Favourite Children's Authors: Margaret Mahy

Margaret Mahy: The Haunting (1982)

My father had a strong interest in local New Zealand children's books. He collected them assiduously, even investing in such oddball series as the "Dr Duffer" books of ex-NZ Prime Minister Sir John Marshall. He was particularly pleased when Betty Gilderdale's history of NZ "junior fiction" appeared in 1982, and even tried sending her a list of titles she'd overlooked in her survey. I'm not sure if she responded or not. Authors aren't always as receptive as they should be to being corrected.

Betty Gilderdale: A Sea Change: 145 Years of New Zealand Junior Fiction (1982)

I, for my part, was way too toplofty back then to bother much with such matters. There were definite exceptions, though. I did follow up on my father's recommendation of Maurice Gee's 1979 children's book Under the Mountain, which I greatly enjoyed. I think I preferred Gee's Halfmen of O trilogy (1982-85), though. It still seems to me a major contribution to the genre.

More to the point, my father also bought a copy of Margaret Mahy's Carnegie Medal-winning YA novel The Haunting when it first came out, and I duly read that as well.

Kathryn Lynskey: Margaret Mahy (2011)

Margaret Mahy never came to our school, or a library near me, so I never got to see her in her rainbow-coloured wig. It's just as well, because I fear it might have put me off. As it was, my only sense of her was what was on the page. I really responded to the sense of supernatural darkness behind The Haunting. In fact, my only criticism was that it was far too short!

Margaret Mahy: The Changeover (1984)

She made up for that in her next novel, though. The Changeover remains one of my favourites among all her books. It didn't surprise me that it, too, won the Carnegie Medal, as it was manifestly better and more powerful than its predecessor.

Yvonne Mackay, dir.: The Haunting of Barney Palmer (1987)

Both books have been filmed. The Haunting for New Zealand TV in 1987; The Changeover more recently, in 2017. Both were a little disappointing. The first because of a limited budget and uninspired direction. The second is a more complex case. Despite a strong cast and good auspices, it somehow managed to fumble the charm and originality of the novel - perhaps because so many films and TV series have plundered not dissimilar territory in the forty years since the first appearance of Mahy's book.

Margaret Mahy: The Changeover (2017)

You'll gather from the bibliography at the foot of this post that YA novels were not the major component in Mahy's output. Her kids' picture books remain her principal claim to fame. She wrote an immense number of them, and they formed an important part of the upbringing of many, many children, both here and abroad.

Oddly enough, we weren't among them. We read a lot of such books as children - Richard Scarry and Maurice Sendak were among my particular favourites, as I recall. But somehow Margaret Mahy's books just passed us by. For me she's a YA Fantasy / SF author to be ranked alongside Maurice Gee and Elizabeth Knox here in New Zealand; and, internationally, with such writers as Joan Aiken, Susan Cooper, and Peter Dickinson - perhaps even Ursula Le Guin.

Margaret Mahy: The Tricksters (1986)

Her next major novel, The Tricksters, is in many ways her masterpiece. No-one's yet ventured to try and film it, and (speaking personally) I hope they never do. It's a multi-layered novel about the nature of human nature - if that phrase makes sense to you.

On the one hand it's a classic Kiwi yarn, set at a beachhouse, with something of the atmosphere of Mansfield's "At the Bay." On the other hand it's a supernatural ghost story, with talismans, split personalities, and constant, complex interplay between the two.

It's hard to describe - but not to appreciate. It might perhaps be a little too strong meat for some children: better just to think of it as one of New Zealand's greatest pieces of speculative fiction, fit for readers of any age.

Margaret Mahy: The Catalogue of the Universe (1985)

Not that there's anything wrong with its predecessor, The Catalogue of the Universe. Despite the SF-sounding title, it's actually a very moving bildungsroman about the ordinary perils of growing up. Mahy shows she's every bit as adept at conveying the pressures of everyday life as she is at grappling with revenants and other ghostly phenomena.

And so it went on. For the next quarter century or so, every few years another thoughtful, well-written YA novel would appear among the blizzard of picture books and personal appearances that dominated Mahy's public life. I make the total 16: 15 of which I own. Precise questions of definition make it difficult to establish just which titles can be said to belong to this category, however. There are certainly other books I could have included (and have duly listed in the bibliography below).

