What’s been happening

Reading Warrior has a new sports-life biography to help celebrate Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga – Tongan Language Week. Kickin’ It: the Richie Mo’unga Story is the inspirational story of…

A massive fa’afetai lava to Jacob Farani-Faga and Sia Farani-Faga for this awesome short film about the book Sāmoa which we made this year. Jake, his wife Sia, and their…

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…

Alena Saili tells how a young Samoan from the deep south of Aotearoa-New Zealand became a two-time gold Olympic gold medalist and one of the greats of women’s rugby! You…

https://www.macleans.school.nz/news/author-david-riley-visits

I’ve been working with tamariki at Henderson North School on a book celebrating a famous pūrākau story from Te Kawerau ā Maki. Today we launched the pukapuka as part of…

Amazing day celebrating Matariki-Puanga with a book launch at Leabank School in Manurewa. These awesome young scholars are now published authors and illustrators and the world gets to read and…

Need a book about Samoan history and culture for children? We got you! 43 Samoan children living in Sāmoa, NZ, and around the world, are now published authors and illustrators…

I’m so happy this book has been shortlisted in the NZ Children’s Book Awards. It means more children will read Alistair Te Ariki Campbell’s awesome poem and get to know…

I just found out that Black Magic has been shortlisted in the 2025 NZ Children’s Book Awards. That’s cool man! Not because I’m after awards but because it means more…

Amazing day celebrating Solomon Islands culture and stories with the launch of 5 bilingual children’s books by Mary Polosovai illustrated by Chad Robertson. I met Irene Tufuga, Pasifika Librarian, who…

Here’s an Auckland Council story about my work with students at Ferguson Intermediate in Ōtara: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/09/empowering-minds-inspiring-young-publishers/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMPOP1leHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFkcWJlb3U5RlBnRmxmMHl5AR40bqrJBYeblbzDW2BtL-urahY9AR_Uu_xwXkd77MM_UxYVtcWLpvT0_j4EYg_aem_JBLEpF_PGVK4_AIgNjCwVg

He’s a blond pocket rocket! He’s like a magician with a box of tricks! He’s dazzling, lightning, electrifying! But he’s only 175 centimetres (5 feet 9 inches) tall and weighs…

Stephen Crichton tells how a young Samoan from Australia became one of the stars of the NRL! Stephen Crichton is a Reading All Stars book. Reading All Stars books are…

I’m really proud of this book because it celebrates some of the greatest athletes from the islands of Oceania! You’ll be inspired by Valerie Adams, the unstoppable Tongan-Kiwi shot putter…

‘No matter what challenges we face, whether its natural disasters, economic struggles, or even personal hardships, Filipinois always find a way to rise above and support each other.’ (Akisha) Last…

Celebrating 10 newly published South Auckland writers. I wanted to be a writer when I was 10 years old at Viscount School in Māngere but never met a writer so…

Today I was interviewed on PMN Radio about the book Niue. https://www.facebook.com/PMNNiue/videos/397164776797634

It’s Niue’s 50th this week. What do you do if you can’t find a children’s book about Niue history and culture? Mele Nemaia, Carolyn Lagahetau and I found Niue children…

The first book in Reading Warrior’s new series Oceania Heritage is Niue, published in 2024 to mark the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Niue Constitution Act 1974. Written and…

Beautiful meeting today with the legendary Niue educator, Mele Nemaia, and Oratia Publishing editor Carolyn Lagahetau – one of the first Pasifika book publishers in the world. It’s Niue’s 50th…

Thank you to staff, students and families of Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu students for a cool time with you doing writing workshops in Kirikiriroa Hamilton and Tauranga Moana.

I’ve been doing a project with these Writing Warriors from Dawson Primary School in Ōtara. We’re making a pukapuka together in which they star as superheroes. These tamariki are creative,…

A pic from our photoshoot at Wiri Central School today. These awesome young people have written a pukapuka about their pride in being Māori. We’re launching their pukapuka during Matariki…

Tamatea Intermediate students are Writing Warriors! Look how focused they are.

22 newly published authors showing off their books at Waimārama School, Hawke’s Bay.

They’re known for their rugby but young men at Hastings Boys’ High School are readers too. It was inspiring sharing with them today as part of a Read NZ Writers…

https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/igniting-a-passion-for-writing-through-creative-art/

Today we launched a new book called Hood Heroes, written and illustrated by children at Flat Bush School, Ōtara. It’s such a beautiful feeling when you see the pride of…

This is my favourite part of writing projects with kids: celebrating with the children and their families. This evening we launched The Streets: a celebration of Mt Wellington written by…

“Thank you to former MC student & Author Extraordinare David Riley for the gift of boxes of new books to families in South Auckland so they can start, or add…

I’m making a new book about Black Ferns Sevens try-scoring machine Michaela Blyde. It’s called Strike Hard! The illustrator is Sarah Trolle and Sarah is a teacher too! The korero…

Havelock North Intermediate. My question to the kids: what did you learn from my talk today? Answers: “We can publish books at our age.” “If my work gets rejected –…

St Matthew’s School, Hastings. So cool to share with kids about inspirational people like Israel Adesanya inside an inspirational venue like a church!

