Keri the Wonderful Kiwi Who Flew is a beautifully illustrated New Zealand publication of 1969, by H.R. Hopkins. It has been written in rhyming couplet verse and is all about Mother Kiwi and Father Kiwi who produce an amazing offspring. The story begins with the hatching of Keri who was incidentally named because of the first sound he made: KK-EEE-RRRRR-IIII. On the day his parents kick him unceremoniously from the nest, they discover he has fully fledged wings, but decided that even though he is definitely "queer," they will ignore jibes he might endure from his flightless relations. Then, one day after foraging for food Keri becomes lost in the forest and has to spend night under a log. The following morning he is rudely awakened to the barks of the super-sniffing farm dog Ranger. It's then that all hell breaks loose and Keri decides to finally use his wings, although it seems this will result in further grief. The book is a pleasure for children and adults alike and illustrations abound throughout the book.
But Keri flew on in his wobbly course.
He was seen by some girls and a man on a horse.
The girls were out gathering mushrooms for Mum,
And they got a surprise when they saw Keri come.
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