Melinda Szymanik facts for kids

Melinda Szymanik is a talented author from New Zealand. She was born in 1963 and writes exciting books for kids and young adults. She creates picture books, short stories, and longer novels. Melinda lives in Auckland, New Zealand.

About Melinda Szymanik

Melinda Szymanik was born on December 26, 1963, in Auckland. She grew up there and still lives in the city today. When she was a child, she loved reading. Some of her favorite books included Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Moon in the Cloud by Rosemary Harris.

Melinda went to the University of Auckland and earned a Master of Science degree in zoology. Later, she also studied English at Massey University and children's literature at the University of Canterbury.

How Melinda Started Writing

Melinda began writing seriously when her own children were young. Besides writing novels and picture books, she has also written many short stories. These stories have appeared in different collections and in magazines like the New Zealand School Journal and the Australian School Magazine.

Melinda loves to share her passion for writing. She teaches creative writing workshops for both adults and children. She also writes a blog about writing and what it's like to be a writer. You can often find her speaking at schools, libraries, and other events about books.

She is part of a group of writers who run an online writing program for kids called FABO Story. Melinda also helps present the "Write like an author" school holiday writing camps.

Melinda's Polish Heritage

Melinda's last name, Szymanik, is pronounced 'Shi-manic' and comes from Poland. Her Polish family history is very important to her. In 2014, she took part in the Celebrating Everything Polish Festival in Wellington.

Her novel, A Winter’s Day in 1939, tells a special story. It is based on her father's childhood in Poland during World War Two. The book shares what happened to his family when they were captured by the Russians and sent to a work camp in the country.

Awards and Special Opportunities

Melinda Szymanik has received several awards and special opportunities for her writing.

In 2014, she lived in Dunedin for six months. This was because she was chosen as the University of Otago College of Education / Creative New Zealand Children's Writer in Residence. This special role allows a writer to focus on their work. In 2015, she also had a residency at the Pah Homestead in Auckland.

Recognised Books

Many of Melinda's books have won awards or been chosen as finalists. Several of them have been named Storylines Notable Books. This means they are recognised as excellent books for children.

• The Were-Nana won the Children's Choice Award in the picture book category at the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards in 2009. It was also a finalist for the Sakura Medal in 2010.
• A Winter’s Day in 1939 was a finalist for the Esther Glen Medal for Junior Fiction at the 2014 LIANZA Awards. It also won the Librarians' Choice Award.
• Fuzzy Doodle, which was illustrated by Donovan Bixley, was chosen as a White Ravens book in 2017. White Ravens books are special books from around the world that are recommended for young readers.