David Hill author study

David Hill

David Hill is an award winning writer who lives in New Plymouth. He writes stories, novels, poems and plays for young adults. He’s written about 30 books in 8 languages and published in around 12 countries.

A person called Dr Libby Librick said, “As one of the country’s most versatile writers, David has helped many children develop a love of story and books, as well as tirelessly supporting teachers and librarians. His contribution to both literature and literacy in New Zealand continues to be outstanding.

Life:

He was born in 1942 in Napier. 

His first young adult novel (See ya, Simon) won the 1994 Times Educational Supplement Award for Special Needs. 

He won the 2002 Children's Literature Foundation Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-Loved Book, the 2003 LIANZA Esther Glen Medal, the 2013 NZ Post Junior Fiction Award, and the 2013 LIANZA Librarian’s Choice Award.

In his spare time he likes to do astronomy and archery. 

His books:

1970] The Seventies

[1981] Introducing Maurice Gee

[1984] On Poetry: Twelve Studies of Work by New Zealand Poets

[1986] Ours But to Do

[1987] Taranaki

[1988] The Boy

[1990] A Time to Laugh

[1990] The Games of Nanny Miro

[1992] See Ya, Simon 

[1994] A Day at a Time

[1995] Curtain Up

[1995] Kick Back

[1995] Take It Easy

[1995] The Winning Touch

[1996] Second Best

[1997] Fat, Four-eyed and Useless

[1999] Just Looking, Thanks

[2001] Right Where It Hurts 

[2001] The High Wind Blows

[2001] The Sleeper Wakes

[2001] The Name of the Game

[2002] Where All Things End

[2003] My Story: Journey to Tangiwai, The Diary of Peter Cotterill, Napier 1953 (New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2004 junior section finalist)

[2003] No Big Deal

[2003] No Safe Harbour (New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2004 young adult section finalist)

[2004] Coming Back (New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2005 young adult section finalist)

[2005] Bodies and Soul

[2005] Running Hot (New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2006 young adult section finalist)

[2006] Aim High

[2006] Hill Sides

[2006] How I met myself

[2007] Black Day

[2007] The Forgotten Children

[2007] Duet (Youth Book)

[2012] My Brother's War

[2014] The Deadly Sky

[2015] First to the Top: Sir Edmund Hillary’s Amazing Everest Adventure (winner of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2016 Children's Choice Award - Non-Fiction. Listed as a Storylines Notable Book for 2016)

[2016] Enemy Camp (finalist for the Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award and the Children's Choice Junior Fiction Award in 2016 New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults)

[2016] Speed King

[2017] Flight Path

[2019] Sky High: Jean Batten's Incredible Flying Adventures (New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults 2019 non-fiction section finalist)