Sam Orchard
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samorchard.bsky.social
Sam Orchard
@samorchard.bsky.social
Queer, Trans and Nerdy. Making comics, reading comics, researching comics. http://patreon.com/roostertails

He/They
EVERYTHING.
Miss Piggy's lilac shoes are specifically delightful. But. Also. Everything.
November 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Awww that's so sweet, thankyou
November 10, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Thank you, yes indeed, I've still got some comics projects I'm working on, but 15 years of oversharing in this way just seems like enough for now. Hope you're doing well!
November 1, 2025 at 5:46 AM
You can listen to the book on RNZ storytime - storytime.rnz.co.nz/book/maui-su...

But it's well worth checking out Zak's illustrations too so here's a video of Tim reading it and showing the illustrations: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mii8...
Māui – Sun Catcher on Storytime by RNZ
Māui the trickster and his brothers go on a very special adventure Music by Akash Dutta and Gus Reece
storytime.rnz.co.nz
September 23, 2025 at 12:13 AM
It's a modern retelling of Māui, using rhyme (in both Reo Māori and English - which I am truly impressed by) and illustrations that feel relatable and fresh. Tipene (Ngati Kuri and Ngati Whatua) says he wanted to create a character to inspire bravery www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/loc...
Modern take on Maui
A west Auckland author is using the legend of Maui to inspire kids.
www.stuff.co.nz
September 23, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Māui - te kaihao i te rā (Māui - Sun Catcher) Written by Tim Tipene, illustrated by Zak Waipara, and reo Māori translation by Rob Ruha is the next book on our list. natlib-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/...
September 23, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Yes! I feel like he's got such an incredible ability to bring a page to life - the colours and textures specifically are so wonderful and rich! Feels like something you can just sit and soak up for a long long time
September 22, 2025 at 11:59 PM
And check out this lovely reading and Q+A: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSYP...
Gavin Bishop: Reading and Q&A session
YouTube video by NZ Book Awards for Children & Young Adults
www.youtube.com
September 22, 2025 at 3:20 AM
It was Bishop's FIFTH time winning book of the year. There's a nice little write up about the book awards here on the spinoff, which highlights Bishop's work: thespinoff.co.nz/books/10-08-...
He’s the man: Gavin Bishop cleans up at the children’s book awards
Results and analysis of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young People.
thespinoff.co.nz
September 22, 2025 at 3:19 AM
Gavin Bishop;s (Ngāti Pukeko, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Mahuta, Tainui) Atua swept the CYA book awards in 2022 winning the Margaret Mahy book of the year AND the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction AAAND the Russell Clark Award for Illustration.
www.teaonews.co.nz/2022/08/13/a...
Atua: Māori gods and Heroes - Māori author's efforts recognised
www.teaonews.co.nz
September 22, 2025 at 3:15 AM
It would be remiss of me to do a list of Māori comics and illustrated books (or other library items) and not mention Gavin Bishop. My problem is really which Bishop book to highlight! In the end I chose Atua: Māori Gods and Heroes: natlib-primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/...
September 22, 2025 at 3:08 AM
If you're not a Te Whanganui-a-Tara resident you can check out our online exhibition that some of my colleagues have put together showing some of the amazing photos and ephemera in our collection to celebrate 50 years since the 1975 hīkoi:

natlib.govt.nz/collections/...
natlib.govt.nz
September 22, 2025 at 2:49 AM
At the moment the Library is running a series of events form Aug-November called Mana Māori Motuhake: Māori rights and representation. There's a bunch of film screenings and some rolling exhibitions - well worth checking out:
natlib.govt.nz/events/mana-...
natlib.govt.nz
September 22, 2025 at 2:47 AM