Australia's Inaugural Children's Laureates

Much-loved children’s authors Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor are Australia’s first Children’s Laureates! Both are talented and award-winning storytellers who bring a wealth of experience and creativity to the position – Alison as a renowned author and illustrator, and Boori as a celebrated author, performer, dancer and poet.

As the Children’s Laureates for 2012 and 2013, Alison and Boori will act as national and international ambassadors for Australian children’s literature and will separately visit every state and territory inspiring young people to tell their own stories and be part of an active literary culture for enjoyment, wellbeing and success in life.

This prestigious national honour is the culmination of the work by the Australian Children’s Literature Alliance (ACLA) to promote the transformational power of reading, creativity and story in the lives of young Australians.

A new outstanding Australian author or illustrator of children’s literature will be appointed as a Laureate in January 2014.

Why were two Laureates chosen?

ACLA Chair Marj Osborne explains, “We are delighted to announce Alison and Boori as our joint inaugural Australian Children’s Laureates for 2012 and 2013. In them we found not one but two incredible individuals with the creative and passionate spirit we were looking for, so we made the unusual but exciting decision to appoint both.

While ACLA Board Member and illustrator Ann James says, "Alison and Boori have a lot in common ... both are storytellers, and each has generations of storytellers behind them.  They share their stories in a myriad of ways - oral, performance, visual, written - and both collaborate with other artists to bring their stories alive. Both place the land as a major character in their work , and importantly, both view children as real partners in their work. They are both inspiring, creative and passionate.

Which is why they both ended up neck and neck contenders for the inaugural Australian Children's Laureate (like this year's Melbourne Cup!). Then one of us on the Board said, 'Why don't we have two Laureates?' and we all agreed. Unusual, exciting! Typically Australian to go for breaking tradition."

Alison LesterBoori Monty Pryor