Biography
Margaret Mahy was born in 1936 in Whakatane, New Zealand, and studied philosophy at St.
Auckland University College and Canterbury University College. She then studied at New Zealand Library School in Wellington, and worked in libraries until becoming a full-time writer in 1980 - first at Petone Public Library, then for the School Library Service in Christchurch, and finally in the Children's Library at Canterbury Public Library.
Her first book, A Lion in the Meadow, was published in 1969, and was followed by many more picture books and story collections during the 1970s. She has since written many books for children and young adults, including school readers. Her picture books include the mystical The Wind Between The Stars (1976) and Leaf Magic (1976); The Little Round Husband (1990); Down The Dragon's Tongue (2000), and more recently, Down the Back of the Chair (2006). Her junior fiction, mostly humorous, includes fantasy and adventure, such as The Pirate Uncle (1977), and some tales in the supernatural tradition, including Aliens in the Family (1986); The Tricksters (1986); and The Changeover (1984), the latter being the first book in which she incorporated a New Zealand setting. She continues to do this in books such as Tingleberries, Tuckertubs and Telephones (1995). She has also written a series of books called 'The Cousins Quartet' comprising of The Good Fortunes Gang (1993); A Fortunate Name (1993); A Fortune Branches Out (1993); and Tangled Fortunes (1994). Her books for adolescents include The Catalogue of the Universe (1985); Memory (1996) and The Other Side of Silence (1982). She has also written extensively for television (including Maddigan's Quest, 2006) and adapted The Haunting (1982) as a feature film.
Several of her books have won the Esther Glen Award (New Zealand) and the New Zealand Post Children's Book Award. She also received Carnegie Medals for The Haunting and The Changeover (1984), and the 2006 Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Margaret Mahy lives on Long Island, New Zealand, and travels widely, promoting reading. She has held writing fellowships in New Zealand and Australia, and in 2003 was awarded the Order of New Zealand for her contribution to children's literature and an honorary doctorate from the University of Canterbury.
Bibliography
2006
Down the Back of the Chair
2000
Down the Dragon's Tongue
1996
Boom, baby, boom, boom!
1995
The Other Side of Silence
1993
The Three-Legged Cat
1993
A Busy Day for a Good Grandmother
1993
A Fortune Branches Out
1993
The Dentist's Promise
1990
Seven Chinese Brothers
1990
The Pumpkin Man and the Crafty Creeper
1989
The Blood-and-Thunder Adventure on Hurricane Peak
1989
The Great White Man-Eating Shark
1988
The Boy who Bounced and other magic tales
1988
The Door in the Air and other stories
1987
The Robber Pig and the Ginger Beer
1987
The Fight on the Hill
1987
The Horrible Story and Others
1987
An Elephant in the House
1986
Aliens in the Family
1986
Downhill Crocodile Whizz and other stories
1985
The Adventures of a Kite
1985
The Man whose Mother was a Pirate
1985
The Catalogue of the Universe
1984
A Good Knee for a Cat
1984
The Birthday Burglar
1984
The Birthday Burglar and A Very Wicked Headmistress
1983
The Pirate's Mixed-Up Voyage: Dark Doings in the Thousand Islands
1978
The Great Practical Rumbustification and The Librarian and the Robbers
1977
The Boy who was Followed Home
1975
The Third Margaret Mahy Story Book
1974
The Bus Under the Leaves
1972
Seventeen Kings and Forty Two Elephants
1971
The Boy with Two Shadows
1969
A Lion in the Meadow
1969
The Dragon of an Ordinary Family
Awards
2008
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (Sweden)
2006
Hans Christian Andersen Award
2006
New Zealand Post Children's Book Award
2006
New Zealand Post Children's Book Award
2005
Arts Foundation New Zealand Icon Award
2005
Phoenix Award (Canada)
2005
Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement (New Zealand)
2003
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
2003
New Zealand Post Children's Book Award
2003
Order of New Zealand
2002
NEw Zealand Post Children's Book Award
2001
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
2001
New Zealand Post Children's Book Award
2000
New Zealand Post Children's Book Award
1999
New Zealand Post Children's Book Award
1993
AIM Children's Book Award
1993
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
1992
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
1992
Goodman Fielder Wattie Award for Junior Fiction
1986
Young Observer Fiction Prize
1985
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
1982
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
1977
Zilveren Penseel (Holland)
1976
Italian Premier Grafico Award (Italy)
1973
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
1970
Esther Glen Award (New Zealand)
