Chatterbox Upper Primary A - Favourite Authors

Writer and illustrator Graeme
Base is probably best known for his book Animalia, an alphabet picture book. His illustrations are very detailed and can take years to complete. He wrote and illustrated his first (unpublished) book when he was eight years old. Base and his family moved from England to Melbourne, Australia when he was a child.

Base decided early in his career
to become a commercial artist. It seemed the perfect job—drawing pictures and being paid for it. Unfortunately, the industry was not quite what Base had imagined and he went through three jobs
in two years. Base plays both keyboard and guitar. His book
The Worst Band in the Universe contains a CD featuring some of his music. A musical version of another of his books, The Sign of the Seahorse, has been performed at the Melbourne Concert Hall. Base lives in Melbourne with his wife and three children.

Emily Rodda grew up in Sydney, Australia. She was an avid reader and studied
English Literature at the University of Sydney before beginning a career in publishing. Rodda writes about a diverse range of topics including heroes, monsters, fairies, teenagers and talking dogs. Her first book was released in 1984 and she has been a full-time writer since 1994. Rodda’s well-known series include Deltora Quest (three series in all) and Rowan of Rin. Emily Rodda is the pen name Jennifer Rowe uses for her children’s writing. She also writes adult mysteries under her own name. Rodda lives in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney. She has four children.