It's 1845 and Hene, a Maori girl, has just been sent away from her family to stay at Paihia Mission Station after her twin brother and many others from her iwi fall ill. Life with Henry and Marianne Williams is very different, Hene must wear a scratchy European dress and learn to read, write and sew. Across the water in Kororareka (now Russell), Hone Heke, who was first to sign the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, has become frustrated that it's promises haven't been kept. He has already cut down the flagpole several times in protest, and has now returned to cut it down again and attack Korororeka. Hene can see the smoke and fire from across the bay; the town is on fire and being looted and her friend Rangi is trapped there. Can Hene save her?

A great little story in the New Zealand Girl series that gives the reader a sense of the time and place. Included at the end of the book is a glossary and useful information pages. ( )

Another good novel in this series aimed at 9-12 year olds. Hene has to leave her beloved family as illness sweeps though her pa. She is taken by a missionary to the school at Paihia where she struggles with the learning, the hot heavy Victorian clothes and making friends. It is a tumultuous time in New Zealand's history and she is caught up in the assault on Kororareka, where her friend is left while a British warship attacks the town.

A nice adventure story - Hene's struggles and bravery are convincingly conveyed. ( )

Great books for learning brief accounts of New Zealand history. Our school subscribes to this series 'New Zealand Girl’. Hene and the Burning Harbour is the story of Hene, a Maori girl living in 1840s New Zealand, Northland, 1845. When Hene's twin brother falls dangerously ill, her parents fear she will also catch the sickness. With the arrival of Europeans meant the introduction of illnesses that Maori had no immunity to such as measles, typhoid fever, and influenza. Hene's parents send her away from her home at the pa to the Paihia mission station; life with the missionaries is difficult. Hene must wear a hot European dress and learn to sew, which she hates. Meanwhile, across the water in Russell (Kororareka), a town in turmoil; Hone Heke, a Maori chief, has cut down the flagpole (that symbolises British territory) again and has attacked Korororeka. Hene sees smoke and fire from across the bay; the town is on fire and her best friend from the mission house, Rangi, is trapped there. Hene is the only one who can save her. What was life like so many years ago? Reading this short story gives you a glimpse into this time in history. ( )