Read NZ Te Pou Muramura

Is someone chopping onions in here???⁠ ⁠ @sam_the_trap_man ⁠ ⁠ Writers in Schools is our core programme to bring writers and illustrators to your students and staff, either in person or virtually.⁠ ⁠ These authors span the length and breadth of the country and we match the school's needs with the right guest.⁠ ⁠ As well as one-off classroom visits, we have a range of options for participation in creative writing workshops, literary tours, public events, book festivals and more.⁠ ⁠ Kids feeling seen and discovering their love of reading is what Writers in Schools is all about. ⁠ ⁠ Ngā mihi kia koe Sam! ⁠ ⁠ ----⁠ ⁠ The quote from the teacher whose class Sam was in recently is as follows: "I was watching one boy as Sam spoke about the kind of student he had been. He spoke about struggling to sit still, not making it through a whole term, and he joked he probably wasn't going to end up with the letters PhD after his name, more likely ADHD. As he spoke, I watched this boy nodding along, elbowing his friends and gesturing towards himself, and leaning forward absolutely engrossed in listening to this successful man who was describing a kid who sounded just like himself. It was lovely to see."

Thanks Jacinda! 🙏⁠ Her memoir, A Different Kind of Power, won the E.H. McCormick Prize for General Non-Fiction at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards last night.⁠ ⁠ She’s generously donating her $3,000 prize money to us, to further our work inspiring children to love reading and building generations of readers.⁠ ⁠ We’re delighted to receive this, and chuffed to be thought of.⁠ ⁠ Our CE Juliet says, "Jacinda's decision to spotlight organisations like ours, working to engage and inspire children and young people to read for pleasure, and unlock positive life outcomes, is deeply appreciated.⁠ ⁠ "This comes at a time when children’s enjoyment of reading for pleasure is declining. Ourselves and others in this space are doing everything we can to stop this slide, and are grateful for every bit of support."⁠ ⁠ Head to our website to learn more about what we do, including our national Writers in Schools programme that connected Aotearoa authors to over 62,672 kids last year; and the Writers Files, our county’s largest online resource of writers, illustrators and poets.⁠ ⁠ Congrats to all of the winners and nominees, and to @newzealandbookawards for their mahi on the awards.⁠ ⁠ 📖: A Different Kind of Power @penguinbooksnz #theockhams

“Oh my gosh, she’s speaking to me.” 😮⁠ ⁠ Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson, a Samoan/Welsh writer, poet, journalist, kaiako, and multidisciplinary artist, recalls a heartfelt moment with a student during a school visit as part of the Pōkai Tuhi programme.⁠ ⁠ The Pōkai Tuhi programme is an initiative to work with more Māori and Pasifika writers to inspire Tamariki across Aotearoa. Watch the full 5-minute episode through the link in our bio.⁠ ⁠ Shoutout to @matatuhifoundation for helping bring this to life!

Our Writers in Schools programme is delivered to kura across Aotearoa year-round. Recently, children’s author and illustrator Gavin Bishop visited a keen group of students at Redwoodtown School.⁠ ⁠ Here’s what the school had to say about Gavin’s visit:⁠ ⁠ 🗣️“Students were all engaged and excited to be sitting with a real-life author and illustrator! The magic will continue for a long time - inspired learners are still talking about his books and pictures.”⁠ ⁠ Students were so inspired by Gavin’s famous title, The House That Jack Built, that they created artwork based on the book. They are truly artists in the making! 🎨⁠ ⁠ Bookings for Writers in Schools visits for Term Three are currently open - or you can support this transformative mahi by becoming a Read NZ Te Pou Muramura member.

Inangaro Vakaafi, a proud Niue and Kuki Airani creative, hopes to inspire the next generation to understand that every story is important and worth telling. 🌟 The Pōkai Tuhi programme is an initiative to work with more Māori and Pasifika writers to encourage Tamariki across Aotearoa. Watch the full 5-minute episode through the link in our bio. Shoutout to @matatuhifoundation for helping bring this to life!

