Last week, Year 9 Waitākere College students came to the library to meet Shilo Kino, the author of the book Pōrangi Boy, which we have been reading in English class.

She answered questions, discussed cover concept ideas, and shared some of the inspirations behind her book. She explained how her life experiences are reflected in The Pōrangi Boy, such as growing up in Waipu and being one of the few Māori students at her school. She also discussed facing bullying and racism, as well as the beautiful scenery she enjoyed during her childhood.

We all greatly appreciated her work and her teaching on the Māori history and the protests that have happened. These real protests helped shape the writing of her book. It was an eye-opening experience to see how many people react and feel towards Māori culture.

We were happy to hear her input and output on it. How long it took to write, a little on the book publishing process, and how much New Zealand authors get paid for writing.

Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge with us!