Here's my own attempt at a list:

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1. The Haunting (1982)

2. The Changeover: a Supernatural Romance (1984)

3. The Catalogue of the Universe (1985)

4. Aliens in the Family (1985)

5. The Tricksters (1986)

6. Memory (1987)

7. Dangerous Spaces (1991)

8. Underrunners (1992)

9. The Other Side of Silence (1995)

10. 24 hours (2000)

11. The Riddle of the Frozen Phantom (2001)

12. Alchemy (2002)

13. Maddigan's Fantasia (2005)

14. Kaitangata Twitch (2005)

15. Portable Ghosts (2006)

16. The Magician of Hoad (2008)

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Inevitably, some of them appealed to me more than others. What's really astonishing, though, is the extent to which she avoided sticking to a formula. Granted, most of the books have a central adolescent heroine, but otherwise what really distinguishes them is their immense inventiveness and the boldness with which she sought out new themes.

Dementia, homelessness, abuse and neglect of various kinds stand shoulder to shoulder throughout with the other haunted and abandoned rubble of the New Zealand past.

Margaret Mahy: Maddigan's Quest (2005)

The success of the novel Maddigan's Fantasia - and its TV spinoff Maddigan's Quest - promised for a moment to propel her into the world of such mega-bestsellers as the "Twilight" or "Hunger Games" books. But her next substantive novel, Kaitangata Twitch, returned to the - slightly disguised - Canterbury which was her favourite setting.

While probably a better book (not to mention a better TV series) than Maddigan's Quest, it lacked the immediate international appeal. In the end, quirkiness and close attention to her own location in space and time - the twin strengths of her work all along - prevailed. Margaret Mahy remains a resolutely New Zealand writer, despite her undoubted success abroad.

In any case, for those of you who've never read them - or who read them at school and have largely forgotten them - I think that this set of books is well worth visiting. In fact, as fashions come and go in the intensely competitive field of children's picture books, I can't help feeling that it's this extraordinary series of well-written, approachable YA novels which will prove her most durable legacy.

I suppose, in the end, only time will tell.

Kaitangata Twitch (2010)

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Christchurch City Libraries: Margaret Mahy (1936-2012)

Margaret Mahy
(1936-2012)

Novels:

The Pirate Uncle (1977)



1. The Pirate Uncle. Illustrated by Mary Dinsdale (1977)
2. The Haunting (1982)
   • The Haunting. London: J. M. Dent, 1982.
3. The Changeover: a Supernatural Romance (1984)
   • The Changeover: A Supernatural Romance. Auckland: Waiatarua Publishing Co., 1984.
4. The Catalogue of the Universe (1985)
   • The Catalogue of the Universe. London & Melbourne: J. M. Dent, 1985.
5. Aliens in the Family (1985)
   • Aliens in the Family. 1985. Auckland: Ashton Scholastic, 1990.
6. The Tricksters (1986)
   • The Tricksters. London: J. M. Dent & Sons Ltd., 1986.
   • The Tricksters. 1986. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1988.
7. Memory (1987)
   • Memory. 1987. Harmondsworth: Penguin, 1989.
8. Dangerous Spaces (1991)
   • Dangerous Spaces. 1991. Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1992.
9. Underrunners (1992)
   • Underrunners. London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd., 1992.
   • Underrunners. 1992. Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1994.
10. The Other Side of Silence (1995)
    • The Other Side of Silence. 1995. Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1997.
11. 24 hours. Illustrated by Margaret K. McElderry (2000)
    • Twenty-Four Hours. London: Collins, 2000.
12. The Riddle of the Frozen Phantom. Illustrated by Chris Mould (2001)
    • The Riddle of the Frozen Phantom. London: Collins, 2001.
13. Alchemy (2002)
    • Alchemy. London: CollinsFlamingo, 2002.
14. Maddigan's Fantasia [aka "Maddigan's Quest"] (2005)
    • Maddigan’s Quest. 2005. Auckland: HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited, 2006.
15. Kaitangata Twitch (2005)
    • Kaitangata Twitch. Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin, 2005.
16. Portable Ghosts (2006)
17. The Magician of Hoad (2008)
    • The Magician of Hoad. Auckland: HarperCollins Publishers (New Zealand) Limited, 2008.

