Dahlia Malaeulu has gone from searching for Pasifika children’s stories to creating them.
As an award winning author, publisher and founder of Mila’s Books, Dahlia’s mission of supporting Pasifika tamaiti to be seen, heard and valued through the stories they read has gained national and international recognition.
Dahlia’s journey highlights the importance of seeing yourself in the books you read, and she is ensuring the next generation of readers are surrounded by stories that reflect and resonate with the experiences of Pasifika.
“Growing up, I didn’t see many stories that reflected my Samoan heritage or experiences, which inspired my dream to create endless Pasifika literature options for us all.”
Dahlia Malaeulu’s passion for all things Pasifika shines through in the books she writes and produces for Mila’s Books. Dahlia shares, “My book journey is deeply rooted in the belief that our stories as Pasifika matter because we as Pasifika matter. Growing up, I didn’t see many stories that reflected my Samoan heritage or experiences, which inspired my dream to create endless Pasifika literature options for us all.”
Dahlia leads the world’s only all-Pasifika publishing team, having published over 90 Pasifika voices and shares Mila’s Books stories with 10,000 tamaiti annually through author visits and writers’ programs. “It’s truly rewarding to show the world what’s possible and see the impact of our Mila’s Books stories,” Dahlia says.
Mila’s Books stories are in high demand, with their recent release, Mataali’i, a Samoan tale about Matariki, selling 500 copies within a week of its release. Through the Mila’s Books Tusitala Mentoring Programme, Dahlia mentors first-time Pasifika authors, while championing reading and sustainable pathways for Pasifika storytellers across Aotearoa. A Read NZ Te Pou Muramura board member, her accolades include New Zealand’s Emerging Publisher of the Year 2023, Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Emerging Pacific Artist Award, and Wellington Pasifika Business Woman of the Year Award.
A small selection of the extensive collection of Pasifika titles from Mila’s Books.
To see the growing collection of Pasifika children’s titles, visit the Mila’s Books website:
