http://www.dnwfriends.nzl.org/

NEWSLETTERNumber 55 June 2017

BARBARA MURISON (1931-2017)It was with great excitement, at our annual general meeting in May 2015, that we announced that Barbara Murison had agreed to take on the role of Patron of the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection. As with all the many roles in her long and full life she accepted this one with enthusiasm and humility. We expected her to be our patron for the foreseeable future. It turns out that that future was very much shorter than any of us could have expected at the time. On 11 January 2017, on her fabulous website Around the bookshops, Barbara announced “A bit of personal news. I am a great believer in calling a spade a

spade so this is to let you know I have been diagnosed with terminal cancer with a ball park figure from the oncologist of around 6 months to countdown. I will do as much blogging of new books as I can in that time but don’t be surprised if it becomes a bit spasmodic.” And so it was. On 17 May we learned the very sad news Barbara had died.

Barbara’s funeral, at Old St Pauls in Wellington on 23 May 2017, was wonderfully managed as only Barbara knew how – and we are very pleased to be able to include in this newsletter some tributes to Barbara, including a transcript of Barbara’s own recorded farewell and Lynne Jackett’s eulogy.

Along with so many others we will miss Barbara’s extraordinary knowledge of books for children, her great enthusiasm, directness, energy, and friendship. We are so proud to have had her as a member and patron of the Friends.

Above: Barbara with flowers presented at the FDNW event in October 2015 when it was announced she had accepted the role of Patron of the society. Photograph: Joan McCracken

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2017The 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Society of Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection will be held on Tuesday 20 June 2016 at 5:30pm on level 1 of the National Library (corner Molesworth and Aitken Streets, Thorndon, Wellington). Following drinks and nibbles Research Librarian, Children’s Literature, Mary Skarott, will talk about some new donations to the collection, and Kay Hancock, research grant recipient, will introduce her research project.

All the sitting committee members, except for Tania Connelly have agreed to continue in their roles. Tania’s resignation from the committee has been reluctantly accepted as we recognise the difficulties of attending regular meetings when you live in the Wairarapa! All of Tania’s many contributions have been greatly appreciated and we look forward to her continued involvement with the Friends.

We thank all the 2016-2017 committee membersPatron: Barbara Murison President: Corrina GordonTreasurer & webmaster: Jeff Hunt Newsletter: Joan McCrackenSecretary: shared Research Librarian: Mary SkarottCommittee: Barbara Robertson, Chantalle Smith, Kathryn Walls, Tania Connelly

Full minutes and reports from the 2016 meeting can be found on the Friends’ website http://www.dnwfriends.nzl.org/index.php/home/agm/

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A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT"If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remem-ber. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you."

—The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne

Somehow this seems appropriate for this year, having been parted from a few of our dear members who have left this living world. Losing our patron, Barbara, was a great sadness to us, but I will re-member her for her strength, honesty and humour, right until her untimely end this May. In bravery and strength she was an inspiration.

Since our last newsletter we have been fortunate to have had two memorable events, the first of which was the Chief Librarian from the Alexander Turnbull library, Chris Szekely, reading from his first ‘chapter book’, Rona. I think we could all relate to some of Rona’s experiences, as a child in a very New Zealand setting, but some of the stories were inspired by Chris’ own childhood. Chris was highly entertaining in his renditions of Rona, and gave us glimpses into the charm of her life and character. We hope to hear more about Rona in the future.

Our own committee member, Barbara Robertson, gave a fascinating insight into the author Clare Mallory, a New Zealand ‘girls’ school story’ writer. Interesting to hear that she based her stories very much on the English model of school stories but was criticised in New Zealand for lacking a New Zea-land quality.

As the winter season is upon us it means two things – one is that we should take care to bundle up and keep warm – after all, there is no bad weather, only unsuitable clothing; the other is that it is an excellent time to curl up with good books, so happy reading, folks!

Corrina GordonPresident, FDNW Committee

JOHN McINTYRE After the distressing news that Barbara Murison had died, it was with very great sadness that we learned of the death of another champion of children’s literature - John McIntyre.

With the permission of the Wellington Children’s Book Association I share this tribute to John – and encourage you to “Buy a book for John” as suggested.

By now many of you will have heard the sad news that John McIntyre of The Children's Bookshop, bookseller extraordinaire, died on Saturday 10 June, after a brave fight with chronic illness.

When someone dies, people often ask "what can we do?" - well - there is something you can do!

We'd love it if as many people as possible could Buy a Book for John - to show what John meant to you and to the world of children's literature, and to give some practical support to Ruth and the bookshop over the next few weeks. If you're in Wellington, pop into the bookshop (Shop 26, Kilbirnie Plaza, Kilbirnie). If you' re not, you can shop online on their wonderful website. We'd like to think the bookshop staff will be swamped with orders and run off their feet. (We've checked with them first!)https://www.thechildrensbookshop.co.nz/pages/403-Welcome

The bookshop stocks a fabulous selection of books for children and young adults, as well as some adult fiction and non-fiction. If you're not sure what to buy, ask one of the bookshop

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staff - they are all amazing and knowledgeable (after all, they were trained by John!) Or check out the suggestions on their website (have a look at the latest newsletters). Buy a book for yourself, or buy one to give away and tell the person you give it to that it's in memory of John McIntyre. John said of himself, "I'm just a bookseller" - but we know he was much more than that.

