Read Books.

Join Aroha, Waiata and their mum aboard a time-travelling waka as they explore Aotearoa’s past. From thriving Māori communities to Te Tiriti, Parihaka and the survival of te reo Māori, each stop brings new questions about whenua, whānau and belonging. An illustrated adventure that invites tamariki and whānau to learn together, listen carefully and keep discovering their own connections.

Aroha’s eighth birthday begins with a precious gift from Koro and a discovery that changes everything. When a waiata awakens something extraordinary, wonder gives way to a storm, loss and unanswered questions. With her whānau and a glowing cicada named Kiki beside her, Aroha must find new ways to communicate and uncover what happened to her voice. Beyond the familiar world, a hidden sanctuary is calling.

Aroha crosses into a living world carried on an enormous whale, where impossible things are part of everyday life. A tree school, extraordinary markets and new friendships offer somewhere she might belong. But a dangerous connection to Earth has followed her. As Aroha learns about Mīharo and becoming a kaitiaki, protecting her new home means learning when to listen, whom to trust and how to say no.

Something is breaking beneath Te Waka Tōhorā, and Aroha’s growing abilities could help uncover why. Living pathways fracture, waterways fail and a threat from Earth reaches deeper into the sanctuary. Through carving, weaving and investigation, Aroha and her friends search for a way to repair the damage. Being called a World-Shaper brings expectations, but Aroha must discover her own purpose and learn that no one can carry a world alone.

A stranger’s arrival opens a path to another sanctuary and a much larger world. Travelling to Vardheim, Aroha discovers unfamiliar ways of living, new connections and communities facing a shared danger. Back home, hidden records reveal painful truths about her whānau. As friendships strain and arguments about freedom and protection deepen, Aroha must help build connections that respect the people on both sides.

With voices disappearing and two powerful movements pulling the world apart, Aroha faces her greatest challenge. Dave’s Aurora network promises control. Hemi’s Open Roads movement promises freedom. Both carry consequences that others must live with. Together with her whānau, friends and allied sanctuaries, Aroha searches for a way to return what has been taken without creating further harm. The final Mīharo adventure brings questions of voice, belonging and responsibility full circle.