Skip to main content

MargaretMahy

  • Writer
Margaret-Mahy-profile-image.jpg

Margaret Mahy was a renowned author of children's books who also wrote for television. Amongst her many international awards is the Hans Christian Andersen Award (known as the Little Nobel Prize) for a "lasting contribution to children's literature". A highly  visual writer, Mahy both wrote for the screen (Maddigan's Quest, Strangers), and her books inspired a number of programmes. She passed away on 23 July 2012.

Screenography

2017 Original Author Film
StoryTree
2012 Original Author Television
Margaret Mahy's Rambustifications
2012 - 2013 Presenter Television
2010 Original Author, Associate Producer, As: Storyteller Television
2010 Subject Television

Biography

Children's author Margaret Mahy was a taonga of New Zealand storytelling, whose work inspired many future creatives, from authors to musicians to designers at Weta Digital. Known to many children for doing book readings in a brightly-coloured wig, Mahy told simple tales about complex ideas. Everyday things are made magical. A strong theme in her work is the transformative power of fantasy, and she often dealt with supernatural themes.

Awards

2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards
Best Children's/Youth Programme: Kaitangata Twitch

2011 Kidscreen Awards (United States)
Finalist: Kaitangata Twitch

“When you work for television or film or anything like that, you work as a member of a team. When you write a book, on the whole you write as a solitary individual; sometimes very solitary. It’s a different process, and of course each process has got something to enjoy...”

Margaret Mahy

Related images

A_Tall_Long_Faced_Tale_Garden_four_people.jpg
Margaret Mahy and Elizabeth Knox talk with characters from Mahy's books.
Photographer: Denise Baldwin. Animations: Euan Frizzell.
A_Tall_Long_Faced_Tale_Inside_shot.jpg
Margaret Mahy and Elizabeth Knox talk with characters from Mahy's books.
Photographer: Denise Baldwin. Animation: Euan Frizzell.
A_Tall_Long_Faced_Tale_outside_shot.jpg
Margaret Mahy reads to her grandchildren and Elizabeth Knox as characters from the books listen in.
Photographer: Denise Baldwin. Animations: Euan Frizzell.
Margaret_Mahy_Gallery_Profile.jpg
Margaret Mahy and actor Ned Beatty are interviewed at the Gibson Group for "The Haunting of Barney Palmer".
Photographer: Martin Hunter. Kindly provided by The Dominion Post.
Margaret_Mahy_Gallery.jpg
Margaret Mahy talks about her new novel to The Dominion Post, 31 August 1987.
Photographer: Martin Hunter. Kindly provided by The Dominion Post.
Strangers-Gallery-10.jpg
Producer Chris Bailey, actor Martin Henderson (Zane), Writer Margaret Mahy and actor Amber McWilliams (Emma) on the set of 1989 TV series Strangers.
© TVNZ
Strangers-Gallery-10.jpg
Producer Chris Bailey, actor Martin Henderson (Zane), Writer Margaret Mahy and actor Amber McWilliams (Emma) on the set of 1989 TV series Strangers.
© TVNZ