The University of Waikato's most prestigious award of Honorary Doctorate has gone to top childern's author and illustrator Dame Lynley Dodd. Arguably New Zealand's best known author at home and off shore, Dame Lynley has written 32 books and is the winner of at least 10 literary awards for her work.

Her most famous creation, Hairy Maclary, has delighted children around the world - sales of Dame Lynley's books have now reached nine million. Her stories have helped develop in children an interest in books and a love of reading. Children's literature across the world is the richer because of her.

Dame Lynley originally trained in sculpture before becoming and art teacher for five years. Her first major success came in 1974 with My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes, which won the Ester Glen Medal for contribution to New Zealand children's literature and is still in print today. She was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2002 and in 2009 made the decision to accept the title of Dame.