Ngareta Gabel

ABOUT

In Brief

Born in Auckland, from the hapu Te Paatu and Ngati Tara of the Ngati Kahu tribe, Ngareta Gabel writes stories for children in Maori. Her first book Tekiteora, kei hea o hu? won LIANZA’s Te Kura Pounamu Award in 2003. The English edition, Oh Hogwash, Sweet Pea!, was a finalist in the Picture Book Category of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards in 2004. Gabel is available to visit schools and Kohanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Maori.

In Detail

Ngareta Gabel (born in 1975) is a children's writer. She was born in Auckland, and is from the hapu Te Paatu and Ngati Tara of the Ngati Kahu tribe.

Gabel writes stories for children in Maori. In 2003 she published her first book Tekiteora, kei hea o hu? The book was later published in English as Oh Hogwash, Sweet Pea! (2003). Tekiteora, kei hea o hu won LIANZA's Te Kura Pounamu Award 2003. Oh Hogwash, Sweet Pea!, was a finalist in the Picture book Category of the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards 2004.

The judges' report from the Te Kura Pounamu Awards comments that the 'story is excellent; hilarious and easy to read with a message that all readers can relate to.'

Gabel herself writes that her writing is informed by her passion for children, both in terms of reading and the acquisition of te reo Maori.

Ngareta Gabel lives in Hamilton and participates in the Writers in Schools programme.