Authors Inspire Children

Christchurch City Libraries
Thursday 21 March 2002

It read like a who’s who of New Zealand’s children’s authors.

Christchurch City Libraries launched its New Zealand children’s author interviews page on its website amidst a collection of local writers earlier this week. Gavin Bishop, Anthony Holcroft, Margaret Mahy, Bill Nagelkerke, James Norcliffe, Joanna Orwin and Julie Williamson entertained a crowd of around 100 people with their responses to having to fill out the questionnaire that features on the website.

Questions like: What is your favourite food? Do you have a nickname and if so what is it? And, what was your most embarrassing moment?, raised more than a few laughs from children and adults alike.

“The author interviews were the brainchild of Centre for the Child Librarian Annette Williams,” says Bill Nagelkerke, Christchurch City Libraries Children’s and Young Adult Services Co-ordinator who is also one of the authors listed. “Annette worked with students from Christchurch East School to prepare the questionnaire. Students identified the questions they wanted to know the answers to and they were delighted to see the results of their work at yesterday’s launch,” says Bill.

Many of the authors on the website also contributed a short story to the web pages, which have already become a valued resource for schools nationwide. More author interview and stories will be added to the pages over the next few months. The author interviews can be found at http://library.christchurch.org.nz/childrens/childrensAuthors.

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