New Zealand Writers
DREWERY, Melanie
Makes Te Reo Maori inviting and engaging for new readers
DREWERY, Melanie (1970- ) is a writer, illustrator and artist. She writes primarily for children.
Melanie Drewery was born in Palmerston North, and lived in Fielding, Auckland, Picton and Blenhiem before settling in Nelson. She has worked as a children’s librarian, a potter, an artist and as a pre-school teacher. She has been a professional writer since 1998.
Drewery’s concern as a writer is to introduce Te Reo Maori in a way that is both non-threatening and engaging. For Drewery the Maori tradition in story form gives children easy access to Maori language and culture, and encourages further learning.
Drewery is best-known for her Nanny Mihi series (illustrated by Tracy Duncan) about two little children and their visits to their beloved grandmother’s house. Her books include Nanny Mihi & the Rainbow (Reed, 2001), Nanny Mihi’s Garden (Reed, 2002), Nanny Mihi’s Birthday Surprise (Reed, 2003), Matariki (Reed, 2003), The Treasure (Reed, 2003), Nanny Mihi’s Treasure Hunt (Reed, 2004), Child of Aotearoa (Reed, 2004) and Koro's Medicine (Huia, 2004).
Cherie Taylor, in The Daily Post, writes of Nanny Mihi’s Birthday Surprise: ‘Delightful illustrations and easy flowing words will make this book inviting and intriguing for any child who has just learned to read.’
Melanie Drewery lives in Nelson and participates in the Writers in Schools programme.
L.K.
Updated Information
Koro's Medicine was a finalist in the Picture Book Category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2005.
Two Maori translations of Drewery's books were finalists for the Te Kura Pounamu Award at the LIANZA Children's Book Awards 2005: Ngā Rongoā a Koro (Huia), translated by Kararaina Uatuku and He Tamaiti nō Aotearoa (Reed), translated by Hone Apanui.
Ngā Rongoā a Koro went on to win the award. The judges said: “Ngā Rongoā a Koro has the ‘x’ factor. The illustrations are almost tactile, the topic conveys the cultural importance placed on rongoā and the storyline cleverly conveys this in a way that all readers will be able to relate to. We liked the simple language, the role modelling of the passives ‘A’ and ‘O’ is extremely good, and we feel that the book will be read often at home and at school.”
Papa's Island (2006) was published by Reed Publishing Ltd.
The Grumble Rumble Mumbler (Huia, 2007) was chosen to be read at the 2007 New Zealand's Biggest Storytime, during Library Week. Click here to hear Drewery reading this at Wellington Central Public Library. 'The Grumble Rumble Mumbler acknowledges children’s fears, and deals with them in a gentle and reassuring way.' (Create Readers Blog, National Library Website)
Dad's Takeaways (Mallinson Rendel, 2007) is a charming new picture book by Drewery, telling the story of a family outing to get the best takeaways in the world.
The Mad Tadpole Adventure (Scholastic, 2007) is an illustrated chapter book, telling the story of a little girl who loved her tadpole and watched it turn into a frog! It has been nominated in the Junior Fiction section of the 2008 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Tahi: One Lucky Kiwi (Random House, 2007) written by Melanie Drewery and illustrated by Ali Teo and John O'Reilly, is the educational story of Tahi, one lucky kiwi who was found in a game trap and ended up with a false leg. It won the Picture Book section of the 2008 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. The judges of these awards said 'here's a story to inspire all age groups, where unobtrusive facts about kiwis sit comfortably alongside the snappy, and humorous text.'
Big Fish, Little Fish (Reed, 2008).
Jiminy Shows Off (Mallinson Rendel, 2008) is Drewery's first book for older primary school children.
Writers in Schools
Melanie Drewery is available to visit students of all ages as part of the Writers in Schools programme. She is happy to discuss anything and everything with the students. She has no class size preference, but prefers schools to split into junior and senior groups. Drewery is available to run workshops by prior arrangement. Please note that Drewery does not speak Te Reo Maori fluently.
KAPAI: KIDS AUTHORS PICURES AND INFORMATION
Some Questions for Melanie Drewery
Where do you live?
On a farm at Ruby Bay, near Nelson. Our house is an old cowshed and a house stuck together!
What books do you read?
Lots and lots of books. I like: Margaret Mahy’s funny books that make me laugh; Bow Down Shadrach by Joy Cowley because it made me cry; Winnie the Witch is one of my favourite book characters.
Who is your favourite author?
Adult author: Annie Proulx, children’s author: I can’t choose between Margaret Mahy and Joy Cowley.
How do you think up your ideas?
Sometimes they just pop into my head, but mostly I think about things that are important to me and how I want children to feel at the end. Then I make up ideas to go with that feeling, sometimes from things that have really happened, and sometimes things I would like to do.
What is the best thing about being an author?
Seeing how the stories I write make people feel. Helping people to feel good or think about what is important.
Questions from Primary School Students
Do you have any pets?
3 dogs, 2 cats and 7 horses! lots of chickens, and sheep
Do you have a favourite colour?
Purple
Do you have a favourite food?
Sushi
Do you have a favourite movie?
Too many to choose from
Do you have a favourite game?
Pictionary
What is the most fun thing about being an author?
Seeing the ideas from my head become a book with beautiful pictures and meeting my characters. They all seem like real people to me.
How do you make books?
I write the story lots of times. Sometimes I go to the library or on the internet to find out more information. When I am happy I send the story to my editors. They choose an illustrator and I wait while they do all of the other work.
Where do you like to go for your holidays?
Christchurch or Picton or Wellington.
What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school?
I hid in the bushes just up the road from school with a friend and we didn’t go to school. Instead we stretched blackberry vines across the road because we wanted to give the cars flat tyres. It didn’t work! I went to a very small country school so the road was very quiet.
Questions from Secondary School Students
How did you get started?
I wanted to be an author for years. I started writing stories at school and I never stopped. My first book was accepted after 13 years of trying.
Who inspired you when you were getting started?
Joy Cowley was very kind to me and read some of my stories. Robyn Belton, who is an illustrator, helped me too. I was inspired by their enthusiasm for books.
What advice would you give an aspiring writer?
Keep trying, but listen to advice and keep learning about writing as well. Ask people for help when you need it, because most people are happy to point you in the right direction.
Is it difficult to make a living writing in New Zealand?
Yes because there are not many people in NZ. So if you are paid royalties it is hard to sell enough books – unless you sell overseas.
What were you like as a teenager?
A bit naughty! But I always loved to read and I was good in my English classes. I liked parties and making strange outfits. I loved riding horses then too.
Is there anything else you could tell children about yourself?
I love animals. I get horses from the race track so that they won’t be made into dog food and train them for riding for other people (maybe that is why I like Bow Down Shadrach so much).
I have two girls of my own and two step-daughters as well – it can be very loud at my house.
I also work as a potter and painter so if I get bored with one job I just go and do another.
Writers in Schools Information
Melanie Drewery's preferred age group for writer visits is junior school. She is happy to take workshops with extension students.
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