Dame Wendy Edith Pye - MBE

1 Nov

Wendy Pye became a publishing phenomenon when she launched Sunshine Books in 1985. She started the business after a dispute with Brierley Investments, the new owner of Shortland Publications, which she managed.

Pye never looked back, becoming one of the world's largest producers of children's literacy material. Her multimedia titles, including books, television and the internet, sold worldwide.

Pye pioneered the use of multimedia - animated internet and CD-Rom - to complement the print and other components of her products. She was a leader in developing an early literacy programme and learning technologies and worked with many institutes and universities worldwide to develop strategies for literacy through research.

Wendy was appointed a Dame Companion of the NZ Order of Merit in 2013.