Juliette MacIver
Juliette MacIver is a children’s picture book writer and a full-time mother of four. Her first book, Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam, was shortlisted for the 2011 NZ Post Children’s Book Awards. Her book Tom and the Dragon was included in the 2012 Storylines Notable Books list. MacIver is available for Writers in Schools visits.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MacIver, Juliette ( - ) is a children’s picture book writer and a full-time mother of four. Before becoming a children’s author, she completed a Bachelor Degree in Linguistics and a Diploma in Teaching English as a Second Language. Her first picture book, Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam, was published in 2010, and was shortlisted for the NZ Post Children’s Book Awards the following year.
Marmaduke Duck and the Marmalade Jam (Scholastic, 2010), illustrated by Sarah Davis, was a hit due to MacIver’s impressive use of rhyme. John McIntyre reviewed it on National Radio (01/10/10), saying 'She’s got the ability to write really great rhyme...it requires an understanding and an ear for the meter…it really does require hard work.’ He believes MacIver is a writer to watch in the future. A parent review on the Kiwi Families blog says ‘The words roll off your tongue and stick in your brain (in a good way) and the vocabulary doesn’t underestimate its young audience.’
The sequel, Marmaduke Duck and Bernadette Bear (Scholastic, 2011) likewise received universally good reviews. Janet McFadden reviews it on the ‘Create Readers’ blog for National Library ‘For younger children there are great messages about friendship and sharing, and assertiveness versus aggression.’ Reviewers are also impressed with the lively illustrations by Sarah Davis, which complement the text well.
In between the two Marmaduke Duck books, MacIver also released Tom and the Dragon (Scholastic, 2011), illustrated by Scott Tulloch. Tom and the Dragon was named a Notable Book in the Picture Book category of the 2012 Storylines Notable Books List.
Her first early chapter book, Little Witch, was released through Walker Books in 2012.
Toucan Can by Juliette MacIver and illustrated by Sarah Davis was published by Gecko Press in 2013. Toucan Can was a finalist in the Picture Book category of the 2014 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.
To date, four of her books have won the Storylines Notable Book Award, and six have been short-listed for other awards: one for the Crystal Kite Award, three for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, and two for the LIANZA Book Awards.
Her books are available in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK and the USA, where one of her most recent books, Yak and Gnu, received excellent reviews in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and the Boston Globe. She also has five titles contracted for release in China.
Juliette MacIver lives in a seaside suburb near Wellington, New Zealand, with her husband and four children.
Last updated Aug 2016.
MEDIA LINKS AND CLIPS
- Storylines Profile of Juliette MacIver
