Little Truff Saves the Kererū
(New Zealand native pigeon)
This moving, modern animal adventure story is told with humour and suspense for ALL animal lovers between 8 years to 108.
Little Truff, the cute Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, is spending the summer holidays with her family at Piha, New Zealand’s famous surfing beach.
Along with her Siamese friend, Chloe, highly intelligent but mischievous, Truff is asked to investigate why kererū, the New Zealand native pigeons, are disappearing without trace. A drastic drop in numbers could lead to their extinction in the area, meaning the forest’s giant trees couldn’t regenerate — and an eco-tragedy would result.
Experience the sun, sea, sand and surf of Piha’s beaches, take a spooky mid-night stroll through the scrub-filled lowland, and climb the rugged volcanic slopes of the high, bush-clad Waitākere Ranges with the daring duo as they search for answers.
Will they find out why the birds are vanishing? And put a stop to it?
Little Truff Saves the Kererū is about the importance of conservation to retain sustain fragile eco-systems and the world-wide repercussions when they are lost. An adventure story, it is the third in a series about animal issues.
Recommended by the NZ Book Council: read review
Reader’s Comments:
This is a delightful book, warm and inspiring, set in a rugged landscape on Auckland’s west coast.
– Sir Bob Harvey
This is a story that grips you as it unfolds and has important ecological messages.
– Sandra Coney QSO, Chair, Waitakere Ranges Local Board, Auckland Council
There is lots of useful natural science information incorporated into this story for young people, set in familiar Piha locations.
– Piha Coastcare Trust
I loved it. It’s excellent… You had me hooked from start to finish.
– Nik Hurring, Project Kereru
The conservation message in this book is clear. NZ Bird Rescue supports this message, and hope children who read this book will form a generation of New Zealanders caring and conserving our beautiful native birds.
– The New Zealand Bird Rescue Charitable Trust
Buy the Book
164 pages,
ISBN 978-0-9941035-3-6
Hardcopies of Little Truff Saves the Kererū are available to purchase:
New Zealand:
From Whitcoulls, PaperPlus and all good bookshops: price NZ$24.95.
Special rates for New Zealand Schools and Libraries.
- Wheelers: www.wheelers.co.nz
- South Pacific Book Distributors: www.spbooks.co.nz
- Ann Russell Books price NZ$26.50 including packing and postage. Buy now!
Overseas:
Overseas readers may purchase the book from booksellers listed here or the author.
The postage and packaging charge from New Zealand will vary depending on the number of copies purchased and the destination. Buy now!
Available as an E-book for digital readers:
Background to the Book
- A kererū sitting on the fruiting branchlets of a nīkau palm outside my window was the inspiration for this story.
- Piha, the famous New Zealand surfing village backed by the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park, provided an ideal, natural setting.
- Because there are few stories about conservation, ecology and sustainability available, I decided to write this book using memorable characters and events to capture the imagination, entertain and give a better understanding of this issue.
The following organisations have assisted me in preparing the book:
Fun and Games based on Little Truff Saves the Kererū
Little Truff Saves the Kererū Fun and Games has a word puzzle, wordfind, other interesting activities and colouring sheets for readers. Parents and teachers may find the reading extensions
useful to enhance children’s appreciation of the book, both at home and in the classroom. More here.
- Book Review
- Conservation Research Project
- Decipher Truff’s Message
- Find and Tell Challenge
- Insights from the book
- Interactive Opportunities
- Life Cycle
- Mnemonic for Ecology
- The Ancient Kauri
- Who are these Characters?
- Why the Kereru Must be Saved
- Word Find
- Word Power Challenge
Little Truff Saves the Kererū Gallery
- Kererū on a bough
- Kererū on a cabbage tree
- A flax bush at Piha car park
- A bossy tūi on a flax flower stalk
- Orange flax flowers
- The red-eyed kererū in a kowai tree
- Toi toi bush with curved plumes
- A silent protest on Piha beach
- A Long Boat hits the waves
- Inflatable rescue boats ready for action near Lion Rock
- A surfer beside Lion Rock
- The Waitakere Ranges on a misty morning
- The pohutukawa is New Zealand’s Christmas tree
- Piha has the biggest pohutukawa forest in the world
- Pohutukawa flowers