Lisa Siberry is a health writer and content producer who spent many years working at the ABC. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two children.

Her debut middle-grade novel, The Brilliant Ideas of Lily Green, won the 2017 Ampersand Prize, the premier award for debut authors in Australia and New Zealand.

Like Lily Green, she made lots of things when she was a kid, including a very dreadful squashed-jasmine-flower perfume.

Find out more about Lisa at: 

Website: lisasiberry.com

Twitter: @LSiberry

Instagram: @lisasiberry

Amelia McInerney lives just outside Sydney in the lower Blue Mountains. She spends her days writing kids' books, staring out the window thinking up stories for kids' books, and occasionally just plain staring out the window. When she's not writing, thinking or staring, Amelia enjoys doing yoga and snorkeling, but not at the same time because that's really hard. Amelia’s first picture books, The Book Chook and Bad Crab (both Scholastic) were released this year. She has four more separate picture books coming out with Scholastic and Allen and Unwin and is represented by literary agent Jacinta di Mase. Amelia has four chooks, three kids, two hermit crabs and a husband.

Find out more about Amelia at: 

Website: ameliamcinerney.com

Facebook: @ameliamcinerney.author.7

Instagram: @ameliamcinerneyauthor

Fiona Hardy is a kids-book writer, crime-book reviewer, and all-books bookseller. From the wide-eyed work experience days at her local bookshop, she has stayed in the industry for nearly twenty years, and now works as one of the managers at Readings. Since a much-praised four-sentence retelling of Alice in Wonderland in grade one lit her writing flame, she has written for publications such as The Big Issue, Books+Publishing, Verity La, and Gargouille. She joined the Australian Crime Writers Association, the team behind the Ned Kelly Awards, in 2013, and in 2016 she was shortlisted for the Text Prize. Fiona lives in Melbourne with her partner and daughter.

Find out more about Fiona at: 

Website: https://fionathehardy.com/

Twitter: @fionathehardy

Instagram: @readwatchshoot

Katrina McKelvey is a children’s author with over ten years primary school teaching experience. She’s currently working on her first chapter book series while developing new picture book stories. She’s highly involved in the Children’s Book Council of Australia, literary conferences and festivals, and loves visiting schools.

No Baths Week and Up To Something are Katrina’s recent publications, after her successful debut picture book, Dandelions. Two more picture books are coming in 2020. She loves chocolate, but doesn’t like chocolate cake. She’s left-handed but plays sport right-handed. She loves tea, but dislikes coffee. Katrina lives in Newcastle, Australia with her family and a naughty puppy. 

Find out more about Katrina at: 

Website and blog: katrinamckelvey.com

Facebook: @katrinamckelveyauthor

Twitter: @katrinamckelvey

Instagram: @katrinamckelvey

YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCgfVHAHyIHP14oeEkGl2jtA

Kate recommends Clancy the Quokka, written by Lili Wilkinson, illustrated by Alison Mutton and published by Allen & Unwin.

allenandunwin.com/browse/books/childrens/Clancy-the-Quokka-Lili-Wilkinson-illustrated-by-Alison-Mutton-9781760634711

Liz recommends Miss Eliza Flowerdew Can Nearly Touch the Ceiling, written by Brenda Gurr, illustrated by Helene Magisson and published by Red Paper Kite.

www.redpaperkite.com/copy-of-snoozette

Nat recommends the Girl Geeks series by Alex Miles, presented by Girl Geek Academy and published by Penguin Random House.

www.penguin.com.au/books/girl-geeks-1-the-hackathon-9780143795056

This episode we have a prize pack to give away thanks to WA-based boutique publishing house, Red Paper Kite. You can win a tote bag with two of Red Paper Kite’s picture books, Hugo and Miss Eliza Flowerdew Can Nearly Touch the Ceiling, plus matching cards.

Head to our WIN page and simply tell us your favourite rising star in the world of Australian kids’ books.

Enter your answer (or ask a parent to) by 5pm Tuesday 19th November to be in the running. 

Amelia McInerney talks about the new short story anthology, Funny Bones which features a whole bunch of Australian authors and illustrators. If you'd like to get along to one of the launches, check out the details in your state.