More tributes to John: The Sapling: Farewell dear John we miss you alreadyhttp://www.thesapling.co.nz/single-post/2017/06/12/Farewell-Dear-John-we-miss-you-alreadyBooksellers NZ: Vale John McIntyre, creator of readershttp://www.booksellers.co.nz/members/members-news/vale-john-mcintyre-creator-readersRadio NZ interview, 26 May 2017 - just after he'd decided to give up the review spot he'd held, every second Friday, for 15 years (http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/201845263/john-mcintyre-champion-of-children-s-literature)

John's funeral was held at 1pm on Friday 16 June at Old St Paul's, Thorndon, Wellington. Messages for the McIntyre family can be left on John's tribute page or sent to: The Children's Bookshop, Shop 26, Kilbirnie Plaza, Kilbirnie, Wellington 6022. Donations to Kidney Health NZ would be appreciated.http://www.kidneys.co.nz/Donation/ http://tributes.co.nz/ViewMyTribute.aspx?id=12423

The ConvenerWellington Children's Book Associationwww.the-wcba.blogspot.com

END-OF-YEAR EVENT 2016To celebrate the end of a successful year we were delighted to have a special presentation from Chris Szekely at our end-of-year event on 7 December 2016.

As well as being the Chief Librarian of the Alexander Turnbull Library, Chris is an award-winning author of books for children. In October 2016 his chapter book Rona, was published by Huia Publishers. The audience were captivated when Chris read from his book, and responded enthusiastically to Rona’s philosophical musings and escapades.

It was a bonus that the book’s illustrator, Josh Morgan, was also able to be at the function. It was, in fact, the first time author and illustrator had met in person. It is apparently not uncommon for authors and illustrators to work quite separately. How fantastic that the outcome can be as successful as it for Rona!

A review of Rona, by Tania Connelly, is on page 4.

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Chris Szekely reading from Rona at the Friends’ event, October 2016Photographer: Tania Connelly

HE TOHU

As many of you will be aware a new exhibition recently opened at the National Library. He Tohu is a permanent exhibition of three iconic constitutional documents that shape Aotearoa New Zealand – a declaration, a treaty and a petition.

1835 He Whakaputanga – Declaration of Independence of the United Tribes of New Zealand

1840 Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi 1893 Women’s Suffrage Petition – Te Petihana Whakamana Pōti Wahine

In addition to the document room where you can see the original documents there is an interactive display that explores the context and ongoing importance of each of these three taonga. To find out more about each of these documents see the He Tohu website https://natlib.govt.nz/he-tohu

We thought it would be interesting to find out if any women with links to children’s literature had signed the Suffrage Petition in 1893 so we asked lead researcher from Archives NZ, Stef Lash, is she could help. She replied “There were lots of authors who signed the Petition:

Margaret Bullock on sheet 473 published a book called Utu: A Story of Love, Hate and Re-venge under the pen name Tua-o-rangi

Ellen Hewett on sheet 497 wrote a memoir called Looking Back that was still going strong in its sixth print edition in 1978

Mrs Wilson (Helen Margaret Wilson) on sheet 525 wrote a novel called Moonshine and an autobiography, My First 80 Years

Maud Reeves wrote a non-fiction book about the effects of poverty on health in London called Round About a Pound a Week

Edith Searle Grossman wrote at least four novels, a biography of Helen Macmillan Brown and countless pieces of journalism

R.S. Reynolds wrote a memoir called Pioneering in Australia and New Zealand about her childhood

Finally on the children’s literature front, the best I can find is Louisa Baker, who wrote the children’s pages in various newspapers, as well as advice columns for adult…and then 17 books mainly about women’s rights.

If you are aware of any other women writers who signed the petition we would love to hear about them. We will include fuller biographies of these women in future FDNW newsletters.

Joan McCrackenNewsletter Editor

BOOK REVIEW – Rona Rona, a chapter book by Chris Szekely, is a remarkable achievement. Trendy, lively and hilarious, it is written from a children’s view point and never wavers in its perspective. The odd ‘difficult’ word or phrase is explained in a glossary at the back which links unfamiliar concepts with the young reader’s existing knowledge e.g. ‘Porcelain – Porcelain is the stuff that mugs, cups and saucers are made of when they are not made of plastic or regular clay..’

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The text is divided into three parts, and subdivided into tiny, bite-sized chapters which roughly equate to the seasons (or the phases of the moon?). This idea is continued in the story-line which follows a year in the life of Rona Price, the protagonist. Rona is a smart little girl with a ready answer for everything, regardless of its accuracy! The changing nature of her activities, suggests the passing of time i.e. swimming, poetry writing (‘Autumn’), drawing, cake making, grass cutting and Christmas etc. The delightful saga of the Wills and Kate souvenir mug that spans the narrative holds the various episodes together.

Just as the legend of Rona is a Māori tale, so, too, is the story of Rona Price. This aspect makes the book especially interesting to those who choose to interpret it that way. On the other hand, the hints are so subtle and unobtrusive, that children from a non-Māori background will find such references no impediment to their enjoyment of the book or their ability to relate closely with the characters.

