A weka and his whānau are running through a field. There are ten in all before one decides to check out the local lake. Nine cheeky weka find a farmhouse and squeeze under a gate under a cow’s nose. One wanders off, interested in some flax.

The group of weka get smaller and smaller as their adventure takes them from the fields and flax to the sea, near a river and back again. The last nosey weka finds the best treat of all, calling all her whānau back again to a group of ten nosey wekas!

This trilingual counting picture book is something truly special. It includes English, Māori, and ta rē Moriori too!

ta rē Moriori is the original language of Rēkohu – Chatham Island, and Rangihaute – Pitt Island where Ten Nosey Weka is set.

This is the first counting picture book to include ta rē Moriori, which showcases the similarities to te reo Māori whilst also clearly showing its unique character.

Not only a fun, rhyming, counting book, there is further information on the Moriori and weka, a glossary of all three languages, and another counting activity. Begin again with Ten Nosey Weka and enjoy it all over again in a whole new way.

Illustrator Isobel Te Aho-White has expertly captured the weka’s cheeky nature on the page. I was lucky enough to experience it myself for the first time, earlier this year.

Author – Kate Preece

Illustrator – Joy Te Aho-White

Picture Book

(2024, Bateman Books, Aotearoa New Zealand, Native Birds, Weka, Counting, Language, Moriori, Māori, English, Search and Find Activity)