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author & illustrators

Jackie FrenchLives: Araluen Valley NSW.Author of: Over 100 books, including A Waltz for Matilda, Pennes for Hitler, The Road to Gundagai and The Diary of a Wombat Series.

Where did you go to school?I went to three schools, only one of which burnt down. (This was not my fault).

What is your favourite food/colour/movie? My favourite book is ‘lots’.

My favourite food is ‘lots’ too, specially iced watermelon and mangoes.

My favourite colour is purple, except if it’s cheese or grass or wombats.

Do you have a special place where you write?I write everywhere and anytime, except it doesn’t get written down when I am in the bath and no-one can read the notes made on scraps of paper. The legible bits are written at my desk, but need someone to correct the spelling and typos.

What is the best thing about being a writer?The great thing about being a writer is that you can talk to any famous person in the past and ride an elephant at the same time. Creating ideas needs practise, just like being a football player: the more you train, the better you are. The next great thing about being a writer is that you get paid to daydream.

Jackie French is the Australian National Children’s Laureate for 2014 and 2015.

Website (includes wombats) www.jackiefrench.com