Lynley Dodd

Lynley Dodd is New Zealand's best known and most highly respected author and illustrator of children's picture books. Her work has sold over two million copies world-wide.

Born and educated in New Zealand, Lynley is a graduate of the Elam School of Art in Auckland. Since winning the prestigious Esther Glen Award with Eve Sutton in 1975 for My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes, Lynley has written 24 picture books. Four of these have won the New Zealand Picture Book of the Year Award, and many more have made the Award shortlist.

Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy was published in 1983 and immediately caught the imagination of parents and children throughout New Zealand and overseas. To date, Hairy Maclary has his own theatre company (Maclary Theatre Productions), a video has been released, and there is extensive merchandising, including four soft toys. The Hairy Maclary series is already a classic and includes several foreign language editions.
Lynley has won numerous prizes for her work, received the Margaret Mahy Award in 1999 and in 2002 was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours for services to children's literature.

Lynley lives in Tauranga with her husband, Tony and their beautiful Burmese cat, Suu Kyi.

The Nickle Nackle Tree won the 2006 Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-Loved Book. Her latest book is Hairy Maclary's Hat Tricks, a new and wind-swept adventure of the famous Hairy Maclary.

The Smallest Turtle

The smallest turtle is the last of his family to set out on the journey to the sea. The sand is hot and the danger is great - will he make the safety of the ocean?