Steph Matuku

Review: Aotearoa YA that rivals The Hunger Games

Steph Matuku’s latest YA novel grapples with themes of enforced migration, loss, societal expectations, and coloniser violence. Ceridwyn Roberts describes it as ‘unputdownable’, a match for The Hunger Games, and better than other series. I always hesitate to call a…

Reviews: Three reo Māori pukapuka

These are reviews of new picture books, by Lady Kataraina Pōkai. What do we think? You must read these books! Read these reviews in te reo Māori here. The Dream Factory, Rere Atu Taku Poi! | Let My Poi Fly!,…

Ngā Arotakenga: Toru reo Māori pukapuka

He arotakenga pukapuka ēnei, mō ngā pukapuka pikitia hou, nā Lady Kataraina Pōkai. He aha ō mātou whakaaro? Me pānui koutou i ēnei pukapuka! These reviews are available in reo Pākehā/English here. The Dream Factory, Rere Atu Taku Poi! |…

Interview: Steph Matuku and Zak Ātea

Author Steph Matuku and illustrator Zak Ātea of The Dream Factory and Te Wheketere Moemoeā interview each other about their inspiration, careers, and dreams for the future. Zak: What is your most treasured book you used to read as a…

Book Review: New Novels for Aotearoa Teens

It must be new young adult fiction season, because we’re back with more reckons on recent releases. Today, Tihema Baker talks two titles: Steph Matuku’s new fantasy novel Falling Into Rarohenga and Anne Kayes’ simultaneously contemporary and historical story In…

The Reckoning: Kids and the Classics – A Lost Cause?

Should children be persuaded to read critically-acclaimed and classic books? Today Steph Matuku, an award-winning writer and mother from Taranaki, puts up her case for convincing kids to broaden their literary horizons, and shares how she’s tackling the challenge of…

Book Awards: the Junior Fiction finalists

As the next instalment in our coverage of this year’s NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, we asked the five finalists of the Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction to interview each other. Here’s Philippa…

2018 End-of-Year Shopping List: Junior Fiction

Do you want to be sure you’re getting top-shelf books for your favourite people this Christmas – or on any gift-giving occasion? We are making it easy for you! Here is our selection of the very best New Zealand junior…

Looking for Steph Matuku: Author, Photographer

From the city centre of New Plymouth, follow the main road north until you reach Beach Street. Hang a left and head down the road a few hundred meters until the grey-blue sea comes into view. If the conditions are…

THE SAMPLING: Flight of the Fantail

Flight of the Fantail is a debut YA novel by Steph Matuku, published by Huia. We are pleased to publish the first chapter to whet your appetite for this spooky homegrown mystery.