The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate

Trade Paperback

Hardback

Margaret Mahy's bestselling classic, The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate, is reimagined with delightfully whimsical illustrations from Emma Collicott, the winner of the 2025 Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize.

Sam lives an ordinary life in a big city far away from the ocean with his mum. He wears an ordinary brown suit every day to his ordinary job in an ordinary office. But his mum is not ordinary at all - she is a pirate, and she wants to see the sea again.

Wonderfully fun and beautifully illustrated, this swashbuckling story about finding adventure and following your dreams is a timeless favourite.

Other Margaret Mahy Illustration Prize titles include:

The Boy with Two Shadows with art by Sarah Greig

The Boy Who Made Things Up with art by Lily Emo

There's a King in the Cupboard with art by Minrui Yang

The Witch in the Cherry Tree with art by Jessica Twohill

17 Kings and 42 Elephants with art by Alba Gil Celdran

The Great White Man-Eating Shark with art by Herb MacDonald

  • RRP: $24.99
  • Format: Hardback

Author

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Margaret Mahy

Margaret Mahy (Author)

Margaret Mahy (1936-2012) is one of New Zealand's most celebrated children's writers. She is the author of more than 150 titles, which have been translated into many different languages and sold around the world. Appointed to the Order of New Zealand in 1993, Mahy also won many global prizes for children's writers, including the Carnegie Medal and the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award.

'It is in the nature of books, that they have the capacity to make you feel powerful about what you can alter and achieve in your life' - Margaret Mahy

Emma Collicott (Illustrator)

Born in Christchurch and raised on a small farm near Whakatane, Emma Collicott now lives in Beach Haven, Auckland. Emma has spent years weaving illustration into her life at every opportunity, working in animation, advertising and graphic design. The Man Whose Mother Was a Pirate is her debut book, and it was meant to be, as she loves everything about the sea - including exploring sunken shipwrecks. Connect with Emma on Instagram: @emmacollicottcreative

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