Margaret Mahy - "A Unique Voice That Will Be Missed" - Storylines tribute

"Margaret Mahy was renowned as a prolific writer of over 300 books for the young, loved and admired world-wide for the richness of her imagination and unique creativity with language", says Dr Libby Limbrick, chairman of the Storylines Children’s Literature Trust.   "Margaret was the founding patron and huge supporter of Storylines’ work to foster in young people a love of story and recognition of the power of language.   Through her many educational readers, novels, picture books, poetry, short stories and screen-writing, she created an unequalled body of award-winning work which touched the hearts and minds of literally millions of children world-wide.   Her honours included New Zealand’s highest, the Order of Merit, and in 2006 the world’s most prestigious prize for children’s writers, the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, as well as several honorary doctorates, but all her long career she remained a much-loved member of the community of children’s writers and illustrators.   Since the mid-1970s she has been a star turn, often wearing her signature wig, in schools and at literary festivals. No one hearing her reciting her performance pieces Down the Back of the Chair and Bubble Trouble will ever forget her sheer joy in the magic, comedy and power of language.   Margaret’s contribution to New Zealand and world literature has been immeasurable, on a par with Katherine Mansfield and Janet Frame.  She was a key figure in the explosion of an indigenous children’s literature from about 1970 onwards, tirelessly carrying the torch for the growing number of fine authors who chose to write for children and create arguably the strongest genre of writing within New Zealand literature.   By teachers and fellow librarians, by parents and grandparents, but most of all by several generations of children, her unique voice will be much missed."