Lynley Dodd

Dame Lynley Stuart Dodd DNZM (born 5 July 1941[1]) is a New Zealand children's book author and illustrator.

She is best known for her Hairy Maclary and Friends series, and its follow-ups,[2][3] all of which feature animals with rhyming names and have sold over five million copies worldwide.

[3] In 2015 a waterfront sculpture of Hairy Maclary and other characters from the books was officially unveiled in Tauranga by former New Zealand prime minister John Key.

[11][12] In an episode of the TVNZ series Goodnight Kiwi, airing on 25 December 2019, the prime minister Jacinda Ardern read Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy.

[17][18] She was appointed a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2002 New Year Honours, for services to children's literature and book illustration.