Sally Rippin

Australian Children’s Laureate 2024-2025

Enormous congratulations to Sally Rippin who is the new Australian Children’s Laureate for 2024-2025. This is a mighty and well-deserved achievement and Sally will be an inspirational Laureate.

I promoted many of Sally’s books, amongst them Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and the Polly and Buster series, as a consultant for indie bookstores in Sydney and Brisbane and was highly impressed by her memoir Wild Things, which outlines her belated discovery that her third son had reading difficulties because he is dyslexic and has ADHD. She becomes an advocate for him, as well as others.

Our full interview can be read in the Weekend Australian  and follows some additional questions here first.

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Author Interview with Sally Rippin: Australian Children’s Laureate for 2024-2025 with Joy in Books for PaperbarkWords

I attended your excellent interview with Kate di Camillo at the Wheeler Centre in Melbourne a few years ago. How will your impressive range of skills as a mentor of authors and as an interviewer hold you in good stead as Laureate?

I believe if I have any skills in this area, it’s because I’m genuinely curious about people. I find that people are often very happy to be vulnerable and reveal themselves if they sense you are genuinely interested in them. And this includes children, of course. The best thing I learned from my youngest son in my endeavours to support him better, was to do less talking and more listening.

What is something you would like to share about dyslexia and ADHD?

Sadly, society too often judges people’s intelligence on their literacy skills. If I were to joke with you about how terrible I am at Maths or Physics, no one would think lesser of me. But if I say I’m bad at reading or spelling, immediately people will make assumptions about my intelligence, which is a terrible thing and can mean that many dyslexics grow up with enormous damage to their self esteem. I am really hoping to shine a very bright spotlight on this issue during my Laureateship.

I find it fascinating that you are most well-known as an author but that you are also an accomplished illustrator, seen in The Rainbirds (written by David Metzenthen), What a Mess, Fang Fang! and Where is Baby? Could you briefly explain the importance of illustrations in children’s books. Why do you do so much more book writing than book illustrating? What will you be doing illustration-wise on your Laureate tour?

I won’t be doing any illustrating, but will take every opportunity to showcase the wonderful illustrators I am lucky enough to work with. One of my ‘missions’ as Laureate is to remind people that books are the result of many hard-working people, not just the author, and I am keen to shine a spotlight on many of the fabulous people I get to work with. These days, I don’t illustrate much at all. I am a very slow illustrator, and my style doesn’t often suit the books I write, which is why I’m more than happy to let more skilled illustrators than me take over this part of the work!

You have such an impressive backlist of picture books, children’s books, series fiction and YA. I read that you are also involved in a picture book for the disabled /hearing impaired. Please tell us more.

Yes, I co-wrote a picture book with my good friend, Eliza Hull, musician and disability advocate, called Come Over To My House, which has been beautifully illustrated by Daniel Gray-Barnett. We wanted to create a book introducing children to families who live with all types of disabilities, as Eliza would often say she rarely saw kids like her in books and on TV when she was growing up. At the back of the book, we meet each of the children and learn about their favourite food, hobbies or sports, as well as a little about their disability, with the aim of normalising these conversations.

A few issues about children’s books are making the news at the moment. Would you like to comment on diversity in children’s books?

All the children’s publishers I know, many who are close friends, are constantly striving to broaden their lists and ensure they are effectively representing our readers.

I believe you’ve adapted your books for the screen. Please tell us a little more.

Watch this space! Nothing firm to report as yet, but I shall keep you posted.

What is your heart’s desire for young people regarding  books and reading?

I would really love for kids who struggle with reading not to feel shamed, or lesser, and for the adults around them to ensure they still have access to great stories, in whatever form they can best be shared. These days there are so many ways to access stories, from audiobooks to braille, and all reading is reading, whether a child chooses comics, cook books or catalogues.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Just what an honour and a privilege it is to be named the 8^th Australian Children’s Laureate. I walk in the footsteps of many great Laureates before me, here and overseas, and I am excited to do my best to bring the things I am most passionate about to this position. 

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My interview with Sally Rippin

Weekend Australian Review

24^th February 2024

How can we encourage children to read?

• By JOY LAWN
• 12:00AM FEBRUARY 24, 2024

Books are the only thing that Sally Rippin has ever stolen. Learning to read before starting school, she was obsessed with them and confides, “In kindergarten, while my mother was distracted talking to the teacher, I would often run out to the car with armfuls of picture books and post them through the open window, hoping no one would notice my thievery. Of course, I would always be made to return them to the classroom, but it wouldn’t stop me trying to smuggle others home the next day.”

Her appetite for books has led to a career in children’s literature as an author and occasional illustrator. She has published more than 100 books. These range from picture books to children’s fiction and a young adult novel. Her books are incredibly popular and the Billie B Brown, Hey Jack! and Polly and Buster series are credited with igniting many children’s interest and competence in reading.Rippin was this month announced as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2024-2025. The Laureate is a national and international ambassadorial role to promote Australian children’s literature and the transforming importance of books and reading. Rippin is preceded in the role by Gabrielle Wang, Ursula Dubosarsky, Morris Gleitzman, Leigh Hobbs, Jackie French, Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor and the Laureate mantle continues to grow in stature and reach. It is interesting that the Australian children’s literature community has supported and funded eight Laureates, while our adult publishing industry has not yet established a Laureateship.

