Kiwi wishes he was in his burrow, with its smells of the bush, worms and dirt.

He doesn’t like the dark box he’s in with its old straw, or the movement of the truck the box is on. The box is rocking on the back of the truck… and then… CRASH! It’s fallen off!

Kauri Boy has been told off again by his teacher.

He’s been sent out of class, but instead of sitting where he should, he grabs his back pack and leaves school.

A small, frightened kiwi, and fed-up young boy discover each other behind the school bus stop…

A story of discovery, empathy and understanding, not only between humans and wildlife, but between a teacher and student having trouble “getting” each other.

A lost kiwi is the catalyst for healing this troubling rift, now and in the future.

This tale of boy and bird will be a great way for keen young readers to help bridge a move from picture book text to early chapter books.

Soft watercolour illustrations take Kiwi and Kauri Boy through the story as a child makes good choices and doing the right thing, and a treasured kiwi is returned to the New Zealand bush.

Readers also have the added aspect of a Search & Find for wetas among the pages – followed up with information on these amazing insects in the back of the book.

Author – Linley Edmeades

Illustrator – Meg May Makene

Picture Book

(2026, Little Love, Mary Egan Publishing, Kiwi, Aotearoa New Zealand, School, Teacher, Student, Understanding, Empathy, Making Good Choices, Doing the right thing, Department of Conservation)