Betty Gilderdale (1923–2021)

Author of The Little Yellow Digger

About the Author

Betty Gilderdale grew up in London and moved to New Zealand. It was here that she pursued her interest in teaching, and in 1982, published her ground-breaking work, A Sea Change: 145 Years of New Zealand Junior Fiction. Her story describes a rich life of diverse experiences, colleagues, writers, show more friends and family. Betty has written and contributed to numerous local and international publications, including the biographies of Lady Barker (author of Station Life in New Zealand) and Margaret Mahy, and for twenty years she had a review column in the New Zealand Herald. She is perhaps best known in New Zealand as author, with Alan Gilderdale, of the best-selling Little Yellow Digger series and for many years has been a passionate advocate for wonderful stories for New Zealand children. This fact was appropriately recognised when the Children's Literature Association renamed their Award for Services to Children's Literature, The Betty Gilderdale Award. (Bowker Author Biography) show less

Series

The Little Yellow Digger

Works by Betty Gilderdale

Popular Recent

The Little Yellow Digger (1993) — Author — 212 copies

The Little Yellow Digger Saves the Whale (2001) — Author — 60 copies

The Little Yellow Digger Goes to School (2005) — Author — 54 copies

The Little Yellow Digger at the Zoo (1998) — Author — 52 copies

The Oxford History of New Zealand Literature in English (1991) — Contributor — 32 copies

The Little Yellow Digger and the Bones (2009) — Author — 24 copies

The Little Yellow Digger Treasury (2015) 18 copies

The Seven Lives of Lady Barker (1996) 13 copies

A sea change : 145 years of New Zealand junior fiction (1982) 8 copies

Introducing Margaret Mahy (Puffin Story Books) (1987) 7 copies

Under the rainbow: A treasury of New Zealand children's stories (1990) 7 copies

The Little Yellow Digger Stories (2001) — Author — 6 copies

My Life in Two Halves: A Memoir (2012) 4 copies, 1 review

Introducing twenty-one New Zealand children's writers (1994) 3 copies

The little yellow digger, 5 books : includes five best-loved collectible picture books (2013) 2 copies

Magical Margaret Mahy (2013) 2 copies

The little yellow digger activity book (2012) 1 copy

Work Explorer

Associated Works

Children's Literature: An Illustrated History (1995) — Contributor — 118 copies

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Main Associated

[CH] Picture Book (8) animals (6) children (7) children's (23) children's picture book (4) construction (7) digger (14) diggers (22) fiction (13) history (5) literature (11) machines (7) New Zealand (34) New Zealand author (7) New Zealand fiction (6) New Zealand literature (6) Nikki (5) non-fiction (11) PB (4) picture book (29) problem solving (4) Reading 3-7 (5) reference (6) school (9) Shelf Fourteen A1 (5) transport (14) transportation (5) vehicles (7) whales (7) zoo (11)

Common Knowledge

Birthdate: 1923
Date of death: 2021-07-09
Gender: female
Education: University of London
Occupations: lecturer
children's book author
scholar
critic
historian
Organizations: New Zealand Herald
Awards and honors: Margaret Mahy Medal (1994)
The Betty Gilderdale Award (named in her honour)
Relationships: Gilderdale, Alan (husband)
Nationality: England (birth)
UK (birth)
New Zealand (residence)
Birthplace: London, England, UK
Places of residence: London, England, UK
North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand
Wanganui, New Zealand
Associated Place (for map): London, England, UK

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Reviews

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1 review

DebbieMcCauley 1,106 reviews

Betty Gilderdale: My Life in Two Halves by Betty Gilderdale

The title of Betty Gilderdale's memoir accurately reflects her life which has been lived in two halves. The first half is her younger years growing up in London and experiencing World War II, university study, marriage and children. The second half of her life was emigrating to New Zealand in 1967 with her husband Alan and three children and her teaching, researching and writing career.

Betty Gilderdale's contribution to New Zealand has been significant. From her 1982 book 'A Sea Change: 145 show more Years of New Zealand Junior Fiction' to her much loved Little Yellow Digger series.

I thought this story was wonderfully told and most enjoyable. I gave it to my mother-in-law to read as her story has parallels with Betty. She was an evacuee in Hull during World War II and then emigrated with her husband aboard the 'SS Captain Hobson' in 1953 to start a new life in New Zealand. Highly recommended. show less

Dec 23, 2012