Melinda Szymanik facts for kids

Melinda Szymanik, born in 1963, is a talented author from New Zealand. She writes many different kinds of books for young people. These include fun picture books, exciting short stories, and longer novels for children and young adults. 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, Melinda loved to read. Some of her favorite books were Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder and The Moon in the Cloud by Rosemary Harris.

Melinda studied at the University of Auckland, where she earned a Master of Science degree in zoology. She also studied English at Massey University and learned about children's literature at the University of Canterbury.

How Melinda Started Writing

Melinda started 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.

Melinda enjoys sharing her love 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 lead "Write like an author" holiday writing camps for students.

Melinda's Polish Family History

Melinda's last name, Szymanik, is pronounced 'Shi-manic'. It is a Polish name, and her Polish family history is very important to her. She even took part in a festival in Wellington in 2014 that celebrated Polish culture.

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 II. The book shares what happened to his family when they were taken by Russian soldiers and sent to a work camp in the countryside.

Awards and Special Opportunities

Melinda Szymanik has received many 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 allowed her to focus on her writing. In 2015, she also had a residency at the Pah Homestead in Auckland.

Notable Books and Awards

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 recognized as excellent books for children.

• Her book The Were-Nana won the Children's Choice Award in 2009 at the New Zealand Post Children's Book Awards. 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 in 2014. It also won the Librarians' Choice Award.
• Fuzzy Doodle, which has illustrations by Donovan Bixley, was selected as a White Ravens book in 2017. This is a list of remarkable children's books from around the world.