Rona is illustrated with humorous black and white cartoon style graphics by Josh Morgan. These compliment the wackiness of the text and add a further zing to this attractive production.

Tania ConnellyFDNW Committee

FROM THE RESEARCH LIBRARIANAfter being unable to access the NCC and DNW collections after the Kaikoura earthquake in November, access was restored during April.

Nicola Daly, previous recipient of the FDNW research grant, has had her research paper published. The article is: “Pākehā-Māori: European-Native. Ethnic Labeling in the Dorothy Neal White Collection”, and it appears in the New review of children’s literature and librarianship, 23:1, 1-12. You can read it online: http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/evj6tZuZdBVfjyRJE6gb/full

Kay Hancock was awarded the FDNW Research Grant for 2017. She will be examining the Ready to read series. You can see a profile of Kay on page 7.

In May the valuers visited the library to assess the Alexander Turnbull Library collections and the Dorothy Neal White Collection. This was a very interesting exercise for which I had to provide the valuers with a representative sample of about 0.5% of the collection (just over 40 items). They also looked at a selection of items which are known to be of particularly high value. We are still awaiting the final valuation figure.

Mary SkarottResearch Librarian, Children’s Literature

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Chris Szekely (author) and illustrator Josh Morgan of Rona at the Friends’ event on 7 December 2016.

Photographer: Joan McCracken

IN THE DISPLAY CABINET

#12 What shall we do now?This display began on 27 April 2017 and will run until approximately the end of July. The previous display of works by Avis Acres and May Gibbs ran a lot longer than planned because the children’s collections could not be accessed until April 2017, following the Kaikoura earthquake in November.Children have always asked the question “What shall we do now?”, but the options available to them in today’s digital age are quite different from those of 100 years ago.

The books on display explore the pastimes and activities that were considered suitable for children with time on their hands in a world with no radio, television or internet. These included doing something useful (domestic skills, making things, gardening, playing an instrument), getting out in the healthy fresh air (outdoor games, nature study, camp cooking and and survival skills) and entertaining friends and family at home with such diversions as parlour games, magic tricks, puppet shows and scientific experiments.

Many of the suggested activities are, of course, still popular alternatives to poring over a digital device, but not many children nowadays will spend hours making matchbox furniture or perfecting their ventriloquism skills.

Books included in the display:The boy’s own book of indoor games and recreations : an instruction manual of home amusements. Edited by Morley Adams. (London : Boy’s Own Paper Office) 1912

The girl’s own indoor book : containing practical help to girls on all matters relating to their material comfort and moral well-being. Edited by Charles Peters. (London : Religious Tract Society) 1888?

100 things a girl can make: a bookful of attractive hints for girls of all ages.(London : W. Foulsham & Co.) 1924

Bullivant, Cecil H. Home fun. (London : Thomas Nelson & Sons) 1910

Hopkins, R. Thurston. Every boy’s open-air book. (London : Cecil Palmer) c1925

Mary SkarottResearch Librarian, Children’s Literature

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INTRODUCING… KAY HANCOCKWe are delighted that Kay Hancock has been awarded the 2016 Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Research Grant. She is looking at the Ready to read series – and gave a very well received talk to the Friends in February 2016 about her research.

Kay introduces herself…I am a literacy consultant, specialising in early reading. My background is in primary school teaching and educational publishing, in particular the development of early reading materials. I have worked on the Ministry’s instructional reading series since 1998 (first for Learning Media and now for Lift Education) and was the Ready to Read series editor for several years.

I bring a lifelong love of children’s literature to my work, knowing the impact that engaging, high quality materials have on children’s development as readers. This has led to my current doctoral research, looking at the Ready to Read series as New Zealand children’s literature. The series is provided free by the Ministry of Education to all New Zealand schools and has been central to reading instruction in junior classes since 1963. I am investigating the first twenty-five years of the series – why and how it started, the literary qualities of the materials, and how the materials have reflected changing views of New Zealand children. I hope my research will be of interest to educators, other researchers, and anyone with an interest in New Zealand children’s literature.

FROM THE DOROTHY NEAL WHITE COLLECTION

The magic pudding: being the adventures of Bunyip Bluegum and his friends Bill Barnacle & Sam Sawnoff / by Norman Lindsay.

I am sure many of you will be familiar with this much-loved Australian classic. Now approaching its 100th birthday, it has never been out of print.

Bunyip Bluegum, and adventurous and very dapper young koala, sets out to see the world. Before he knows it, he has met up with Bill Barnacle (sailor) and Sam Sawnoff (penguin), who are “perfessional puddin’ owners”. Albert is the rather grumpy puddin’ in question, and he possesses the enviable talents of never being completely eaten and being able to change to different flavours on demand. Naturally, such a wondrous pudding is highly coveted by others, and the bulk of the story concerns the efforts of Bill, Sam and Bunyip Bluegum to maintain ownership of Albert against the efforts of potential thieves, notably Wombat and Possum.

