Hammer Time!

This is Taitama on the right. He’s a student at Nayland Primary School and he’s an author. He told me he’s inspired by my journey, to publish his art and writing too! His book is about two moa that fall in love. “Inspire” means breathe life into and Taitama really inspired me today. Thank you…

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…

I did a talk at Ashburton Intermediate today – told the children a story about how a book about rocks changed someone’s life. After the talk these four boys came sprinting into the library asking where the books on rocks are.  ‘Why do you want to read those?’ I asked the boys. ‘We want knowledge,’…

Today I was blessed to interview Dr Karlina Tongotea who is not only a doctor but a world champion power lifter! Lina is South Auckland- raised and comes from Māori (Ngāpuhi and Ngāi Tahu) and Tongan heritage. It was so inspiring to hear her stories and I can’t wait to share them in a new…

Hanging out with Libby Gray, Rebecca Ter Borg and the legendary matua Witi Ihimaera at the Children’s Book Awards. I remember reading Pounamu Pounamu as a kid, and watching the film version of The Whale Rider with my students at TC. Never did I think I would even meet Witi, but share an event with…