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Philippa Werry

Philippa Werry was born in Christchurch and grew up in Wellington, Auckland and New Plymouth. After university, she worked as a librarian and travelled widely overseas. Philippa started writing for the School Journal when the first of her three daughters was born.

As well as her children’s novels and non-fiction titles, Philippa has written many stories, plays, poems and articles for the School Journal and other educational publications, and reviews and articles for Booknotes, The Sapling and New Zealand Author. Her work has been included in several anthologies and some of her stories have been broadcast on Radio New Zealand. She went to Gallipoli in April 2014 to help at the Anzac Day services with Gallipoli Volunteers and spent a week at Scott Base in December 2016 with Antarctica New Zealand. Philippa  is currently Chair of the Wellington Writers Walk.

Philippa Werry

Selected bibliography:

  • The NZ Series; New Zealand Migration Part 7 (Oratia, 2023)
  • Iris and Me (Cuba Press, 2023)
  • Quarantine (Scholastic, 2022; My New Zealand Story; prev pub as Enemy at the Gate)
  • Voices from Around the World: Pacific Islands New Zealand, with André Ngāpō, consultant (Norwood Press, 2022)
  • The Water Bottle, illustrated by Burak Akbay (Oratia, 2022)
  • The Other Sister (Pipi Press, 2021)
  • This is Where I Stand, illustrated by Kieran Rynhart (Scholastic, 2021)
  • Our Incredible Dogs (New Holland, 2020)
  • Antarctic Journeys (New Holland, 2019)
  • The Telegram (Pipi Press, 2019)
  • The New Zealand Wars (New Holland, 2018)
  • Armistice Day: The New Zealand story: what it is and why it matters (New Holland, 2016)
  • Waitangi Day: the New Zealand story: what it is and why it matters (New Holland, 2015)
  • Best Mates, illustrated by Bob Kerr (New Holland, 2014)
  • Harbour Bridge (Scholastic, 2014)
  • Anzac Day: The New Zealand Story: What It Is and Why It Matters (New Holland 2013)
  • Lighthouse Family (Scholastic, 2013)
  • A Girl Called Harry (Scholastic 2010)
  • Enemy at the Gate (Scholastic 2008; reprinted Pipi Press, 2020)
  • The Great Chocolate Cake Bake Off (Scholastic 2007; reprinted Pipi Press 2020)
  • Top Secret (Gilt Edge Publishing 2006)
  • Wonderful Wheels Day, illustrated by Alice Bell (Scholastic 2004)
  • The Lost Watch, illustrated by Alice Bell (Scholastic 2003).

Awards:

  • Winner, Young Adult Fiction Award, NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2023 for Iris and Me
  • Longlisted for the ARA Historical Novel Prize 2023 for Iris and Me
  • Storylines Notable Books Award 2023, Junior Fiction list for Iris and Me
  • Highly commended, Storylines Notable Book Award 2022, Young Adult list for The Other Sister
  • Runner-up, NZSA Laura Solomon Cuba Press Prize 2022
  • Storylines Notable Book Award 2021, Picture Book list for This is Where I Stand
  • New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults, 2021 Picture Book shortlist for This is Where I Stand 
  • Storylines Notable Books Award 2020, Junior Fiction list for The Telegram
  • Storylines Notable Book Award 2019, Non-Fiction list for The New Zealand Wars
  • Fiction Special Mention, NZ Heritage Book Awards 2019 for The Telegram
  • New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2019 junior fiction shortlist for The Telegram
  • Michael King Writers Centre Easter Residency 2019 (https://writerscentre.org.nz/about-our-residency-programme/)
  • New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2018 non-fiction shortlist for The New Zealand Wars
  • Armistice Day: The New Zealand Story, Storylines Notable Book Award 2017 (Non-fiction)
  • Antarctica New Zealand community engagement programme 2016
  • Storylines Notable Book Award 2016 (Non-fiction) for Waitangi Day: The New Zealand Story
  • Anzac Bridge Fellowship with NZ Pacific Studio 2016: Two Bridges, Two Countries (Kaiparoro, NZ and Brooweena, Australia) http://anzacbridge.blogspot.co.nz/
  • Storylines Notable Books Lists 2015 Junior Fiction list for Harbour Bridge
    New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2015 children’s choice non-fiction shortlist for Waitangi Day
  • CLNZ / NZSA research grant 2015
  • Storylines Notable Book Award 2015 (Non-fiction) for Waitangi Day: The New Zealand Story
  • New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2014 non-fiction shortlist for Anzac Day
  • Storylines Notable Books Lists 2014: Junior Fiction list for Lighthouse family and Non fiction list for Anzac Day
  • LIANZA Children’s Book Awards 2014 non-fiction shortist for Anzac Day
    Storylines Notable Book Awards 2011 Junior Fiction List for A Girl Called Harry
  • New Zealand Society of Authors Mid Career Writers Grant 2011
  • New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards 2009 Shortlist for Enemy at the Gate
  • Storylines Notable Book Awards 2007 Junior Fiction List for The Great Chocolate Cake Bake Off
  • Jack Lasenby Award 2006
  • Bilby Awards (Queensland) 2004 Shortlist for The Lost Watch

Other Resources:

Author blog

Going to Gallipoli blog

Children’s war books blog

Going to Antarctica blog

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