Writing in A history of Australian children’s literature (1969), Maurice Saxby describes it as “a book which has retained its appeal over the passing years, and is as fresh and as popular today as it was when it was first published in 1918 – a book of magic and adventure, belonging to both children and adults – a ‘rip-roaring’ expression of the author’s own exuberant personality.” Just two years ago, Philip Pullman wrote “I think it’s the funniest children’s book ever written. One of the great strengths of the book is its illustration, by Lindsay himself. He was best known as a visual artist, producing thousands of paintings, etchings, drawings, and sculptures, but his pictures for The Magic Pudding are his best work, in my view. They are so vigorous and absurd, so strongly characterized and brilliantly detailed, that my eye delights in them still.” (Publisher’s weekly, Dec. 2015) High praise indeed!

The book is indeed a wonderful example of a happy relationship between text and illustration. Norman Lindsay’s artwork is beautifully fluid and dynamic, and expresses the individual personalities

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and emotions of the characters very well. The humorous and often totally absurd tone of the text matches perfectly with the quirkiness of the drawings, and the comparisons that are often made with Alice’s adventures in Wonderland are very apt. A present day reader might view the language as charmingly old-fashioned, but nonetheless it is still more than accessible. Regular forays into song and rhyme add to the fun.

The National Library holds several editions of The Magic Pudding, including first editions (1918) in both the Dorothy Neal White Collection and Alexander Turnbull Library.

Mary SkarottResearch Librarian, Children’s Literature

CLARE MALLORY: the person behind the pseudonymFor the first Friends’ event in 2017 we were very fortunate to have a talk by com-mittee member Barbara Robertson on the New Zealand author Clare Mallory. Bar-bara has a particular interest in school stories and first presented her research on Clare Mallory at the CHOCS Conference1 in January 2017.

Clare Mallory was the pseudonym of Winifred Constance McQuilkan. She was born in Invercargill in 1913 and showed early promise as a writer – contributing to “The

little Southlanders” page of The Southland Times. She was dux of Southland Girls High School and gained a scholarship at Otago University. A friend described her as “probably the brightest woman of her year”. In 1935 she graduated MA Honours in English and Classics from Otago University. She won a post-graduate scholarship to Oxford University. Returning to Dunedin she taught for a time at Ot-ago Girls’ High School before becoming the headmistress of Columba College in 1942.

To entertain her pupils while they packed food parcels for children in England during WWII, Winnie would tell them stories, setting them in a boarding-school much like their own. This lead to the pub-lication of the first of the “Merry” stories Merry begins in 1947 under the pseudonym Clare Mallory. Other stories about Merry Arundel followed, all with a recognisably South Island setting. Later stories weren’t so obviously New Zealand based. This, and the setting of the stories in boarding schools, led to some criticism, with The Listener suggesting she should be writing about the sort of schools most

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Copies of The magic pudding held in the Dorothy Neal White Collection, all published by Angus and Robertson. Left to right: 1918 (first edition), 1937 and 1930.

New Zealanders attended. However, Barbara argued that Winnie was creating stories based on her own experience and consequently they have an authenticity and reality not always present in books in this genre.

Winnie McQuilkan married Frank Hall in 1948 and moved to the United Kingdom where he was studying medicine. They returned to NZ in 1952 settling in Wellington where Winnie taught at Wel-lington Girls High School, Marsden College and Victoria University. She died on 20 April 1991.

Ten books by Clare Mallory were published during her lifetime. Two unpublished stories were depos-ited with the Alexander Turnbull Library in 2001 (transferred from the Dorothy Neal White Collec-tion) and these have subsequently also been published.

Barbara’s talk about Clare Mallory was absolutely fascinating and we hope it will be published in the FDNW series Notes-Books-Authors. This would be particularly fitting as N-B-A 2 (1989) was a personal memoir of Clare Mallory by her friend Janet Maconie. This is available in digital form on the Friends’ website http://www.dnwfriends.nzl.org/index.php/2015/05/24/nba2/

1 CHOCS - Collectors and Hoarders of Old Fashioned Children’s Stories

Joan McCrackenFDNW Newsletter Editor

2017 NEW ZEALAND BOOK AWARDS FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG ADULTSThe finalists for this year’s book awards have been announced. Convenor of judges, Pam Jones, says

This year’s shortlist reminds us that books are powerful vehicles for helping children make sense of their world and gain a better understanding of themselves and others. At times the vividly descriptive writing was brutal and heart-breaking, providing moving portrayals of life through the eyes of children and teenagers. All finalist titles are convincing in their realism, skilfully laced with honour and honesty throughout.

Young readers will have a chance to meet the finalist authors in early August, at three big events. The first is in Christchurch (Monday, 7 August in association with WORD Christchurch); then in Dunedin (Friday and Saturday, 11-12 August in association with Dunedin Public Libraries and UBS Otago); and finally in Wellington (Monday, 14 August). The winners of the 2017 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults will be announced on the evening of Monday, 14 August in Wellington.

The New Zealand Book Awards for Children & Young Adults are made possible through the generos-ity, commitment and vision of funders and sponsors: Creative New Zealand, HELL Pizza, Book Tokens

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Barbara Robertson with a display of her collection of Clare Mallory books, and speaking at the FDNW event on 15 March 2017Photographs: Joan McCracken

(NZ) Ltd, Copyright Licensing NZ, LIANZA & Te Rōpū Whakahau, Wellington City Council and Nielsen Book. The awards are admin-istered for the New Zealand Book Awards Trust by the New Zealand Book Council.

