Meet Mana

🌟 Hi, I’m Mana! 🌟
I'm the founder of Hug and Read, a mum of two, and a commercial professional with years of experience delivering major infrastructure and construction projects across NSW Australia.

In 2025, I made the decision to step away from my corporate career for a year to bring a dream to life. During that time, I poured my heart into creating Hug and Read, a children's publishing company built around one simple idea: that books can bring families closer together.

Every story we create is designed to spark imagination, encourage meaningful conversations, and turn everyday reading into moments children will remember for years to come. 

As a parent, I know how precious those quiet cuddles before bed, the shared laughter over a silly story, and the simple ritual of reading together can be.

Today, I've returned to my career in construction while continuing to lead Hug and Read every day. Although my professional world revolves around contracts, strategy, and delivering complex projects, my passion has always been creating something that leaves a lasting impact beyond the workplace.

Building Hug and Read has been one of the most rewarding projects of my life. 

It combines everything I love, creativity, purpose, and family, and reminds me that some of the most important things we build aren't structures, but memories.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

I hope our books fill your home with laughter, imagination, and plenty of hugs. 💛📚