What happens when an Italian artist decides to write a travel guide?
He almost immediately stops writing a guide.
Kiwiland was born this way: from a gaze that observes, draws and interprets rather than explains.
A journey through New Zealand told not to point out directions, but to cross places, people and cultural differences with curiosity and irony.
Not a guide to follow, but an experience to live.
So please jump in to a travel book that isn’t a travel book.
Kiwiland is your passport to far away land, New Zealand, like you’ve never seen it before: vivid, surreal, hilarious, and illustrated, one sketch, one observation, one unexpected moment at a time.
This isn’t a dull guide or a dry historical account.
It’s a wild narrative, a cultural kaleidoscope, and a visual adventure, wrapped into one irreverent journey through the land of kiwis, volcanoes, sheep, Māori legends and adventurous spirits.
Written and illustrated by an Italian artist who lived in New Zealand for almost three years, Kiwiland blends travel writing, humour, illustration and cultural insight into a book that feels more like a sketchbook crossed with a diary, honest, playful and deeply human.
Why Kiwiland is different... and irresistible for who already read it
✔ Not your typical travel guide: funny, weird, intelligent and real
✔ Packed with original illustrations that turn every page into a discovery
✔ Designed for curious travellers, armchair explorers and creative minds
✔ A unique mix of humour, art, culture and storytelling
✔ Perfect for readers who love books that don’t fit into neat categories
Instead of telling you where to go, Kiwiland shows you how it feels to be there.
Instead of facts and lists, you’ll find stories, impressions, absurdities and moments of quiet revelation.
Imagine stepping off the plane and seeing New Zealand through the eyes of an artist who fell in love with its landscapes and eccentricities, then captured them with wit, colour and a sharp sense of observation.
This book is for you if you love:
- travel books that read like stories
- illustrated books with personality
- humour with depth
- alternative travel perspectives
- New Zealand culture beyond stereotypes
- art-driven storytelling
If you’re looking for:
- unexpected laughs
- surprising insights into Kiwi culture
- illustrations that spark curiosity and imagination
- …then Kiwiland isn’t just a book.
It’s your next adventure.
Dive in. Get lost. Come out a Kiwi at heart. 🥝
(Perfect for travellers, art lovers, humour seekers and anyone who enjoys stories off the beaten path.)
Warning:
This book may cause an uncontrollable desire to travel, laugh at cultural misunderstandings, and look at the world with slightly different eyes.
No sheep were harmed in the making of this book. Some stereotypes were.
And if reading isn’t your thing, don’t worry, you can always just look at the illustrations.
They tell their own story.
If you’re still undecided, that’s fine, Kiwiland doesn’t judge.
It will be right here, quietly waiting to surprise you.
Here 5 reasons why you shouldn't read Kiwiland
1. There are too many kiwis and not enough superheroes 2. You'll start daydreaming at work 3. It may cause spontaneous smiles in public 4. Ordinary reality will seem... boring 5. You’ll wish you lived inside a comic book
If you're fine with all that, welcome to Kiwiland an illustrated guide for curious wanderers and future islanders.
Enter the vibrant, offbeat world of Kiwiland, a graphic journey through New Zealand’s landscapes, wildlife, history and wonderfully strange culture. Follow a bunch of sarcastic kiwis (the birds, not the people, although…) as they waddle through everyday madness, ancient myths, and modern mishaps. Through funny illustrations and cheeky commentary, you'll learn what a kiwi really is, who the Māori are, and where the heck New Zealand even is. Whether you're a curious traveler, an armchair explorer, or just someone who loves birds with attitude, this book’s for you.
“This book came out of my time living in New Zealand, an island that stole my heart and fried my brain (in the best way). It’s my ironic, affectionate take on Kiwi life, exploring everything from politics to possums, volcanoes to vanilla slices. It's a weird and wild reflectionof how becoming a ‘kiwi’ changed me forever.”
MdE, aka Michele di Erre
Are you still not sure about?
🎁 Get an exclusive sneak peek of 25 pages – Free. Send me a message on the chat or by email using the code "All Kiwis could Fly!" and don't forget to write the email where I should send the gift!
