Sarah Ell

Sarah Ell comes from Auckland’s North Shore, and is the author of 10 fiction and non ficiton titles, for adults and chidren. Her particular interests are New Zealand history and natural history. Her latest two publications are the historical survey Ocean: Tales of Discovery and Encounter that Defined New Zealand (Penguin, 2018) and YA non-fiction title Lost Wonders: Vanished Creatures of Aotearoa (Allen & Unwin, 2020).
With more than two decades' experience in book and magazine publishing, she currently works as a freelance writer, editor and editorial consultant. 

  • NZSA-Auckland Museum Grant and Residency Recipient 2019
  • Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Book 2013 for Sirocco the Rock-Star Kakapo
  • New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Finalist Non-Fiction Category 2009 for High-Tech Legs on Everest.
  • Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Book 2009 for High-Tech Legs on Everest.
  • Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book 2006 for Talking to Adam.
  • Storylines Senior Fiction Notable Book 2003 for When the War Came Home
  • Shortlisted for the LIANZA Esther Glen Medal 2002 for When the War Came Home.

Genre:

  • Adult Fiction
  • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Children's Fiction
  • Children's Non-Fiction
  • Feature Articles
  • Freelance Writer

Skills:

  • Editing
  • Freelance Writing
  • Journalism
  • Print Media Writing (magazines/newspapers)
  • Proofreading
  • Public Speaking
  • Readings

Branch:

Auckland

Location:

Auckland

Publications:


Lost Wonders: Vanished Creatures of Aotearoa

YA non-fiction

Allen & Unwin, 2020

The stories behind New Zealand's shocking record of species extinction.

Written with the assistance of the NZSA-Auckland Museum Grant and Residency 2019

Ocean: Tales of Discovery and Encounter that Defined New Zealand

Adult non-fiction 

Penguin, 2018

New Zealand's relationship with the sea over time.

Sirocco the Rock-Star Kakapo

Children's non fiction

Random House, 2012

A look at the life of the world's most famous kakapo.

Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Book 2013

A New Zealand Christmas

Adult non fiction

Random House, 2008

High-Tech Legs on Everest (with Mark Inglis)

YA non-fiction

Random House, 2008

  • New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults Finalist Non-Fiction Category 2009 
  • Storylines Notable Non-Fiction Book 2009 

Shoot the Breeze

Adult non-fiction/humour

Random House, 2007

Talking to Adam

YA fiction

Scholastic, 2005

Storylines Notable Young Adult Fiction Book 2006

Dinghy Sailing: The Essential Guide

Adult non-fiction

New Holland, 2001

When the War Came Home

YA fiction

Scholastic, 2002

  • Shortlisted for the LIANZA Esther Glen Medal 2002 
  • Storylines Senior Fiction Notable Book 2003

Fired Up

YA fiction

Scholastic, 1998

There She Blows

YA non-fiction

Bush Press, 1995