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  • Published: 26 February 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143770541
  • Imprint: Picture Puffin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 32
  • RRP: $15.99

Granny McFlitter, the Champion Knitter



Based on true events, a lively picture book about a sprightly granny who knits warm jumpers for little blue penguins after the oil spill following the wrecking of the Rena, with illustrations by the winner of the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award.

But did Granny stop knitting?
Oh no, she did not!
She kept right on knitting . . .
like it or not!


Granny McFlitter’s family have had enough of her knitting.

But when a ship runs aground, spilling oil into the sea, a call goes out for small jumpers for the shivery rescued penguins. It’s the moment Granny has been waiting for!

A sparkling environmental story with award-winning illustrations that is sure to warm hearts and feathers.

  • Published: 26 February 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143770541
  • Imprint: Picture Puffin
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 32
  • RRP: $15.99

About the authors

Heather Haylock

As a child, Heather Haylock could often be found reading a book while sitting on her horse, or perched way up high in a tree. Nowadays Heather loves the challenge of knitting words into stories of her own.

She is the author of Granny McFlitter the Champion Knitter (2018), which won a Storylines Notable Book Award 2019 and was shortlisted for the Best Picture Book category of the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Its sequels, Granny McFlitter: A Country Yarn (2019) and Granny McFlitter: The Knit Before Christmas (2022) were awarded Storylines Notable Picture Book Awards. Granny McFlitter's Eggcellent Easter (2023) is the crafty character's latest adventure.

Thanks to all her research for the Granny McFlitter stories, Heather is also now able to knit yarn into jumpers and other clever shapes. If you want to find her, try looking up. She may be reading, writing or knitting way up high in a tree.

Lael Chisholm

Lael Chisholm lives in Palmerston North, New Zealand, and has loved drawing ever since she was old enough to hold a pencil. After winning the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award in 2017 at the age of 19, Lael has been illustrating picture books in her free time, and has since worked on several award-winning books, most notably the Granny McFlitter series with author Heather Haylock.

Praise for Granny McFlitter, the Champion Knitter

Granny is a delight and her clear and obvious addiction to knitting provides good, mad story fodder to go with the book’s exuberantly illustrated characters.

Greg Bruce, Weekend Herald

gorgeous

Colleen Thorpe, Hawkes Bay Weekend

You possibly wouldn’t predict that this book was about protecting the environment from the title, but it is! Great rhyme and awesome - already award-winning - illustrations from a first time writer / illustrator combination.

Sarah Forster, The Sapling

A beautifully illustrated book with fantastic rhyme.

Little Treasures

Underlying the fun tale is a more serious message about care of the environment and what individuals can do to help to restore animals' health. Beautiful in layout . . . a terrific story read aloud to your young children. Rhyming and rhythmic, big new words to enrich vocabulary and set the brain waves whizzing – it’s all here to be discovered.

Sue's Reviews, Wairarapa Times-Age

Trust Penguin NZ to publish a book about little blue penguins and the unsinkable grandmum who knits jumpers for them! In this delightful tale, Granny McFlitter doesn't flinch following the wrecking of the Rena and the oil spill which follows. Instead, Granny goes full speed ahead to help save the day in her own way. Complete with illustrations by Storylines Gavin Bishop Award-winner, Lael Chisholm

Eastlife

Awards & recognition

New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults

Shortlisted  •  2018  •  Best Picture Book

Storylines Notable Picture Book Award

Awarded  •  2019  •  A Storylines Notable Picture Book

Discover more

Video
Granny McFlitter, the Champion Knitter by Heather Haylock, illustrated by Lael Chisholm

Read by author Heather Haylock, Granny Mcflitter, the Champion Knitter is based on true events, a lively picture book about a sprightly granny who knits warm jumpers for little blue penguins after the oil spill following the wrecking of the Rena, with illustrations by the winner of the Storylines Gavin Bishop Award.