Gavin Bishop

Gavin Bishop
ONZM
Colour photograph of Gavin Bishop in 2018
Bishop in 2018
Born
Gavin John Bishop

1946 (age 79–80)
Invercargill, New Zealand
EducationUniversity of Canterbury
OccupationWriter
SpouseVivien Bishop
Children3
Writing career
LanguageEnglish
Websitegavinbishop.com

Gavin John Bishop ONZM (born 1946) is an author and illustrator, from Invercargill, New Zealand. He is known for illustrating books from prominent New Zealand authors, including Joy Cowley and Margaret Mahy.

Early life

Bishop was born on 13 February 1946 in Invercargill, to a Tainui and Ngāti Awa family.

Career

Bishop worked as a high school art teacher for thirty years, before writing and illustrating children's books full-time.

Bishop's first published picture book was Mrs McGinty and the Bizarre Plant, published in 1981 by Oxford University Press.

In 2006, he accused the makers of the Hollywood film Mr and Mrs Smith of plagiarizing his 1997 school book The Secret Lives of Mr and Mrs Smith.

Hundreds of artworks by Bishop were purchased by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in a deal announced in 2025.

Select honours and awards

Select bibliography

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Gavin Bishop. "About Me". Archived from the original on 27 October 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Mahy, Margaret (21 October 2013). Mister Whistler. Gecko Press. ISBN 9781877579363. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  3. ↑ Cowley, Joy (September 2011). Friends: Snake and Lizard. Gecko Press. ISBN 9781877467950. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Gavin Bishop". www.penguin.co.nz. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  5. ↑ "Interview with Gavin Bishop".
  6. ↑ "Hollywood stole my story — Kiwi author". The Dominion Post. The Press. 2 March 2006. p. 1.
  7. ↑ Meakin, Victoria. "Artwork by award-winning children's author acquired by Te Papa". The Press. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "Te Papa to show work of NZ children's author, illustrator Gavin Bishop". 1News. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Mabey, Claire (10 June 2026). "All the finalists in the 2026 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults". The Spinoff. Retrieved 1 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "'Atua: Māori gods and heroes' wins Margaret Mahy Book of the Year". Books+Publishing. 12 August 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  11. ↑ "Past Winners | New Zealand Book Awards Trust". www.nzbookawards.nz. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  12. ↑ Rebecca Kitteridge (31 December 2012). "New Year Honours List 2013". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (New Zealand). Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  13. ↑ "Gavin Bishop". The Arts Foundation. 26 September 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  14. ↑ "LIANZA Russell Clark Illustration Award". Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  15. ↑ Gavin Bishop. "Awards".
  16. ↑ "Gavin Bishop". Gecko Press. Retrieved 11 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Atua by Gavin Bishop". www.penguin.com.au. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
  18. ↑ "Mihi | Gecko Press". geckopress.com. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  19. ↑ Cook's Cook. Gecko Press. ISBN 9781776572175. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  20. ↑ Cook's Cook. Gecko Press. February 2017. ISBN 9781776571055. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  21. ↑ Helper and Helper. Gecko Press. February 2017. ISBN 9781-776571-05-5. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  22. ↑ "Mister Whistler | Gecko Press". geckopress.com. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 14 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "The House that Jack Built | Picture Books | Gecko Press". geckopress.com. 27 May 2013. Retrieved 14 March 2021.