Rotuma ‘Otou Hanua Pumue – My Precious Home Rotuma

Great day launching my new book about Yvette Williams in two communities: in Howick where Yvettte lived, with her family, and in Otara where Chad Robertson (illustrator) and I live and work, with our families.

“So you want our blessing to publish stories for children? First you have to play me in table tennis. Then you have to listen to me make fun of you with a song.” Thank you Papa Tangatakino – first for schooling me in table tennis and then allowing me to create children’s books from Mangaia…

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,’…

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…