For details about the finalists see the Book-sellers of NZ websitehttp://www.booksellers.co.nz/book-news/nz-book-awards/finalists-announced-2017-new-zealand-book-awards-children-and-young-adults

DOROTHY ON SOCIAL MEDIAWhile the website remains the main platform for information about the Friends events, copies of the newsletters, minutes, and news about the collection, we now also have a Facebook page. Thanks to Chantalle and Corrina we are promoting the collection and our publications to a wider audience. We also follow a number of other organisations with interests similar to the Friends. If you are a Facebook user please follow us and share our posts.

https://www.facebook.com/dnwfriends

THE SAPLING

Have you looked at the new(ish) website The Sapling yet? You will find a cornucopia of con-tent – including interviews, feature articles, quizzes, book lists and regular columns.

Founded by two Wellington women, Sarah Forster and Jane Arthur, the site “celebrates the excel-lence and diversity of children’s books in Aotearoa and abroad”. Highly recommended! www.thes-apling.co.nz

CONTACTS LIST / SUBSCRIPTIONSThank you to everyone who has responded so positively to subscription renewal requests - we are delighted with the number of renewals we've received. We would still like to hear from you if you haven't been in touch as yet. If you are able to provide an email address that certainly helps with event and subscription notification, though we will continue to post out the newsletter to those who are unable to collect it at a meeting, so we do also need a mailing address. The financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March.

If you want to contact the Society about subscriptions, contributions to the newsletter, or any other matters, please email friendsdnw@gmail.com or write to us at PO Box 12499, Thorndon, Wellington 6144

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The contents of this newsletter will be published on the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White website where you will be able to see the images in colour http://www.dnwfriends.nzl.org/

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BARBARA MURISON (1931-2017) Barbara Graham Cargill Murison was born in Wellington on 26 November 1931, the only child of Athol Huntly Murison and Alice Kennedy Graham. She died in Waikanae on 17 May 2017. Barbara was a long-time member of the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection, and from October 2015 the Society’s Patron. Barbara’s rich and varied life was celebrated at her funeral at Old St Paul’s on Tuesday 23 May 2017. As it was recorded in her death notice “She was a Wellingtonian through and through” and a “dearly loved friend of librarians, writers, Forest and Birders, and Girl Guides”. We have gathered here some of the many tributes made to Barbara – both during her life and following her death.

From the FDNW newsletter 31 April 2003

BARBARA MURISON HONOUREDCongratulations to Friend Barbara Murison on receiving the 2002 Betty Gilderdale Award. This Award was first given in 2001 by the Children’s Literature Foundation of New Zealand. It continues the Children’s Literature Association Award (established in 1990) and is named to honour the work of Betty Gilderdale who was a founding member of the Children’s Literature Association of New Zealand. The Award recognises outstanding services to children’s literature in New Zealand.

Barbara Murison is a librarian, author, and business woman – who, over a long career, has supported and promoted New Zealand books for children and young people.

On Friday, 15 November 2002 the Children’s Literature Foundation of New Zealand (Storylines) together with the Wellington Children’s Book Association hosted a reception at the National Library to honour Barbara.

Guests gathered from 6.00 pm in the lower ground floor foyer of the National Library where they enjoyed drinks and finger food as they mingled convivially. Authors were there (among them Fiona Kidman, Kate de Goldi, Barbara Else, Vivienne Joseph, Jane Westaway …), librarians, teachers, colleagues, personal friends, all of whose lives had been touched in some way by Barbara. There was much reminiscing and enthusiastic chat. A contingent of Aucklanders led by Wayne Mills (President of Auckland Storylines and organiser of the popular literature quiz for schools) and including Betty Gilderdale and her husband had flown down for the occasion.

At approximately 7.00 pm guests assembled in the auditorium for the more formal part of proceedings. Wayne Mills, as chairman, introduced Barbara, talking about her energy and enthusiasm in the various facets of her career, making special mention of her Marigold Enterprises with its valuable reviews and advice to teachers and librarians. He then called on Betty Gilderdale to make the presentation of a handsome certificate designed by Betty’s husband. But before doing so Betty paid her own tribute, speaking briefly to support Wayne’s words and adding her own praise and thanks for Barbara’s many years of service. Special mention was made of Barbara’s book Buster Bee but there was regret that it was out of print. Betty felt that it was well worth reprinting for the picture it gave of a child growing up in the 1930s. Barbara was also given a cheque and a bouquet of flowers.

In her award presentation Barbara began by saying that the person she knew most about was herself and into her address entitled Tapestries she wove many threads of her life experiences, especially those that involved the influences of books. She began by remembering her childhood days in Ohakune as the daughter of a railway engineer with parents who both read to her and told her stories. Schooldays were in Wellington, with visits to the Public Library and time spent with her godmother while her parents were overseas. Always there were books in her life. Her first job as a cub reporter on the Evening Post was brief, as she did not appreciate this male-dominated profession. This was followed by work at the School Library Service, which in those days was located in the bowels of Parliament Buildings. Here Hector Mcaskill encouraged his staff to read the books

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they were sending out to schools, to write reviews to assist teachers, to take books home to read with no restrictions on numbers. Other threads in the tapestry were overseas travel, involvement with the Girl Guides movement, work as a children’s librarian at Wellington City Library, owner of a bookshop, school librarian at Raroa Intermediate School with Jim Milburn as Headmaster, library adviser with School Services, and currently as owner of Marigold Enterprises with its reviewing service for schools and libraries. The tapestry has been rich and varied with the recurrent theme of books.

