Deborah Mary Niland (born 1950) is a New Zealand–born Australian artist, known as a writer and illustrator of children's books. Some of her most popular books include ''Annie's Chair'', ''When The Wind Changed'', ''

Mulga Bill's Bicycle "Mulga Bill's Bicycle" is a poem written in 1896 by Banjo Paterson. It was originally published on the 25th of July 1896 edition of the ''Sydney Mail'', and later appeared in the poet's second poetry collection ''Rio Grande's Last Race and Other ...

'', and ''Chatterbox''. In 2006 she won The Children's Book of the Year – Early Childhood, with her book ''Annie's Chair''.

Biography

Niland and her twin sister Kilmeny are the youngest of five children of Australian authors

D'Arcy Niland D'Arcy Francis Niland (20 October 191729 March 1967) was an Australian farm labourer, novelist and short story writer. In 1955 he wrote '' The Shiralee'', which gained international recognition in its depictions of the experiences of a swagman a ...

and

Ruth Park Rosina Ruth Lucia Park AM (24 August 191714 December 2010) was a New Zealand–born Australian author. Her best known works are the novels ''The Harp in the South'' (1948) and ''Playing Beatie Bow'' (1980), and the children's radio serial ''Th ...

. Niland was born in Auckland, New Zealand and raised in Sydney, Australia. Niland and her sister Kilmeny attended

Julian Ashton Art School The Julian Ashton Art School was established by Julian Ashton in 1890 as the "Academy Julian", (perhaps a reference to the Académie Julian in Paris) has been an influential art school in Australia. For a long time it was known as the Sydney Art ...

The Rocks, Sydney The Rocks is a suburb, tourist precinct and historic area of Sydney's city centre, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the southern shore of Sydney Harbour, immediately north-west of the Sydney central business district ...

. Here they studied drawing and painting, taught in the traditional manner, by J Richard Ashton. Both began their art careers by freelancing. In London, they received illustration work from Transworld and their first full-length picture book, ''The Little Goat'', was published in 1971. Niland and her sister Kilmeny worked together on thirteen books. Their best-known collaboration is an illustrated version of ''

'', based on a poem written by A. B. (Banjo) Paterson. This classic picture book was first published in 1973, and has never been out of print. The newest edition is published by

HarperCollins HarperCollins Publishers LLC is one of the Big Five English-language publishing companies, alongside Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan. The company is headquartered in New York City and is a subsidiary of News Cor ...

Australia. Niland's early career as a book illustrator involved collaborations with author Ruth Park (''When The Wind Changed'' (1980), ''Roger Bandy'' (1977) and ''The Gigantic Balloon'' (1975)) and author

Jean Chapman Jean Chapman (born 30 October 1929) is a British writer of romance novels since 1981 and a lecturer in creative writing. Her debut novel ''The Unreasoning Earth'' and ''The Red Pavilion'' were both shortlisted for the Parker Pen Romantic Novel ...

(''Velvet Paws and Whiskers'' (1979) and ''The Sugar Plum Christmas Book'' (1977)). Niland has both written and illustrated many children's titles including ''Annie's Chair'' (2005), ''The Big Green Thing'' (2008), and ''Let's Play'' (2007). Throughout her career, Niland has illustrated more than 50 titles. In addition to book illustration, Niland has been a freelance contributor to ''

The Australian Women's Weekly ''The Australian Women's Weekly'', sometimes known as simply ''The Weekly'', is an Australian monthly women's magazine published by Mercury Capital in Sydney. For many years it was the number one magazine in Australia before being outsold by ...

'' for over ten years, providing mainly humorous illustrations for articles and stories. Work for other magazines included ''

Cleo Cleo may refer to: Entertainment * ''Cleo'' (magazine), an Australian magazine established in 1972, now active in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand * Cleo (group), a South Korean girl group formed in 1999 * ''Cleo'' (play), by Lawren ...

'', ''Family Circle'', ''

CHOICE A choice is the range of different things from which a being can choose. The arrival at a choice may incorporate motivators and models. For example, a traveler might choose a route for a journey based on the preference of arriving at a giv ...

'' and ''

Reader's Digest ''Reader's Digest'' is an American general-interest family magazine, published ten times a year. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, it is now headquartered in midtown Manhattan. The magazine was founded in 1922 by DeWitt Wallace and his wi ...

''. When illustrating or painting, Niland uses a variety of materials,''The Story Makers'', Margaret Dunkle, editor, Oxford University Press, Australia, 1987 including pen and ink, coloured pencil, acrylic paint, water-colour, pencil and digital media. Niland has continued to work in the fine arts, producing paintings for exhibitions and galleries. She has won several prizes, including The Robert le Gay Brereton Prize for Drawing, awarded by the

Art Gallery of NSW The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), founded as the New South Wales Academy of Art in 1872 and known as the National Art Gallery of New South Wales between 1883 and 1958, is located in The Domain, Sydney, Australia. It is the most importa ...

and the North Sydney Art Prize (Open) 2009. Her work has been acquired by private and public collections.

