Congratulations, Katie Furze on PEKEPEKA, Secret Forest Bat!

Thank you so much for sharing the release of PEKAPEKA, Secret Forest Bat with us! Young readers love STEAM books and I’m sure yours will find many happy readers. Can you share with us a bit about the inspiration for this book? What was your initial spark? Hi Nancy, thanks for having me! In Aotearoa New Zealand, where I live, pekapeka or bats are the only native land mammals. (Pekapeka is the Māori name for bats). We have two types of pekapeka that are vastly different from each other. I chose to focus on the New Zealand lesser short-tailed bat which is the only living species in the family Mystacinidae. These bats have unique adaptations – for example, they spend much of their time scurrying around on the ground with their wings folded up. They are endangered and rarely seen by people because they are only found in a few locations, deep in ancient forests. I wanted to write a book that would give children insight into the life of these elusive and fascinating creatures and at the same time help pekapeka by raising knowledge and highlighting the importance of scientific research and conservation.

Writing STEAM books requires a substantial amount of research. Often it is the most fun part of our writing process. Did you meet any challenges in your research journey? I was able to read about all aspects of the bat’s biology and behavior from reports and scientific papers, thanks to the excellent work of New Zealand scientists who have dedicated their lives to studying these endangered bats. Once I’d finished my manuscript, I contacted a bat expert, to make sure I had everything right. The most enjoyable part of my research was visiting the beautiful ancient forests where pekapeka are found. This is a photo of Whirinaki Te Puā-a-Tāne Conservation Park, in the central north island of New Zealand, one of the few places where short-tailed pekapeka live.

Often one of the most difficult parts of crafting our books is not deciding what to include, but deciding what to leave out. What did you choose to leave out of this book and why? I decided to focus the narrative on a single night in a bat’s life because I wanted to take young readers on a journey with Pekapeka as she forages for food, evades predators, and pollinates native plants, all while evading the many dangers in the forest. In my experience, there are always some fascinating facts that don’t fit the structure and are best left out. For example, the males of this species of bat ‘sing’ from roosts to attract females. I chose to exclude this fact from the main narrative, but I was able to include it in the back matter. (Credit Colin O'Donnell)

What tip can you share with teachers who want to use your book in the classroom? PEKAPEKA, Secret Forest Bat can be used in many ways across the curriculum and at different year levels. It ties in particularly well with science and nature topics such as life cycles, habitats, adaptations, food chains and ecosystems. I hope to offer an educator’s guide on my website soon! Like a lot of wildlife in Aotearoa New Zealand, these bats are very different to species found elsewhere in the world. If you look at this spread you will see how they fold their wings up and scurry around on the ground using their wings like front legs!

Congratulations on this book release! What comes next for you? Can you give us a peek at what you are currently researching ? PEKAPEKA, Secret Forest Bat is a companion to Ruru: Night Hunter and Tuatara: A Living Treasure with words by me and illustrations by Ned Barraud, published by Scholastic NZ. I’m excited to say Ned and I are working on our next book about another special native of Aotearoa New Zealand. I hope to be able to share more details soon.

About the author: Katie Furze is an author of children’s stories and books from Aotearoa New Zealand, who has a master’s degree in creative writing and a love of science and nature. Her debut non-fiction picture book, Tuatara, a Living Treasure, illustrated by Ned Barraud and published by Scholastic NZ was a finalist in the 2024 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, a finalist in the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards and a 2023 Storylines Notable Book. A second title in the series, Ruru, Night Hunter was released in July 2024. Katie’s work is regularly published in The School Magazine in Australia and The New Zealand School Journal. She has also written early readers and children’s plays for the educational market, and published stories in anthologies. Read more about Katie at: http://www.katiefurze.com/