"Kids are fascinated with watching things move. From an early age they love mechanical toys that go click and whirr and they delight in finding out how machines work. From the great waka canoes hollowed out from tree-trunks, to jet boats, motorbikes, racing cars and high-tech space rockets, New Zealand has produced some amazing machines. The earliest models engaged the muscles of men and horses, together with wind and water. Then steam power became available and machines became increasingly more complicated. Petrol, diesel, and electricity followed. This book traces the history of NZ machines through examples from first settlement to the modern age. Inspiring kids to learn and discover how things work, writer and illustrator Dave Gunson presents large colour pictures of 50 machines with lively and informative text descriptions alongside. There are many ‘home-grown’ successes, plus lots of machines from overseas, adapted for local conditions."