In 1999, she received the Margaret Mahy Award, and in 2002 she was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to children's literature. Lynley Dodd's illustrations in Drusillica by Clarice England won the 1981 New Zealand Book Award. Hairy Maclary and Slinky Malinki have each featured in stage musical versions by Paul Jenden and Jan Bolton. Now living in Tauranga, Dodd holds a special place in children’s literature for her vivid wit in both word and illustration. Many other titles have also been shortlisted: Wake Up, Bear (1986), A Dragon in a Wagon (1988), Slinky Malinki (1990), Find Me a Tiger (1992), The Minister’s Cat ABC (1992), Slinky Malinki Open the Door (1993), Schnitzel von Krumm’s Basketwork (1994) and Sniff-Snuff-Snap! (1995), about a bossy warthog.

The sequels- Hairy Maclary’s Bone (1984), Hairy Maclary Scattercat (1985), Hairy Maclary’s Caterwaul Caper (1987), Hairy Maclary’s Rumpus at the Vet (1989) and Hairy Maclary’s Showbusiness (1991)-were all shortlisted for the Children’s Picture Book of the Year Award, which Dodd won outright in 1984, 1986, 19. With their astute evocation of animal behaviour, energetic alliterative verse and lively, cohesively designed illustrations, Dodd’s characters and their memorable attendant rhymes have become internationally known: Hairy Maclary, Bitzer Maloney all skinny and bony, Schnitzel von Krumm with a very low tum, Bottomley Potts covered in spots, Muffin McLay like a bundle of hay, Hercules Morse as big as a horse, and, every suburb’s fiend, SCARFACE CLAW the toughest Tom in town (‘EEEEEOWWWFFTZ!’). Then, in 1983, came the first of the series of books that would bring Dodd renown: Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy. She won the 1978 Choysa Bursary, and the 1981 New Zealand Book Award for her illustrations in Clarice England’s Druscilla (1980). Several delightful books with her own text and illustrations then appeared: The Nickle Nackle Tree (1976), Titimus Trim (1979), The Smallest Turtle (1982) and The Apple Tree (1983).

She began her career in children’s books in collaboration with Eve Sutton, for whom she illustrated My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes (1973).

Born in Rotorua, educated at the Iwitahi School, Tauranga College, Elam School of Art (Dip FA) and Auckland Teachers’ College, she taught art at Queen Margaret College. FROM THE OXFORD COMPANION TO NEW ZEALAND LITERATUREĭodd, Lynley (1941– ), is a children’s writer known internationally as the creator of Hairy Maclary, canine rogue-hero.

Dame lynley dodd