With the Auckland Writers Festival only days away, excitement is growing and we couldn’t be more pumped.⁠ ⁠ Don’t miss your chance to see some of our awesome Writers in Schools writers in action. These include Ruth Paul, Stacy Gregg, Giselle Clarkson, Claire Mabey, Rachael King, Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson, Inangaro Vakaafi, Victor Rodger, Matariki Bennett, Tusiata Avia, Siobhan Harvey, and Kimberley Kearney.⁠ ⁠ Shout out to the Auckland Writers Festival organisers for partnering up with us to provide Read NZ Te Pou Muramura members with discounted festival tickets. 🎟️

Happy New Zealand Sign Language Week! 🤟 Join us in learning New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) signs to use in everyday conversation - thanks to Read NZ Te Pou Muramura’s very own amazing intern, Shayle! New Zealand Sign Language Week invites all people across Aotearoa to take part - not as observers, but as allies. 2026 is special, marking 20 years since NZSL became an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand. Learning and using NZSL strengthen inclusion, connection, and wellbeing, and benefits everyone.

We're stoked to have Isobel’s artistic abilities on board to produce art for the upcoming Aotearoa NZ Children’s Book Week. 🎨⁠ ⁠ Meet Isobel Joy Te Aho-White. She's a Pōneke based artist of Māori, British and Danish Ancestry. She sees herself as part of a fabric that is made up of her tūpuna - this guides how she experiences the world around her.⁠ ⁠ When asked what book she remembers vividly from childhood. She answered, “Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit books. My grandparents had the small pocket-sized book set along with the animated/narrated TV series on VHS. I credit these with being one of my earliest illustration influences.” ⁠ ⁠ Check out Isobel’s other amazing work @izzyjoyart ✨️⁠

G!ve/\way! What do the Royal New Zealand Ballet and Read NZ Te Pou Muramura have in common? Lots! Including an enthusiastic love for Sacha Cotter and Josh Morgan. *EDIT: comp closed as this has now been drawn* This April, the @nzballet are putting on Dazzlehands, a joyful ballet for tamariki based on the award-winning story by @sacha_cotter and @josh_m_illustration – touring Aotearoa from the 4-19 April ✨ Choreographed by Joshua Guillemot-Rodgerson, this ballet is a celebration of courage, sparkle and self-belief, with original music, vibrant costumes and plenty of fun. In support of Aotearoa NZ Children’s Book Week later this year, our friends at the RNZB have some tickets to the Dazzlehands ballet to offer to booklovers. The two prize packs contain: 💖 Two tickets for any performance of Dazzlehands ⭐ A copy of Ringakōreko by Sacha and Josh (this is the te reo Māori edition of Dazzlehands. The English is sold out, our friends at @huiapublishers are working on making more) TO ENTER: 1️⃣ Be following @readnz and @nzballet 2️⃣ Comment below with an idea of a character to dress up as for Aotearoa NZ Children’s Bookweek. If your idea is an NZ book character, you get two entries! We’ll draw a winner on Thursday 26/03/12. NZ only, more T&C’s below. 📷: Dazzlehands, photo by Stephen A’Court; Dazzlehands ballet by RNZB; the Company of Dazzlehands by Stephen A’Court; Ringakōreko hardback book photo by Huia Press; Sacha and Josh in a Read NZ writers poster.

Sometimes a sneaky over the shoulder read is great, though. As long as the primary reader isn’t turning the pages too fast. Our friend Jo sent us this video of her getting some supervised reading done with pony Faro. It proves what we’ve been saying: reading can be a group activity, paired or solo. It’s a versatile pastime! Horses & Us by Johanna Emeney is out 12 March. We have some more vids from Jo— might drop them soon with a giveaway 👀

Date drop! Aotearoa NZ Children’s Book Week will be from from Sat 15 of August - Friday the 21st of August this year.⁠ ⁠ We will have online and in person events, games, resources, books and more.⁠ ⁠ Got ideas? Want to be the first to know about ours? Register through the 🔗in our b!o. ⁠ ⁠ 🎨 Illustration on 4 by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Post 1/2)

Date drop! Aotearoa NZ Children's Book Week will be from from Sat 15 of August - Friday the 21st of August this year.⁠ ⁠ We will have online and in person events, games, resources, books and more.⁠ ⁠ Got ideas? Want to be the first to know about ours? Register through the 🔗in our b!o. ⁠ ⁠ 🎨 Illustration on 4 by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Post 2/2)