Some Kiwi children’s writers – Abel Junior Tutagalevao, Bill Nagelkerke, Brianne Te Paa, and me – on our way to encourage and be inspired by kids at Poukawa School, Hawke’s…

Awesome time at Kedgley Intermediate School today celebrating A Piece of Myself – a book written by these talented young people. The kaupapa of our pukapuka is to praise our…

Today we had a cool celebration of 4 bilingual children’s books I worked on with young people of Māori, Samoan, Chinese and Hindi heritage. The kaupapa of the books is…

Can’t wait to share this new pukapuka with you e te whānau. A celebration of the streets of Mt Wellington written and narrated by talented young writers from Bailey Road…

Much alofa to all those parents who make the tough choice to move their families to places so different to where they’ve come from, just so their children can have…

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…

Wow man! Never would I have thought that a book I wrote would be nominated for a NZ Children’s Books award. But it happened with Freestyle: the Israel Adesanya Story…

Pretty amazed that Freestyle: the Israel Adesanya Story has made the shortlist of the 2023 NZ Children’s Book Awards in the non-fiction category. Never did I think I could reach…

I’m working with children from Manurewa West School on a bilingual (Māori and English) book about Matariki. As part of the project we went out to Kurawaka Animation Studio in…

“I cant believe that I’m now an author.” “My favourite part was writing my own thoughts about the topic.” “I’m so excited that my piece of writing can go worldwide.”…

When positive role models inspire (breathe life into) the next generation it’s always powerful. Janine Williams and her husband Charles are amazing – you can see their murals and sculpture…

I’ve seen a few Book Week parades, where children dress as book characters, but I haven’t seen any do it the way Flat Bush Primary School does it. Dress as…

I’ve been working with children from the Hindi College in West Auckland. We’re making a book that teaches children what to do in a flood. It’s been awesome learning Indian…

Today we celebrated the launch of Stand Your Ground, a book I did with young people at Sancta Maria College. This was the first book I made sponsored by the…

I’m working on a new children’s book about Ibrahim Omer who is the first person with African heritage to be a member of the NZ parliament. Ibrahim grew up in…

These are some of the children I’ve been working with to write a Chinese story teaching children what to do in a thunderstorm. They are members of the New Zealand…

Today we celebrated Tuvalu Independence Day with the launch of 8 new bilingual Tuvaluan children’s books. The books represent each island in Tuvalu and are written by 8 Tuvaluan young…

Today we launched my new children’s book Freestyle: the Israel Adesanya Story at City Kickboxing, Izzy’s home gym. This photo is with Izzy and Ant Sang the awesome illustrator. You…

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…

Spent the morning at Flat Bush School with inspirational alumni Willie Maea, Samson Vaotuua, Greg Va’afusuaga, Jay Paniani and Dr Julienne Faletau as they returned to visit their old school…

“When I have enough money saved and have created a name for myself, I would love to start my travels. First I would like to go to Paris and visit…

I’ve spent the last two days in Napier and Hastings encouraging young people to believe in themselves and find out who they are  through reading. Finished at Hastings Boys’ High…

On Thursday I was blessed to participate in a rangatahi programme for the uri of Te Ahiwaru – Hapuu of Ihumaatao called Te Ara a Hape. This Kaupapa was designed…

Awesome time sharing stories about the power of reading with children at Te Totara Primary School. Question of the day: “What’s the downside of being a writer?” Answer: Hustling to…

I did a zoom sharing talk as part of the Reading Oceania conference recently. Whenever I’m blessed to do presentations I’m always proud to represent my home town Māngere, and…

Today I received an awesome message from David Ackery, librarian at Waitakere College. “I finally got around to getting a copy of The Reading Tribe. What a great book! So…

Today we’re back to work making Tuvalu children’s books with Sagaa Malua, Alamai Sioni and the master Chad Robertson. I love this work because we know it makes a massive…

When an older generation of Ōtara legends come around to inspire a younger generation. That’s what you call tuakana-teina in action. Speaking words of life into young spirits today at…

Today Kedgley Intermediate School launched the book we made together celebrating their incredible alumni. A supercity mayor, Black Ferns captain, successful businesswomen, entrepreneurs, writers, MMT captain, world class singers and…

This term I’m working with some inspiring children and their whānau at St Francis Catholic School in Auckland. We’re making a book about Matariki – how it inspires them in…

I always love sharing stories with young people about how reading can literally save and change your life. Today I was at Wesley College – blessed and inspired by these…

I’ve just released 4 new books in the Pasifika Superheroes bilingual series: 2 Samoan and 2 Tongan. These books come with narration as well so the children can listen to…

I’m working on a children’s book about UFC champion Israel Adesanya. The illustrator is the amazing Ant Sang and you can see more of Ant’s work here: http://www.antsang.co.nz/. This is…

I’m working with the team at Mahi for Ukraine to make a book of encouraging messages and pictures by Kiwi young people for the Ukrainian young people who will soon…