The audience was very involved in the telling and the warm reception given Barbara was indicative of the affection the guests felt towards one who has spent a lifetime career promoting books.Guests lingered for some time after the ceremony to congratulate Barbara and to catch up with friends and acquaintances. It was a highly satisfying evening.

Mary Hutton,Committee, Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection

From the FDNW newsletter 37 April 2007

BARBARA MURISON HONOUREDCongratulations to long time FDNW member Barbara Murison who was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to children’s literature in the New Year Honours List 2007.

In an interview with Kate Bleasdale in The Norwester (23 January 2007) Barbara is quoted as saying, “It’s a very special thing to get and really great for children’s literature, it does enhance the importance of it”. It is wonderful to have both Barbara and books for children recognised in this way.

Barbara’s career in children’s literature began in 1950 when she worked sorting books for the School Library Service in “dank, dark little rooms” under Parliament. Later she became children’s librarian at Wellington Public Library.

In 1965 she opened the Mercury Bookshop but returned to library work in 1971. In 1979 she became a primary school advisor with the School Library Service – a role she continued until her retirement from the National Library.

However it was not a retirement from work with books for children. Barbara wanted to continue her relationship with school libraries and conceived the idea of Around the bookshops, a quarterly buying and sometimes ‘borrowing’ guide for schools, public libraries, booksellers, and anyone who is interested in quality and up to date children’s books and resources. Through her Marigold Enterprises Barbara also offers a manuscript assessment service. More information can be found on her website http://marigold.co.nz

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Barbara Murison (centre) with Lynne Jackett and Alison Grant at a lunch held at the home of Janet McFadden to celebrate

Barbara’s NZOM, January 2007Photographer: Joan McCracken

In 2002 Storylines: The Children’s Literature Foundation of New Zealand presented Barbara with the Betty Gilderdale Award for services to New Zealand children’s literature. She received a Certificate of Recognition from SLANZA (School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa) in 2004. It was “awarded for her innovation and contribution, over more than fifty years, to the development of quality resources and expertise in libraries for children and young people”.

We look forward to sharing Barbara’s knowledge of, and enthusiasm for, children’s literature for many years to come.

Joan McCrackenFDNW Newsletter editor

From the FDNW newsletter 50 November 2014 (extract from article by Trevor Mowbray)N-B-A 12 was launched at the Friends event in October by writer, librarian and advocate for children’s literature, Barbara Murison. She welcomed this survey on writing for children published in the 1940s and was delighted to see listed many of her own favourites. She entertained the audience with the memory of locking her grandmother in the pantry. Barbara was not at all bothered by the punishment of not being allowed to visit her grandmother again, but very upset that this meant she would no longer have access to the Just William books!

From the School Library Association of NZ Aotearoa website

HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIPS AWARDED 2015 (awarded to Kaaren Hirst & Barbara Murison)Barbara Murison has spent her life promoting and working with school libraries. Through her ventures in publishing and her online presence she has informed school libraries about books for young people. Barbara is a longstanding member of SLANZA and a supporter of school libraries across the nation. Her work to promote school libraries is of nationwide importance.http://www.slanza.org.nz/uploads/9/7/5/5/9755821/lifememberships2015.pdf

From the FDNW newsletter 52 December 2015

PATRON – BARBARA MURISONWe are thrilled to announce that Barbara Murison, a long-time member of the Friends, has accepted the role as Patron of the Society. This role has been vacant since the death of the Society’s first Patron, Margaret Mahy in 2012. Barbara’s ap-pointment was announced at the Friend’s October event. Barbara has been a lover of books all her life. She considers herself to have been very lucky to have been born to parents (and grandparents) who all felt that after love, warm shelter, sufficient food and water, a child should be surrounded by books and given a library card at an early age.

She has spent over sixty years working with, and looking at, books and resources for children and young readers and continues to be part of the group that is dedicated to trying to keep a high stand-ard of children’s literature alive in this country.

In 2002 Barbara was awarded the Betty Gilderdale Award for services to New Zealand children’s liter-ature by Storylines: New Zealand Children’s Literature Foundation. In 2004 SLANZA (School Library Association of New Zealand Aotearoa) presented her with a Certificate of Recognition for innovation and contribution over 50 years in the development of quality resources and expertise in libraries for children and young people. Then, in the 2007 New Year Honours Barbara was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to children’s literature.

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For nineteen years Barbara produced a three-monthly book review bulletin for schools, colleges and public libraries. Although this part of her business stopped in November 2010 Barbara continues to offer a Manuscript Assessment service, particularly for those writing for children and young adults, helping to develop them to a possible publishing standard. She also reads many new children’s and young adult’s books and reviews them on her blog site Around the bookshops http://barbaramurison.blogspot.co.nz/

As well as all of this Barbara still finds time to walk in the bush, and enjoy going out to dinner, the movies, and various book events – including Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection talks!

