Wellington writer Fleur Beale wins Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal

Wellingtonwriter Fleur Beale has won the 2012Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal for her outstanding contribution toNew Zealand writing for children and young adults.
The award,given annually by the Storylines Children's Literature Trust, is New Zealand'stop award for achievement in children's literature.
"FleurBeale's books have won her a large following among young readers," saysStorylines Trust chair, Dr Libby Limbrick. "Since her first book Slide the Corner in 1993she has published a significant body of more than thirty works offiction.  Many have been shortlisted for awards, with her more recentbooks, such as the Esther Glenn winner Junoof Taris and 2011 New Zealand Post Senior Fiction winner Fierce September, takingtop prizes."

A formersecondary school teacher in Hamilton, Fleur Beale is also widely known as apopular creative writing teacher and mentor to young and new writers. Sheregular visits schools for the New Zealand Book Council. She has two adultdaughters.
Her thirtybooks, many published in America and England, include the classic I am Not Esther, winnerof the GaelynGordon Award for a Much-Loved Book.
TheMargaret Mahy Medal was instituted in 1991. Among its recipients have beenwriters JoyCowley, WilliamTaylor, MauriceGee, DavidHill and KateDe Goldi, publisher AnnMallinson and illustrators GavinBishop and LynleyDodd.
Fleur Beale will deliverher Mahy Lecture and the Storylines’ annual Margaret Mahy Day being held in Auckland on Saturday 31March 2012. 
Margaret Mahy Award 2012