Picture Books:

A Lion in the Meadow (1969)



18. The Wind Beneath the Stars [School Journal, 3: 3]. Illustrated by Jill McDonald (1966)
19. A Lion in the Meadow. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1969)
    • A Lion in the Meadow. Rev. ed. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1986)
20. The Dragon of an Ordinary Family. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (1969)
    • The Dragon of an Ordinary Family. Rev. ed. Illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (1991)
21. Pillycock's Shop. Illustrated by Carol Barker (1969)
22. The Procession. Illustrated by Charles Mozley (1969)
23. Mrs Discombobulous. Illustrated by Jan Brychta (1969)
24. The Little Witch. Illustrated by Charles Mozley (1970)
25. Sailor Jack and the 20 Orphans. Illustrated by Robert Bartelt (1970)
26. The Princess and the Clown. Illustrated by Carol Barker (1971)
27. The Boy with Two Shadows. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1971)
    • The Boy with Two Shadows. Rev. ed. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1987)
28. Seventeen Kings and 42 Elephants. Illustrated by Charles Mozley (1972)
    • 17 Kings and 42 Elephants. Rev. ed. Illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy (1987)
29. The Man Whose Mother was a Pirate. Illustrated by Brian Froud (1972)
    • The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate. Rev. ed. Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (1985)
30. The First Margaret Mahy Story Book [aka "Wonderful Me!" (2000)]. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (1972)
31. The Railway Engine and the Hairy Brigands. Illustrated by Brian Froud (1973)
32. The Second Margaret Mahy Story Book [aka "Wait for Me!", 2003]. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (1973)
33. The Bus Under the Leaves. Illustrated by Margery Gill (1974)
34. Clancy's Cabin. Illustrated by Trevor Stubley (1974)
35. Rooms for Rent [aka "Rooms to Let"]. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1974)
36. The Rare Spotted Birthday Party. Illustrated by Belinda Lyon (1974)
37. The Witch in the Cherry Tree. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1974)
38. Stepmother. Illustrated by Terry Burton (1974)
39. Ultra-violet Catastrophe or, The Unexpected Walk with Great-Uncle Magnus Pringle. Illustrated by Brian Froud (1975)
40. Leaf Magic. Illustrated by Jenny Williams (1975)
41. The Third Margaret Mahy Story Book [aka 'Watch Me!', 2004]. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (1975)
42. The Great Millionaire Kidnap. Illustrated by Jan Brychta (1975)
43. The Boy Who Was Followed Home. Illustrated by Steven Kellogg (1975)
44. New Zealand: Yesterday and Today. Illustrated by Franklin Watts (1975)
45. The Wind Between the Stars. Illustrated by Brian Froud (1976)
46. David's Witch Doctor. Illustrated by Jim Russell (1976)
47. A Lion in the Meadow and Five Other Favourites. Illustrated by Jenny Williams, Robert Bartelt, Jan Brychta, Charles Mozley, Brian Froud & Molly Lovejoy (1976)
    • The Little Witch and Five Other Favourites. Illustrated by Jenny Williams et al. (1987)
48. Look under 'V'. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1977)
49. The Great Piratical Rumbustification & The Librarian and the Robbers. Illustrated by Quentin Blake (1978)
50. Dry Days for Climbing George. Illustrated by Judith Trevalyn (1978)
51. Nonstop Nonsense. Illustrated by Quentin Blake (1979)
52. Raging Robots and Unruly Uncles. Illustrated by Peter Stevenson (1981)
53. The Chewing-gum Rescue and Other Stories. Illustrated by Jan Ormerod (1982)
54. Brrm Brrm!. Illustrated by Bob Kirk (1982)
55. The Crocodile's Christmas Jandals. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1982)
56. [with Joy Cowley & June Melser] Roly-Poly. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1982)
57. [with Joy Cowley & June Melser] Cooking Pot. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1982)
58. [with Joy Cowley & June Melser] Fast and Funny. Illustrated by Lynette Vondrusha (1982)
59. [with Joy Cowley & June Melser] Sing to the Moon. Illustrated by Isabel Lowe (1982)
60. [with Joy Cowley & June Melser] Tiddalik. Illustrated by Philip Webb (1982)
61. The Pirates' Mixed-up Voyage: Dark Doings in the Thousand Islands. Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (1983)
62. A Crocodile in the Library. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1982)
63. Mrs Bubble's Baby. Illustrated by Diane Perham (1982)
64. The Bubbling Crocodile. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1982)
65. Shopping with a Crocodile. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1982)
66. The Birthday Burglar & A Very Wicked Headmistress. Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (1984)
67. Leaf Magic and Five Other Favourites. Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (1984)
68. Fantail, Fantail. Illustrated by Bruce Phillips (1984)
