Trevor the Duck is very curious. He spends lots of time looking under, over and around things to see what he might find.

Living near a beach, he also liked to look along the sand and even into the rockpools to see what was revealed when the tide went out. He found many wonderful creatures to look at.

But one day on the beach, Trevor gets a big wet surprise. A huge wave picks him up and sucks him far out to sea. Trevor isn’t frightened however, because his curiosity turns this surprise into an adventure!

Seagulls far above watch Trevor on his journey across the waves. Sometimes Trevor paddles, and sometimes he flies. He’s very very tired when he reaches another beach. This beach doesn’t have rockpools as he is used to. It is a beach of golden sun and sand – where he quickly falls asleep.

Later, he is woken by another bird. Trevor has never seen one like it. Veka is her name, and she takes Trevor away from the beach to a local village. He doesn’t realise at first, but Trevor is the only bird like him on this island called Niue.

Based on a true story, Trevor the Mallard Duck arrived on the island of Niue in 2018. No one knew where he came from, but it was believed he may have been blown there in a storm. With no streams or rivers on the island, Trevor swam in a roadside puddle, which was topped up by the local fire brigade when it got low.

Although thought lonely, Trevor had many human friends who kept him well fed, and some feathered friends too – including a weka, a rooster and a chicken. Trevor was named after a NZ Government Minister – Trevor Mallard, and the name stuck.

This gorgeous picture book tells Trevor’s remarkable adventure story.

Author – Lynda Finn

Illustrator – Nikki Slade Robinson

Picture Book

A photo of Trevor taken on Niue

(2023, Scholastic, NZ , New Zealand, Aotearoa, Mallard Duck, Birds, Animals, Journey, True Story, Niue, Pacific, Adventure, News, Famous, Island, Ocean, Adventure)