Margaret Mahy

A beautiful gift for the youngest readers in your life, this perennial favourite by Hans Christian Andersen Award-winning author Margaret Mahy is now available as a board book. The little boy said, "Mother, there is a lion in the meadow." The mother said, "Nonsense, little boy." Do you think there is a lion in the meadow? Award-winning author Margaret Mahy...

Margaret Mahy's classic cautionary tale The Great White Man-Eating Shark is reimagined with delightfully cheeky illustrations from Herb MacDonald, the winner of the 2024 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize. Welcome to Caramel Cove. The beach is amazing. The ocean is even better. Norvin loves to swim and shoot through the water like a silver arrow. He doesn't like sharing his beloved...

The Christmas Tree Tangle by the beloved Margaret Mahy is a typically exuberant and delightful Christmas story that captures the festive spirit and charm of the holiday season. Goodness gracious, what do I see? The kitten has climbed the Christmas tree! Climbed so high and climbed so far, to cling with her claws to the Christmas star. In this charming...

Embark on a whimsical adventure down to the sea on a radiant summer morning in A Summery Saturday Morning by Margaret Mahy. With the sun shining brightly and the sound of waves crashing gently on the shore, join a lively group as they journey down a wiggly track, scattering iridescent shells and leaping over fallen logs. The lively dogs are...

On a bright and cheerful Saturday morning, excitement fills the air in a small seaside town. This idyllic day unfolds as children and pets alike venture down the winding track towards the sea. With playful spirits, they scatter seashells and leap over logs. The journey is filled with joyous chaos as dogs chase after a curious cat, who in turn,...

Yo ho ho! All across the city, the pirates are getting restless and long for a party. So when a retired pirate comes to babysit for the Terrapin family, they are in for quite a surprise... From the rumbustious author and artist team of Margaret Mahy, winner of the Carnegie medal, and Quentin Blake, the first Children's Laureate, and best...

Seventeen kings on forty-two elephants Going on a journey through a wild wet night... Join the kings and the elephants on their jungle journey, meeting new creatures as they dance and sing their way through the jungle. From one of New Zealand's most celebrated children's writers, this is Margaret Mahy's beautiful classic reimagined with illustrations from Alba Gil Celdran, the...

'Shall we just walk along, Dad, or shall we make some of it up?' Join Michael and his over-worked dad as they journey home one fun-filled afternoon. Overflowing with imagination, this wondrous and beautiful book is from the celebrated children's writer Margaret Mahy and award-winning illustrator Lily Emo. Praise for The Boy Who Made Things Up: 'Wildly beautiful artwork' -...

The little boy said, "Mother, there is a lion in the meadow." The mother said, "Nonsense, little boy." Do you think there is a lion in the meadow? Award-winning author Margaret Mahy tells a delightful story of truth and imagination. A classic tale for every child, illustrated charmingly by Jenny Williams. 'Children can sense a good story like a successful...

When Dad loses his car keys, toddler Mary suspects that they have ended up down the back of the chair, so Dad begins to search. But what an odd assortment of objects are living down the back of the chair! This lively, eccentric poem is a visual explosion of fun and imagination, featuring dragons, pirates, treasure, lions, elephants and many...

There once was a little boy who took great care of his shadow...One day a witch notices the care he has for his shadow and asks him to look after her shadow while she goes away on holiday. But minding a witch's shadow turns out to be more complicated than the boy ever imagined!Discover a magical and mischievous story about...

Robert is delighted when a hippopotamus follows him home from school one day. The next day he is followed by four hippos, then nine, and eventually his yard is crowded with hippos - and that is just the beginning! A captivating tale where an everyday trip becomes a magical experience. From award-winning author Margaret Mahy and bestselling illustrator Steve Kellogg.

'Shall we just walk along, Dad, or shall we make some of it up?'Join Michael and his over-worked dad as they journey home one fun-filled afternoon.Overflowing with imagination, this wondrous and beautiful book is from the celebrated children's writer Margaret Mahy and award-winning illustrator Lily Emo.Praise for The Boy Who Made Things Up:'Wildly beautiful artwork' - The Spinoff

Wonderfully witty and delightfully silly collection of stories and rhyming nonsense from all-star author and artist team, Margaret Mahy and Quentin Blake. Readers meet the man from Fandango who pays a visit once every five hundred years, the word wizard who casts his spell over the Delmonico family, and many other unforgettable characters in this veritable carnival of stories and...

There's a big, roaring, yellow, whiskery lion in the meadow. Go and see for yourself. What would you do if you knew there was a lion in the meadow, but your mother doesn't believe you? And when she gives you a matchbox with a dragon hidden inside to scare away the lion, you discover that the dragon is in there...

I ki atu te tamaiti, E whae, he raiona kei roto i nga otaota. Ka ki mai te whaea, Horihori, e Tama. E mea ana koe he raiona kei roto i nga otaota? Ka takutakutia e Margaret Mahi tetahi paki whakamiharo, mo te pono, mo te pohewa. He maha nga tohu honore i whakawhiwhia ki a Margaret. He purakau tino...

