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Out of my gumboot crawled a very BIG and very GRUMPY Wētā.

"It's so ugly!" I cried.

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Gumboots are favourite hiding places for the amazing but slightly scary-looking Wētā. Koro Wētā visits the gumboots in this story again and again. And their owner is scared over and over again.

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What can be done?

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This story shows how with a little empathy and outside-the-box thinking, what seemed an insurmountable problem leads to an unusual multi-generational friendship.

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As well as a fun story (with a surprise twist at the end) this book includes some facts about these incredible insects. Did you know Wētā are the  violins and cellos of the insect world?  Or that some Wētā can hold their breath underwater for ten minutes?!

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Click on the book to find out more!

Click on the star for the downloadable Teacher Resource

Sarah Trolle's illustrations bring the story to life, making it a book firmly rooted in Aotearoa New Zealand. (How many other plants and creatures from our country can you identify on the pages?)

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Ngairo Eruera's skillful translation of the story to te Reo Māori adds a whole new dimension of depth and meaning to this pukapuka.

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Published 2025 by Oratia Books, NZ

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