that are in the great nursery rhymes, like a colourful cast of animals, she said.

Mrs Connelly, an experienced author and former writer for iconic educational show Play School, believes rhymes about places can enrich people's experiences.

"I've had a very long standing interest in nursery rhymes, I've always been fond of them." They can be cryptic, she said.

"The best nursery rhymes have quite a bit of meaning."

"Some rhymes were so obscure, they may have a political aspect saying things that the public weren't in a position to say normally or they could be recreating something historically.

"There's frequently more information under the surface of a rhyme, which the book has," said Mrs Connelly.

"The modern picture book demands layers."

Mrs Connelly met Mrs Walker, who runs courses on writing and illustrating children's books, through Wai Art Group.

The pair said it was not as simple as it seemed to create a picture book.

"It's a completely different approach, it's quite hard to write a picture book," said Mrs Walker.

It took six months to produce. Mrs Connelly said Mrs Walker had visually translated her ideas very well.

"I feel I was so lucky running into Viv."

The book was published through Wai Art Press, a new service launched in July.

This gave them more control over the book, the pair said. Wai Art Press provides them with an interest free loan for the production and printing costs.

The book is being launched today and tomorrow.

Tomorrow, children from the Tangle Community Dance Company will tell the story in dance and Reverend Andy Eldred of St Luke's Anglican Church, Greytown, will sing an original song he composed using the words of the rhyme.

It starts at 10.30am at the Greytown Town Centre.