“Te reo Māori is strong in Hine and the Tohunga Portal, but in such a way that even if you don’t know much te reo yourself, you are learning it as you are reading. With a plot so chocka with full-on action, likeable and perfectly despicable characters, I might finish this review and begin Hine and the Tohunga Portal all over again! “ - What Book Next

“Hine and the Tohunga Portal is an absolute joy. The adventure bursts out of every page, the world-building is incredible and legendary te ao Māori brought vividly to life. I could not put it down and wondered what might lurk through the mists of Aotearoa's time and space.” - New Zealand Herald

“Some of these characters are cheeky and sly, or cute and cuddly, but in spite of this, the story maintains an increasingly dark edge with Kae’s wicked intentions constantly returning to overshadow the warm edges of the narrative. By turns endearing and brutal, Hine and The Tohunga Portal has all the elements readers would expect of a mythic apocalyptic middle grade novel.” - Kete Books

“Kia ora Ataria. Thank you so much for writing Hine and the Tohunga Portal. Our 5-year-old Te Tirarau loves Harry Potter and we wished he had magic and adventure for us to read to him in a te ao Māori context and we found you! He loves the story so much we are on the second read. Hope there is more of your writing to come! Ngā mihi nui”

“Hine and the Tohunga Portal is a very adventurous book, with a constant feeling that something is about to happen and you are meant to know it, but you don’t. I love the jokes and the combat in the story; you feel and empathise with the characters instead of just reading about them. This is not the same as other books that I’ve read.” - Hooked on Books

“Thank you so much for Hine and the Tohunga Portal. My son and I are reading this book together, and it’s stunning. Loving the adventures and spirit pared with depth. We’re upgrading our reo Māori as we go, and I love how it bridges time. Anyways I’m no writer, and I can’t articulate what I mean properly, but I’m 32, and he’s 6, and we’re both getting so much out of it, so thank you!”

“The mythology of Māori culture is a spectacular rollercoaster of action and adventure in and of itself. As Rick Riordan achieved with Percy Jackson, the modernising of the characters and ideas into a whole new environment creates a new audience and trajectory for these ancient concepts.” - NZ Booklovers

“I loved this book so much! It was an entire adventure! Not only is this book entertaining and engaging, but it’s also deeply ingrained in Māori culture and history. I loved that te reo Māori was used throughout. I can’t wait to share this book with my nieces who are Māori and in this age range, though the book is great for all ages!” - @littlepasifikareaders

“Hine and the Tohunga Portal is a fantastic middle-grade novel that weaves in these larger themes into an engaging story for rangatahi and adults (who may or may not be rangatahi at heart!) alike. Rooted in te ao Māori, this is a fantastic story that is at once a pacy adventure quest and an empowering tale rich in matauranga and taha Māori.” - @ns510reads

“This gorgeous pukapuka has something for everyone: My boy was captivated by the action, adventure and epic battles, and my daughter loved the dialogue between Hine and Hōhepa. How they interact is humorously relatable. My eldest and I fell in love with the sweet animal characters. We adore how they are represented and honoured as spiritual, precious, and wise beings. The end of each chapter holds suspense and anticipation to keep the reader engaged and wanting more. There is history, love, heavy loss, and deep sadness, but hope and beauty shine through. I love how the characters are like kids I know and see daily at school. These kids are real and relatable; their resilience and strength are admirable and inspiring. I have ordered copies for our school library and look forward to sharing Hine and Hōhepa’s adventures with my school whānau.”

“The world in Hine and the Tohunga Portal is so richly drawn and immersive that there was a feeling of grief when the book ended. I never wanted to leave the world created between these pages. In fact, as soon as I put it down, I immediately re-read it to my ten-year-old who was as entranced and captured - @whokatreads