69. Going to the Beach. Illustrated by Dick Frizzell (1984)
70. The Great Grumbler and the Wonder Tree. Illustrated by Diane Perham (1984)
71. The Dragon's Birthday. Illustrated by Philip Webb (1984)
72. The Spider in the Shower. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1984)
73. Ups and Downs and Other Stories. Illustrated by Philip Webb (1984)
74. Wibble Wobble and Other Stories (1984)
75. Jam: A True Story. Illustrated by Helen Craig (1985)
76. Horrakopotchin. Illustrated by Fiona Kelly (1985)
77. The Adventures of a Kite. Illustrated by David Cowe (1985)
78. The Cake. Illustrated by David Cowe (1985)
79. The Catten. Illustrated by Jo Davies (1985)
80. Clever Hamburger. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1985)
81. A Very Happy Birthday. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1985)
82. The Earthquake. Illustrated by Dianne Perham (1985)
83. Sophie's Singing Mother. Illustrated by Jo Davies (1985)
84. Out in the Big Wild World. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1985)
85. Rain. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1985)
86. My Wonderful Aunt. 4 vols. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1986)
87. The Downhill Crocodile Whizz and Other Stories. Illustrated by Ian Newsham (1986)
88. Mahy Magic: A Collection of the Most Magical Stories from the Margaret Mahy Story Books [aka "The Boy Who Bounced and Other Magic Tales"]. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (1986)
89. Arguments. Illustrated by Kevin Hawley (1986)
90. Beautiful Pig (1986)
91. The Fight on the Hill. Illustrated by Jan va der Voo (1986)
92. An Elephant in the House. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1986)
93. Jacko, the Junk Shop Man. Illustrated by Jo Davies (1986)
94. The Long Grass of Tumbledown Road. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1986)
95. The Mouse Wedding. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1986)
96. Mr Rooster's Dilemma [aka "How Mr Rooster Didn't Get Married"]. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1986)
97. The Robber Pig and Green Eggs. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1986)
98. The Robber Pig and the Ginger Beer. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1986)
99. Squeak in the Gate. Illustrated by Jo Davies (1986)
100. Tinny Tiny Tinker. Illustrated by David Cowe (1986)
101. Baby's Breakfast. Illustrated by Madeline Beasley (1986)
102. Feeling Funny. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1986)
103. The Garden Party. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1986)
104. Mr Rumfit. Illustrated by Nick Price (1986)
105. Muppy's Ball. Illustrated by Jan van der Voo (1986)
106. The New House Villain. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1986)
107. A Pet to the Vet. Illustrated by Philip Webb (1986)
108. The Pop Group. Illustrated by Madeline Beasley (1986)
109. The Man Who Enjoyed Grumbling. Illustrated by Wendy Hodder (1986)
110. Tai Taylor is Born. Illustrated by Nick Price (1986)
111. Tai Taylor Goes to School. Illustrated by Nick Price (1986)
112. Tai Taylor and His Education. Illustrated by Nick Price (1986)
113. Tai Taylor and the Sweet Annie. Illustrated by Nick Price (1986)
114. The Terrible Topsy-Turvey, Tissy-Tossy Tangle. Illustrated by Vickie Smillie-McItoull (1986)
115. The Tree Doctor. Illustrated by Wendy Hodder (1986)
116. Trouble on the Bus. Illustrated by Wendy Hodder (1986)
117. The Trouble with Heathrow. Illustrated by Rodney McRae (1986)
118. The Funny Funny Clown Face. Illustrated by Miranda Whitford (1986)
119. [with others] The Three Wishes. Illustrated by Rodney McRae et al. (1986)
120. The Horrible Story and Others [aka "Chocolate Porridge and Other Stories", 1989]. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (1987)
121. The Haunting of Miss Cardamom. Illustrated by Korky Paul (1987)
122. Guinea Pig Grass. Illustrated by Kelvin Hawley (1987)
123. Iris La Bonga and the Helpful Taxi Driver. Illustrated by Vickie Smillie-McItoull (1987)
124. The Man Who Walked on His Hands. Illustrated by Martin Bailey (1987)
125. No Dinner for Sally. Illustrated by John Tarlton (1987)
126. The Mad Puppet. Illustrated by Jon Davis (1987)
127. The Girl Who Washed in Moonlight. Illustrated by Robyn Belton (1987)
128. The King's Jokes. Illustrated by Val Biro (1987)
129. The Door in the Air and Other Stories. Illustrated by Diana Catchpole (1988)
     • The Door in the Air and Other Stories. Illustrated by Diana Catchpole. 1988. Harmondsworth: Puffin, 1990.
130. When the King Rides By. Illustrated by Bettina Ogden (1988)
131. The Baby-sitter. Illustrated by Bryan Pollard (1988)
132. As Luck Would Have It. Illustrated by Deirdre Gardiner (1988)
133. A Not-so-quiet Evening. Illustrated by Glenda Jones (1988)
134. Sarah, the Bear and the Kangaroo. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller (1988)
135. The Blood-and-thunder Adventure on Hurricane Peak. Illustrated by Wendy Smith (1989)