When asked about the importance of the Laureate role, Rippin explained, “Discussion about children’s books can often be overlooked in mainstream media. Everyone understands the value of a literate nation, but we often disregard the fact that literacy begins in our first few years of life.

“We need to get better at identifying children who might need early intervention or extra support as soon as possible, otherwise the outcome can be devastating, as I learned from watching my youngest son’s struggles in school. My hope as the Children’s Laureate is that I can shine a light on some of these overlooked discussions and help create more understanding around neurodivergency and learning difficulties in the classroom.”

To get the word out about the issues that neurodivergent children may experience while learning to read, Rippin wrote Wild Things, which is an informed memoir (and guide) for adults about advocating for her son, whose learning was affected by dyslexia and ADHD. The book deserves the wider readership that the Laureateship will provide.

After coasting with two sons who learned to read almost through osmosis, she missed all the early signs that Sam, her third son was struggling. The problem was accentuated in Year 3 when children are expected to have learned to read and must now read to learn. A child who cannot read fluently by then starts to fall behind, causing exponential damage to their learning as well as their self-esteem.

When I asked what she would most like to share with parents and educators about dyslexia and ADHD that she wishes she’d known earlier, she replied, “Oh gosh – everything! Probably if I had to name the top things they would be early identification and intervention. Failing this, recognising the importance of advocacy, support and accommodations in the classroom and understanding and appreciating the strengths of neurodivergency, as well as the challenges.”

She hopes that by sharing her family’s challenges, others will be forewarned and equipped. Rippin consulted Sam throughout the writing of Wild Things and received his permission to publish. Her honesty about her own lack of awareness and failings are a core feature of the book.

“It seems to be the part of the book people most respond to, which confirms my belief that people really do connect most to stories told with authenticity and vulnerability.”

Australian children’s book legend Emily Rodda moved from writing lyrical critically acclaimed books (Rowan of Rin, The Best-Kept Secret, Pigs Might Fly) to books for struggling, disengaged or reluctant readers (Deltora Quest series) when her son was hooked on computer games. Both Rodda and Rippin write quality books across the gamut of literary and series fiction (the latter is not always known for its literary merit) but there is no doubt that once a children’s series takes off, it has a better chance of selling well because of pre-established marketing, bookstore shelf-space and repeat buyers and borrowers through ease of choice, familiarity and anticipation. Note Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s phenomenally popular Treehouse series and Jacqueline Harvey’s Alice-Miranda, Clementine Rose and Kensy & Max series as well as books by Paul Jennings, John Flanagan, Duncan Ball, Aaron Blabey, Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, Belinda Murrell, Deborah Abela, Tim Harris, Nat Amoore, A.L. Tait, R.A. Spratt and other Australians.

Pondering on what she thinks makes her Australia’s highest selling female author of children’s books, Rippin replies, “I find it easy to tap into my childhood self, especially my emotional landscape, and as a result I think my young readers find my characters authentic and relatable. I also work hard to create complex stories using simple and accessible language to engage all readers. I am of the mind that if the language I use prohibits my readers from accessing the stories I want to tell, then the book is not working. I will always run early drafts of anything new past readers from the demographic I am hoping to engage.”

To successfully engage those struggling and their advocates, as well as reaching a broad spectrum of readers over the past 20 years, Rippin elaborates, “I like to hope I have gained the trust of parents as well as educators. I had to learn to advocate for my son, so it’s easy for me to understand the frustrations of parents wanting better support for their neurodivergent children in an often-inflexible education system. But I have many friends who are teachers and have spent a lot of time in schools as an author, so I can also see the frustrations and often unrealistic expectations put upon our educators. Therefore, I like to hope by having a foot in both camps of literacy, as well as advocacy, I can perhaps help frustrated parties on both sides see the other’s perspective.”

In planning her upcoming Laureate talks, I wondered if Rippin would know if there’s a dyslexic or struggling reader in the room and what she would then do differently.

“I always assume there will be a few struggling readers in each group I’m speaking to, so make sure I openly talk about dyslexia to normalise and destigmatise it. Many of my characters face similar challenges in my stories, but show their strengths in other ways. Often after my talks, children will come up to me afterwards and say proudly: “I’m dyslexic!” This makes me really happy to hear as there is absolutely no reason why a child shouldn’t own their difference with pride. We will often then chat about all the things they are good at.”

Polly and Buster are the titular series book characters who personify Rippin’s Laureate mission, All kids can be readers. “These are two characters who within their everyday environment struggle to feel empowered and useful, but once they leave their confines they discover that what were once seen as weaknesses quickly translate to strengths. This is exactly what I discovered when I was interviewing neurodivergent adults for my book, Wild Things: that once they left school and discovered what they were good at, they would often thrive. However, having said this, many of them still carried emotional scars long into their adult lives. I believe we have the imagination to do better for our children during these important and formative years and my hope is that we can find more ways to support our teachers to better support our neurodivergent kids in the classroom, as well as build a society that celebrates difference.”

Sally Rippin believes that we are at an exciting time in children’s publishing with excellent books representing a diverse range of readers.

“All books invite us to explore another perspective as well as our internal selves. Children’s books are no different. I can’t think of a more effective way of expanding empathy than through sharing stories.”

Joy Lawn is a critic specialising in literary fiction, YA and children’s books.

Sally Rippin’s website

Books by Sally Rippin at Hardie Grant Children’s Publishing

Australian Children’s Laureate