Adapted from the “About me” page on Barbara’s Around the bookshops website

From The Children’s Bookshop Facebook page 18 May 2017

Barbara Murison - New Zealand children's literature has just lost a legend. Barbara died quietly last evening (17th May) at her Waikanae home.

Barbara devoted her life to children's books.

[Biographical notes follow – adapted from Mary Hutton’s article published in the FDNW newsletter and reproduced above]

She also wrote children's stories, and assessed manuscripts for authors. In 2002 she received The Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for services to children's literature and in 2004 SLANZA made her a life member of the association. In 2007 she was made a member of The New Zealand Order of Merit.

We will remember her as a passionate supporter of authors, illustrators, publishers and booksellers. There wasn't a book launch, an author event, a writing workshop or a panel discussion she'd miss, or a committee she wouldn't join. She bought the books and reviewed them all in her magazine. She was a forthright voice, not afraid to speak her mind, but a kind and generous benefactor to low-decile schools, to whom she'd donate the books she had been sent to review.

Barbara has left a huge legacy and will be greatly missed by her many friends.

Arohanui - John and Ruth.

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Photo of Barbara launching Over The Hill To Greytown by Tania Atkinson, illustrated by Viv Walker - 2013.

Tributes were also published on The Sapling website on 18 May 2017http://www.thesapling.co.nz/single-post/2017/05/18/Vale-Barbara-Murison-Champion-of-Childrens-Literature

And from Storylines members on the Storylines websitehttp://www.storylines.org.nz/site/storylines/files/Remembering%20Barbara%20Murison%20-%20Storylines%20tributes.pdf

Eulogy given by Lynne Jackett at Barbara’s funeral.I don’t recall exactly when I first met that human dynamo, Barbara Murison, but it must have been in 1979 when she returned to School Library Service, Wellington, as a Library Advisor, about the time that I left to give birth to my elder child. My first recollection of Barbara is the 1986 afternoon she talked to the Wainuiomata Pippins about becoming Brownies and then Guides. At the end of the session she was surrounded by shining-eyed 5 and 6 year olds, excited by her description of future adventures and challenges. Barbara definitely had a Pied Piper effect on children.

As a Library Advisor she not only left her mark on many school librarians and libraries, but also on her School Library Service colleagues throughout the country. One of those colleagues, Jeannie Skinner from Northland, has written words that reflect the esteem in which she was held:

“Even though forewarned it still comes as a jolt to think of farewelling that lovely, lively, active, interesting, kind person… Barbara loved literature and libraries, publishing and reviewing, had a passion for creating readers, and was so full of enthusiasm for life generally - tramping, photography, theatre and more.

“I think my memory of her establishing the school library network meetings (which now happen all around the country, each term, over 40 to 50 of them) is so apt because she was a real connector – her career, her publications, her manuscript service, her blog, were all about strengthening links between readers and books, libraries, publishers, authors, events, teachers, families, schools.

“I did so admire her as a person, her positivity, her zest for life and experiences, her utter commitment to children’s literature and all the people that work to put the books into children’s hands. Hers was indeed a life well-lived, and you’re right, we will miss her – her laugh, her knowledge, her warmth”.

Thank you, Jeannie.

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Lynne Jackett, Janet McFadden, Barbara Murison and Joan McCracken at the Storylines Festival at the St James Theatre, Wellington, 19 June 2004.

Just after Barbara finished her Advisory career, she joined me in the School Library Service book selection team, where the 2 of us shared selecting and reviewing fiction books. Part of those roles was writing reviews for the SLS publications distributed to all New Zealand schools and pre-schools. Imagine our dismay when those publications (and our jobs) were ceased. The guides had been very popular with their readers, and were much needed guidance for teachers trying to build their book collections in a few hours a week. Doom, gloom and despondency descended .... briefly.

But listen! Do you hear what I hear? The Lone Ranger theme! That is the sound of Barbara galloping to the rescue. And so her buying guide – and subsequent blog Around the bookshops was born, and continued for over 20 years until she signed off in March this year, unable to continue because reading had joined walking as an activity that was too tiring, and for which she no longer had the concentration. Barbara’s innovations in Around the bookshops and her other publications were to include biographical information on and interviews with: authors, illustrators, and the occasional librarian and to introduce book reviews by children. Barbara told me that she was heartened that almost her final post had been the announcement of a new website for children’s books, The Sapling.

Barbara organised the panel of markers for the Kids Lit Quiz from when Wayne Mills introduced it to Wellington. For several years, she also selected the book prizes and I was lucky enough to be her assistant. Our bookshop hunts were hard work, punctuated by Barbara’s pithy comments about some books and lively endorsement of others. Wayne paid tribute to her contribution when we gathered for the Wellington round of the Kids Lit Quiz without her for the first time earlier this year.

Barbara also organised the reading area when the Storylines Festival was held in Wellington. Our area was always slow to attract visitors and we often despaired that nobody would turn up. Once, Barbara set up a photo of me, supposedly asleep, at the far end of a large empty room – just seconds before the first families with tired toddlers arrived for a respite. We invariably ended on a high, having enjoyed alternately reading to and observing the reactions of the children.

