Kiri-Michelle Mohi

MOHI, Kiri-Michelle (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Te Arawa) (1973-) is a children’s author based in Te Puke, Bay of Plenty. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a postgraduate diploma in clinical supervision, along with various tohu in the creative arts space. Kiri-Michelle currently works as a dual diagnosis practitioner, following almost ten years as a social worker in schools.

Kiri-Michelle began writing formally in 2022, and established Fruits of Te Arawa Publishing with the support of a grant from Te Arawa Trust, under which six of her titles have been released. Together, the titles make up a series called ‘Real Raw Resources’, which underpins Kiri’s aim of creating books that are tools for both tamariki and caregivers to explore difficult aspects of life.

Her titles so far include My Colour is Enough (2022), My Can of Frazzled Fizz (2023), My Allsorts of Different Mates (2023), My Little Kid with Big Big Feelings (2023), My Forgetful Koro & Me (2023), and in 2024 My Season with the ‘C’ and My Selfie’s #1 Kaitiaki.

Each of Kiri-Michelle’s books deals with a specific social or personal issue, such as My Season with the C, which focuses on a child’s navigation of the issues that arise when there is cancer in the whānau, and My Selfie’s #1 Kaitiaki, written to guide young girls through the complexities of today’s influential world and discovering who their true kaitiaki (guardian) is.

Kiri-Michelle is active in visiting local schools and kura with her books to deliver readings, to introduce writing as a healing modality, and to bring the messages inside her books to life for tamariki.