Collicott wins 2025 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize

Emma Collicott has been named the winner of the 2025 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize, announced by the Margaret Mahy Estate, Hachette Aotearoa New Zealand and Little Moa.

The judging panel praised Collicott’s use of watercolours for her illustrations, and ‘the cleverly plotted and humourous sub-narratives hidden within the spreads, sprinkled with “uniquely Aotearoan touches”’.

‘A strong feature of Collicott’s illustrations was their clarity and accessibility, offering a quirky charm for children while still holding interest for adults,’ said the judges. ‘The line drawings, enriched by a lively colour range, added a delightful vibrancy and appeal to the work. One of the more complex aspects of the task lay in balancing the images for a younger audience with a rich vocabulary and detailed text, yet this was managed thoughtfully and with creative endeavour.’

Collicott grew up in Whakatāne and now lives in Beach Haven. She has worked in animation, advertising, packaging and graphic design, weaving illustration into her work at any opportunity, and loves everything about the sea.

As the winner, Collicott receives NZ$2000, as well as NZ$500 worth of Hachette books. The winner of last year’s award was Herb MacDonald for The Great White Man-Eating Shark (Hachette).

Launched in 2019, the annual Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize offers ‘a unique opportunity for an unpublished New Zealand-based illustrator to illustrate Margaret Mahy’s classic stories’.

More information about the prize and Collicott’s winning illustrations are available on the prize website.

Category: Awards Local news