Barbara led teams of people judging children’s writing competitions, hosting us and reams of paper in her home, as we prepared a shortlist for the expert judges. Convivial but slightly frantic events, as there were always just so many stories submitted.

Barbara had always been a supporter of the National Library’s children’s literature research collections and I was delighted when she agreed to become Patron of the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection last year. Her presence at Friends’ events will be missed by many.In our last conversation during her few days at Mary Potter Hospice, Barbara said she was happy with her life and achievements, except, whistfully, that she had not had a family “I could have been a great-grandma by now”. Her achievements were appreciated by all who knew and were inspired by her and were formally recognised by three awards for her services to children’s literature in New Zealand:

The Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award in 2002; Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours 2007; and a SLANZA Honorary Life Membership in 2015 for her contribution to school libraries across the nation.

I, and all her School Library Service colleagues, The Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection and the Kids’ Lit Quiz crew are going to miss our remarkable, energetic, enthusiastic, kind, funny, occasionally acerbic friend.

Goodbye, Barbara

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Barbara’s transcription of the taped recording she made to be played at her funeral

WORD ON TAPE OF BM’S FUNERAL FAREWELL JUST IN CASE THE TAPE FADES OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS...

RECORDED ON 6.6.11 [still happy with it on 5.1.17]HelloThank you all for coming today and in what I hope will be a plain pine coffin in front of you. As those of you who really know me will understand I have always enjoyed speaking in public and this is really my last chance – I won’t exploit it though – just quite short and hopefully sweet.A few thanks / a few happy moments / a few regrets. Nothing embarrassing – nobody mentioned by name but I hope you will know who I am referring to.....

Thanks to all my friends – I won’t single you out – you know who you are and I so very much appreciate all the many kindnesses you have shown me / your tolerance over the things you have had to put up with from me and the really happy times we have shared together – picnics and movies / walks and talks / lots of laughs and even some serious conversations just wondering what it has all been about. Especially for all those WONDERFUL EMAILS. Thank you to the many doors you opened for me in so many different ways. Thanks to my Mum and Dad – they didn’t understand much about parenting but they loved me to bits and that’s what I remember. My mum for understanding that my future didn’t lie in veterinary work (hopeless at maths) but in books. She was right – it has been a lifelong passion and hopefully I have been able to share it with other people in some ways. My dad for introducing me to the world of the bush and the out of doors. He had a sad ending when alcoholism marked him down but he was a father I was so proud of when I was a little girl – a handsome father who along with my mother, always made my friends welcome to our home.

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Happy moments – there have been a lot but it is the little things you remember – the day I realised I could really ride my bicycle on my own without an adult’s hand on the back / the day I saw the green circle round the sun as it sank into the sea at Plimmerton / the day I moved to Ngaio and realised I was surrounded by people I knew / my first real grown up kiss sitting in the arm chair in the sitting room in our old Bolton street house with Mum and Dad asleep in the next room.

Regrets? Well of course there are regrets. My biggest of course is that my death notice will did not say loved and loving wife of ....., mother and grandmother (and even great-grandmother of)… Remember that old song with the line I let my golden chances pass me by? I did just that – silly me. I never thought I would be alone for all those years.

For some reason some people thought of me as having some sort of feline phobia. I really have always loved any cat (or dog) in my life but I am only mildly interested in other people’s pets and not the whole species en masse. Does that sound a bit ungrateful – probably is! I really appreciated the thoughts behind the pussy cat mugs and towels and writing paper [and soap].

[Handwritten on back]So that’s probably enough. Please enjoy the service and sing loudly – I don’t care if it is out of tune. I wish I could really be there with you (well I am in a way) and if you would like to get out a handkerchief or a tissue at the end I would be really flattered.

Thank you to Dorothy Mitchell for the copy of the transcript.

The last posting on Around the Bookshops 15 March 2017 http://barbaramurison.blogspot.co.nz/

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SUBSCRIPTIONS / MEMBERS ADDRESSES

The annual membership subscription for the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection is $20:00.

Whether you want to be active in a friendly group supporting the promotion of children’s literature, or just want the satisfaction of being associated with a valuable community group, we value you. Members might also like to make a contribution to a special Research Grant fund that will allow us to continue and / or increase the amount we are able to offer a student doing research based on the collections supported by the Friends. A separate line has been included on the form for those Friends who would like to make such a donation.

The Treasurer will be delighted to receive your subscription payment at the next meeting, or by post to:

The Friends of the Dorothy Neal White CollectionPO Box 12499WELLINGTON 6144

If you prefer to pay by internet banking then this is encouraged. Please include your name as reference.Bank details are Society of Friends D N White BNZ 02-0585-0045879-000

Please indicate any changes to your address details when you complete the form. We are now able to send notification of meetings by email. If you would like to receive information in this way please include your email address.

Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection2017 – 2018 Membership

I would like to join / renew my subscription to the Friends of the Dorothy Neal White Collection for1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018

My cheque / cash for $20:00 is enclosed

My donation of $ to the DNW Scholarship Fund is enclosed

I would like to receive receipts, notification of meetings and other Friends’ events by email

Name:

Address:

Telephone:

Email address:

http://www.dnwfriends.nzl.org

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