Authors

Ned Barraud has been illustrating children's books since 2000, after studying art at Victoria University. He has illustrated seven books in the highly successful 'Explore and Discover' series about different ecosystems in New Zealand, and seven other books on his own, including 'Watch out for the Weka', and 2018's acclaimed book on insects 'New Zealand's Backyard Beasts'. Always fascinated by the form and beauty of the animal kingdom, Ned produced 'Where is it? A wildlife hunt for Kiwi kids', in 2020, and since then 'What happened to the Moa', 'New Zealand's Backyard Birds', and 'Incredible Journeys: New Zealand Wildlife on the Move'. He lives in Wellington with his wife and three children.

Pat Barrett is a well known outdoor and travel writer who has authored seven tramping guidebooks along with hundreds of articles for the Christchurch Press, New Zealand Wilderness, NZ Hunter, Dominion Post, Signature, Rod & Rifle, Marist Messenger, Adventure and Kiwi Parent. He lives in Christchurch with his wife Christine and has three daughters. (He still loves South America!)

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Caroline Barron is an award-winning writer, manuscript assessor, book reviewer, columnist, and board member of the Michael King Writers Centre. She holds a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Auckland (2015) and, in a previous life, owned and managed Nova, a leading model and talent agency. Caroline resides between Auckland's Point Chevalier and Northland's Ripiro (Baylys) Beach, with her husband and two young daughters.

David Barrow has an MA from the Cambridge School of Art, where he now teaches. His first book, Have You Seen Elephant?,was shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize and is a bestseller around the world. Barrow has won the Sebastian Walker award for most promising illustrator and has illustrated and written a number of picture books and illustrated a children's novel. Barrow lives in Northamptonshire, England, with his wife and son.

Fergus Barrowman has been the Publisher of Victoria University of Wellington Press since 1985, and founded Sport along with Nigel Cox, Elizabeth Knox and Damien Wilkins in 1988. He edited the Picador Book of Contemporary New Zealand Fiction in 1996.

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Becs Bartells is a designer, illustrator and innovator who was born in Putaruru, on New Zealand’s North Island. She spent part of her youth growing up in Tasmania before returning to New Zealand and has lived in Auckland for the past 20 years. With a Degree with Honours in Industrial Design and a background in character animation, furniture design and graphic design, Becs has seen her work exhibited in Milan and bought by a New Zealand PM, been involved with several start-up businesses and won awards for innovation. While she currently works in design, Becs has recently become an author with her first book, Go Girl, Go!, which she both wrote and illustrated and which is about women who have succeeded in interesting careers. It is aimed at young girls and written in rhyme, to show them that they too can achieve whatever they set their minds to. In her free time Becs enjoys painting, playing squash, dancing in the dark, socialising with friends and travel. As a professional entrepreneur and someone who is always interested in new experiences and getting creative, one of her proudest achievements was starting an eco-coffin business which won her 2 prestigious design awards. ​ As far as the future goes, Becs is hoping to continue to be as creative as possible, while writing and illustrating more books for children and perhaps inspiring the coming generations to grow, dream and succeed in life.

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Following a successful career spanning the legal, publishing and financial services industries, Gina embraced the opportunity to unleash her quirky sense of fun with these creative, perceptive and humorous stories on everyday family life. When not penning the latest adventures of her beloved character, Lulu La Ru, Gina loves nothing more than being active (hiking, biking, skiing and wind-surfing), satisfying her addiction to yoghurt and dark chocolate (no, not together!) and obsessing over the spreadsheets and lists she endlessly creates in an attempt to keep her life and creative projects in perfect harmony (albeit with varying degrees of success). An intrepid traveller and true lover of nature, Gina is always planning a new adventure and will use any opportunity to escape and seek inspiration from the world around her. At home in Auckland, New Zealand, Gina leads a dynamic family life, sharing her journey with her highly energetic husband two equally vivacious step-daughters. A chilled-out Labradoodle rounds out the household, providing some calm amid the hustle and bustle.

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