David Hill

Profile

Winner of the 2005 Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal, David Hill is a versatile and popular author. A regular visitor to schools, he also teaches creative writing, and has been a reviewer and columnist for radio, newspapers and magazines for more than two decades.

Born in Napier in 1942, David gained an MA (Hons) from Victoria University in 1964, teaching English in secondary schools for 14 years before becoming a full-time writer. David is a versatile journalist, reviewer, fiction writer, playwright and children’s author. He has been widely published in newspapers and magazines both in New Zealand and overseas. Many of his novels have been translated into various languages including French and Chinese.

David has a well-developed sense of humour, which, coupled with his own interests and experiences as a child and teenager, provide much raw material for his writing. In Beneath Southern Skies (Scholastic 1993), David comments, ‘As a small kid I was short, stout and stammering. As a teenage kid I was spotty, scruffy and still stammering.’ David understands the desire of young people to be accepted within their peer group and this has become a strong feature of his writing – and what makes it incredibly accessible and sought after by his readers.

‘As one of the country’s most versatile writers,’ said Dr Libby Limbrick, ‘David has helped many children develop a love of story and books, as well as tirelessly supporting teachers and librarians. His contribution to both literature and literacy in New Zealand continues to be outstanding.’
David works from his home in New Plymouth where he lives with his wife Beth, who is a language teacher. In his spare time David enjoys reading, astronomy, tramping and supporting the All Blacks.

Selected bibliography:

Below (Penguin Random House 2023)
Coast Watcher (Puffin,2021)
Moments (One Tree Hill Press, 2021)
Taking the Lead (illustrated by Phoebe Morris, Puffin, 2020)
Dinosaur Hunter (Puffin, 2019)
Hero of the Sea (illustrated by Phoebe Morris, Puffin, 2018)
Finding (Puffin, 2018)
Sky High (illustrated by Phoebe Morris, Puffin, 2016)
Speed King (illustrated by Phoebe Morris, Puffin, 2015)
Flight Path (Puffin, 2016)
Enemy Camp (Puffin, 2015)
First to the Top (illustrated by Phoebe Morris, Puffin, 2014)
The Deadly Sky (Puffin, 2013)
Brave Company (Puffin 2013)
Sinking (Scholastic NZ, 2012)
My Brother’s War (Puffin 2012)
The Red Poppy, illustrated by Fifi Colston (Scholastic 2012)
Down Under (Gilt Edge 2011)
Fire on High (Mallinson Rendel 2009)
The River Runs (Mallinson Rendel 2008)
Black Day, illustrated by Lotte Wotherspoon [Kiwi Bites] (Puffin 2007).
Duet (Mallinson Rendel 2007)Aim High (Mallinson Rendel 2006)
Hill Sides: The Best of David Hill (Mallinson Rendel 2006)
Running Hot (Mallinson Rendel 2005)
Bodies and Soul (Scholastic 2005)
Getting Board? illustrated by Ross Kinnaird [Kiwi Bites] (Puffin 2004).
Coming Back (Mallinson Rendel 2004)
No Big Deal illustrated by Terry Fitzgibbon [Kiwi Bites] (Puffin 2003).
No Safe Harbour (Mallinson Rendel 2003).
Journey to Tangiwai: The Diary of Peter Cotterill, Napier, 1953 [My Story] (Scholastic 2003)
Where All Things End (Puffin 2002)
Right Where It Hurts (Mallinson Rendel 2002)
The Sleeper Wakes (Puffin 2001)
The Name of the Game (Mallinson Rendel 2001)
The High Wind Blows (Puffin 2001)
Afterwards (Mallinson Rendel 2000)
Boots ‘n’ All (Scholastic 1999)
Just Looking, Thanks (Puffin 1999)
Time Out (Mallinson Rendel 1999)
Impact (Puffin 1999)
Give It Hoops (Scholastic 1998)
Comes Naturally (Mallinson Rendel 1998)
Fat, Four-eyed and Useless (Scholastic 1997)
Treasure Deep (Mallinson Rendel 1997)
Seconds Best (Scholastic 1996)
Cold Comfort (Mallinson Rendel 1996)
Kick Back (Ashton Scholastic 1995)
Take It Easy (Mallinson Rendel 1995)
The Winning Touch (Ashton Scholastic 1995)
Curtain Up (Heinemann 1995)
See Ya, Simon (Mallinson Rendel 1992)
The Games of Nanny Miro, illustrated by June Grant, translated into te reo Māori by Irene Curnow (Moana Press 1990).
Introducing Maurice Gee (Longman Paul 1981).

