Tu Meke Tui is a story of friendship, courage and discovering that sometimes it’s our differences that make us truly special.

Tere the Tui and Taitū the Takahē are two very different sorts of birds; one loves to flit and twirl around in the sky, while the other prefers to rustle about in the undergrowth.

Tumeke is a New Zealand Māori word which means to startle or take fright. In recent years, tu meke (as two words) has developed as a colloquial phrase meaning ‘too much’ and is used to express excitement or being shaken up.

ILLUSTRATOR: Flox
WRITER: Malcom Clarke