Summary
It’s 1974, and a dark, cold New Zealand winter. So when Darryl’s mum announces she is going to the remote Pacific island of Mangareva for work, and she’s taking him with her, he is thrilled.
But even as Darryl soaks up the warmth and peaceful beauty of French Polynesia, his holiday is darkened by violent anti-nuclear protests. Plus there’s Alicia, with her furious outbursts against all Pacific nuclear tests. Darryl knows she’s talking rubbish.
What he doesn’t know is that when…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780143308157 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0143308157 |
| Author: | David Hill |
| Publisher: | Penguin Group (NZ) |
| Imprint: | Puffin |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 272 |
| Release Date: | 23 July 2014 |
| Weight: | 254g |
| Dimensions: | 20mm x 130mm x 200mm |
| Audience Age: | 9-12 |
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David Hill
David Hill is a prolific and highly regarded New Zealand writer, playwright, poet, columnist, and critic. He is best known for his award-winning body of work for young people, ranging from picture books to teenage fiction. His novels have been published internationally and translated into several languages, and his short stories and plays for young people have been broadcast both in New Zealand and overseas.
Born in Napier, New Zealand, David studied at Victoria University of Wellington and began his career as a high school teacher, teaching in both New Zealand and the UK. In 1982, he transitioned to full-time writing. His first novel for teenagers, See Ya, Simon (1992), which depicted the life of a boy with muscular dystrophy, was shortlisted for major awards in New Zealand and the UK and won the 1994 Times Educational Supplement Award for Special Needs. See Ya, Simon remains a popular novel and is used as a class text in high schools across New Zealand. In 2002, it received the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for a Much-loved Book.
Over the past three decades, David has published more than 40 titles. His recent middle-grade novels include:
- My Brother’s War (2012): Winner of the Junior Fiction Award and the Children’s Choice Junior Fiction Award at the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in 2013, the LIANZA Librarian’s Choice Award, and listed as a Storylines Notable Junior Fiction book, a White Raven, and an IBBY Honour book.
- Brave Company (2014): Also a Storylines Notable Junior Fiction book.
- The Deadly Sky (2015)
- Enemy Camp (2016): Winner of the 2016 HELL Children’s Choice Award for Junior Fiction.
- Flight Path (2017): A Storylines Notable Book.
- Finding (2018)
David is also the author of several critically acclaimed picture books, often collaborating with illustrator Phoebe Morris:
- First to the Top (2015): A bestselling story about Sir Edmund Hillary, winner of the 2016 Children’s Choice Award for non-fiction and a 2016 Storylines Notable Picture Book.
- Speed King (2016): About Burt Munro’s world-record-breaking achievements.
- Sky High (2017): Recounting the life of aviator Jean Batten. Both Speed King and Sky High received Storylines Notable Picture Book awards.
- Hero of the Sea: Sir Peter Blake’s Mighty Ocean Quests (2018)
- Dinosaur Hunter: Joan Wiffen’s Awesome Fossil Discoveries (2019)
In 2004, David was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and in 2005, he was awarded the Storylines Margaret Mahy Medal for his significant contribution to children’s literature in New Zealand.
In November 2021, David received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement - Fiction, recognizing his outstanding contribution to New Zealand Literature.
He resides in New Plymouth with his wife, Beth. David balances his writing projects with frequent school visits, professional development for teachers, mentoring emerging writers, and tutoring creative writing.
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