At just 10 years old, Gabriel Magno has published his first picture book, and it's a hit with schools and kindergartens. Photo / Warren Buckland
At just 10 years old, Gabriel Magno has published his first picture book, and it's a hit with schools and kindergartens. Photo / Warren Buckland
Not many people can say they are a published author at 10 years old.
But Napier boy Gabriel Magno can, and his new picture book is already a sweeping success with schools and kindergartens across the country.
When the talented young wordsmith found out he had a knack for storytelling,his parents encouraged him to put pen to paper.
So began the production of The Case of the Empty Jam Jar, which is based on the many mystery stories Magno read growing up and acts as an ideal entry point to the genre for four to six-year-olds.
“When I was writing my manuscript, my sister was sitting down with some jam, so I thought it would be good to involve some jam in my book,” Magno told Hawke’s Bay Today.
“[The story] is about these two kids that like jam, and one day they find out that their jam jar is empty, so they try and discover who ate all the jam.”
Magno and his sister Isabella used all of their savings to help fund the book. With help from mum Rulli, he hired illustrator Tapoti Rani Sarkar from Bangladesh to help create the images for his story.
“He sent us copies of the drawings online and we could choose what we wanted to change and what we wanted to keep.”
Gabriel Magno (right) and his younger sister Isabella used their savings to help publish the book. Photo / Warren Buckland
Going from the story’s inception to the publishing stage took six months. Two hundred copies were then shipped to the Magno household.
Some of these copies are currently in the lounge right now and ready to be sold.
Forty were at Magno’s school Hastings Christian School, where he aims to use them not only to spread joy to his fellow classmates, but to also raise money for a good cause.
“Fifteen per cent of the profits from my books sold from school will go towards the gym,” he said.
It’s not just Hawke’s Bay where Magno is spreading his literary wings - 70 copies are already circulating in schools and kindergartens around New Zealand, mum Rulli Magno said.
“We really didn’t think that it would get positive feedback from schools and kindergartens, but the teachers and principals were very supportive and gave Gabriel all their support.”
She said many noted that the book was a great opener for other children to have the confidence to be able to express their creativity and publish their own stories as a writer.
Another special fan was Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise, who received a signed copy from the author himself on Tuesday.
“It was very cool. She talked about my inspiration and asked me about my second book.”
So, what’s next for Hawke’s Bay’s literary prodigy?
Magno said he had a keen interest in basketball and physical education at school - so, could a sports novel be on the way?
“Maybe, maybe not,” he teased. “If I would be able to do both writing and basketball in the future, that would be great.”
One thing we do know is that his next project is already being written, and it will be a chapter book.
“I’m writing it right now. I’ve done five chapters so far.”
Mitchell Hageman joined Hawke’s Bay Today in late January. From his Napier base, he writes regularly on social issues, arts and culture, and the community. He has a particular love for stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
