Author(s): Ruth Paul

Children & Young Adult | Kids' Winter Reading Guide 2025

When Ruby finds herself without her family on New Year’s Eve, she runs away with her dog to the one place she feels safe – her treehouse in the forest.  Joined by her friend, Te Ariki (aka ‘Spider’), the pair soon make a surprising discovery – there’s a kiwi living in a burrow nearby, caring for a newborn chick. A white kiwi chick.

Accompanied by a strange talking doll, and aided by the ancient wairua of the bush, Ruby and Spider step up to become true forest guardians, risking their lives to stop unscrupulous wildlife smugglers from stealing this rare native treasure.