Elena de Roo
Elena is an award winning children’s writer and poet. She has had poetry, plays, readers, picture books and junior fiction published. In 2010 she was awarded the Todd New Writer’s Bursary, and began her first children’s novel (The Name at the End of the Ladder, 2014) while on the NZSA mentor programme. Three of her books have received Storylines Notable Book Awards. In 2018, Elena completed a Master of Creative Writing at AUT and in 2020 she was The University of Otago, College of Education, Creative New Zealand, Children's Writer in Residence.
Genre:
- Children's Fiction
- Poetry
Skills:
Branch:
Auckland
Location:
Auckland
Publications:
The Rain Train, illustrated by Brian Lovelock (Walker Books Australia, 2010; Candlewick Press/Walker Books UK, 2011)
The next time the rain is thundering down on the roof at night, climb aboard the mysterious Rain Train... Rhythmic text with onomatopoeic train sounds makes this picture book perfect for reading aloud.
Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy, illustrated by Tracy Duncan (Walker Books Australia, 2012)
Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy, is open for business! From her headquarters in the tree house, Ophelia and her assistant, Albert, solve all the toughest cases. Three fun stories told in verse.
Ophelia Wild, Deadly Detective, illustrated by Tracy Duncan (Walker Books Australia, 2014)
Banish those gremlins! Ghosts on the go! Deadly detectives, O. Wild and co. Always up for anything, Ophelia Wild and sidekick Albert expand their secret service agency to tackle zombies and monsters … with some surprise results. Sequel to Ophelia Wild, Secret Spy (2012).
The Name at the End of the Ladder (Walker Books Australia, 2014)
Win the game to choose your name and free the players who remain. Twelve-year-old September is determined to choose an adventurous name for herself from the Name Bank – not like all her friends, who are named after flowers or trees. Soon she discovers that she has no choice, unless she can win an ancient and mysterious board game. And every roll of the dice leads her further into danger.
Rush! Rush! illustrated by Jenny Cooper (One Tree House, 2021)
A young girl sets off on an early morning adventure, but where is she going to and why is she in such a hurry?
To Catch a Cloud, illustrated by Hannah Peck (Faber & Faber, 2022)
A boy follows a cloud out to sea and is quickly caught up in an exciting and dangerous chase involving the wind, the whales and the waves.
Ring Ting Tūī, illustrated by Paul Beavis (Penguin Random House NZ, 2024)
When a crowd of raucous tūī land on a flower laden kōwhai branch to feast on the fermented nectar, things can only go in one direction, but perhaps not the one you think!
SQUAWK!
Things are getting loud!
The kōwhai branch is bending …
what a sticky tūī crowd!
Have the tūī slurped too much kōwhai nectar to make an escape?