Read to Succeed

(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…

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 this level but I’m grateful to have one of my books recognised this way. Not for the ego but because it means more people can…

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 can purchase a copy here: https://readingwarrior.com/product/alena-saili/

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 Richie’s journey to rugby stadiums around the world. But it’s more than a rugby story. It’s about the power of self-belief. The need to make sacrifices. The joy of seeing…

Today ‘Alisi Tatafu and I launched our children’s book Rise of the To’a (the MMT story) online in Tonga. We would have been there if it wasn’t for COVID but there’s still so much to be thankful for, especially learning how beautiful Tongan culture is through this whole process.

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 his work. Sarah’s illustrations are so beautiful! Yu can purchase a copy here: https://readingwarrior.com/product/poem-for-ataahua/