Award-winning children’s author
As an Australian best-selling children’s author – I write stories for children to share with their grown-ups.
My award-winning children’s picture books and short stories connect with many.
I’m the CBCA 2022 Winner of Children’s Book of the Year – Early Childhood, the winner of the 2023 Aust Speech Pathology Book of the Year 5-8 yo’s for Jetty Jumping.
And I wrote the Notabled 2024 Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood for In the Rockpool. which is the hero face of Australian Picture Books for the 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair.
In 2024 I have been awarded the May Gibbs Literature Trust fellowship for Creative Time. More writing ahead!
I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Media, and Post-Graduate in Crisis Communications, which means I am very good at sniffing out stories and am quite calm during re-writes!
My notebooks are overflowing with new characters, and exciting settings and smudged with story-fuelling Cherry Ripes.
Summer is my favourite state of being, beaches are my happy place and books are my forever friends. I write from my house with towering book piles, tucked in amongst the sand dunes of Bunurong Country on the the Mornington Peninsula.
My love of words has joined forces with my love of children’s books.
I joyfully write children’s books and there are the robust makings of a YA novel currently taking shape too.
Jetty Jumping, illustrated by Hannah Sommerville, and published by Hardie Grant, was released in January 2021. It won the 2022 CBCA Children’s Picture Book of the year – Early Childhood. Thanks for loving it Australia!
Sunday Skating and In the Rockpool, were again illustrated by the most talented Hannah Sommerville and published by Hardie Grant.
In the Rockpool was awarded the 2024 CBCA Notable Picture book of the Year – Early Childhood.
We have several more on the way between 2024 – 2026!
I have appeared in several anthologies and collections, I’m the winner of the 2020 Hal Porter Short Story Award, 2023 Mulga Bill Writing Award and Highly Commended for 2024 Mulga Bill Writing Award
I write books for children, and books for grown-ups to love too. There’s a few other stories floating in the book-osphere waiting to land as well.
Teen Zines back for 2023
Teen Zine workshops for teens and women back in 2023 TeenZines and PenZines are back for 2023! Thanks to Mornington Peninsula Shire for their Creative Economy Grant support. I'll be hosting Teen Zine Making workshops for young people & a rather special women's...
Jetty Jumping at the Frankfurt Book Fair
Guten Tag Frankfurt! Pardon me if I look a little teary and grinny all at once. It's a pretty swell pinch-me moment to see Jetty Jumping perch happily on the Australian Publishing Association's stand at the Frankfurt Book Fair Frankfurter Buchmesse. Thanks to our...
Cutting the ribbon on the new Bentleigh library’s Story Time
I think I live here now! The new Bentleigh Glen Eira City Council - Libraries is all sorts of story-loving stunning! What an honour to be asked to be the first author to launch story time in their new space. A wonderful way to welcome back families and celebrate the...
Friends of Doveton Library short story award winners
Honoured to critique entries & present awards What a privilege to join young entrants tonight of the Friends of Doveton Library Casey Cardinia Libraries annual youth writing awards. I was moved and motivated by so many talented, insightful young writers in this...
Back for Book 2 with Hannah Sommerville
We're back! Hannah Sommerville and I are thrilled to share that we are working on our 2nd book together with Hardie Grant. We are thrilled to be collaborating and can’t wait to share our next picture book, Sunday Skating which is due out in June 2023. Watch...
School holidays story time Antipodes Bookstore
Come story time with me Super excited to be in store at my lovely local bookstore Antipodes Bookshop as the winner of the Children's Book Council of Australia Picture Book of the year - Early Childhood. This event had been scheduled to initially launch Book Week...
Diving into Fishy Stories
Come join me for the Fish Creek Children's Festival of Stories Super excited to share that I’ll be appearing at my favourite festival for young readers and writers, the fabulous Fishy Stories next weekend. Jetty Jumping in Fish Creek is going to be a tonne of fun and...
Jetty Jumping wins Picture Book of the year – Early Childhood
Thank you ... to the Children's Book Council of Australia for this honour - winning the Picture Book of the year - Early Childhood. Thank you so much for all the well wishes for the news that Jetty Jumping has been awarded the 2022 CBCA Picture Book of the Year for...
Got you covered for Book Week costumes
On the countdown for Book Week and stuck for ideas? Let Milla and her Jetty Jumping mates help you out! All you'll need is: board shorts rashie vest towel zinc cream or suncream and for extra costume oomph: a toy seagull a fish and chip wrapper a cardboard...
My name in the clouds with all of my idols
An absolute honour for a kid who was raised a library reader ... It's a new chapter for Somerville Library! They have reopened their doors with a fresh new look, and I think I recognise one of those authors hanging out in their new decor. I’m a little bit chuffed to...
Children’s Book Council of Australia Bravo’s
Cheers and celebrations during shortlist times As the countdown to the announcement for 2022 CBCA Book of the Year continues, the CBCA has been sharing a fabulously fun BRAVO campaign highlighting the work of all of the creators. Hannah Somerville and I have loved...
Sun Shadow Judging in Bendigo
Great to see you Kangaroo Flat PS The Children's Book Council of Australia Sun Shadow Judging project was an honour to be involved with. I loved our conversations about my creative process, the journey of Jetty Jumping, the reasons behind the language I chose, and the...
Highly Commended for Newcastle Short Story Writing Award
When a short story finds a home, and an award ... Thrilled to share that my short story GOOD SHOES has received a Highly Commended award in the Newcastle Short Story Award Hunter Writers Centre GOOD SHOES is a bittersweet story about coastal homelessness, female...
Actress Angourie Rice reads Jetty Jumping with Story Box Library
Story Box library shares Jetty Jumping Goodness! Well, that's rather special! Such an adorable story sharing by Australian actress Angourie Rice for Story Box Library It is a thrill to hear what this story means to Angourie and see her share the joy of Jetty Jumping....
Police Point Writer in Resident
I just pressed full stop on two weeks of writing in solitude "The only thing one can give an artist is leisure in which to work. To give an artist leisure is actually to take part in their creation.” - Ezra Pound Being awarded a two-week Mornington Peninsula Arts and...
Jetty Jumping makes it to the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge
Let's get reading Victorian school kids It's rather cool to find your picture book in classrooms and libraries across the land, as part of the Victorian Premiers' Reading Challenge. The program improves literacy skills, encouraging children to explore new worlds,...
Shortlisted Book of the Year
A shiny new shortlist sticker ... Illustrator Hannah Sommerville and I have several things in common, but this one makes me smile - we've always been drawn to books displaying the shiny CBCA stickers. And now we have our own! Thanks to the CBCA for shortlisting Jetty...
Jetty Jumping makes the Notables
I invented a new word .... ‘Shoy’ is a term to describe the state of shock and joy a debut author feels when their book is announced as a 2022 Notable Early Childhood Book in the Children's Book Council of Australia Children’s Book of the Year Awards. Sure, I may have...
Children’s Book Council of Australia Night of the Notables is coming
CBCA Night of the Notables is coming .... On the 22/2/22 I'll be joining fellow Aussie authors and illustrators for the 2022 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notables List. I can't wait to celebrate the incredible talent we have in this country and the stories readers...
New book contract!
Cake, cuppa, contract! And a little hint about my next book with Bright Light Publishing (an imprint of Hardie Grant Egmont) I can’t wait to roll this one out for readers! Stay tuned for more news soon. I loved writing this new book baby during lockdowns - it kept me...