When late last year I learned I was to be awarded the 2022 Prime Minister's Award for literary achievement in poetry I felt that all my Christmases had arrived, so unexpected and so wonderful the message was. Did I say all? To my astonishment and great delight I learned -within a few weeks - that I had been awarded the 2023 Margaret Mahy Medal as well. The Margaret Mahy Medal for twenty
years has commemorated the great Margaret Mahy with this eponymous award to honour a New Zealand writer for children or one who has contributed hugely to the cause off children's writing in Aotearoa New Zealand. It has come to be regarded as th
e highest honour in New Zealand's children's literature and I was both humbled and hugely honoured to be the 2023 recipient. I was especially delighted as I regarded Margaret as a friend and inspiration and very proud that she had done me the honour of launching
two of my children's books.