N.Z. authors visit many schools as part of the Storylines National Story Tour. On Monday, two N.Z. authors visited us here at Queenstown Primary.

Sonya Wilson and Mat Tait

Sonya is a talented author, journalist, and TV presenter. She wrote her first novel, "Spark Hunter," in 2021, earning her the ‘NZSA Best First Book Award’ at the 2022 NZ Book Awards for children and young adults. She's also written for various publications and even hosts a podcast.

Sonya's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism and a Master's in Creative Writing. Additionally, she's the founder of Kiwi Christmas Books, a charity devoted to sharing the love of reading with children. (www.kiwichristmasbooks.org.nz).

Mat Tait is a talented comics artist and writer from New Zealand's South Island. He's known for his amazing comics, like thrilling adventures on paper.

Mat has won awards for his work, like the New Zealand Comics Eric Award in 2010 and, more recently, in 2023, the prestigious Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award, as well as the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction for his richly atmospheric book Te Wehenga: The Separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. This is the first time in the award’s history that a bilingual book has won.

He loves myths and history, and he's even turned an opera into a comic. Mat's recent book, "The Adventures Of Tupaia," co-authored with Courtney Sina Meredith, tells the story of a Tahitian navigator priest who sailed with Captain Cook on his first journey to Aotearoa. Mat's art and stories are exciting and perfect for curious minds.

The Students were captivated and asked some fantastic questions about their work. These talented authors have inspired some budding student authors and illustrators!