We’re excited to be giving away four copies of The Caring Stars of Matariki by Miriama Kamo and Zak Waipara to our GrownUps members — two in English and two in te reo Māori!
To be in the draw, simply make sure you’re a GrownUps member, signed up to our newsletter, and fill in your details at the bottom of the page.
About The Caring Stars of Matariki
A companion book in the popular Matariki star series.
“Everything changes, tamariki mā,” says Grandma.
“But the stars will always guide us.”
Sam and Te Rerehua adore Te Mata Hāpuku, its wild winds, stony shores, and the treasures the waves push onto the beach. But this Matariki feels different. Pōua is gone and the children miss him deeply. As they wait for the rising of the star cluster, Grandma teaches them about two caring whetū: Pōhutukawa, the star who carries those we have lost, and Hiwa-i-te-Rangi, the star of aspirations for the year ahead.
When a group of mischievous patupaiarehe try to pull Pōhutukawa from the sky to bring Pōua back, Sam, Te Rerehua, and Grandma must remind them why the stars must stay where they belong – guiding us, caring for us, and holding our memories in the night sky.
A companion to Miriama Kamo and Zak Waipara’s popular The Stolen Stars of Matariki (2018), The Twin Stars of Matariki (2023), The Kai Stars of Matariki (2024) and The Wild and Windy Stars of Matariki (2025), this gentle tale of grief, remembrance, and renewal completes the set of the Matariki stars, as Sam and Te Rerehua learn that those we love never truly leave us – they become stars who shine on.
There is a separate edition in te reo Māori by Ariana Stevens as Ko Ngā Whetū Raupī o Matariki: Ko Pōhutukawa rāua ko Hiwa-i-te-rangi.
About the Authors
Miriama Kamo is an award-winning journalist. She was the anchor of TVNZ’s flagship current affairs programme Sunday and Māori current affairs programme Marae. Miriama’s first children’s book with Scholastic was the popular The Stolen Stars of Matariki. Her 2022 book, with Rangi Matamua and Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Matariki Around the World was one of the bestselling children’s books of 2022.
Zak Waipara (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāti Kahungunu) is a Digital Media lecturer at AUT. He has worked as a designer for Māori Television’s children’s show Mīharo, illustrated comics and a range of books, and created animated music videos. He is the illustrator of Gordon Campbell’s Horeta and the Waka, Miriama Kamo’s Matariki star series, and Kirsty Wadsworth’s Īhaka and the Unexpected Visitor.
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Terms and conditions
You must be a GrownUps member and subscribed to our newsletter to be eligible to enter.
The competition closes on 1st July 2026. Winners will be notified via email by 2nd July 2026.
It is your responsibility to provide a correct New Zealand postal address for prize delivery. GrownUps is not responsible for prizes sent to incorrect addresses.
Winners will be drawn at random by the GrownUps administration team.
GrownUps employees and their immediate families are not eligible to enter.
By entering, you agree to GrownUps using your name on social media as a winner of the competition.
One entry per household.
The prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash or other items.
You must reside in New Zealand, as the prize can only be delivered within New Zealand.
You must be over 50 years of age to enter. Please ensure your membership details are up to date in your dashboard.
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