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Hairy Maclary from a Donaldson's Dairy

By Sue

"Out of the gate and off for a walk went Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy..." Sound familiar? That's because Hairy Maclary is one of New Zealand's (and the world's) best-loved picture books.

Covers of books by Lynley Dodd on a pale blue background

From the Books Alive! YouTube channel.

The Hairy Maclary series was written and illustrated by Lynley Dodd and has grown from one book into a whole series of stories about the title pup and his friends. Who can't love that cheeky wee dog, Hairy Maclary, and all his furry mates - from Bottomley Potts (covered in spots), to the villain of many books, Scarface Claw!

But did you know that Scotland has claimed these books as their own? "WHAT?? How can that be?" we hear you cry!

Although the Hairy Maclary series are peppered with loads of New Zealand references such as the word "dairy" (this would be called a "corner shop" in Scottish lingo), and illustrations with cabbage trees, Pōhutukawa, ponga trees and flax, the name "Maclary" is a decidedly Scottish-sounding name!

What's in a name?

Scottish and Irish surnames frequently have the prefix Mac or Mc. When these surnames were originally developed, they were formed by adding the Gaelic word mac, which means son of, to the name of the original bearer's father. For example, the surname MacDougall literally means son of Dougall.

Where is Scotland anyway?

Map of the United Kingdom with Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, and Wales labelled.

Image: Matt Lewis, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Scotland is a part of the United Kingdom (UK) and occupies the northern third of Great Britain. Scotland’s mainland shares a border with England to the south. Scotland also has almost 800 islands, including some famous ones like Shetland (known for its sheep and complicated knitting patterns), Orkney (known for its prehistoric sites), and Skye (known for its history and beautiful scenery).

See if you can find Scotland on a world map HERE

Who is Lynley Dodd?

Lynley Dodd is an internationally celebrated writer for children. She was born in Rotorua and now lives in Tauranga. Lynley graduated from the Elam School of Art in Auckland with a diploma in Fine Arts, majoring in sculpture. She went on to teach art before taking a break to start a family. She began to work as a freelance illustrator and illustrated another popular picture book My Cat Likes To Hide in Boxes by Eve Sutton. There was no looking back as Lynley went on to write and illustrate her own books for children. These include the Hairy Maclary series (of course!), The Nickle Nackle Tree, The Smallest Turtle...

Sculpture in Tauranga. Scarface Claw perches on top of a pole, while Hairy Maclary and friends peer upwards

Image: gérard, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Hairy Maclary and Friends Sculpture in Tauranga

Who is Hairy Maclary?

Hairy Maclary (or 'HM' for short) is a small hairy dog created by Lynley Dodd. HM can be described as a 'bitser', which means he's of mixed breed. Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy was first published in 1983 and the series has gone on to sell over 5 million copies worldwide. HM's adventures are usually in the company of his other animal friends and he's depicted as a friendly, but lively little dog that gets into a lot of mischief. There is now a series of 12 books and a further nine books about his friends, all with catchy rhyming stories and realistic, colourful and fun illustrations.

In recognition of the success of these books, a sculpture of Hairy Maclary and other characters from the books was officially unveiled on the waterfront in Tauranga in 2015, the city where Lynley Dodd lives.

If you haven't discovered the wonders of Hairy Maclary and his equally hairy mates (and other books by Lynley Dodd), why not add these to your Summer Reading Adventure lists and enjoy some good ole Kiwi reading fun:

And if you'd like to know more about Lynley Dodd's life, or more about Scotland or about Gaelic surnames, check out these books: