Illustrated Publishing is an award-winning publishing company that specialises in beautifully illustrated children’s books and te reo Māori resources. The boutique publishing imprint launched in 2014 and now has over 18 titles, and a range of merchandise and educational resources. Director Kat Quin is the creative mind behind the Kuwi the Kiwi and Kiwicorn series of books which regularly appear on the New Zealand bestseller list. They are also proud supporters of conversation projects in New Zealand, donating a portion of the sale of each book to the Save the Kiwi charity, donating more than $50,000 in 5 years.
Kuwi & Friends began in 2014 and has become a New Zealand number one bestselling, award-winning picture book series. There are currently 11 titles in a mix of English and te reo Māori. Non-fiction books like the Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary are a fun, easy-to-use resource for those wanting to discover, learn and use everyday words in te reo Māori. Fiction titles like Kuwi’s First Egg and Kuwi’s Huhu Hunt feature humorous and light hearted stories which are popular with children. Te reo Māori translations of the bestselling English language books have been shortlisted multiple times for te reo Māori language awards at the national New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults. School packs come with posters, magnets, and activity sheets.
- Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary was the winner of the Edify Award for Best Educational Book or Series, Primary at the PANZ Book Design Awards 2021
- Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary was a 2021 Storylines Notable Book Award winner in the non-fiction category.
- Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary was a 2021 Storylines Notable Book Award winner in the te reo Māori category.
- Kuwi & Friends Māori Picture Dictionary was a finalist for the Elsie Locke Award for Non-Fiction at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2020
- Ngā Hoa Hoihoi o Kuwi was a finalist for the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2020
- Kuwi’s Rowdy Crowd was a finalist for the Best Children’s Book at the NZ Booklovers Book Awards 2019
- Te Hua Tuatahi a Kuwi was the winner of the Children’s Choice Award, Te Reo Māori at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016
- Te Hua Tuatahi a Kuwi was a finalist for the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for Te Reo Māori at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016
- Kuwi’s Huhu Hunt was a finalist for the Children’s Choice Award, Picture Book at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults
Author details
Kat Quin
Kat Quin has been illustrating for over 20 years and works from her award-winning educational design studio, Design on Q. Her passion for all things children’s books and illustration is apparent throughout all her works to date. Gaining inspiration and critique from her own six, sparkling children, her honest accounts from a birds eye view are endearing to readers of all ages. She is quintessentially Kiwi, which erupts through her quirky illustrations, on which she spends thirty plus hours for each delicious spread. Kat extends herself to play an ambassador role for the very appropriately chosen, Kiwis for Kiwi, which supports human Kiwis to support native kiwi conservation projects across New Zealand.
Existing international relationships
The Kiwicorn series is published and distributed through UK-based publisher Award Publications. At this stage, the Kuwi & Friends range is not published offshore.
