Short | Poto

One hundred short, short stories in English and te reo Māori

Short, short stories, sometimes known as flash fiction or microfiction, are one of the trickiest forms to write. Create a resonant world in fewer than 300 words? Not so easy! In this collection of 100 stories, a range of New Zealand writers, both well known and emerging, deliver emotionally charged stories that punch well above their weight and length.

And there’s more! Each of the stories has been translated into te reo Māori (and some are written in te reo and translated into English) by some of this country’s most experienced translators, making this book a valuable contributor to our literary landscape that rewards repeated readings.

To look inside, click here.

‘Some books change how we read. Others change how we think about language itself. Short | Poto: The Big Book of Small Stories, accomplishes both, presenting 100 flash fiction pieces in English and te reo Māori to create one of New Zealand's first truly bilingual literary anthologies.’ — Kete Books

‘Reading Short | Poto is an exercise in precision and perspective. These stories demand careful attention and reward slow, deliberate engagement. The form allows readers to pause, reflect, and return - finding something new each time. The dual-language structure encourages a richer, more inclusive reading experience, where te ao Māori and te ao Pākehā sit alongside one another in harmony and tension.’ — NZ Booklovers