Today was an awesome time at Waitākere College in West Auckland. My goal was to leave the young people thinking they can be great readers and writers. “Thank you for the amazing talk. I have taken home a book to study and then I can return it. And I love how you talk to us about how…
When I grew up in Māngere we weren’t taught the stories of the people who lived here before anyone else – the Waiohua iwi. We thought Māngere just meant “lazy” and it had a negative association. It wasn’t until recently that I learned the full name of the whenua we lived on is Ngā Hau…
Today we celebrated children in the special needs unit at Kedgley Intermediate School. They call these children superheroes and really care for them. We’ve been making a book together and we had the launch today with their families. These are some brave children!
I’m doing a project with children in the Samoan unit at Clendon Park School in Manurewa. We started the project with a parents fono so the parents could understand what we’re doing and help their children with the activities. The stories shared were so interesting and I’m really excited to hear more over the next…
“Stories are everywhere.” (Joy Cowley). Young writers at Te Papapa School proving it today ✍🏽
Another day in Rewa … Amazing evening with Chad Robertson celebrating a new book written and illustrated by children of Randwick Park School in Manurewa. My favourite part is when the families get their books and straight away turn to their child’s section to read it 14 new authors and illustrators have been ignited…
Here’s a first look at the cover for a new children’s book I’m making with illustrator Chad Robertson. It’s a history of the Wahs … coming soon!
Truly honoured to share thoughts with teachers at the Manaiakalani Pasifika Conference in Glen Innes. The theme was empowering students’ voices, an awesome theme. Our young people and their families have so much to contribute. I related it to an audience at a theatre show vs an audience at a WWE show. Most theatre audiences…
Another day in Rewa … Today we launched another book of Manurewa children’s writing and art: Kua Kore Tōku Mataku – I’m Not Scared Now. Everglade Primary children wrote about proud moments when they had overcome something challenging. It was beautiful to celebrate with their families at the school’s first ever book launch 😁 The…
Another day in Rewa … Awesome time celebrating these inspirational children from Te Whānau Awhina at Clendon Park School in Manurewa. We’ve been making a book about their love for kapa haka and we launched the book at the kura today. The future of Aotearoa is beautiful when you see these talented young people who…
“David didn’t just visit our school as an author. He left our children believing that their own stories matter, that reading can open doors, and that their futures are full of possibility. Thank you for reminding our tamariki that heroes are real, dreams are worth pursuing, and sometimes the first step towards an extraordinary future…
Look at the pride and joy in these children as they read a book they wrote. I worked with Room 12 at Weymouth School and helped them publish a book they wrote and illustrated. This looks like their favourite book 🙂
Today at Helensville Primary School I shared a message about how reading can change your life. I noticed a group of boys while I was speaking seemed to not really be listening. But at the end of the talk they came to see me asking to read the rugby league books I talked about writing…
Four days a week she’s a doctor. The other three days she’s a world champion powerlifter! Find out how this Māori-Tongan wahine toa from South Auckland did it, in this inspirational new biography from Reading Warrior. Order here: https://readingwarrior.com/product/dr-karlina-tongotea-world-champion-powerlifter/
I had a great time participating in Wheelers Insights series about boys and reading. We shared ideas with teachers and librarians in Christchurch and Auckland.
Today I got to spend time with Sera Clayton the first captain of Fetū Sāmoa (Samoan women’s rugby league team). Sera shared stories with me for a new children’s book about the Fetū. I’m looking forward to sharing the stories as I make this series called Rugby League All Stars to get our kids to…
Blessed today to spend time with league legend Duane Mann, who played in the first MMT team (1986). It’s a Rugby League World Cup year so I’m writing books about league players and teams to encourage kids to read more. Can’t wait to release the MMT and Toa Sāmoa books. I’ve collected some really inspiring,…
Here’s an interview I did with Carolanne Toetu’u of Pacific Media Network about a new project with Tongan children. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DkPSUX9Ab
I’ve been thinking of ways to use young peoples’ love of their cultures and rugby league to help them with their literacy – so my goal this World Cup year is to make a lot of books that are rugby league-themed to help kids with their reading. The series is called “Light It Up!” I’m…
New book released. It’s about Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, a rugby league player with Samoan and Torres Strait Islands heritage.
One thing I noticed from going to the Pacific Champs league games was how many children and young people were at the games repping their national teams. I saw Tongan children chanting the words of the Sipi Tau and Samoan children doing the same with the Siva Tau. This really inspired me to think of…
Another cool project I got to do this year was work with children of Weymouth Primary to share stories of place names in the Manurewa area which tell the stories of Te Ākitai Waiohua iwi. This mahi is important because the place names help keep alive the stories of people, events and the environment which…
Sometimes when you hear the phrase “the streets” it has negative connotations, especially the streets of places like Manurewa. That’s why I’ve been doing this project with children of Waimāhia Intermediate to change that perception. In this collection of writing the children write about the people, places and memories of their streets which are uplifting…
(Ode To An(often dis)Regarded Audience) Earlier this year I started a writers club at Tupu Youth Library in Ōtara. It’s a place young people can come and just write without worrying that their writing will be judged or “marked”. This evening we launched a book of some of the writing – a collection by ten…
I’ve been working with children at Matua Ngaru School in Kumeū to make a book about the river which sometimes floods during storms. Many people in this community are anxious when it rains heavily because of the damage the floods cause. They asked if we could make a book to ease some of the worry…
Ngā mihi to the Manurewa Marlins under 13 Maidens rugby league team – players, management and families. We did it! We published a book of your writing- sharing your stories of why you like to play rugby league, your inspirations, challenges and proud moments, and your future dreams. If anyone would like to read these…
Today we launched 5 bilingual Fiji children’s books at Kedgley Intermediate. The books were written by Fijian young people with the help of their families. I love this project – it’s called Ask the Elders – because it creates content for Pacific and other young people that’s written by Pacific young people and their families….
I had a cool visit with Senior Pasifika students at Edendale School today. At the end of the workshop, I asked the kids: “What do you want to remember from today?” Here are some of their responses :Never give up on your dreamsBooks can change your lifeBelieve in yourself and find people who believe in…
Today I got to visit students in the middle school at Sir Edmund Hilary Collegiate in Ōtara. I find these young people really inspiring because they have big dreams and they’re in the perfect place to build on the things their families have already been instilling in them. Our country has an amazing future because…
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