Children's author and illustrator Peter Gossage, "who was responsible for penning the images that brought many well-known Maori legends to life," died last weekend, the New Zealand Herald reported. He was 69. Among his more than 20 titles "are tales of the much-loved trickster, Maui," such as How Maui Slowed the Sun, How Maui Found His Mother and How Maui Found His Father & the Magic Jawbone. Other well-known books include Fish of Maui, How Maui Found the Secret of Fire and Battle of the Mountains.
Debra Millar, publishing director of Penguin Random House New Zealand, said Gossage would be remembered for his "very distinctive graphic and illustration style which really brought to life the Maori legends. He was just so wonderful a storyteller and his stories were very simple, but they were extremely well-crafted.... His stories have sold many thousands of copies. They are classics in New Zealand's children literature. There won't be many classrooms or school libraries without one of his books."