Eirlys Hunter facts for kids

Eirlys Elisabeth Hunter, born on May 10, 1952, is a talented writer and a creative writing teacher. She was born in London, England, but now lives in New Zealand.

About Eirlys Hunter

Eirlys Hunter was born in London, England, on May 10, 1952. Her name, Eirlys, is Welsh, showing her family's background. She grew up in the United Kingdom.

In 1983, Eirlys moved to Wellington, New Zealand. She started writing seriously when her youngest child went to kindergarten. She studied creative writing at Victoria University of Wellington. Eirlys has written one novel for adults and eight exciting novels for children. Her children's book, The Mapmakers' Race (from 2018), was called "poised, stylish and an utter delight" by writer Kate De Goldi.

Eirlys's Writing and Teaching

Eirlys Hunter's short stories have been shared on Radio New Zealand. They have also appeared in different magazines and book collections. She has written stories and plays for the New Zealand School Journal. This journal is a special publication for schools.

Eirlys has visited many schools through the New Zealand Book Council's Writers in Schools program. She also traveled on the Book Council's "Words on Wheels" tours. In 2003, she was a writer-in-residence at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India. This means she lived and worked there as a writer for a time.

Eirlys has done many things to help other writers. She has taught creative writing and judged writing competitions. She has also helped new writers as a mentor. Eirlys was a founder of the Wellington Writers Walk committee in 2001. This walk celebrates famous New Zealand writers.

She was a judge for the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in 2013. She also judged other awards for young writers and short stories. In 2016, Eirlys and Louise O’Brien started a website called Hooked on NZ Books He Ao Ano. This website is for young adults who love to read.

Eirlys has led writing workshops for both children and adults. From 2006 to 2019, she taught a special class called "Writing for Children" at the International Institute of Modern Letters. This institute is part of Victoria University of Wellington. She also served on the board of NZ Review of Books Pukapuka Aotearoa.

Eirlys Hunter has four children and lives in Wellington, New Zealand.

Awards and Recognition

Eirlys Hunter's books have received special recognition.

• Her book The Robber and the Millionaire was chosen as a finalist for the 1997 AIM Children's Book Awards.
• The Mapmakers' Race was also a finalist in the junior fiction section for the 2019 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Being a finalist means the book was one of the top choices for the award.

The Mapmakers' Race was also chosen for the IBBY Honour List 2020. This is a special list that celebrates great books from around the world every two years. It honors writers, illustrators, and translators.

Eirlys has also received Storylines Notable Book Awards for two of her books:

• Coldkeep Castle (in 2002)
• The Mapmakers' Race (in 2019)