ELIZABETH HONEY

AUTHOR / ILLUSTRATOR

Elizabeth (Liz) Honey was a weedy child who always seemed to have a sore throat, so her parents didn't send her to school until she was nearly seven. The Honeys lived on a farm in the bush near Wonthaggi, Victoria. There were four kids and Liz was number three.

With her younger sister Mary, Liz puzzled over jigsaws, played with the dogs, climbed trees and one way or another did a lot of pretending, on horses or tractors, in dress-ups or with glove puppets, round old trucks, cubbies, dams and hay sheds. She also read countless books, fed the chooks and dreamt of being a trapeze artist.

Liz now lives in Richmond, Melbourne, with her graphic designer husband, her two grown-up children (who she used to test her stories on, and truth be know, still does!) and Dup, a scruffy little terrier. From her earliest writings, a selection of Piggy stories illustrated in colour pencil, including Lampwick and Piggy Catch a Wolf, Liz has gone on to write a number of picture books, poetry collections and YA novels.

Her books have been published in Germany, Italy, Korea, USA, UK and Canada.  Picture books include; PRINCESS BEATRICE AND THE ROTTEN ROBBERS, THE MAN IN THE MOON, NOT A NIBBLE and THE CHERRY DRESS.

HONEY SANDWHICH and MONGREL DOGGEREL, her two poetry books can also be added to the list, as well as her YA novels DON'T PAT THE WOMBAT!, WHAT DO YOU THINK, FEEZAL?, REMOTE MAN, 45 AND 47 STELLA STREET AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED (1994 CBC Honour Book), FIDDLE-BACK and her latest book THE BALLAD OF CAULDRON BAY.

CAULDREN BAY is perfect for tweens who are in no rush to enter adolescence, encouraging them to get out of the house, appreciate the environment, understand the importance of friendship and grow-up at their own pace. Liz's stories are action-packed, her characters engaging, and her style is fresh, funny and thought-provoking.

Book sessions with Liz.

How a book is made

The development of a children's picture book from idea to bookshop. Lots of show and tell and large scale on-the-spot drawing.

Danger! Author-Illustrator at work!

A biographical session: developing the ideas, materials used, working with the publisher, the difficulties and the satisfaction.

Make a little book

A workshop session where everyone makes and illustrates a little 16 page book.

Any of the above, a combination, or anything else that seems like a good idea.

FEEDBACK:

"Many thanks for helping to arrange our first ever Writer In Residence Program — Liz Honey Week. We had great attendance and all feedback from teachers, children and parents has been overwhelmingly positive."

- Darebin Library Service