Published books

As author and illustrator

* My Spaghetti ABC (2021) * It's Bedtime William! (2010) * When Coco was a Kitten (2009) * Double Trouble (2008) * The Big Green Thing (2008) * Annie to the Rescue (2007) * Let's Play! (2007) * When I was a Baby (2006) * Annie's Chair (2005) * Old MacDonald had an Emu (1986) * ABC of Monsters (1975) * Birds on a Bough (1975 with

Kilmeny Niland Kilmeny Niland (1950 – 27 February 2009) was a New Zealand–born Australian artist and illustrator. While best known for her children's book illustrations, she worked in a wide range of genres, including animation, wildlife art, miniatures, ...

)

As illustrator

* Ho Ho Ho There's a Hippopotamus on our Roof Eating Christmas Cake (2018) * This Little Piggy Went Singing (2014) * This Little Piggy Went Dancing (2013) * The Tall Man and the Twelve Babies (2010) * Hooray! There's a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Having a Birthday Party (2010) * Grandpa Baby (2009) * Chatterbox (2006) * Guess What? There's A Hippopotamus on the Hospital Roof Eating Cake (1997, 2007) * Look, There's A Hippopotamus in the Playground Eating Cake (1994, 2006) * Hey Hippopotamus, Do Babies Eat Cake Too? (1992, 2007) * James (1991) * Families Are Funny (1990) * My Hippopotamus Is On Our Caravan Roof Getting Sunburnt (1989, 2006) * The Very Sniffy Dog (1989) * All Australian Funny and Frightful Verse (1987) * The Tall Book of Tall Tales (1985) * Haunts and Taunts (1983) * The Jacky Dandy Song Book (1982) * Kneedeep (1981) * The Zoo Alphabet (1980, with Kilmeny Niland) * Fairy Strike (1980) * When The Wind Changed (1980) * There's a Hippopotamus On Our Roof Eating Cake (1980, 2005) * The Drover's Dream (1979) * Velvet Paws and Whiskers (1979) * Tell Us Tales (1978, with Kilmeny Niland) * Miss Strawberry Verses (1978) * Roger Bandy (1977, 1987, with Kilmeny Niland) * The Sugar Plum Songbook (1977) * The Sugar Plum Christmas Book (1977) * Tell Me Another Tale (1976, with Kilmeny Niland) * Tumbling Jack and Other Rhymes (1976) * The Gigantic Balloon. (1975, with Kilmeny Niland) * Stuff & Nonsense (1974) * What Am I ? (1974, with Kilmeny Niland) * Animal Tales (1974) * Tell Me A Tale (1974, with Kilmeny Niland) * Mulga Bill's Bicycle (1973, 2007, with Kilmeny Niland) * The Farm Alphabet (1973, with Kilmeny Niland) * Riverview Kids (1971, with Kilmeny Niland) * The Little Goat (1971, with Kilmeny Niland) * Travelling Songs of Old Australia, (1966 with Kilmeny Niland, uncredited)

Awards

Niland was awarded the

Order of Australia The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...

Medal in the 2020

Australia Day Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet at Sydney Cove and raising of the Union Flag by Arthur Phillip following days of exploration of Port Ja ...

Honours for "service to children's literature." Niland has won a selection of awards for her picture-books.

Annie's Chair

(Author and Illustrator Deborah Niland) * 2008 Winner KOALA Children's Choice Awards, Picture Storybooks * 2008 Short Listed YABBA Children's Choice Awards, Picture Storybooks * 2007 Short Listed BILBY Children's Choice Awards, Early Readers * 2007 Short Listed YABBA Children's Choice Awards, Picture Storybooks * 2007 Winner COOL Children's Choice Awards, Picture Storybooks * 2007 Short Listed KOALA Children's Choice Awards. Picture Storybooks * 2007 Koala Top 10 KOALA Children's Choice Awards, Picture Storybooks * 2006 Winner Speech Pathology Australia, Best Book for Language Development: Young Children * 2006 Winner CBCA Book of The Year: Early Childhood

Chatterbox

(Author

Margaret Wild Margaret Wild (born 1948) is an Australian children's writer. She has written more than 40 books for children. Her work has been published around the world and has won several awards. She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Childre ...

, Illustrator Deborah Niland) * 2007 Shortlist CBCA Book of The Year: Early Childhood * 2007 Honour Book CBCA Book of The Year: Early Childhood * 2007 Winner CBCA Junior Judges Project: Early Childhood * 2007 Winner YABBA Children's Choice Awards: Picture Storybooks * 2007 Winner KOALA Children's Choice Awards: Picture Storybooks

When The Wind Changed

(Author

, Illustrator Deborah Niland) * 1996 Winner BILBY Award * 1986 Winner YABBA Award * 1981 Winner NSW Premier's Literary Award, Ethel Turner's Prize,

Mulga Bill's Bicycle

(Author

A. B. Paterson Andrew Barton "Banjo" Paterson, (17 February 18645 February 1941) was an Australian bush poet, journalist and author. He wrote many ballads and poems about Australian life, focusing particularly on the rural and outback areas, including the d ...

, Illustrators Deborah and Kilmeny Niland) * 1976 IBBY Certificate of Honour * 1974 Winner Visual Arts Board Award * 1973 Winner ABPA Book Design Award

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Niland, Deborah 1950 births Living people Australian women writers Australian children's book illustrators 20th-century Australian women artists 20th-century Australian artists Australian children's writers Australian women illustrators Julian Ashton Art School alumni Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia Sibling artists