Joan de Hamel
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
de Hamel, Joan (1924 - 2011) was a children's writer whose popular stories had a timeless appeal. Her first book, X Marks the Spot (1973) was reprinted for the fifth time in 1996, more than twenty years after it was first published.
She twice won national awards. In 1979 she won the Esther Glen Award for Take the Long Path (1978), and in 1985 she won the A.W. Reed Memorial Award for Hemi's Pet (1985). Her other titles are The Third Eye (1987); Hideaway (1992); and Hemi and the Shortie Pyjamas (1996).
She had large family and a background as a teacher, which meant de Hamel was comfortable with young people. She was an active participant in the Book Council's Writers in Schools programme. 'I am very impressed by some of the young writers,' she said. 'I jot down their names calculating that if I live long enough, I'll read their published work some day.'
In addition to writing and teaching, Joan de Hamel was a breeder of goats and donkeys for many years.
MEDIA LINKS AND CLIPS
- Christchurch Libraries Interviews with NZ Children's Authors
