Teen artist wins children’s book award
A 19-year-old just one year out of high school has become the youngest person to win a top New Zealand children’s book award.
Lael Chisholm, from Feilding, received the Gavin Bishop Award for illustration presented at this month’s Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal and National Awards Day.
Chisholm, who was 18 when she entered the competition and is now working at DIY retail giant Mitre 10, says the win was unexpected especially as she had just three weeks to get her entry in.
When an uncle emailed her about the award, she decided to enter for the experience and had to create a storyboard and sample illustrations for a children’s book.
That book, by Heather Haylock, is called Granny McFlitter, the Champion Knitter and will be published next year.
“I couldn’t believe when I found out I’d actually won!” Chisholm said.
Bishop, one of three judges, says Chisholm’s entry, one of 25, was thoughtful and showed assured use of materials and techniques.
Chisholm says she likes the challenge of combining design, illustration and storytelling. Feilding High School’s 2015 dux, she says her longterm ambition is to write and illustrate her own picture books.
The sixth child in a family of 10, she’s been drawing since she was young. “I’d say I’ve been drawing ever since I was able to hold a pencil,” she says. “We don’t really watch TV but have lots of books instead so I’ve always loved reading.”
This year’s other winners were: Margaret Mahy Medal and Lecture Award, Des Hunt; Tom Fitzgibbon Award for a children’s novel manuscript by an unpublished writer, Christine Walker; and Gaelyn Gordon Award for a much-loved book, Pamela Allen for Mr McGee.
Meanwhile, local publisher Gecko Press is celebrating the news that one of its authors, Wolf Erlbruch, has won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award — the largest award for children’s and young adult literature.