Book cover: Mummy Parrot cradles Baby Kea in a sunlit beech forest.

A picture book for little hearts

Baby Kea goes to
Foster Care

A warm, honest story that helps young children understand what foster care is, and know that they are loved through every step.

Get the book Peek inside
Baby Kea hatches from an egg in a cosy nest inside a hollow log.
It all begins one bright morning in the beech forest…

The story

A little parrot, a big change,
and a whole lot of love

High in the beech forest below the mountain, Baby Kea hatches into a world full of sunshine and song. But when Mummy Parrot becomes unwell and cannot care for her little one, the kind social worker parrots find Baby Kea a safe foster nest between the rocks.

There are yummy fat worms, warm wings to cuddle under, and visits with Mummy Parrot. There are tears at goodbye time too, because big feelings are part of the story. And every night, if Baby Kea listens very carefully, there is a voice on the wind calling…

“Keeeeeeeaaaaa, I love you!”

Peek inside

Pages from the book

Painted in warm storybook watercolours, from golden forest mornings to starry nights.

Sample spread: Baby Kea hatches in the nest.
Sample spread: the social worker parrots meet Baby Kea.
Sample spread: the foster parrot feeds Baby Kea.
Sample spread: visiting Mummy Parrot with the auntie parrot.

Who it helps

Written for the littlest members of the foster care journey

Children entering care

Baby Kea's story mirrors a child's own experience gently: a safe new nest, kind carers, missing Mummy, and the reassurance that being loved never stops.

Foster carers and whānau

A ready-made way to open tender conversations at bedtime, with simple words for hard questions and space for tears and cuddles along the way.

Social workers and educators

A practical tool for preparing children for placement, explaining family visits, and normalising the mixed feelings that come with change.

About the author

Susan Francis

Susan wrote Baby Kea Goes to Foster Care to give the youngest children in care a story that looks and feels like their own. Set among the keas of New Zealand's beech forests, it turns a confusing time into something little ones can hold, understand and return to as often as they need.

Her hope is simple: that every child who hears this story falls asleep knowing that they are safe, that the grown-ups around them are working together, and that love can travel any distance, even on the wind.

Mummy and Daddy Parrot cuddle Baby Kea in the forest.
The book cover: Mummy Parrot cradles Baby Kea, with the title Baby Kea Goes to Foster Care.

“Keeeeeeeaaaaa,
I love you!”

Bring Baby Kea home and share the story with a little one who needs it.

Buy on Amazon Contact Susan

Bulk orders for agencies, schools and carer support groups are very welcome.