Kellie Dawson

Dawson, Kellie (1984 – ) (Ngāti Pūkenga) is an Aotearoa-based mother of two and former lawyer, whose worries over her son’s anxiety led her to create a resource specifically aimed at helping her son, Xavier, to understand that his feelings of anxiety were normal.

Her children’s book There’s a T-Rex in my Tummy (2023), published by Wai Ako Books, was brought to life when her son asked if his story could be turned into a real book that could be shared with others.

In addition to writing for children, Kellie has authored and co-authored a number of legal journal articles, which have appeared in the New Zealand Law Students’ Journal (2008) and the New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law (2009). She was also awarded a Masters Scholarship in Law.

Kellie has moved away from practicing law to focus on writing books and developing her property business.

Review, There's a T-Rex in my Tummy, The Sapling