136. The Great White Man-Eating Shark: A Cautionary Tale. Illustrated by Jonathan Allen (1989)
137. The Tin Can Band and Other Poems. Illustrated by Honey de Lacey (1989)
138. Trouble in the Supermarket. Illustrated by Trish Hill (1989)
139. The Seven Chinese Brothers. Illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng (1990)
140. Making friends. Illustrated by Wendy Smith (1990)
141. The Pumpkin Man and the Crafty Creeper. Illustrated by Helen Craig (1990)
142. Crocodile Crocodlie. Illustrated by Celia Canning (1991)
143. The Litte Round Husband. Illustrated by Val Biro (1991)
144. White Elephants. Illustrated by John Bendell-Brunello (1991)
145. The Solar System [aka "What is the Solar System", 1999]. Illustrated by Jeff Fowler (1991)
146. Bubble Trouble and Other Poems and Stories. Illustrated by Tony Ross (1991)
147. Keeping House. Illustrated by Wendy Smith (1991)
148. The Queen's Goat. Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark (1991)
149. The Dentist's Promise. Illustrated by Wendy Smith (1991)
150. A Tall Story and Other Tales. Illustrated by Jan Nesbitt (1991)
151. Giant Soup (1991)
152. The Horrendous Hullabaloo. Illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy (1992)
153. The Girl With the Green Ear: Stories about Magic in Nature. Illustrated by Shirley Hughes (1992)
154. The Fiddle and the Gun: A Margaret Mahy Collection. Illustrated by Elizabeth Fuller et al. (1992)
155. [with Jean Fritz, Katherine Paterson and others] The World in Fourteen Ninety-Two. Illustrated by Stefano Vitale (1992)
156. Cousins Quarter series. Illustrated by John Farman:
     1. The Good Fortunes Gang (1993)
     2. A Fortunate Name (1993)
     3. A Fortune Branches Out (1994)
     4. Tangled Fortunes (1994)
157. The Three-legged Cat. Illustrated by Jonathan Allen (1993)
158. A Busy Day for a Good Grandmother. Illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain (1993)
159. Tick Tock Tales: Stories to Read Around the Clock. Illustrated by Wendy Smith (1993)
160. The Greatest Show Off Earth. Illustrated by Wendy Smith (1994)
161. The Rattlebang Picnic. Illustrated by Steven Kellogg (1994)
162. The Christmas Tree Tangle. Illustrated by Anthony Kerins (1994)
163. The Dragon's Telephone. Illustrated by Christine Ross (1994)
164. Shock Forest and Other Stories. White Wolves Series (1994)
165. Mr Mossop's Table. Various illustrators (1994)
166. The Big Black Bulging Bump. Illustrated by Robert Staermose (1995)
167. Tingleberries, Tuckertubs and Telephones: a Tale of Love and Ice-cream. Illustrated by Robert Staermose (1995)
168. Cobwebs, Elephants and Stars. Illustrated by Val Biro (1995)
169. The Greatest Binnie in the World. Illustrated by Michael Martchenko (1995)
170. The Five Sisters. Illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy (1996)
171. Boom, Baby, Boom, Boom!. Illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy (1996)
172. Beaten by a Balloon. Illustrated by Jonathan Allen (1996)
173. Operation Terror. Illustrated by Ron Tiner (1997)
174. The Horribly Haunted School. Illustrated by Robert Staermose (1997)
175. A Summery Saturday Morning. Illustrated by Selina Young (1998)
176. [with Susan Cooper, Uri Orlev and others] Don't read this! and Other Tales of the Unnatural. Illustrated by Thé Tjong-Khing (1998)
177. Off to the Shop. Photographs by Mary Walker (2002)
178. A Villain's Night Out. Illustrated by Harry Horse (1999)
179. Simply Delicious!. Illustrated by Jonathan Allen (1999)
180. Down in the Dump with Dinsmore. Illustrated by Stephen Axelsen (1999)
181. Down the Dragon's Tongue. Illustrated by Patricia MacCarthy (2000)
182. [with others] Storylines: The Anthology. Ed. Tessa Duder (2000)
183. Mischief and Mayhem: Two Margaret Mahy Fantasies. Illustrated by Helen Bacon (2001)
184. Dashing Dog. Illustrated by Sarah Garland (2002)
185. The Great Car Clean-out. Illustrated by Philip Webb (2002)
186. The Gargling Gorilla. Illustrated by Tony Ross (2003)
187. [with others] Kids Night In! Ed. Jessiac Adams, Juliet Partridge & Nick Earls (2003)
188. Me and My Dog. Illustrated by Philip Webb (2002)
189. Zerelda's Horses. Illustrated by Gabriella Klepatski (2005)
190. Down the Back of the Chair. Illustrated by Polly Dunbar (2006)
191. Family Surprises. Illustrated by Lyn Kriegler (2006)
192. Bubble Trouble. Illustrated by Polly Dunbar (2008)
193. Awesome Aotearoa: Margaret Mahy's History of New Zealand. Illustrated by Trace Hodgson (2009)
194. The Dark Blue 100-ride Bus Ticket (2009)
195. The Word Witch: the Magical Verse of Margaret Mahy. Ed. Tessa Duder. Illustrated by David Elliot (2009)
196. Organ Music (2010)
197. The Moon and Farmer McPhee. Illustrated by David Elliot (2010)
198. The Margaret Mahy Treasury: Eleven Favourite Stories from the Marvellous Margaret Mahy (2011)
199. Footsteps Through the Fog. Illustrated by Gavin Bishop (2012)
200. The Green Bath. Illustrated by Steven Kellogg (2013)
201. Tale of a tail. Illustrated by Tony Ross (2014)

