Author. Margaret Mahy received world-wide notoriety as a New Zealand author in the 20th century, excelling in children's literature. Twice, s he was the recipient of the Carnegie Medal for children's literature, for her 1982 novel, “ The Haunting” and in 1984 for her novel "The Changeover." The Carnegie Medal is the oldes t and most prestigious award offered for children's books to a British subject. Twice, she was presented with the Phoenix Prize, in 2005 for “The Catalog of the Universe” and in 2007 for “Memory.” The Phoenix Prize is presented to an author of a children's book published originally in English, which did not win a major award at the time of publishing, yet twenty years later, can be recognized for literary merit. In 2006 she was the recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, for being “one of the world's most original re-inventors of language.” She received the Sir Julius Vogel Award in 2006 for services to science fiction and fantasy. With her books being well-received in the United States, she was the recipient of the American Librarian Association Notables and Best Books of the Year awards. For "Th e Tricksters,” she received a World Fantasy Best Novel nomination in 1987 and an H onor Book Award at the Phoenix Prize in 2006. For her contribution to literature, she received in 1993 the highest award from her native country, The Order of New Zealand. Born to an English father, who immigrated to New Zealand at the age of twelve, and a native Christchurch mother, she was the oldest of five children. Her father was a bridge builder and her mother was a school teacher. The family lived on the Bay of Plenty at the coast of Whakatane. As a child, she loved reading "Winnie the Pooh" and Beatrix Potter's books and started writing her own books by the age of s even. She studied philosophy at Auckland University and Canterbury University College, where she attained her Bachelors of Arts in 1955 and earned her Librarian's diploma from the New Zealand Library School in Wellington. Her first librarian's position was with the Petone Public Library, then in 1969 with the School Library Service in Christchurch, and in 1974 the Children's Librarian at Canterbury Public Library. Over the next decades, she balanced her time between being a mother of two daughters, a librarian and writing stories. Her first short story was published in the “New Zealand School Journal” in 1961. A novel, “A Lion in the Meadow” was published by an American publisher in 1967, and with the rapidly success of this book internationally and receiving the New Zealand Esther Glen Award, the publisher asked for more and she replied with fifteen-years worth of unpublished material all at once. By 1980 she was a full-time writer. Her pi cture books have been praised for their sense of whimsy and accomplished wordplay. In 2009 she received the Boston-Globe-Horn Book Award in the category of picture book for “Bubble Trouble.” The last one of her 100 picture books was “ The Man from the Land of Fandango ,” with illustrations by Polly Dunbar and was released posthumously in October of 2012. Besides her picture books, s he published over 40 novels and 20 collections of short stories in 15 languages. Over the years, a dozen or more of her books have been adapted for New Zealand children's television series with several receiving awards. Writing almost every day, she lived in a house by the sea with many cats and was a private person, yet would wear her famous rainbow-colored wig to outings. Diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the jaw bone in April of 2012, she moved to a hospice nine days before her death. Her remains were cremated, and her ashes were brought by her family to her public memorial service with nearly 700 people attending in a GeoDome at Hagley Park in Christchurch. A private service was held by the family at a later date.

Author. Margaret Mahy received world-wide notoriety as a New Zealand author in the 20th century, excelling in children's literature. Twice, s he was the recipient of the Carnegie Medal for children's literature, for her 1982 novel, “ The Haunting” and in 1984 for her novel "The Changeover." The Carnegie Medal is the oldes t and most prestigious award offered for children's books to a British subject. Twice, she was presented with the Phoenix Prize, in 2005 for “The Catalog of the Universe” and in 2007 for “Memory.” The Phoenix Prize is presented to an author of a children's book published originally in English, which did not win a major award at the time of publishing, yet twenty years later, can be recognized for literary merit. In 2006 she was the recipient of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, for being “one of the world's most original re-inventors of language.” She received the Sir Julius Vogel Award in 2006 for services to science fiction and fantasy. With her books being well-received in the United States, she was the recipient of the American Librarian Association Notables and Best Books of the Year awards. For "Th e Tricksters,” she received a World Fantasy Best Novel nomination in 1987 and an H onor Book Award at the Phoenix Prize in 2006. For her contribution to literature, she received in 1993 the highest award from her native country, The Order of New Zealand. Born to an English father, who immigrated to New Zealand at the age of twelve, and a native Christchurch mother, she was the oldest of five children. Her father was a bridge builder and her mother was a school teacher. The family lived on the Bay of Plenty at the coast of Whakatane. As a child, she loved reading "Winnie the Pooh" and Beatrix Potter's books and started writing her own books by the age of s even. She studied philosophy at Auckland University and Canterbury University College, where she attained her Bachelors of Arts in 1955 and earned her Librarian's diploma from the New Zealand Library School in Wellington. Her first librarian's position was with the Petone Public Library, then in 1969 with the School Library Service in Christchurch, and in 1974 the Children's Librarian at Canterbury Public Library. Over the next decades, she balanced her time between being a mother of two daughters, a librarian and writing stories. Her first short story was published in the “New Zealand School Journal” in 1961. A novel, “A Lion in the Meadow” was published by an American publisher in 1967, and with the rapidly success of this book internationally and receiving the New Zealand Esther Glen Award, the publisher asked for more and she replied with fifteen-years worth of unpublished material all at once. By 1980 she was a full-time writer. Her pi cture books have been praised for their sense of whimsy and accomplished wordplay. In 2009 she received the Boston-Globe-Horn Book Award in the category of picture book for “Bubble Trouble.” The last one of her 100 picture books was “ The Man from the Land of Fandango ,” with illustrations by Polly Dunbar and was released posthumously in October of 2012. Besides her picture books, s he published over 40 novels and 20 collections of short stories in 15 languages. Over the years, a dozen or more of her books have been adapted for New Zealand children's television series with several receiving awards. Writing almost every day, she lived in a house by the sea with many cats and was a private person, yet would wear her famous rainbow-colored wig to outings. Diagnosed with inoperable cancer of the jaw bone in April of 2012, she moved to a hospice nine days before her death. Her remains were cremated, and her ashes were brought by her family to her public memorial service with nearly 700 people attending in a GeoDome at Hagley Park in Christchurch. A private service was held by the family at a later date.