AustLit

Jackie French was born in Sydney and grew up in Brisbane, completing her education at the University of Queensland. In her early twenties she moved to a property in the Araluen Valley on the edge of the Deua wilderness, New South Wales, and later developed a career as a writer.

French's books for children and young adults have been well-received, winning many awards, including several from the Children's Book Council of Australia. Her works regularly appear on the Kids Own Australian Literature Awards (KOALA) and Young Australian Best Book Awards (YABBA) shortlists which are nominated by readers. She has spoken numerous times to groups of children and adults, and has frequently run writing workshops. Her writing and workshops often combine her concern for social issues with her love of nature.

French has published many gardening books and has been a columnist for Women's Weekly, Earth Garden, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Sunday Canberra Times. She appeared regularly on the television show Burke's Backyard. Her garden forms a significant part of her professional website, on which she describes herself as an author and ecologist.

French has been the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Children's Ambassador, and patron of several of organisations including Cool Club (an ACT library program to encourage children to read), At Home with Books (a program to encourage reading with foster children) and Wildcare (a project that looks after injured wildlife). She has also been a director of The Wombat Foundation.

French was the 2011 National Literacy Ambassador for National Literacy and Numeracy Week. In late 2013, she was selected as the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-2015. In 2015, she was Senior Australian of the Year. She has been the ACT Children’s Week Ambassador, 2011 Federal Literacy Ambassador, patron of Books for Kids, YESS, joint patron of Monkey Baa Theatre for Young People with Susanne Gervais and Morris Gleitzman, and a director of The Wombat Foundation.