Dinah Priestley - Author/Illustrator

ABOUT

In Brief

Dinah Priestley writes for adults and children. She is also an artist, an actor, oral historian, and independent writer and producer for Radio New Zealand. Her local history titles include Old Thorndon (1988), and The Premier's House (1989). She has written and illustrated books for children, including Oscar, Star of the Opera (2004). Priestley has created a mask of Oscar, the star character in this book, which she uses when she visits schools as part of the Writers in Schools programme.

In Detail

Dinah Priestley (born in 1938) is a writer, artist, actor and oral historian who has published books for adults and children.

Her two historical titles focus on the inner-city Wellington suburb of Thorndon, one of the city's most historic areas. They are Old Thorndon (1988) and The Premier's House (1989).

She has written and illustrated children's books including, Hector the Bully (1988), which has also been published in Finland as Hirmuinen Hektor, and That's Not Cricket (1994). The later is a humorous book about cricket as likely to appeal to cricket-mad adults as children. Priestley's other projects include the 'Wellingtonic' series of cards, featuring colourful batik illustrations of Wellington's nightlife.

Oscar, Star of the Opera was published by Scholastic in 2004. Dinah Priestley has created a mask of Oscar, the star character in this book, which she uses in her Writers in Schools visits. Oscar, Star of the Opera and That's Not Cricket are now available.

Priestley acts from time to time for television and she scripts, voices and produces programmes for Radio New Zealand. She lives in Wellington.