Kerr, Bob
IN BRIEF
Bob Kerr has written and illustrated a range of picture books for children. Kerr’s own junior novel, The Optimist (1992), about sailing misadventures, won the 1993 Best First Children’s Book Award. He published a collection of short stories for 8 to 12-year-olds in 1998, Strange Tales from the Mall, which was short-listed for the 1999 New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards. His pictorial history book, After the War (2000), was short-listed for the 2001 New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards.
ProfilePlace of residence: Wellington, New Zealand |
FROM THE oxford companion TO new zealand literature
KERR, Bob (1951 –), writes and illustrates children’s books. Born in Wellington (where he now lives), he grew up there and in Tokoroa, graduated DipFA(Hons) from Auckland University and worked as a union organiser and freelance illustrator. He illustrated two picture books, Lucy’s Big Plan (1977) and Lucy Loops the Loop (1979), before collaborating with Stephen Ballantyne in the successful adventures of Terry Teo: Terry and the Gunrunners (1982), later televised; Terry and the Yodelling Bull (1986); and Terry and the Last Moa (1990). These are satirically humorous variants on the models of Tintin or Astérix. Kerr’s own junior novel, The Optimist (1992), about sailing misadventures, won the 1993 Best First Children’s Book Award. The Paper War (1994) examines political issues concerning those working a paper-run. He also edited, with Linda Mitchell, For a Living (1991).
Author entry from The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature,
edited by Roger Robinson and Nelson Wattie (1998).
Additional Information
Titles for children written and illustrated by Bob Kerr include Mechanical Harry (Mallinson Rendel, 1996), and its sequel, Mechanical Harry and the Flying Bicycle (Mallinson Rendel, 1999). Mechanical Harry won the Children's Choice Award at the 1997 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Kerr has also written a collection of short stories for 8 - 12 year olds, Strange Tales from the Mall (Mallinson Rendel, 1998), which was shortlisted for the 1999 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Kerr's After the War (2000) received the 2001 Russell Clark Award, and was shortlisted for the 2001 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. The work also picked up a Spectrum Book Print Design Award for Best Use of Illustration.
In 2005, Bob Kerr was convenor of judges for the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Media links and clips
- Bob Kerr on Christchurch Library's Interviews with NZ Childrens Authors
- Bob Kerr on Mallinson Rendel's site
