Raphael's way with words is in the genes
By Kate Newton - The Dominion Post, 30/11/2009


Left -In good company. Raphael Kidman, 12, with grandmother Dame Fiona Kidman. Dominion Post photo.

Raphael beat 148 other pupils to win the Jack Lasenby Writing Award with his story, 'The Big Hairy Monster'. "He's got a wicked sense of humour," Dame Fiona said.

Ink flows through Raphael Kidman's veins. The first person the 12-year-old rang when he found out he had won the Jack Lasenby Writing Award was author Dame Fiona Kidman – or "Gran".

Raphael eclipsed 148 other year seven and eight Wellington pupils to win the award for his story, The Big Hairy Monster – a re-imagining of The Three Little Pigs.
It tells the tale of a trio of porkers who hide from the Big Bad Wolf in earthquake-strengthened Te Papa, its superior engineering leaving him out of huff and puff.

Raphael said he had not expected the story to win. "I didn't really believe it at first because I'm not really good at English." Once he got over the shock, he got on the phone to his award-winning grandmother, who was "quite surprised", but happy to hear the news, Raphael said.
Dame Fiona said her grandson's success was fantastic. "The story is hilarious – he's got a wicked sense of humour."
She hoped he would keep writing and was looking forward to having some competition in the family.
The full story at stuff.co.nz