Gavin Bishop

Gavin John Bishop ONZM (born 1946) is an author and illustrator, from Invercargill, New Zealand.^[1] He is known for illustrating books from prominent New Zealand authors, including Joy Cowley and Margaret Mahy.^[2][3] Bishop's first published picture book was Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant, published in 1981 by Oxford University Press.

Gavin Bishop ONZM
Bishop in 2018
Born	Gavin John Bishop 1946 (age 78–79) Invercargill, New Zealand
Occupation	Writer
Language	English
Alma mater	University of Canterbury
Spouse	Vivien Bishop
Children	3
Website
gavinbishop.com

Early life

Bishop was born on 13 February 1946 in Invercargill, to a Tainui and Ngāti Awa family.^[4][5]

Career

Bishop worked as a high school art teacher for thirty years, before writing and illustrating children's books full-time.^[1]

In 2006, he accused the makers of the Hollywood film Mr and Mrs Smith of plagiarizing his 1997 school book The Secret Lives of Mr and Mrs Smith.^[6]

Select honours and awards

• 2022 – Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, the Nonfiction and Illustration awards for Atua^[7]
• 2018 – Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award for Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story at the New Zealand Children's Book Awards^[8]
• 2013 – Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Children's Literature.^[9]
• 2013 – Mallinson Rendel Illustrators Award^[10]
• 2013, 2000, 1994, 1983 – New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards, winner of the picture book category.
• 2010, 2008, 2006, 1982 – LIANZA Russell Clark Medal for Illustration.^[11]
• 2000 – Margaret Mahy Medal for Services to Children's Literature.^[12]
• 1984 – Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, Grand Prize.^[13]

Select bibliography

• 2024 – Titiro Look, 36pp (Gecko Press) ISBN 9781776575459
• 2021 – Atua: Māori gods and heroes, 64pp (Picture Puffin) ISBN 9780143775690^[14]
• 2020 – Mihi, 18pp, (Gecko Press) ISBN 9781776573028^[15]
• 2018 – Cook's Cook Limited Edition, 40pp, (Gecko Press) ISBN 978-1-776572-04-5 ^[16]
• 2018 – Cook's Cook, 40pp, (Gecko Press) ISBN 978-1-776572-04-5 ^[17]
• 2017 – Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story (Penguin)
• 2017 – Helper and Helper, 128pp, (Gecko Press) ISBN 978-1-776571-05-5 ^[18]
• 2013 – Mister Whistler, 32pp, (Gecko Press) ISBN 9781877467929^[19]
• 2012 – Koinei te Whare nā Haki i Hanga, 40pp, Māori translation of The House that Jack Built (Gecko Press) ISBN 9781877467790
• 2012 – The House that Jack Built, 40pp, (Gecko Press) ISBN 9781877467615^[20]
• 2010 – Counting the Stars: Four Maori Myths
• 2010 – Friends: Snake & Lizard, Joy Cowley, Gecko Press (illustrator)
• 2010 – Cowshed Christmas (illustrator)
• 2010 – There Was a Crooked Man
• 2009 – Piano Rock: A 1950s Childhood
• 2008 – Rats!
• 2008 – Snake & Lizard, Gecko Press (illustrator)
• 2007 – Riding the Waves: four Maori Myths
• 2006 – Te Waka
• 2006 – Kiwi Moon
• 2005 – Taming the Sun: Four Maori Myths
• 2004 – The Three Billy Goats Gruff
• 2002 – Tom Thumb
• 1982 – Mr. Fox, 32pp, (Oxford University Press) ISBN 0195580893

See also

• Children's literature portal
• New Zealand portal

• New Zealand literature