Melinda Szymanik
Location: Auckland
Preferred audience: Years 3-13
Melinda Szymanik is an Auckland-based award-winning writer of picture books, short stories and novels for children and young adults.
She also writes poetry for children and adults. Notable titles include The Were-Nana (Scholastic, 2008) winner of Children’s Choice at the 2009 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards and shortlisted for Japan’s 2010 Sakura Medal, A Winter’s Day in 1939 (Scholastic, 2013) winner of Librarian’s Choice at the 2014 LIANZA Awards, Fuzzy Doodle (Scholastic, 2016) shortlisted for the NZCYA Book Awards and a 2017 White Raven selection, and My Elephant is Blue (Puffin [Penguin], 2021) which has been published in seven other territories across the Globe including China and the US. Ten of her books have received Storylines Notable Awards. Recent titles include the BatKiwi series (Scholastic).
Melinda has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and a post graduate Diploma in Children’s Literature. She also has a Master’s Degree in Zoology. She regularly visits schools as part of Read NZ’s ‘Writers in Schools’ programme, and has appeared at writers’ festivals across New Zealand, regularly teaches creative writing workshops for adults and children, and blogs on writing.
Picture Books
Clever Moo, illus. Malcolm Evans, Scholastic NZ, 2006. Out of Print
The Were-Nana, illus. Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson, Scholastic NZ, 2008. Out of Print.
The House That Went to Sea, illus. Gabriella Klepatski, Duck Creek Press, 2011.
Made With Love, illus. Gabriella Klepatski, Duck Creek Press, 2012. Out of Print.
While You Are Sleeping, illus. Greg Straight, Duck Creek Press, 2013.
The Song of Kauri, illus. Dominique Ford, Scholastic NZ, 2014.
Fuzzy Doodle, illus. Donovan Bixley, Scholastic NZ, 2016. Also published as Fuzzy Doodle by Scholastic Asia (2017), Singapore.
Sharing with Wolf, illus. Nikki Slade Robinson, Scholastic NZ, June 2020. Also published as Vado a vivere col lupo by Caissa Italia Editore (2021), Bologna.
Moon and Sun, illus. Malene Laugesen, Upstart Press, February 2021.
My Elephant is Blue, illus. Vasanti Unka, Puffin (Penguin), May 2021. Also published as Mi Elefante Azul by Akal Infantil (2021) Madrid, as Il mio elefante Blu by Salani Editore (2022), Milan, as Mein Elefant ist traurig by Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe (2022) Munich, as My Elephant is Blue by Flyaway Books (2023), Kentucky, as 我的大象是蓝色的 by Post Wave/Times Press (2023), China.
BatKiwi, illus. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic, 2021. Te Reo version Ko PekaKiwi, translated by Pānia Papa.
There Are No Moa, E Hoa (BatKiwi 2), illus. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic, November 2022. Te Reo version Kua Kore he Moa, e hoa, translated by Pānia Papa.
Lucy and the Dark, illus. Vasanti Unka, Puffin (Penguin), August 2023. Also published as Lucy und das Dunkel by Atrium Verlag (2024), Zurich, translated by Yvonne Hergane.
Sun Shower, illus. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic, November 2023.
BatKiwi and the Big Wet, illus. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic, February 2025.
Junior Novels
Jack the Viking, Scholastic NZ, 2008
Sally Bangle: Unexpected Detective, Tale-Spin Media, 2012 (e-book only)
A Winters Day in 1939, Scholastic NZ, March 2013
Short Story Collections
Time Machine and Other Stories, Ahoy! (The Cuba Press), August 2019
Young Adult Novels
The Half Life of Ryan Davis, Tale -Spin Media, 2012
Short Listings & Awards
The Were-Nana, illus. Sarah Nelisiwe Anderson, Scholastic NZ, 2008, Finalist Picture Book Award - 2009 NZ Post Book Awards, Winner Children’s Choice Award 2009 NZ Post Book Awards, Storylines Notable Book 2009, Shortlisted 2010 Sakura Medal. Out of Print.
While You Are Sleeping, illus. Greg Straight, Duck Creek Press, 2013, Storylines Notable Book 2014
A Winters Day in 1939, Scholastic NZ, March 2013, Finalist Junior Fiction Award - 2014 NZ Post Book Awards, Finalist 2014 LIANZA Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award, Winner Librarian's Choice Award 2014 LIANZA Children's Book Awards, Storylines Notable Book 2014.
The Song of Kauri, illus. Dominique Ford, Scholastic NZ, 2014. Longlisted LIANZA Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award & LIANZA Russell Clark Illustration Award 2015, Finalist LIANZA Librarian's Choice Award 2015, Storylines Notable Book 2015
Fuzzy Doodle, illus. Donovan Bixley, Scholastic NZ, 2016, Scholastic Asia,2017, Storylines Notable Book 2017, Finalist Best Picture Book Award & Russell Clark Illustration Award New Zealand Children's and Young Adults Book Awards 2017, Queensland 2017 Premier's Reading Challenge Selection, White Ravens Selection 2017.
Time Machine and other Stories, Ahoy (The Cuba Press), 2019, Finalist Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Award for Junior Fiction - 2020 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
Sharing with Wolf, illus. Nikki Slade Robinson, Scholastic NZ, 2020, Finalist NZ Booklovers Award for Best Children's Book 2021, Storylines Notable Book 2021.
Moon and Sun, illus. Malene Laugesen, Upstart Press, 2021, Finalist Russell Clark Illustration Award, New Zealand Children's and Young Adults Book Awards 2021.
My Elephant is Blue, illus. Vasanti Unka, Puffin (Penguin), 2021, Storylines Notable Book 2021, Finalist NZ Booklovers Award for Best Children's Book 2022.
BatKiwi, illus. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic, 2021, Highly Commended-Storylines Notable Books 2021. Te Reo version Ko PekaKiwi, translated by Pānia Papa, Storylines Notable Book 2021.
There are No Moa, e Hoa, illus. Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Scholastic, 2022, Storylines Notable Book 2022.
Lucy and the Dark, illus. Vasanti Unka, Puffin (Penguin), 2023, Storylines Notable Book 2023, Finalist NZ Booklovers Award for Best Picture Book 2024, Finalist Picture Book Award, 2024 NZ Children and Young Adult’s Book Awards, Finalist Scholastic New Zealand Award for Best Children's Book 2024 PANZ Book Design Awards.
