New Zealand Writers

ALLEN, Pamela

The characters in these books exude life, caught at the highest point of action, and animated forever on the page.

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ALLEN, Pamela (1934 - ) is a children's book author and illustrator who has published over twenty picture books since her first, Mr Archimedes' Bath, was published in 1980.

In the Australian Book Review, Meg Sorenson writes: "The characters in these books exude life, caught at the highest point of action, and animated forever on the page. Every curve, stretch and twist communicates exactly the way they feel, the sentiment or momentum each embodies."

"The picture books of Pamela Allen are very likely to be treasured by those who own them. They certainly have what it takes to join the ranks of enduring children's classics."

Allen has won numerous awards as both an author and illustrator. She is the only person to win the Australian CBC Picture Book of the Year in two consecutive years - 1983 and 1984 - for Who Sank the Boat (1982) Bertie and the Bear (1983). She has been shortlisted for the prize in five other years.

In New Zealand, her achievements include winning the 1986 New Zealand Library Association Russell Clark Award for Illustrations for A Lion in the Night (1985). Two of Allen's books were shortlisted for the prize in 1993: Mr McGee Goes to Sea (1992) and Belinda (1992). In 2001 Who Sank the Boat won the Gaylyn Gordon Award for a much loved book.

Pamela Allen has won and been shortlisted for numerous other awards, and her books have been published around the world, including translations into French, Swedish and Japanese.

Other titles by Pamela Allen are Simon Said (1985), Watch Me (1985), Herbert and Harry (1986), Fancy That (1987), Simon Did (1988), Watch Me Now (1989), I Wish I Had a Pirate Suit (1989), My Cat Maisie (1990), Black Dog (1991), Mr McGee and the Blackberry Jam (1993), Alexander's Outing (1993), Clippity Clop (1994), Waddle Giggle Gargle (1996), The Bear's Lunch (1997), Ordinary Albert (1997, text by Nancy Antle), Mr McGee and the Biting Flea (1998), The Pear in the Pear Tree (1999), Mr McGee and the Perfect Nest (1999), Inside Mary Elizabeth's House (2000), Can you keep a secret? (2000), Brown Bread and Honey (2001) and The Potato People (2002).

(KC.)

Updated Information

The Potato People (2002) was shortlisted for the 2003 LIANZA Russell Clark Award.

Pamela Allen is the 2004 winner of New Zealand's most prestigious award for children's literature, the Margaret Mahy Medal.

Cuthbert's Babies and Grandpa and Thomas were both finalists in the picture book section of the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2004. Cuthbert's Babies went on to win the section.

Mr McGee and the Big Bag of Bread (Penguin Group (Australia)), written and illustrated by Pamela Allen, was a finalist for The Russell Clark Award at the LIANZA Children's Book Awards 2005.

Where's the Gold? (2005), was a finalist in the Picture Book category of the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2006.