Tania Roxborogh
Encyclopedia
Tania Kelly Roxborogh is a New Zealand
author
who currently lives in Dunedin. She is the author of over 25 books, including Third Degree, Twenty Minute Shakespeare, and Fat Like Me and The Banquo's Son Trilogy. She also teaches English at a Dunedin high school.
. When Tania was 3, her alcoholic
father left home and she moved to Te Puke
with her mother. In 1972, at the age of 7, her mother met another man, who had 4 sons and a housekeeper who also had 4 children. They all moved in together and moved around Northland for the next few years. They finally settled in Titoki
, west of Whangarei
where Tania and her siblings attended Mangakahia Area School. However, in 1977, the family once again moved. By 1980, Tania had lived in 12 different houses and gone to 7 different schools.
Moving around made Tania's childhood unsettled and unhappy, so during her 5th form year in 1981, she travelled down to North Canterbury
to live with her father. Unfortunately, this still did not work out and Tania did not want to go back to her mother, so she contacted Social Welfare who arranged for her to stay in Hawarden
in a foster family. In 1985, Tania began studying at Massey University
in Palmerston North
. Three years later, she went to Auckland Teacher's College and the following year began teaching English.
Roxborogh's parenting books (No, it's Not Okay and Kids Behaving Bravely) reflect her observations and research associated with teaching adolescents. These two she co-authored with guidance counseller Kim Stephenson.
John Roxborogh
is a theologian.
Tania's motto for life is best said in Langston Hughes's poem 'Dreams': "Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly..."
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who currently lives in Dunedin. She is the author of over 25 books, including Third Degree, Twenty Minute Shakespeare, and Fat Like Me and The Banquo's Son Trilogy. She also teaches English at a Dunedin high school.
Early life
Tania Roxborogh was born in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
. When Tania was 3, her alcoholic
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
father left home and she moved to Te Puke
Te Puke
Te Puke is a town located 28 kilometres southeast of Tauranga in the Western Bay of Plenty region of New Zealand. It is particularly famous for the cultivation of kiwifruit...
with her mother. In 1972, at the age of 7, her mother met another man, who had 4 sons and a housekeeper who also had 4 children. They all moved in together and moved around Northland for the next few years. They finally settled in Titoki
Titoki
Tītoki , is a shiny-leaved tree native to New Zealand, where it occurs in coastal and lowland forests. The flowering is in spring and the seeds take up to a year to mature...
, west of Whangarei
Whangarei
Whangarei, pronounced , is the northernmost city in New Zealand and the regional capital of Northland Region. Although commonly classified as a city, it is officially part of the Whangarei District, administered by the Whangarei District Council a local body created in 1989 to administer both the...
where Tania and her siblings attended Mangakahia Area School. However, in 1977, the family once again moved. By 1980, Tania had lived in 12 different houses and gone to 7 different schools.
Moving around made Tania's childhood unsettled and unhappy, so during her 5th form year in 1981, she travelled down to North Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
to live with her father. Unfortunately, this still did not work out and Tania did not want to go back to her mother, so she contacted Social Welfare who arranged for her to stay in Hawarden
Hawarden, New Zealand
Hawarden is a small town in the Canterbury region of New Zealand's South Island. It is located near Waikari, just off State Highway 7. From 15 December 1884 until 15 January 1978, the town was served by the Waiau Branch, a branch line railway that at one stage was planned to become the Main North...
in a foster family. In 1985, Tania began studying at Massey University
Massey University
Massey University is one of New Zealand's largest universities with approximately 36,000 students, 20,000 of whom are extramural students.The University has campuses in Palmerston North , Wellington and Auckland . Massey offers most of its degrees extramurally within New Zealand and internationally...
in Palmerston North
Palmerston North
Palmerston North is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is an inland city with a population of and is the country's seventh largest city and eighth largest urban area. Palmerston North is located in the eastern Manawatu Plains near the north bank...
. Three years later, she went to Auckland Teacher's College and the following year began teaching English.
Marriage and children
In December 1989, Tania married Phillip Roxborogh. Her daughter Mackenna was born three years later in 1992 and Brianna, four years after that, in 1996.Other
- In 2002, Tania Roxborogh sat the Bursary English exam after a challenge from her Year 13 class as she hadn't taken it herself before and was taking her students through it.
- In 2003, she underwent a gastric bypass operation after struggling with a serious weight problem as a result of her pregnancies.
- In 2006, she was awarded the Dunedin College of Education's Children's Writer in Residence which lead to the family relocating from Auckland to Dunedin.
- In 2010, her novel, Banquo's Son was shortlisted for the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards, awarded a notable book from Storylines: the Children's Literature Foundation of New Zealand as well as winning the YA section of the 2010 LIANZA awards.
Content and style of writing
Roxborogh's earlier works contain much biographical material. Many of the situations her characters find themselves dealing with are sourced from specific events in her own life. For example, the car accident Jeremy suffered in Runaway is exactly what she experienced. In Third Degree, a story about a 19 year old university student Ruth, memories of a 10 yrs old self are lifted straight from the memories of the time Roxborogh ran into her stepfather who was carrying a pot of boiling hot water. She was scalded very badly and suffered third degree burns. During her time in hospital she was not just scarred physically but was also subjected to a medical experiment.Roxborogh's parenting books (No, it's Not Okay and Kids Behaving Bravely) reflect her observations and research associated with teaching adolescents. These two she co-authored with guidance counseller Kim Stephenson.
Philosophical and/or political views
Tania Roxborogh is a devout Christian and currently attends Leith Valley Presbyterian Church. Her brother-in-lawBrother-in-law
A brother-in-law is the brother of one's spouse, the husband of one's sibling, or the husband of one's spouse's sibling.-See also:*Affinity *Sister-in-law*Brothers in Law , a 1955 British comedy novel...
John Roxborogh
John Roxborogh
John Roxborogh is a Christian biographer and mission historian living in New Zealand. In April 2008 he retired as Senior Lecturer in Reformed Studies at the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership, previously the Presbyterian School of Ministry, Knox College, Dunedin where he was also responsible...
is a theologian.
Tania's motto for life is best said in Langston Hughes's poem 'Dreams': "Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly..."