Non-fiction:

A Dissolving Ghost (2000)



202. Surprising Moments. Inaugural Margaret Mahy Award Lecture (1991)
203. My Mysterious World. Photographs by David Alexander (1995)
204. Questions Kids Ask Margaret Mahy (1996)
205. A Dissolving Ghost: Essays and More (2000)
     • A Dissolving Ghost: Essays and More. Wellington: Victoria University Press, 2000.

Theatre:

The Library at the End of the World (1990)



206. [libretto] The Library at the End of the World. Music by Dorothy Buchanan (1990)

Television:

Typhon's People (1993)



207. [writer] Woolly Valley (1982)
208. [writer] Cuckoo Land (1986)
209. [writer] The Haunting of Barney Palmer, dir. Yvonne Mackay [based on Margaret Mahy's The Haunting (1984)] - Alexis Banas, Ned Beatty & Eleanor Gibson - (NZ, 1987)
210. [original author] Aliens in the Family (1987)
211. [original author] Dramarama: "The Horrible Story" (1987)
212. [original author] Playbus: "The Princess and the Clown" & "Thunderstorms and Rainbows" (1988)
213. [writer] Strangers (1989)
214. [writer] Typhon's People (1993)
215. [original author] The Magical World of Margaret Mahy (1994)
216. [subject] Made in New Zealand – Margaret Mahy (2004 )
217. [writer] Maddigan's Quest (2005)
218. [subject] A Tall Long Faced Tale (2008)
219. [original author] Kaitangata Twitch (2010)

Cinema:

The Changeover (2017)



220. The Changeover, dir. & writ. Miranda Harcourt & Stuart McKenzie [based on Margaret Mahy's The Changeover (1984)] - with Timothy Spall, Melanie Lynskey, Lucy Lawless, Nicholas Galitzine & Erana James - (NZ, 2017)

Secondary:

Margaret Mahy: A Writer’s Life (2005)



221. Duder, Tessa. Margaret Mahy: A Writer’s Life: A Literary Portrait of New Zealand’s Best-Loved Children’s Author. Auckland: HarperCollins, 2005.
222. Mahy, Bridget. "The bridge builder: my mother Margaret Mahy." The Spinoff (28/6/2025)

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Christchurch City Libraries: The Margaret Mahy Collection

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