Tessa Duder facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Tessa Duder
CNZM OBE

Duder in 2015
Personal information
Birth name	Tessa Staveley
Born	(1940-11-13) 13 November 1940 (age 84) Auckland, New Zealand
Education	Diocesan School for Girls
Occupation	Writer
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	John Nelson Duder ​ (m. 1964⁠–⁠1994)​ Barry Thompson ​ (m. 2001⁠–⁠2012)​
Sport
Country	New Zealand
Sport	Swimming
Achievements and titles
National finals	110 yd butterfly champion (1958, 1959) Individual medley champion (1957, 1958, 1959)
Medal record Women's swimming Representing  New Zealand British Empire and Commonwealth Games Silver 1958 Cardiff 110 yards Butterfly

Tessa Duder giving a talk in Devonport Library, Auckland, 2024.

Tessa Duder (born 13 November 1940) is a famous New Zealand writer. She writes novels, short stories, and plays for young people. Tessa was also a talented swimmer. She won a silver medal for New Zealand in the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. She is best known for her Alex book series. She has also worked hard to support New Zealand children's literature. In 2020, she received a special award for her important work in New Zealand fiction.

Early Life and Family Background

Tessa Duder was born Tessa Staveley in Auckland, New Zealand. Her birthday is 13 November 1940. Her father, John Staveley, was a doctor. He helped start blood transfusions in New Zealand. Her mother, Elvira Staveley, was a cellist, which is someone who plays the cello.

Tessa went to the Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland. After school, she studied at Auckland University College in 1958. She later went back to the University of Auckland between 1982 and 1984.

After finishing school, Tessa worked as a journalist. She wrote for the Auckland Star newspaper from 1959 to 1964. Then she traveled to Europe. She worked for the Daily Express newspaper in London from 1964 to 1966. In 1964, she married John Duder. They had four daughters together. For seven years, Tessa was a full-time mother. She spent much of this time living in Pakistan. In 1972, she returned to Auckland. There, she started working again as a pianist.

Swimming Achievements

When Tessa was a teenager, she was a very good swimmer. She competed in butterfly and medley swimming races. In 1958 and 1959, she set national records in both events. She won the New Zealand national 110 yards butterfly title twice. These wins were in 1957 and 1958. She also won the national individual medley championship three times. These wins were in 1957, 1958, and 1959.

In 1958, Tessa competed at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff. She won a silver medal in the 110 yards butterfly race. Her time in the final was 1 minute and 14.4 seconds. She was also part of New Zealand's women's relay team. The team finished in fourth place. In 1959, Tessa was named New Zealand Swimmer of the Year.

Writing Career

Tessa Duder started writing stories in 1977. Her first novel was called Night Race to Kawau. It was published in 1982. Her most popular books are the Alex series. This series includes four novels: Alex, Alex in Winter, Alessandra: Alex in Rome, and Songs for Alex. These books are based on Tessa's own childhood. They follow a teenage swimmer who dreams of competing in the Olympic Games.

The Alex series won many awards. It won three New Zealand Children's Book of the Year awards. It also won three Esther Glen medals. The book Alex has been translated into five different languages. For many years, it was the best-selling fiction book for Penguin New Zealand. In 1993, the book Alex was even made into a movie.

Tessa Duder has written many different types of works. These include plays, collections of stories, and biographies. Her book The Tiggie Tompson Show won an award in 2000. It was for young adult fiction. Her first book for adults was a collection of short stories. It was called Is She Still Alive? This book became very popular in New Zealand in 2008.

Tessa Duder has also held important roles. She was the past president of the NZ Society of Authors. In 1990, she received a special medal. In 1994, she was honored for her contributions to literature. She has also received the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal. Tessa helps run the Storylines Children's Literature Charitable Trust. She also used to be a trustee for the Spirit of Adventure Trust. This trust operates a tall ship called the Spirit of New Zealand.

In 1991, she was the first writer-in-residence at the University of Waikato. This means she lived and wrote at the university for a time. In 2003, she won a special fellowship. This allowed her to work for a year in Menton, France. In 2007, she traveled to Antarctica as part of a special program for artists. The University of Waikato gave her an honorary doctorate in 2009. In 2013, she took part in a Tall Ships Regatta. She sailed on the Spirit of New Zealand from Sydney to Opua.

In 2020, Tessa Duder received another high honor. She was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. This was for her great work in literature. In the same year, she received the important Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement. This award recognized her significant contributions to New Zealand literature.

Tessa Duder lives on Auckland's North Shore.