It's a damp and dull day, but in the kitchen, it's warm and cosy. David and his mother are baking, and the delicious smells bring a greedy witch to their garden. Witches love to steal freshly baked cakes! She is going to use every magic trick she knows to steal their scrumptious treats, but can David outsmart her? A mouth-watering...

The cows and sheep think Farmer McPhee should stop frowning and start frisking. But Farmer McPhee just wants to get some sleep! Then one moonlit night, something changes...A collaboration between our best loved writer for children, Margaret Mahy, and the wonderfully quirky illustrator, David Elliot, this is a stunning and heart-warming book. Beautifully produced with cut-out sections and fold-out pages,...

A family had once moved into a different house.It was just a small family - a mum, a dad, and a little girl called Sarah. Well, this house was not exactly new - in fact it was one of those big old houses full of space and echoes.Come and explore this new home with Sarah and discover a mysterious cupboard...

Mrs Gimble's cat would love to prowl, but has only three legs. Mrs Gimble's brother, who prowls the world, comes to visit and mistakes the cat for his hat ...A gloriously funny picture book.

Margaret Mahy's classic cautionary tale The Great White Man-Eating Shark is reimagined with delightfully cheeky illustrations from Herb MacDonald, the winner of the 2024 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize. Welcome to Caramel Cove. The beach is amazing. The ocean is even better. Norvin loves to swim and shoot through the water like a silver arrow. He doesn't like sharing his beloved swimming spot...

Bath-time turns into a fantastical adventure in the hands of two of the world's most-loved picture book creators. The story begins with Sammy, whose obnoxious neighbours get to go to the beach in their brand-new boat while he has to get clean for a visit from grandma. Worse, it's a bath in the strange tub his dad just bought at...

A beautifully illustrated new edition of Margaret Mahy's classic verse, including a CD of the story read by Margaret Mahy. Follow the chaotic antics of the dashing dog and his family in a mad, dizzy, and joyful walk along the beach. Margaret Mahy's beloved children's story has been beautifully reillustrated by the talented Donovan Bixley, who also illustrated The Wheels...

Margaret Mahy's bestselling classic, The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate, is reimagined with delightfully whimsical illustrations from Emma Collicott, the winner of the 2025 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize. Sam lives an ordinary life in a big city far away from the ocean with his mum. He wears an ordinary brown suit every day to his ordinary job in an...

"You're really starting to look haunted, you know . . . sort of yellowish and transparent like cooking oil, and your eyes are funny."Eight-year-old Barney has been haunted before. He thought it was something he'd just grow out of, like the imaginary friends his step-mother believes he has. But this time it's different. Footsteps follow him, there's a demanding voice...

Angela May and Tycho Potter are an unlikely pair. Angela is passionate, confident and popular, living an eccentric life with her mother at the top of Dry Creek Road. Her best friend Tyke prefers the company of his telescope and philosophy books - anything to escape the chaos of his family. But when a search for answers uncovers long-buried secrets,...

Strange and exciting things are in store when Tom and his mum move to Prodigy Street one ordinary Thursday. There's a man with a magical name, a friendly dog with a powerful, waggy tail, and some remarkable surprises when anyone makes a wish.Includes more than 50 hilarious black and white illustrations by Tony Ross, who also illustrates for David Walliams...

Sam has an ordinary life, but his mother used to be a pirate! One day at breakfast, they decide to go to sea, and an amazing adventure begins. A brand new picture book edition of this timeless favourite. The Man Whose Mother Was A Pirate promises to captivate readers, bringing them along on an unforgettable journey.

A delightful tale by Margaret Mahy about an industrious stay-at-home dad who is on a mission to ensure his family gets the most out of their plum harvest! Margaret Mahy's classic story about a father's passion for making plum jam for his long-suffering family, illustrated by Helen Craig. 'The whole house is like a jam factory,' said Clement. 'It's like...

Norvin is a boy who looks like a shark. When he straps a homemade dorsal fin to his back, all the other swimmers rush to the beach. He loves having the water to himself - until a real man-eating shark comes along! The Great White Man-Eating Shark by Margaret Mahy is a delightful tale of oceanic adventure and unexpected consequences....

Aunt Nasty is coming to stay. Claire and Toby don't know what to expect. You see, Aunt Nasty isn't like other aunties. Aunt Nasty is a witch! A spooky and magical full colour edition of a classic story from the CARNEGIE-winning and HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN AWARD nominated author Margaret Mahy, with new full colour illustrations by Chris Mould.

An enchanting tale by Margaret Mahy about a small, ordinary boy who is followed home by a most extraordinary animal - and that is just the beginning! The Boy Who Was Followed Home is a classic story about a boy who brings home a hippopotamus quite by accident, illustrated by Steven Kellogg. 'What on earth is that in the goldfish...