Author Ben Brown is New Zealand's first Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador

Excerpts follow from the (4 May 2021) New Zealand Government Release 'Author Ben Brown is New Zealand’s first Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador', available here:

Lyttleton writer Ben Brown (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Paoa) will be New Zealand’s first Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador, promoting the value of reading for children and young people, Internal Affairs Minister Jan Tinetti announced today.

"Reading for pleasure makes a huge difference to a child's wellbeing and their potential for life-long success - in education, health, personal relationships, and employment," Jan Tinetti said.

"This Government is committed to laying the foundations for a better future and reading can play a vital role in this.

"Ben's extensive experience as a writer means he is a great person to inspire tamariki and whānau, and to promote the importance of reading.

"It is so important for us to find ways to support educators, families and whānau to build and sustain reading cultures in their communities – which at the same time contributes to the Government's wider efforts on child wellbeing and poverty reduction.

"Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador builds on existing National Library and in-school initiatives to encourage children to read for pleasure - like Reading Together®, Writers in Schools, and the Pacific Early Literacy Programme."

Additional Information: Ben Brown is New Zealand's first reading ambassador