Tessa Duder CNZM OBE (née Staveley, born 13 November 1940) is a New
Zealand author of novels for young people, short stories, plays and
non-fiction, and a former swimmer who won a silver medal for her
country at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. As a
writer, she is primarily known for her Alex quartet and long-term
advocacy for New Zealand children's literature. As an editor she has
also published a number of anthologies.Duder was born Tessa Staveley
in Auckland on 13 November 1940, the daughter of John Staveley, a
doctor and pioneer of blood transfusion in New Zealand who was later
knighted, and Elvira Staveley (née Wycherley), a cellist.[1][2] She
was educated at the Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland, and went on
to study at Auckland University College in 1958, later returned to the
University of Auckland between 1982 and 1984.[1]After leaving school,
Staveley worked as a journalist for the Auckland Star from 1959 to
1964, before travelling to Europe and working for the Daily Express in
London between 1964 and 1966.[1] She married John Duder in 1964, and
the couple went on to have four daughters.[1] Following the birth of
her first child, Duder was a full-time mother for seven years, much of
it spent in Pakistan. She returned to Auckland in 1972, where she
reentered the workforce as a pianist.[3][4]
Zealand author of novels for young people, short stories, plays and
non-fiction, and a former swimmer who won a silver medal for her
country at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. As a
writer, she is primarily known for her Alex quartet and long-term
advocacy for New Zealand children's literature. As an editor she has
also published a number of anthologies.Duder was born Tessa Staveley
in Auckland on 13 November 1940, the daughter of John Staveley, a
doctor and pioneer of blood transfusion in New Zealand who was later
knighted, and Elvira Staveley (née Wycherley), a cellist.[1][2] She
was educated at the Diocesan School for Girls in Auckland, and went on
to study at Auckland University College in 1958, later returned to the
University of Auckland between 1982 and 1984.[1]After leaving school,
Staveley worked as a journalist for the Auckland Star from 1959 to
1964, before travelling to Europe and working for the Daily Express in
London between 1964 and 1966.[1] She married John Duder in 1964, and
the couple went on to have four daughters.[1] Following the birth of
her first child, Duder was a full-time mother for seven years, much of
it spent in Pakistan. She returned to Auckland in 1972, where she
reentered the workforce as a pianist.[3][4]
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