Books, schools, events and summer reading
Since September, Kate has presented at conferences and events, had media interviews, written blogs and made a video.
Summer reading recommendations
Kate shared a video for Creative New Zealand’s arts advocacy campaign, Creativity Makes Us — Auahatia!
Watch the video: Summer Book Recommendations for Young Readers (YouTube video, 9:43).
Conferences, speeches, talks
September
September is conference month, and Kate:
spoke at the School Library Association (SLANZA) regional hui in Levin, emphasising the vital role school librarians have in building school reading communities
ran a reading-for-the-classroom seminar for teachers at the New Zealand Literacy Association (NZLA) conference in Wellington
chaired the panel: ‘Growing a nation of readers — libraries as literacy partners’ at the LIANZA (Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa) Conference: LIANZA 2025 — Programme
joined a panel at the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White / International Institute of Modern Letters event celebrating Maurice Gee’s novels for children.
Kate will present at a few NZLA events in 2026, such as the Auckland Literacy Association AGM in March, the National Conference in September and more. Keep an eye on the NZLA website for updates.
October
Kate presented to a large audience at the Timaru U3A. This is an audience, Kate said, that are: ‘deputised reading ambassadors-in-waiting, as it were, for spreading the reading message’.
November
November events included:
Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award event for Bob Docherty
School Library sector hui at the National Library in Wellington
Storylines Waikato tour, which visited a number of small country schools.
Kate’s final event was at the National Library’s Christchurch centre. This was a combined celebration of the National Library’s 60th anniversary and a Term 4 network meeting for educators and librarians:
‘I see these presentations to librarians and teachers as both a statement of focus and goals in the role. But, also a much-needed endorsement of their work in difficult times and a recharging of their energy for reading activism. To this end, among much else, I talk about Maryann Wolf and Meghan Cox Gurdon’s galvanising work around the neuroscience of reading and reading aloud, and urge them to read the books.’
Kate De Goldi presenting at the Christchurch National Library Centre. Image credit: Cathy Kennedy.
Media mentions
Kate featured in an article in The Press: How to build a person, with author and reading ambassador Kate De Goldi.
In this article for LIANZA’s Library Life, Kate talks about her role and desire to engage people in the pleasure of language and story: Thriving as a nation of readers — Te Rau Ora Library Life Issue 508 September 2025.
Kate was spotlighted in the Australian Children’s Laureate Foundation's (ACLF) November newsletter.
Further afield, in October, the Indonesian online publication Geotimes wrote about Kate’s work as Te Awhi Rito: When books are abandoned: Kate De Goldi's efforts inspire generations of readers in New Zealand.
Read more
Kate is sharing some of her book recommendations from events in a series of blog posts:
NZLA session: Reading in the classroom: What are we looking for? Part 1
WORD Festival: Conversations about reading and books.