Fun picture book celebrates the great Kiwi holiday and the great Kiwi longdrop

As New Zealand emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic the family holiday on the coast has a great attraction. 

The Longdrop will rekindle those memories and laughs for kids, parents and grandparents in a distinctive Kiwi style. 

Here are all the ingredients of the coastal getaway — a  caravan, a beach and the sometimes-smelly toilet shed out the back of the holiday section — the longdrop.

Author Joan Joass took inspiration from a real-life event holidaying with her family, when her husband Paul saw there was too much paper in their outside loo — and decided the quickest solution was to light it! 




In the book, the kids just need to go, and the public loo is sooo far away from their caravan. So, Dad builds a longdrop.

When the paper builds to capacity Dad thinks and thinks and solves his problem — with a match. Much hilarity ensues, as the parent and kids rally round to show what family is all about. 



To capture the true-blue Kiwi atmosphere, Joan teamed up with veteran illustrator Bob Darroch — and says she’s totally delighted with the way he has brought her words to life.

As a former teacher, Joan has taken pleasure in compiling a Teacher Resource to support the book's use in schools. To see the resource click here.

The authors

Joan Joass is a retired primary school teacher with science degree in geology and chemistry and a career that includes stints as a wine-laboratory technician and a bus driver. This is her first picture book. Joan lives on Herald Island, West Auckland.   

Bob Darroch has written and illustrated numerous children’s books over a long career, including his bestselling Little Kiwi series. He lives in Temuka, South Canterbury. 

Publication: 16 June 2020  |  RRP $19.99  |  ISBN:  978-0-947506-71-1

Paperback, 230 x 215 mm, 32 pages, colour

Te Kuia Moko bring paintings of kuia bearing chin moko to readers nationwide

A revered selection of paintings of Māori women bearing moko kauae has returned to life in a new printing of Harry Sangl’s celebrated book Blue Privilege, to be published in June as Te Kuia Moko.

Newly arrived in New Zealand in 1969, Prague-born artist Harry Sangl became captivated by the paintings of kaumatua and kuia (elders) of  C.F. Goldie and Gottfried Lindauer. 

He believed kuia with moko kauae (chin tattoos) were of a bygone era — until he saw a photograph of one in March 1972 in the New Zealand Herald. 

Haromi Rutene Karaitiana (Ngāi Tūhoe) sits for her portrait by Harry Sangl

Tiria Tuhoro was her name. Harry packed up his caravan and left that same day to find her at Ruatoki, near Te Urewera. So began a three-and-a-half-year journey around the North Island, completed portraits of 34 kuia with moko, with their permission. 

The portrait and biography of Herepo Rongo (Tainui) in Te Kuia Moko

His celebrated paintings were published as The Blue Privilege in 1980, accompanied by biographies of the women in their own words and black-and-white sketches of their moko, along with essays by Merimeri Penfold and D.R. Simmons.

Merimeri Penfold's essay elucidates the importance of moko kauae in Māori society

All the works were shown together again in 2019 in a popular exhibition at the Depot Artspace in Devonport, Auckland (see coverage on Te Karere here).

Following up on the interest that exhibition stirred, Harry and his daughter Michaela have worked with Auckland printers Soar Print and publishers Oratia Books to prepare this affordable paperback edition. 

Harry with daughter Michaela (left) and granddaughter Isla (right) in front of the remains of Tiria Tuhoro's house in Ruatoki in 2015

The author

Harry Sangl was a professional artist in Germany before emigrating to New Zealand in 1969 and beginning his journey into te Ao Māori. An exhibition of his kuia moko prints was held at Auckland’s Depot Artspace in March 2019. Now in his nineties, Harry lives in Auckland. 

Publication: 9 June 2020  |  RRP $65  |  ISBN:  978-0-947506-77-3

Paperback, 330 x 250 mm, 100 pages, colour

Queen's Birthday Honours recognise authors and publishers

Hearty congratulations to the recipients of the Queen's Birthday Honours announced today.

Author Tessa Duder, who has published two books with Oratia, receives the fourth-highest honour in recognition of her services to literature.

Tessa is made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Tessa Duder

Click through for more info on Tessa's books The Story of Sir Peter Blake and Out on the Water.

It's also fabulous to see independent publisher David Ling honours as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to the publishing industry.

David has devoted his working life to publishing quality work from New Zealand authors, and successfully directed David Ling Publishing and his Duck Creek Press children's imprint over several decades.

David Ling

His website can be seen here.

Among other literary figures honoured were editor Don Long, novelist Elizabeth Knox and poet Cilla McQueen.