Pamela Allen

Born in the Auckland suburb of Devonport in 1934 to Esma Eileen (née Griffith) and William Ewart Griffiths,^[1][2] Allen studied at St Cuthbert's College,^[3] then the Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, from where she graduated with a Diploma of Fine Arts in 1955.^[4] She then worked as a secondary school art teacher.^[5] She married sculptor Jim Allen in 1964.^[6] They moved to Sydney in about 1977,^[7] and after about 30 years returned to live in Auckland, New Zealand.^[8][9][10]

Allen published her first book, Mr Archimedes' Bath, in 1980.^[5] Since then she has written and illustrated more than 50 picture books for children.^[11]

She has won or been shortlisted for many awards as both a writer and illustrator. She won the Children's Book Council of Australia's Children's Picture Book of The Year Award in 1983 for Who Sank the Boat?^[5] and 1984 for Bertie and the Bear,^[5] and has been shortlisted for the same award on five other occasions.^[12] She twice won the Ethel Turner Prize in the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, in 1980 for Mr Archimedes' Bath^[5] and 1983 for Who Sank the Boat?.^[13]

Allen was awarded the International Board on Books for Young People honour diploma for illustration, for Who Sank the Boat?, in 1984.^[14]

In 1986, she received the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa Russell Clark Illustration Award for her illustrations in A Lion in the Night.^[15]

In 2001, Who Sank The Boat?, first published in 1982, won the Gaelyn Gordon Award—given to the author of a New Zealand children's book that has been a favourite with children over a long period of time—from the New Zealand Book Council.^[12][16]

Allen returned to live in Auckland and in 2004 she won the Margaret Mahy Medal, New Zealand's top children's literature prize.^[12][17] In the 2005 New Year Honours, she was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to children's literature.^[18]

Eight of her books have been adapted for the stage by Patch Theatre Company and performed at the Sydney Opera House.^[19]

Allen's daughter, Ruth Allen, a Melbourne-based glass sculptor,^[7][19] was commissioned by Penguin Australia in 2008 to create an artwork to celebrate sales of over five million copies of Allen's books.^[20]

Allen was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours for her "significant service to literature as an author".^[21]

An exhibition of Allen's work titled The Curious World of Pamela Allen opened at the State Library of New South Wales in September 2025. It is scheduled to run until 2027.^[11]

• Mr Archimedes' Bath (1980)
• Who Sank the Boat? (1982)
• Bertie and the Bear (1983)
• A Lion in the Night (1985)
• Herbert and Harry (1986)
• Mr McGee (1987)
• Fancy That! (1988)
• I Wish I Had A Pirate Suit (1989)
• My Cat Maisie (1990)
• Black Dog (1991)
• Belinda (1992)
• Mr McGee Goes to Sea (1992)
• Mr McGee and the Blackberry Jam (1993)
• Alexander's Outing (1993)
• Clippity-Clop (1994)
• Waddle Giggle Gargle (1996)
• The Bear's Lunch (1997)
• Mr McGee and the Biting Flea (1998)
• Mr McGee and the Perfect Nest (1999)
• The Pear in the Pear Tree (1999)
• Inside Mary Elizabeth's House (2000)
• Can You Keep a Secret? (2000)
• Brown Bread and Honey (2001)
• The Potato People (2001)
• Daisy All-Sorts (2002)
• Cuthbert's Babies (2003)
• Grandpa and Thomas (2003)
• Mr McGee and the Big Bag of Bread (2004)
• Where's the Gold? (2005)
• Grandpa and Thomas and the Green Umbrella (2006)
• Share Said the Rooster (2006)
• Shhh! Little Mouse (2007)
• My First 123 (2007)
• Is Your Grandmother a Goanna? (2007)
• My First ABC (2008)
• Felix (2008)
• The Toymaker and the Bird (2009)
• Hetty's Day Out (2010)
• Nana’s Colours (2011)
• My Buggy Book of Animals (2011)
• The Little Old Man Who Looked Up at the Moon (2012)
• Mr McGee and the Elephants (2012)
• Bertie (2013)
• Fat Ferdie (2013)
• One Sunday (2014)
• The Man With Messy Hair (2015)
• The Big Fish (2016)
• A Bag and A Bird (2017)
• Mr McGee and His Hat (2024)
• Cock-a-Doodle-Doo! (2025)