Nikki Slade Robinson is an award-winning author and illustrator of over sixty children's books and readers, many for Duck Creek Press including the Muddle & Mo series and The little Kiwi series. Tane Karamaina's iwi is Ngati Whanaunga and the hapu are Nga Uri o Tu, Te Mateawa and Ngati Puku. His marae is Wharekawa, which is just outside of Kaiaua on the western shores of the Firth of Thames.