Leon Davidson

In 2006 Leon Davidson's first book, Scarecrow Army: the Anzacs at Gallipoli, won the Children's Book Council of Australia Eve Pownall Award, the New Zealand Post Book Award for non-fiction and was shortlisted for the Elsie Locke Award. Red Haze: Australians and New in Vietnam, his second book, was published the same year to strong reviews.

Born and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand, he spent ten years overseas, mostly in Melbourne, working as a dishwasher, chicken slaughterer, furniture maker and a waste management consultant.

He now lives in Wellington, NZ, where he is studying to be a primary school teacher and continuing to write.

Frequently asked questions

How many books have you written?
Two, Scarecrow Army and Red Haze.

When did you start writing?
I started writing stories (and bad poems) when I was in primary school.

Why do you like to write books for children?
I find the story ideas are more interesting. There is more room to have fun and explore.

Where do you get your ideas from?
Reading, walking, daydreaming, listening to the radio/music.

Are the characters in your books based on real people?
Yes. Even fictional characters like Pete Walden in Scarecrow Army have been based on stories of soldiers who actually fought at Gallipoli.

Who are your favourite writers/illustrators? And favourite books?
My favourite books are: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, the Adrian Mole diaries by Sue Townsend, Iliad by Homer, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon, A Good Keen Man by Barry Crump and the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.

What do you use to write your books?
Firstly pen and paper, then computer, then pen on paper, then computer.

What were you like at school?
A daydreamer, school reports always said I'd do better if I tried harder.

What is your favourite food?
Silver bellied eel, fried in butter over a campfire. Or rabbit on a spit. Maybe kiwifruit chocolate.

What are your hobbies?
Tramping, travelling and snorkelling.

Do you have any pets?
Yes, an Australian cat called Kitty.

What is your most treasured possession?
Grandad's ring that he made in Egypt during World War Two.

If you weren't a writer, what would you be?
A lawyer or a teacher or a puppeteer.