Maria Gill

GILL, Maria (1961 –) is an award-winning writer of non-fiction and educational books for children and adults, which incorporate her interest in people, wildlife, and the environment.

Born in Auckland, Gill’s family emigrated to Australia to tour the country in a caravan when she was in her teens. She has travelled widely across Europe and Asia, before training as a primary teacher at Auckland University and Auckland College of Education, and taught at both primary and intermediate level. She also has a Graduate Diploma in Journalism studies at Massey University and a Masters in creative writing at AUT (Honours, 2020). She now writes children’s books and educational material full-time in the seaside village of Point Wells. Gill taught the Writing for Children paper at Massey University, and co-wrote with David Hill the Writing for Young Readers MOOC for the Commonwealth Education Trust.

In 2004 Gill published two short stories for adults in the Cats and Jaws Anthology (Random), edited by Barbara Else.

Her first book for children, Bird’s-eye View: Through the Eyes of New Zealand Birds (Penguin, 2006), reveals how thirteen New Zealand birds see their natural habitat. Bird’s-Eye View was shortlisted for the Elsie Locke award by LIANZA and selected as one of the top ten non-fiction Notable Books for 2007 by the New Zealand Children’s Literature Foundation (Storylines).

Following soon after, Operation Nest Egg: Saving New Zealand's Kiwi (Reed Publishing, 2007) examines the important work Operation Nest Egg plays in preserving New Zealand’s national icon. In Dogs on the Job (Puffin, 2008) Gill interviews dog handlers and observes dogs on the job in this engaging and fun-filled non-fiction book for children.

Gill uses her training and experience as a teacher to write prolifically for the educational market. In 2009, South Pacific Press published Volcanic Eruptions, Under Your Feet, Amazing Water Earth’s Core and, in 2010, What a Mess and were distributed worldwide. Gill published two early readers for Red Rocket Publishing in 2006, another for Sunshine Books in 2021, and seven educational books with Learning Media for the American market in 2009. Gill wrote another eight books for Learning Media in 2012 (published in 2014), four articles for School Journal, and two articles for the Connected Magazine (2013, 2017).

Gill’s standalone work Save Our Seas: Continuing the Mission of Sir Peter Blake (New Holland, 2009), illustrated by Vivienne Lingard, is inspired by the environmental work achieved by the legendary sailor and explorer Sir Peter Blake, and told in the voice of Skipper L.B. Tross. The work was listed as a 2010 Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Book.

In Rangitoto: Te toka tu Moana (Puffin, 2009) Gill tells the dramatic story of Auckland's most striking icon, the island of Rangitoto: its volcanic birth, the kaka's connection to it, and the impact of humans on its fragile wildlife. It was a finalist in the non-fiction category of the 2010 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults (now known as the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, NZCYA). Pixel Book digitised Rangitoto, and one creative non-fiction book called Operation Nest Egg Chick, with illustrations by Bruce Potter. They include videos, sliding picture galleries, voice-overs and activities. Gill published these books under her label Long White Cloud Books in 2015. Liza Raybould distributes the books in New Zealand.

In 2011 New Holland published The Call of the Kōkako (illustrated by Heather Arnold) and New Zealand Hall of Fame: 50 Remarkable Kiwis (illustrated by Bruce Potter). Both books were named in the Storylines Notable Books List of 2012. New Zealand Hall of Fame was also nominated in the Non-fiction section of the 2012 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards, and went on to win the Children's Choice Award in that category. The Call of the Kōkako was shortlisted in the illustration and non-fiction category for the LIANZA Awards, and was reviewed by Crissi Blair in the New Zealand Herald as a ‘truly stunning book.’

Eruption! Discovering New Zealand Volcanoes was published by New Holland in 2012. It gives 8- to 12-year-olds in-depth information about volcanoes around New Zealand. It was shortlisted for the Elsie Locke Award, administered by LIANZA, and was a Storylines Notable Book. It was reprinted again in February 2017. New Holland also published Earthquakes: Shaking the country in 2018, which included information about historical and recent Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes.

