Q&A with Ned Barraud, author and illustrator of Rākau: The Ancient Forests of Aotearoa

Ned Barraud is an author/illustrator of over twenty children’s books exploring the natural world. These include Tohorā: The Southern Right Whale, Rock Pools: A Guide for Kiwi Kids, New Zealand’s Backyard Beasts and Mangō: Sharks and Rays of Aotearoa, the last of which won an award for children’s natural history at the 2024 Whitley Awards. Along with author Gillian Candler, he has also illustrated the popular Explore & Discover series, which includes the prize-winning At the Beach.

“These trees aren’t just scenery – they’re ancient, living guardians. I hope readers come away with a clearer sense of what Aotearoa once was, and what still remains. These giants have seen it all. Our ancestors walked beneath them, and with care they’ll still be standing long after we’re gone.”
—Ned Barraud

Q1: You’ve explored many aspects of New Zealand wildlife in your books, from the ocean to our own backyards. How did rākau and ngahere come about as the next environment to explore?

It felt like a natural next step. Our native trees are the silent giants of Aotearoa — they’ve witnessed the reshaping of this land. I wanted to imagine a world of trees, shift the focus upward, and give them space to tell their story.

Q2: What was the most surprising thing you learned about our rākau when researching and writing the book?

The sheer interconnectedness. I knew trees supported ecosystems, but learning how giants like rātā or kauri sustain entire communities – mosses, lichens, fungi, epiphytes – one tree can be a whole living world.

Q3: You include an acknowledgement to your Granny Molly. Can you tell us more about her influence on your love for wildlife and native trees?

Granny Molly had a big garden bursting with life, and one of the largest southern rātā in Nelson! She was a native tree enthusiast, and when I was about 11, she gave me a book on the subject. That spark of curiosity took root early and never left.

Q4: What species of rākau do you have in your own backyard? Do you have a favourite?

We’ve got a few ancient nīkau – I’d guess they’re 150 to 200 years old. You gaze up at them in awe, they’re so iconic. We also have a whole line-up of seedlings that my stepdad lovingly tends. He loves to give them away to whānau.

Q5: Tell us about the two gatefolds on rātā and kauri.

I’m really excited about these – not just one, but two gatefolds! They’re designed to help readers feel the scale. I used people, birds, and other trees for reference to show just how tall and complex these giants are.

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Q6: What was your favourite part of the creative process – the research, the writing, or the illustrating – and why?

It’s honestly the interplay between all three. Research fills my head, writing helps me shape the ideas, but it’s in the illustration that the heart kicks in – where it becomes a story. That moment when a drawing starts to breathe is pure magic.

Q7: What did you use as a guide to the illustrations? Were they also inspired by your own tramps through the forest?

Absolutely. I always carry a camera on tramps for reference, and those images became essential during the illustration process. But nothing beats being out there, looking up through the canopy and just absorbing it all.

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Q8: This book blends pūrākau and mātauranga Māori with leading botanical research. What was it like working with Curator Mātauranga Māori, Isaac Te Awa, and Curator Botany, Leon Perrie, at Te Papa?

It was a privilege. Isaac and Leon brought depth, generosity, and precision to the process. Their guidance helped the book hold both science and story in balance – and made it far richer than it would have been otherwise.

Q9: Are there any forests you’d recommend that readers explore for themselves?

Yes! Kaitoke and Ōtari-Wilton’s Bush in Wellington are beautiful. Abel Tasman and the Heaphy Track offer amazing encounters with ancient trees. And right here in Nelson, where I live, the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary has some of the biggest tōtara I’ve seen, just minutes from the town centre.

Q10: What do you hope readers take away from the book?

A sense of reverence. These trees aren’t just scenery – they’re ancient, living guardians. I hope readers come away with a clearer sense of what Aotearoa once was, and what still remains. These giants have seen it all. Our ancestors walked beneath them, and with care they’ll still be standing long after we’re gone.