Joy Cowley to deliver Janet Frame Memorial Lecture

Held annually by the New Zealand Society of Authors, this lecture is delivered by the current President of Honour and is intended to provide an overview of the “state of the nation” for literature and writing in New Zealand, such that the reading public may have a greater understanding of what it means to be a writer in New Zealand.

This year’s President of Honour is Joy Cowley; the prolific, widely-published and much-celebrated writer for children who has enjoyed considerable commercial and critical success both at home and overseas. Joy received the Distinguished Companion of New Zealand Order of Merit for services to children’s literature in 2005. She is also the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Massey University, an OBE for services to children’s literature, a Commonwealth Medal and was the recipient of the 2010 Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement - Fiction.

As part of her lecture, Joy Cowley will address whether children’s books and writers are now considered the equals of “grown up” writing and books. “In the 1950s, New Zealand children’s literature struggled to emerge from a poverty stricken background of imported books. Sixty years later, New Zealand books for young people, dominate the publishing industry and are in demand overseas. How did this happen? The 2011 Janet Frame Memorial Lecture will look at the influences that have brought home-produced children’s literature into the global spotlight.”

This lecture launches a month-long series of celebrations for New Zealand authors, illustrators and books in Wellington.  It will take place on Thursday 3rd March 2011, at 6pm on the Marae, Te Papa, Wellington

This event is open to the public and will appeal to teachers, librarians and book-lovers everywhere – but especially those grown-up children who were first introduced to books through Joy Cowley’s writing.

6pm Thursday 3rd March 2011, Marae, Te Papa, Wellington