Tracy Duncan

Tracy is an artist and writer. Born in Mangakino, and raised in the Coromandel, she travelled extensively throughout New Zealand and overseas before settling in the Moutere Hills of Nelson. Married with two children and an ever-growing variety of furred and feathered critters, she has been writing and illustrating books for children since 1999 and enjoys producing books with a distinct local flavour.

Many of the books she writes and illustrates are in Mâori and English, such as My Mâori Shapes, My Mâori Alphabet and My Mâori Numbers, which use bright, strong shapes and colours to encourage a love and knowledge of Mâori language in younger readers.

Tracy has illustrated the successful Nanny Mihi series (by Melanie Drewery) and Glow Worm Night by Don Long. She has also written stories that have been illustrated by others.

She is involved in the New Zealand Book Council’s Writers in Schools programme, Tracy was selected for a Wild Creations residency in 2007, staying at Karamea researching the stories of early settlers to develop an adventure script for young readers.

Selected bibliography:

• My Mâori Numbers / Nga Tau Kit e Reo Mâori (Reed 2000).
• My Mâori Alphabet / Nga Pu Ki te Reo Mâori (Reed 2000).
• Nanny Mihi and the Rainbow text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2001).
• My Mâori Colours / Oku Tae Mâori (Reed 2002).
• Nanny Mihi’s Garden text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2002).
• My Mâori Shapes / Oku Auaha Mâori (Reed 2002).
• Nanny Mihi’s Birthday Surprise text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2003).
• Glow-worm Night text by Don Long (Reed 2003).
• Nanny Mihi’s Treasure Hunt text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2004).
• The Man Who Loved the Sea illustrated by Jonathan Huntley (Reed 2004).
• Grandad’s Medals illustrated by Bruce Potter (Reed 2005).
• Nanny Mihi’s Christmas text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2005).
• Mere McKaskill’s Boil Up (Reed 2007).
• Kei te Pehea Koe? How Do You Feel? (Raupo 2008).
• The Apple text by Ben Brown (Puffin 2008).
• Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy text by Elena de Roo (Walker Books Aust 2012).

Awards:

• Storylines Notable Books List 2003 Non-fiction list for My Mâori Colours.
• Storylines Notable Books List 2006 Picture Book list for Nanny Mihi's Christmas.
• Department of Conservation Wild Creations Artists in Residence 2007.
• Storylines Notable Books List 2008 Picture Book list for Mere McKaskill's Boil Up.
• Storylines Notable Books List 2009 Picture Book list for The Apple.
• Storylines Notable Books List 2009 Picture Book list for Kei te Pehea Koe? How Do You Feel?

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