Robin Morrow is highly experienced in many areas of the world of children’s books. Founder of The Children’s Bookshop in Beecroft, which for many years was the only specialist shop of its kind; she became an invaluable resource for parents, teachers and librarians throughout NSW and beyond. In addition to her twenty-five years at The…
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Author Josie Montano’s love of fiction writing began at the age of eight when she would shelve her self-published stories in her primary school library. She lives with her family in Brisbane and has worked as a teacher aide in primary schools. Josie is now a full time writer, currently completing a Graduate Certificate in…
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Fast-moving plots and lots of dialogue are the trademarks of Jen McVeity’s style. With over twenty books in print, she is also known for her light touch and wry humour when dealing with powerful themes. Her latest novel, Dreamcatcher (published in the USA as ‘On Different Shores’), is a novel for teenagers about the conflicts…
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Margery Hertzberg runs drama workshops for students using drama strategies and forms as outlined in many Australian Primary and Drama documents. Using favourite texts from the school library she uses processes such as sculpting, hot seating, parallel improvisation and Readers’ Theatre to develop students’ comprehension skills. Texts previously used in workshops of this kind include…
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Born in Australia, Sally Heinrich completed a Bachelor of Design in Illustration at the University of South Australia before embarking on a career as children’s book author and illustrator. Since 1984, she has illustrated 12 picture books and has been featured in 6 children’s anthologies. In 1994 she illustrated the widely acclaimed Uncle Paul has…
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Susan Geason was born in Tasmania and grew up in Queensland. She has worked as a Cabinet Adviser in the NSW Premier’s Department and as Literary Editor of the Sun-Herald. She now writes for a living and has just started a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of Queensland. Susan’s five novels and a…
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Comedian Mary-Anne Fahey is well known to Australian TV audiences for her creation of the Kylie Mole character and her star role in The Comedy Company and Kittson Fahey. She has now created a one-person show based on Morris Gleitzman’s best-selling novel Water Wings. This adaptation (suitable for upper primary students) deals with important issues…
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Ruth is a storyteller based in Sydney who has published several storytelling books including Down Amongst the Gum Leaves – Australian Stories to Tell and Make and Christmas Cutouts – Stories to Tell, Draw, Fold and Make. She once worked as a children’s librarian but now writes and tours full time. Ruth uses fun and…
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Felice Arena grew up in country Victoria and went on to graduate as a qualified primary teacher. His career took quite a different turn and he became an actor who is probably best known for his work in Neighbours. He has starred in a number of West End musicals in London where he was also…
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Dianne Todaro started her career in educational publishing as a primary school teacher. Her passion is to support parents to have ‘realistic texts’ to support each stage of their child’s development. Recently, she was the Schools co-ordinator for Interrelate Family Centres. She directed the Company’s sexuality education and bullying awareness programs at which more than…
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Penny Hall is the author of both realistic stories and fantasies, suitable for a variety of age groups from early readers through to teenagers. Her books include The Paperchaser, The Catalyst, Cat-face, The Big Scream and Fraidy Cats and they have been shortlisted for the Children’s Book Council and KOALA Awards, commended by the NSW…
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Anna Maria Dell’oso is a well-known Australian writer, journalist and critic. Her acclaimed book Songs of the Suitcase (HarperCollins) won the Steele Rudd Award. Anna’s fiction has been published in many anthologies and reviews including Meanjin and the Griffith Review. Anna’s first book was Cats, Cradles & Chamomile Tea, a collection from her popular column…
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Emma Quay (pronounced ‘kway’) grew up in a village near Cambridge, England and has wanted to illustrate children’s books for as long as she can remember. When she was two years old, her mum would find scraps of paper covered in drawings of little characters under her pillow and she continued to draw constantly throughout…
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Lisa Stewart was born in Sydney. She began violin at the age of 5 performing throughout Australia and representing Suzuki Australia in Japan at the age of 11 going on to perform Mozart violin concertos at the age of 12 in the United States and New Zealand. She succeeded in winning national violin competitions, which…
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Nina graduated from Randwick TAFE with a diploma in graphic design in 1992 and worked as a designer in Sydney and London before moving to Rome for nine months and trying her hand at illustration. After four years of living overseas, homesickness inspired the idea for Nina’s first picture book Little Platypus. Published in 2000,…
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