Donovan Bixley

Donovan Bixley is an award-winning author and illustrator and book designer, with more than 120 books published in 31 countries. His work is nothing if not varied, from the hilarious hijinks of feline aviators in his "Flying Furballs" – an illustrated chapter book series for young readers, to his award-winning illustrated biography "Much Ado About Shakespeare" – a picture book for adults. In 2015 his hybrid part-novel part-comic "Monkey Boy" won Best Junior Fiction at the New Zealand Book Awards, and was selected by the International Youth Library as one of the top 200 children's books in the world. In 2018 he was the NZ Arts Foundation Children's Book Illustration Laureate and in 2021 he was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Some of the funny things he has illustrated include Shelob making Kentucky Fried Frodo, Mozart telling fart jokes, and a veloci-rapping dinosaur. Donovan plays saxophone, piano and guitar and is frontman for the 13 piece jazz/funk band Hot Tub. He lives with his family on the edge of Lake Taupo in New Zealand, site of the greatest eruption in human history. For more information visit www.donovanbixley.com