We are delighted to announce that our 2026 children's writer in residence is Kiri Lightfoot.
Kiri Lightfoot
Kiri Lightfoot is an author from Tāmaki Makaurau. Her young adult novel, Bear, was a finalist in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and won The Booklovers Award 2026. Her picture books for children include Te Ngahere i te Pō, The Forest at Night and Te Ngahere i te Rā, The Forest by Day, which explore the forests of Aotearoa. Kiri also works as an actor and reads poetry in aged care facilities.
Dates
The residency takes place Monday 9 November - Sunday 16 November.
Where
In Te Whanganui a Tara.
Accommodation
At Sexton Cottage, a beautifully restored heritage building, close to Wellington’s Botanic Gardens.