Gavin Bishop

{{short description|New Zealand children's book writer and illustrator}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Gavin Bishop

| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM| size=100%}}

| image = Gavin Bishop WORD (cropped).jpg

| caption = Bishop in 2018

| alt = Colour photograph of Gavin Bishop in 2018

| pseudonym =

| birth_name = Gavin John Bishop

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1946}}

| birth_place = Invercargill, New Zealand

| death_date =

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| occupation = Writer

| language = English

| education =

| alma_mater = University of Canterbury

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| notableworks =

| spouse = Vivien Bishop

| partner =

| children = 3

| relatives =

| awards =

| signature =

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| website = {{URL|gavinbishop.com}}

| portaldisp =

}}

Gavin John Bishop {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM}} (born 1946) is an author and illustrator, from Invercargill, New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://www.gavinbishop.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=3|title=About Me|author=Gavin Bishop|access-date=11 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027102436/http://gavinbishop.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=3|archive-date=27 October 2016|url-status=dead}} He is known for illustrating books from prominent New Zealand authors, including Joy Cowley and Margaret Mahy.{{cite book|last1=Mahy|first1=Margaret|title=Mister Whistler|date=21 October 2013|publisher=Gecko Press|isbn=9781877579363|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V1-KAwAAQBAJ&q=mister+whistler|access-date=11 August 2016|language=en}}{{cite book|last1=Cowley|first1=Joy|title=Friends: Snake and Lizard|date=September 2011|publisher=Gecko Press|isbn=9781877467950|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8f09IohxNJEC&q=friends+joy+cowley|access-date=11 August 2016|language=en}} Bishop's first published picture book was Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant, published in 1981 by Oxford University Press.

Early life

Bishop was born on 13 February 1946 in Invercargill, to a Tainui and Ngāti Awa family.{{Cite web |title=Gavin Bishop |url=https://www.penguin.co.nz/authors/gavin-bishop |access-date=2023-07-14 |website=www.penguin.co.nz |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Interview with Gavin Bishop |url=https://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/new-zealand-childrens-authors/gavin-bishop/}}

Career

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

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.{{cite news |title=Hollywood stole my story — Kiwi author |work=The Dominion Post |agency=The Press |date=March 2, 2006 |pages=1}}

Select honours and awards

  • 2022 – Margaret Mahy Book of the Year, the Nonfiction and Illustration awards for Atua{{Cite web |date=2022-08-12 |title='Atua: Māori gods and heroes' wins Margaret Mahy Book of the Year |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2022/08/12/219031/atua-maori-gods-and-heroes-wins-margaret-mahy-book-of-the-year/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |publisher=Books+Publishing}}
  • 2018 – Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award for Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story at the New Zealand Children's Book Awards{{Cite web|url=http://www.nzbookawards.nz/new-zealand-book-awards-for-children-and-young-adults/past-winners?year=2018|title=Past Winners {{!}} New Zealand Book Awards Trust|website=www.nzbookawards.nz|access-date=2020-01-15}}
  • 2013 – Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Children's Literature.{{cite web|url=http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/node/1121|title=New Year Honours List 2013|date=31 December 2012|author=Rebecca Kitteridge|publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand)|access-date=11 August 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101160253/http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/node/1121|archive-date=1 January 2013}}
  • 2013 – Mallinson Rendel Illustrators Award{{Cite web|url=https://www.thearts.co.nz/artists/gavin-bishop|title=Gavin Bishop|date=26 September 2015|website=The Arts Foundation|language=en|access-date=11 February 2019}}
  • 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.lianza.org.nz/lianza-russell-clark-illustration-award|title=LIANZA Russell Clark Illustration Award|publisher=Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa|access-date=11 August 2016}}
  • 2000 – Margaret Mahy Medal for Services to Children's Literature.{{cite web|url=http://www.gavinbishop.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=13|title=Awards|author=Gavin Bishop}}
  • 1984 – Noma Concours for Picture Book Illustrations, Grand Prize.{{cite web|url=http://www.geckopress.co.nz/Gavin_Bishop_94.aspx|title=Gavin Bishop|publisher=Gecko Press|access-date=11 August 2016}}

Select bibliography

  • 2024 – Titiro Look, 36pp (Gecko Press) {{ISBN|9781776575459}}
  • 2021 – Atua: Māori gods and heroes, 64pp (Picture Puffin) {{ISBN|9780143775690}}{{Cite web |title=Atua by Gavin Bishop |url=https://www.penguin.com.au/books/atua-9780143775690 |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=www.penguin.com.au |language=en}}
  • 2020 – Mihi, 18pp, (Gecko Press) {{ISBN|9781776573028}}{{Cite web|title=Mihi {{!}} Gecko Press|url=https://geckopress.com/bookshop/mihi/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=geckopress.com|language=en-US}}
  • 2018 – Cook's Cook Limited Edition, 40pp, (Gecko Press) {{ISBN|978-1-776572-04-5}} {{cite book|title=Cook's Cook|publisher=Gecko Press|isbn=9781776572175|url=https://geckopress.com/bookshop/cooks_cook_limited_edition/|access-date= 7 August 2018|language=en}}
  • 2018 – Cook's Cook, 40pp, (Gecko Press) {{ISBN|978-1-776572-04-5}} {{cite book|title=Cook's Cook|date=February 2017|publisher=Gecko Press|isbn=9781776571055|url=https://geckopress.com/bookshop/cooks-cook/|access-date= 7 August 2018|language=en}}
  • 2017 – Aotearoa: The New Zealand Story (Penguin)
  • 2017 – Helper and Helper, 128pp, (Gecko Press) {{ISBN|978-1-776571-05-5}} {{cite book|title=Helper and Helper|date=February 2017|publisher=Gecko Press|isbn=9781-776571-05-5|url=https://geckopress.com/bookshop/helper-and-helper/|access-date= 7 August 2018|language=en}}
  • 2013 – Mister Whistler, 32pp, (Gecko Press) {{ISBN|9781877467929}}{{Cite web|title=Mister Whistler {{!}} Gecko Press|url=https://geckopress.com/bookshop/mister-whistler/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=geckopress.com|date=5 March 2014 |language=en-US}}
  • 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}}{{Cite web|title=The House that Jack Built {{!}} Picture Books {{!}} Gecko Press|url=https://geckopress.com/bookshop/the-house-that-jack-built/|access-date=2021-03-14|website=geckopress.com|date=27 May 2013 |language=en-US}}
  • 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

{{Portal |Children's literature |New Zealand}}

References

{{Reflist |25em

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