Margaret Mahy wins world’s top children’s book prize is great news! The award is given by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) and honors an author who has made a “lasting contribution to international children’s literature.”
Mahy is a New Zealand author who writes two distinct types of books. She writes books for older children and teens that are dark, frightening and completely magical. She also writes zany picture books and chapter books for younger readers that have crazy pirates, silliness and pure fun.
She is one of my favorite authors for both types of books. What an achievement to be able to write such different books and to be so great at both! If you haven’t read Mahy’s work or haven’t read one type or the other, she is definitely worth the time.