Dorrie - cover reveal!

After the huge joy of writing on the life of May Gibbs (Mamie, A&R/HarperCollins Children's Books Australia, 2018), it made perfect sense to craft the story of Dorothy Wall – multi-talented artist and book creator, whose similarity to May is astonishing yet her life and works are far less known. You may know her as the creator of Australia’s iconic cheeky larrikin – Blinky Bill.

Crafting this book was glorious, as was working with the beautiful team at Harper Kids. A huge thank you to my amazing publisher Lisa Berryman, consummate editor Eve Tonelli, and the sensational Harper Design and MarComs team. I’m just so proud of this book and I can’t wait to share it with you. It’s out 1 February 2023!

Dorrie, like Mamie, is a picture book that sits outside the box of biographical content for kids. It’s not meant to be a literal tick-the-boxes, linear, adult-centric work. It’s a magical interpretation of Dorothy’s life (and yes, her family called her Dorrie!) that’s set in an indeterminate time and focuses on enchantment and the tender relationship of creator and her koala muse.

I’m hoping it will enchant young readers (and older!) with biographical elements imparted in a subtle way, mostly via visual narrative, but also plenty of clues in the text. And most of all, I’m hoping that Dorothy would be touched and proud of this homage to her short but impactful life. She truly was, among many other things, an incredible creator of story and image for children.

DORRIE

1 February 2023, Angus&Robertson/HarperCollins Children's, $24.99, hardcover, 9781460760109)
PRE-ORDER RIGHT HERE

BLURB

From the award-winning author-illustrator of Mamie comes a beautiful and inspiring picture book that celebrates Dorothy Wall, creator of the beloved Australian icon, Blinky Bill.

In the land of long, white clouds and snowy peaks, a little girl is born. Her name is Dorothy, but her family calls her Dorrie.

When Dorrie moves to a land of flat red deserts and squeaky beaches, a koala appears in a gumtree outside her window. This lovable larrikin brings a bundle of mischief ... and changes Dorrie's life forever.

From the award-winning creator of Mamie, Dorrie celebrates the beloved and talented Dorothy Wall, and her treasured Australian icon, Blinky Bill.