Why reading and story matter
In August, Kate delivered public talks, visited schools and spoke to the media about the importance of reading for pleasure and why reading and story matter. She's presenting at a number of events in September.
Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library.
Inspiring readers of all generations
In August, Kate presented public talks at the Motueka Library and Te Kete Aronui Rototuna Library in Hamilton. She also spoke at schools and festivals.
Events are an important aspect of her work, advocating for reading’s fundamental role in young people’s lives and its contribution to education and wellbeing across a lifetime. Question-and-answer sessions and discussions with audience members, like all feedback, help shape Kate's thoughts about her aims as Te Awhi Rito. They also inform planning of her work programme.
A recent tour of schools in the Waikato with Storylines was her first presenting to students in her capacity as Te Awhi Rito. Kate is no stranger to working with students, thanks to her many school visits as part of Read NZ Te Pou Muramura’s Writers in Schools programme. She sees her work teaching and talking about being a writer as vital and complementary to her role as Te Awhi Rito. And speaking to audiences of all ages matters as she aims to inspire a love of reading and to build a nation of readers across all generations:
‘It’s about the totality of reading across a lifetime,’ she says. ‘But inevitably, and quite properly, it begins with children.’
Festivals and conferences
Last month, Kate chaired 2 sessions at the WORD festival in Christchurch. At the festival, she also:
spoke at the Inspiring Minds day for secondary students
joined a panel of other authors to talk about writing and reading: Tom Sainsbury’s Reading Enthusiasts’ Soirée.
Upcoming events
Later in September, she'll attend a number of conferences and present at an event:
SLANZA Hui 2025 — closing keynote
LIANZA 2025 Conference — ‘Growing a nation of readers: Libraries as literacy partners’ with Elizabeth Jones and Catherine Leonard
New Zealand Literacy Association — workshop: ‘Reading with young people: What are we looking for?’
Celebrating the champion — Maurice Gee’s contribution to children’s literature — part of a panel presentation focusing on the children’s writing of Maurice Gee.
Kate in the media
Read or rust: Novelist Kate De Goldi says books are critical to our wellbeing in an AI age — Metropol.