Mila’s Books publishes quality stories and literacy resources that reflect Pasifika values, languages, and cultures. Their multilingual collection of titles covers all school levels, develops cultural confidence and understanding in their readers, and ensures that children can be seen, heard and valued in the worlds they live in.
Well-designed and playfully illustrated, Mila’s Books are ideal for classroom use. In 2022 their young adult title, Tama Sāmoa, won a Storylines Notable Book Award and in 2023 their title A New Dawn was a finalist for the Elsie Locke Award for Non-fiction at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
My Gagana series
The popular My Gagana series is a set of rich, accessible resources for learning Gagana Sāmoa (Samoan language) at preschool and junior primary level (ages 0–7). These fun and interactive books are predominantly in English and provide scaffolded support for children, families and teacheres to learn basic language skills. Each story is filled with relatable everyday contexts to introduce and build confidence in Samoan language. ‘Tusi faitau for all the fanau’ — ‘storybooks for all the family.’
Age range: 0–7
Language: English, with Samoan
My Faasinomaga series
‘Faasinomaga’ means identity in Samoan. The titles in this series are concerned with cultural identity, cultural challenges and cultural journeys of Pacifica students. They are one of Mila’s Books most popular and best selling series and have been used as exam, curriculum and study texts in New Zealand’s national educational framework. They’ve been recommended and highly commended for their cultural approach to literacy, and their way of centring student voice.
Tama Sāmoa was awarded the Storylines Notable Book Award in 2022.
Age range: 10–14 years
Language: English
A New Dawn | Ko E Pongipongi Foʻou
A New Dawn by Emeli Sione was published in two editions: English and Tongan. The Dawn Raids were a challenging time in New Zealand’s history that caused a lot of harm and injustice for Pacific peoples in New Zealand, and this book tells the story of Emeli’s Dawn Raid experience. For this title, Mila’s Books worked alongside the Ministry of Pacific Peoples and the Polynesian Panthers Trust. The book includes references to the Dawn Raid apology, which was given on behalf of the New Zealand Government by former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
A New Dawn was a finalist in the 2023 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in the non-fiction category (the Elsie Locke Award for Non-fiction).
Age range: 8+ years
Language: English or Tongan
CONTACT PUBLISHER
Dahlia Malaeulu, Publisher, Mila’s Books
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