Bruce is an international award-winning illustrator of over 95 books. His Whale Rider (illustrated edition) Has been translated into French and is now being sold throughout France , the French Territories and Italy as a new repackaged hardback as Kahu, Fille des Baleines.
Bruce gained second place for The World's Best Illustration at the 2007 Gourmande World Cookbook Awards for Papa's Donuts and Storylines' Out of the Deep anthology, illustrated by Bruce, was selected for the White Ravens Book List 2008 (250 books chosen worldwide as the years best childrens' books).
Bruce is known for his realistic style and fine detail but he also has a background in cartooning and caricature for a number of newspapers around the world. He has worked for many years as an art teacher in adult education and as a specialist portrait painter. Many of you will have seen him perform on stage in musicals such as Les Miserables, Chess, Jesus Christ Superstar etc where he played the lead roles. Bruce is also an internationally ranked powerlifter, having got the bronze medal at the 2009 World Masters Bench Press Champs, is the current New Zealand Bench Press Champion and holds a world record in the two-man deadlift with the International All Round Weightlifting Association.
He lives very happily with his wife and three kids in his own little two-acre paradise in Tuakau.
Selected bibliography:
-
No Half Measures text by Judy Knox (Reed 2002).
-
Caesar the Anzac Dog text by Patricia Stroud (HarperCollins 2003).
-
Matariki text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2003).
-
The Treasure text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2003).
-
Pounamu's Stones text by Dot Meharry (Reed 2004).
-
Child of Aotearoa text by Melanie Drewery (Reed 2004).
-
The Donkey Man by Glyn Harper (Reed 2004).
-
Grandad's Medals text by Tracy Duncan (Reed 2005).
-
Have You Ever Seen a Kiwi? text by Ian Watt (Reed 2005).
-
The Whale rider (illustrated edition) text by Witi Ihimaera (Reed 2005).
-
Soldier in the Yellow socks: Charles Upham: Our Finest Fighting Soldier text by Janice Marriott (HarperCollins 2006).
-
Papa's Donuts text by Kate Moetaua (Reed 2006).
-
Grandad text by Janet Pereira (Reed 2006).
-
The Beachmaster text by Carmel Liddell (Reed 2006).
-
The Talking Stick text by Dot Meharry (Reed 2006).
-
The Pipi Swing text by Sarona Aiono-Iosefa (Reed 2007).
-
My Grandfather's War text by Glyn Harper (Reed 2007).
-
Out of the Deep and Other Stories from New Zealand and the Pacific edited by Tessa Duder & Lorraine Orman (Reed 2007).
-
The Dawn text by Mike Davey (Reed 2007).
-
Bo text by Anna Kenna (Reed 2007).
-
The Puppet Box text by Moira Wairama (Scholastic 2007).
-
The Stuck There Forever Boat text by Gillian Torckler (Puffin 2008).
-
Te Rauparaha: Legend of Aotearoa text by Maureen Cavanagh (Puffin 2008).
-
Battle at the Gate text by Jenny Jenkins (Penguin 2008).
-
Papa's Jandals text by Kate Moetana (Puffin 2010).
-
Legends of the Cook Islands text by Shona Hopkins (Penguin 2010).
-
The Cloak of Stars text by Judith Raymond-Penney (Puffin 2010).
Awards:
-
Storylines Notable Books List 2004 Picture Book list for Matariki.
-
Storylines Notable Books List 2006 Picture Book list for The Whale Rider.
-
Storylines Notable Books List 2007 Non-fiction list for Soldier in the Yellow Socks.
-
Gourmande World Cookbook Awards 2007 2nd place for The World's Best Illustration for Papa's Donuts.
-
Storylines Notable Books List 2008 Picture Book list for The Puppet Box.
-
White Ravens List 2008 for Out of the Deep.
Storylines thanks zeald.com for their ongoing support of the Storylines website.