In order to help children understand the New Zealand government and voting system, Running the Country: A look inside New Zealand’s government (New Holland), illustrated by Malcolm Evans, was published in 2013.

Gill has also published seven teaching resource books for Essential Resources, and six comprehension books called ‘The Big Book of School Journals’ between 2008–2012.

In 2014, New Holland published Gill’s first picture book The Last of Maui’s Dolphins (illustrated by Bruce Potter), an underwater adventure about the world’s most endangered dolphin. In August, New Holland also published New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame: 25 Kiwi Champions (illustrated by Marco Ivancic), containing biographies, timelines, trophy boards, and text boxes about the sport the champion has succeeded in, and another text box about their training programme. It was shortlisted for the 2015 LIANZA Book Awards (non-fiction category), its illustrations receiving an Honorable Mention; and also shortlisted for the NZCYA awards.

Gill’s non-fiction picture book ANZAC Heroes was released in early 2016. ANZAC Heroes describes the lives of 30 Australian and New Zealand war heroes with Marco Ivancic’s resplendent illustrations. ANZAC Heroes received the Elsie Locke Non-Fiction Award and was named the Margaret Mahy Book of the Year at the 2016 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Marion Dreadon on The Reader described the book as one which would ‘keep the spirit of the Anzacs alive for the generations to come.’

In June 2016, Dorling Kindersley (UK) published Volcanoes, as part of their findout! series. The book is packed with ‘explosive’ facts and over 200 photographs.

In October 2017, Gill released Toroa’s Journey, illustrated by Gavin Mouldey and published with Potton & Burton. Toroa’s Journey is a creative non-fiction story about a famous little albatross chick that has a tracker attached to its body. In November 2017, Scholastic released Abel Tasman: Mapping the Southland, illustrated by Marco Ivanic. Abel Tasman: Mapping the Southland is a creative non-fiction adventure story about Abel Tasman’s journey to Tasmania, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands in the 17^th century.

Collaborating again with March Ivancic, in February 2018 Scholastic published Anzac Animals. This title uses the same successful format as Anzac Heroes, with biographies, text boxes, timelines, maps, historical photographs as well as Marco’s stunning action illustrations. It's a heart-wrenching tale about the mascots and working animals that were taken to the WWI and WWII frontline battlefields. It received a Storylines Notable Book award in the nonfiction category.

Her book Kate Sheppard: Leading the way for women commemorates 125 years since women got the vote in New Zealand. Published in 2018, a review by Desna Wallace stated that "the research is, as always, spot on and the illustrations make this another top choice. The inclusion of a glossary, maps, and a timeline make this a wonderful resource for school libraries and teachers."

New Holland published ‘On the Brink’, illustrated by Terry Fitzgibbon in 2019; and Icebreaker! An Epic Antarctic Adventure, illustrated by Alistair Hughes in 2020. It shortlisted for the 2020 NZSA Heritage Book Award. It’s a creative nonfiction tale about Captain Frank Worsley’s and Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ill-fated Antarctica trip.

Scholastic published New Zealand Disasters: Our response, resilience and recovery, illustrated by Marco Ivancic in 2021. It shortlisted for the NZCYA book awards and was a Storylines Notable Highly Commended book. Scholastic then published Remarkable Animal Stories from New Zealand and Australia.

Over the next four years, Upstart Press published The King's Medal in 2021; a tale about New Zealand soldiers saving the Greek King and Prime Minister; Ernest Rutherford: Just an Ordinary boy, illustrated by Alistair Hughes in 2023, about one of New Zealand’s most famous scientists; Epic New Zealand Adventurers, illustrated by Marco Ivancic in 2023, including the incredible adventures of ten New Zealand adventurers; and Queen of the Cosmos: Beatrice Tinsley, illustrated by Alistair Hughes, about New Zealand’s most famous female scientist.

White Cloud Books published New Zealand’s Endangered Dolphins, illustrated by Marco Ivancic, in 2024.