New edition for Sir Peter Blake's life story

Oratia Books today welcomes back to print The Story of Sir Peter Blake - Tessa Duder's retelling of the life of the great sailor, leader and environmentalist.

First published in 2012 and reprinted twice since then, this illustrated paperback is aimed at teenage readers, telling of his exploits, the leadership qualities he embodied and the sailing world he loved.

The full cover of the new edition out today

Boxes feature explanations of background sailing skills, the America's Cup and other key points - Duder is not only an award-winning author but is also a keen sailor.

Eight pages of colour photos accompany plentiful black & white photos, diagrams and maps.

Tessa Duder is one of New Zealand's most celebrated children's authors, and has written more than 40 books in genres from junior fiction to adult history.

The new Oratia edition of this accessible biography is available at all good booksellers. And click here for more information about the book.


The Story of Sir Peter Blake  |  Tessa Duder  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-31-5  |  $24.99
235 x 153 mm portrait, paperback, 144 pages (including 8 pages colour)

Out on the Water at the Blake Regatta

Torbay Sailing Club hosted another fantastic two days of sailing for the Sir Peter Blake Regatta over the past weekend. Click here for the Blake Regatta site

Tessa Duder with renowned sailor and MC, Mark Orams

Tessa Duder attended the prizegiving on the Sunday afternoon, where she joined MC Professor Mark Orams to give away two signed copies of Out on the Water: Twelve Tales of the Sea to the young girl and boy sailors who had travelled the furthest to take part in the sailing.

This young winner had travelled from the Bay of Islands

Out on the Water includes a story based on a young Peter Blake sailing with his brother, and another about a girl's first Optimist regatta - something familiar to all the Green Fleet sailors on the weekend.

It was beautiful 'out on the water' at the Blake Regatta - well done to all the participants and the hard-working organisers

Out on the Water launches this Thursday 6 November

Monday, 3 November 2014

Out on the Water

Twelve Tales of the Sea

 

Tessa Duder; illustrated by Bruce Potter

New collection evokes the adventure of sailing and the sea for younger readers

Renowned children’s author Tessa Duder and illustrator Bruce Potter have combined to produce a stirring collection of twelve stories about kids out on the water around New Zealand.

The stories in Out on the Water range from a girl’s experience of her first Optimist regatta to a boy learning the ropes on a tall ship from Sydney to Auckland in the 1880s.

Each story features a full-page line drawing, and weaves into the text a rich thread of sailing words and knowledge (helped by a glossary of language of the sea).

This is Tessa Duder’s first fiction for young adults in over ten years. Her most recent young adult non-fiction is The Story of Sir Peter Blake – and one of the new stories is a fictionalised account of Peter Blake and brother Tony on an after-school sail across Waitemata Harbour.

In the book’s introduction, Tessa writes how the book answers the request from a grandson for stories about children going sailing. “So here are twelve stories about young people having a wide range of experiences on the water – inshore as crew or skipper, or as crew on offshore voyages.”

Tessa, who lives on Auckland’s North Shore, is a keen sailor with a long-standing commitment to the sport in New Zealand, from tutoring Optimist sailors to her work for the Spirit of Adventure Trust.

Out on the Water will be launched in Takapuna, Auckland this Thursday 6 November. Bruce, who lives in Alexandra, will also be available for media, and will be in Wellington during this week.

Publication Date: 6 November 2014  |  ISBN: 978-1-877514-75-3  |  RRP $29.99

Paperback, 234 x 153 mm, 152 pages b&w with line drawings

Tessa Duder

Bruce Potter

Tessa Duder at the Sir Peter Blake Regatta

Author Tessa Duder talks about The Story of Sir Peter Blake in coverage of the annual regatta held to honour the great sailor.

You can see the whole video here 

A great evening

The Story of Sir Peter Blake Launch - Takapuna Library

18/07/2012 - Yesterday evening saw a great launch at the Takapuna Library. Almost 100 guests came to the event to listen to celebrated author Tessa Duder presenting her new book The Story of Sir Peter Blake. 

We had a great location, great food, great audience and of course a great book with an amazing author!

Thanks to Tessa, to the fine team from the Sir Peter Blake Trust, our bookseller Whitcoulls Takapuna, and to Helen and her staff from the Takapuna Library for a wonderful evening ...

Today is RED SOCKS DAY

Today is Red Socks Day

Sir Peter Blake and his lucky red socks became a symbol of the Kiwi competitive spirit during the 1995 Americas Cup campaign. Red Socks Day is a chance to celebrate leadership in action and what it means to be a New Zealander, and to remember a Kiwi hero.

To find our more about this great New Zealander, pick up our new book The Story of Sir Peter Blake.Esteemed author Tessa Duder tells Sir Peter's story for younger readers, but we're having a lot of older people commenting what a readable and stimulating biography it is. 

The Story of Sir Peter Blake

The Story of Sir Peter Blake

Tessa Duder                                                                              

The first book about Sir Peter Blake

for younger readers

Sir Peter Blake was a New Zealand hero – sailor, adventurer, leader and environmentalist. With the passing of over 10 years since his tragic death, the time is ripe for children and young adults to know more about his life and legacy.

In The Story of Sir Peter Blake, award-winning author Tessa Duder tells Sir Peter’s life story for young readers, revealing what made him an inspirational leader and sailing legend.

From his early years sailing on the Waitemata Harbour, the book traces Blake’s emergence as a leading ocean sailor – one who would go on to win the Whitbread Round-the-World trophy and the Trophée Jules Verne for the fastest voyage around the world. Then he led New Zealand to some of its greatest sporting achievements – winning and defending the America’s Cup – before devoting his last years to raising global awareness of environmental issues.

Superbly written, The Story of Sir Peter Blake is richly illustrated with photos from his life and features informative background to sailing skills, the America’s Cup and other topics. The book was commissioned by the Sir Peter Blake Trust, which works to inspire the next generation of leaders, adventurers and environmentalists.

Release Date:  22 June 2012  | ISBN: 978-1-877514-42-5   | RRP $21.99

144 pages (8 colour)