Quickfire Story Battle

Kellie Byrnes is a children's author, freelance writer, and presenter with a BA degree in Literature. She has six picture books out now and writes manuscripts designed to help children understand themselves and the world around them.

Her latest book, How Do You Love?: The Five Ways We Show We Care, published by Macmillan USA, explores the ways we give and receive love, while This Is NOT A Book! is a fun, metafiction title that examines the different elements of story.

Kellie's book One Remarkable Reef, a rhyming counting story about vulnerable sea creatures on the Great Barrier Reef, was shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Australia Book of the Year Awards in 2021.

Kellie lives on the Sunshine Coast, QLD, and spends much of her time writing, reading, daydreaming, and talking to animals.

Andrew Cranna is an artist, educator and author. He grew up in rural NSW and after finishing a bicycle adventure through Asia, Andrew settled in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to teach English and illustrate cartoons for local newspapers. Now, back in Australia, Andrew continues to educate primary school children as an art teacher while writing and illustrating for books and magazines.

Andrew's first graphic novel series, The Bloodhound Boys, was shortlisted by the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) for the Crichton Award for New Illustrators.

Andrew's new book, The Astronaughties, blasts onto bookshelves in May.

Cristy is a funny and popular presenter entirely unknown for her skills in the kitchen. She has performed in a science circus, worked as a garbage analyst, and was a reporter at CERN when they turned on the Large Hadron Collider.

Cristy's latest books include junior fiction Beneath the Trees and narrative non-fiction Aussie STEM Stars: Fiona Wood. She is also co-author of the science-meets-magic Wednesday Weeks series of middle grade fantasy adventures.

Cristy is passionate about empowering our next generation of creative, science-savvy citizens. She also loves chocolate. And she's always working on her next book.

On my dad's side I am from the Arrernte and Anmatyerre Lands of central Australia. My mum was born in Scotland.

I wrote the first volume in my graphic novel series, Mixed Feelings to show the diversity of stories that make up my hometown, Alice Springs - Mparntwe.

Writing graphic novels allows me to create different worlds through my imagination. I am passionate about inspiring people to tell their stories.