Riwia and the Stargazer by Linda Tuhiwai Smith & Isobel Joy Te Aho-White.

Riwia and the Stargazer by Linda Tuhiwai Smith & Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. 

Huia Publishers, 2023. 

Since he was born, Riwia's baby brother, Tawa, has been in Auckland Hospital, and his family has come to stay in Auckland. While Riwia goes to school and Dad works as a cook, Mum stays with Tawa. Their Aunty Sue's house is full, and renting is expensive, so Riwia and her parents live in a van, the Stargazer. But Tawa is getting sicker, and he dies. The family travels back to Te Teko, taking Tawa to the marae for his tangi and burial. Riwia learns about the journey Tawa's spirit will make, and at Matariki, the family gathers and remembers Tawa. 

This book deals with so much more than death, including homelessness. However, this book deals with death, lifetime illness, preparatory grief, and tangihana. 

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