Award-winning Whakatane author Nikki Slade has released her latest picture book ‘Ruru’s Hangi’, a delightful sequel to the award-winning ‘The little Kiwi’s Matariki’.

In her latest book little Kiwi has a great idea to celebrate the arrival of Ruru’s babies and Weka, Tui, and Katipo all join in to make it happen. Instructions for preparing a hangi are also included in the book.

The book follows ‘Muddle & Mo’s Worm Surprise”, the sequel to ‘Muddle & Mo’ which won a Storylines Notable Book Award in 2016, and was picked up by a major United States publisher for North American release. It has since also been picked up for China.

In June 2016 ‘The little Kiwi’s Matariki’ made the finals of the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.

“I was thrilled to discover that it was one of the finalists. That led to an author tour around schools in the Te Puke district – the town I was born in,” says Nikki.

A nosy and resident weka takes a look at Nikki Slade’s latest book ‘Ruru’s Hangi’.

In August the same book won the Picture Book category in NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. During the year it remained on the bestseller list for some time, getting to number one. It was reprinted several times to keep up with demand.

Other new books Nikki has been involved in include ‘I am an Artist’, and ‘Witch’s Cat Wanted: Apply Within’, which she illustrated but didn’t write. ‘I am an Artist’ went on to be picked up by the same major US publisher, again for North American release. ‘Witch’s Cat Wanted: Apply within’ has just gained a Storylines Notable Book award in April this year.

“Now I’m working on a couple of other book projects and keeping out of mischief. “Meanwhile our goat Moon – aka Mo from ’Muddle & Mo’ – tells me he’s fed up with the wet weather, and ‘our’ weka family keep us well entertained.”