Awards:

ICI Bursary 1980
Esther Glen Award 1993 Shortlist for See Ya, Simon
AIM Children’s Book Awards 1993 Senior Fiction Shortlist for See Ya, Simon
Times Educational Supplement Award for Special Needs 1994 for See Ya, Simon
Esther Glen Award 1996 Shortlist for Take It Easy
AIM Children’s Book Awards 1996 Junior Fiction Shortlist for Take It Easy
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 1997 Junior Fiction Shortlist for Cold Comfort
Esther Glen Award 1998 Medalist for Fat, Four-eyed and Useless
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 1998 Junior Fiction Shortlist for Fat, Four-eyed and Useless
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 1999 Junior Fiction Shortlist for Give It Hoops
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 2000 Junior Fiction Shortlist for Time Out
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Award 2000 for Time Out
Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award 2002 for See Ya, Simon
Esther Glen Award 2002 shortlist for The Sleeper Wakes
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Award 2002 for The Sleeper Wakes
Storylines Notable Senior Fiction Award 2002 for The High Wind Blows
Esther Glen Award 2003 Medalist for Right Where It Hurts
The Prime Minister’s Award for Fiction 2021
University of Otago College of Education Children Writer in Residence/Robert Lord Writers’ Cottage Residency 2003
White Ravens List 2003 for Right Where It Hurts
New Zealand Order of Merit 2004
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 2004 Junior Fiction Shortlist for Journey to Tangiwai
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Award 2004 for Journey to Tangiwai
Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Award 2004 for No Safe Harbour
Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal 2005
New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) 2005
White Ravens List 2005 Special Mention for Coming Back
Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Award 2005 for Coming Back
New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 2006 Young Adult Fiction Shortlist for Running Hot
Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Award 2006 for Bodies and Soul
Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Award 2007 for Aim High
Storylines Notable Picture Book Award 2016 for First to the Top
Winner Junior Fiction and Children’s Choice Awards, NZ Post Children’s Book Awards; and White Ravens Finalist, 2012 for My Brother’s War
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Award 2014 for Brave Company
Finalist Children’s Book Awards Junior Fiction, 2016 for Enemy Camp
Storylines Notable Book award 2016 for Enemy Camp (with Phoebe Morris)
Storylines Notable Non-fiction award 2016 for First to the Top (with Phoebe Morris)
Winner, Children’s Choice Non-fiction, Children’s Book Awards 2017 for First to the Top (with Phoebe Morris)
Storylines Notable Non-fiction Book Award, 2018 for Sky High (with Phoebe Morris)
Finalist Children’s Book Awards Non-fiction 2018 for Sky High (with Phoebe Morris)
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book, 2019 for Flight Path
Highly Commended, NZ Booklovers Awards, 2019, for Hero of the Sea (with Phoebe Morris)
Storylines Notable Book award 2019, for Hero of the Sea (with Phoebe Morris)
Storylines Notable Picture Book Award, 2020; for Dinosaur Hunter (with Phoebe Morris)
Highly commended NZ Booklovers Awards, 2020 for Dinosaur Hunter (with Phoebe Morris)
Prime Ministers Award for Literary Achievement in Fiction 2021
Storylines Notable Junior Fiction Book, 2023 for Below