Written by: Malcolm Clarke.

Illustrated by: FLOX (Hayley King).

Tahi the Tuatara is down in the dumps and no matter what his friend, Roger the Ruru tries, nothing seems to change his mood. It’s not until they answer a cry for help that their journey takes an unexpected turn. TU MEKE TUATARA! is a story about empathy, friendship and discovering that sometimes the best way we can feel better about ourselves, is to help someone else.

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. (From the author’s website).