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.
This was followed by the Notabled 2025 Picture Book of the Year – Early Childhood for Amid the Sand Dunes.
I am a May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust Fellow and 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. It’s follow-up Amid the Sand Dunes has been Notabled in the 2025 CBCA Picture Book of year celebrations.
I have several more books 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.
Festive wishes and here’s cheers to 2022
Seas and Greetings ... that's a wrap on 2022 Whoa, what a year that just was! It's been quite an incredible ride. Returning to life after 2 years of rolling COVID lockdowns, supporting a VCE Yr 12 child, reassembling my business after pandemic interruptions ... and...
Writing life and helpful advice
How I make it work for me (and my community) "How do you do it all?' is a question I am often asked about my copywriting, author and community life. Well, I love being helpful and over the last year or so I have shared a few chats and insights into creating my...
More, more, more book store visits and signings
Celebrating 25, 000 print copies of Jetty Jumping with bookstore visits With the 25,000th print run of Jetty Jumping just dropping, I’ve been leaping into city book signings again lately. There’s fresh stock unboxed and good to go across Melbourne and outer suburbs....
Surprise visit to the Wakakirri winners
When an award-winning author meets awards-winning performers! Today I paid a surprise visit to the Wakakirri Storytelling award-winning performers whose sensational reimagining of Jetty Jumping Hannah Sommerville and I spied on YouTube. We thought they deserved some...
Wakakirri win for Jetty Jumping and the kids of Cooma North
Congratulations Cooma North Public School! Cooma North Public School just made the most incredible splash on the national stage, and into our hearts! These talented students have just won the Wakakirri National Story Award for their interpretation of JETTY...
On the airwaves
Airwave chats with up and coming radio hosts I loved my chat with Gaby and Reka on Primary Perspectives which airs on 94.1FM 3WBC. The girls asked me questions about the journey of Jetty Jumping and what Hannah Sommerville and I are collaborating on next. There...
Podcast chats
Talking books and writing on guest podcast chats The November dance card has been full with several podcast chats. I loved chatting about the secret to a good fish taco, and my writing process with Ken on Reading with a Chance of Tacos. I tackled the 'Why I write'...
New book news for 2024
Announcing my next picture book contract Sometimes a city’s sweetheart needs a story of her own. Thrilled to share that I’ve signed a new children’s picture book contract with MidnightSun Publishing to bring the reimagined story of Melbourne’s Skipping Girl to young...
You’ve got (fan) mail!
Impeccable penmanship and adorable artwork Impeccable penmanship award goes to the students of St Thomas More's Catholic School Brighton-Le-Sands. (And they also get a Commendation for Tear Jerker Correpondance. These lovely letters in today’s post made me happy...
ABC story time for Jetty Jumping
Well, that's a pretty special story time Bellywhacks and bombies at bedtime with Emma Memma (Yellow Wiggle) reading Jetty Jumping on the ABC Kids Listen app.My children's picture book is now leaping into bedtime stories with Australian families. It debuted this week...
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...