#Performances
#About the event
Beloved children's author, Alison Lester, is in conversation with series interviewer, Sarah Davis, for the first episode of Author-Illustrator. Alison dives into how her childhood, growing up on a farm riding horses, has influenced her work, and discusses her process for writing and illustrating her books, including the creative control she has over the final look.
#Series supported by
#Artists
Alison Lester
Alison Lester is one of Australia's most popular and bestselling creators of children's books. Her picture books mix imaginary worlds with everyday life, encouraging children to believe in themselves and celebrate the differences that make them special.
In a career spanning decades, Alison Lester has written many books, and won numerous prestigious awards, including the Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Picture Book of the Year Award for her much-loved classic Are We There Yet? and the CBCA Eve Pownall Book of the Year Award for One Small Island. Her much-loved picture books include Kissed by the Moon, Running with the Horses, Sophie Scott Goes South and My Dog Bigsy – to name just a few.
Alison became Australia's first Children's Book Laureate in 2012, a position shared with Boori Monty Pryor. In 2016, Alison was awarded the Dromkeen Medal for her outstanding achievement in the creation of Australian children's and young adult literature, and in 2018 she became the first children’s book creator to win the Melbourne Prize for Literature, for her outstanding contribution to Australian literature and cultural and intellectual life. In 2019, Alison was awarded an Australia Post Legends Award and featured on a stamp, as well as being the recipient of a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours List.
Alison lives on a farm in the Victorian countryside. She spends part of each year travelling to schools around Australia, helping students and teachers develop their own stories.
Sarah Davis
Sarah Davis is a multiple award-winning illustrator, and associate art director for Walker Books Australia. She won the CBCA Crichton Illustration Award for her first picture book, Mending Lucille, in 2009, and since then has gone on to illustrate over 50 titles, in a range of styles and genres. She has an Honours degree in literature, and her love of language and narrative underpins her illustration work. With each project she experiments with new ways to construct visual narratives, working across a range of media. Sarah has collaborated with many major publishing houses and commercial clients across Australia, New Zealand, the USA and the UK. An experienced presenter with a teaching background, she regularly speaks at schools, festivals and universities throughout Australia and internationally. Sarah is also proud to be an ambassador for Room to Read.
