AUTHOR

Gabrielle Wang was born in Melbourne and is a fourth generation Australian-born Chinese. Her great grandfather came to Australia from China during the Gold Rush. After graduating in Graphic Design from RMIT, Gabrielle worked as a freelance designer.

Gabrielle's latest book is Little Paradise (Penguin 2010). Melbourne, 1943, and Mirabel is seventeen. She's leaving school, designing dresses, falling in love. Then fate intervenes, her forbidden affair is discovered, and JJ is posted back to China where a civil war is raging. Despite all warnings, Mirabel sets off for Shanghai to find him . . .

The Race for The Chinese Zodiac (Black Dog Books, 2009) is a gorgeous picture book for early childhood, illustrated by Sally Rippin and Regine Abos. A first picture book for Gabrielle, she hopes to pen many more! She has written for broad age groups, with picture books, 'Aussie Bites', and generay YA fiction.

As a child, Gabrielle was uncomfortable with being Chinese and considered herself a banana (yellow on the outside but with white on the inside). Growing up with little knowledge of her own culture, she decided to study Chinese language and painting in Taiwan. After spending five years there, she then went on to mainland China to further her studies in art and calligraphy.

She now feels very fortunate to have been born an Australian with a Chinese background. Her interest in Chinese philosophy influences much of her writing. Gabrielle currently writes and gives talks and workshops in schools. She lives with her husband and their two children, Lei and Ren.

THE GARDEN OF EMPRESS CASSIA (Puffin 2002)

In this novel, Gabrielle explores many of the issues that disturbed her as a child.

When Mimi is given a box of magical pastels, she finds she can draw pictures so beautiful and real that people's lives are changed. On the pavement in front of her inner-city home, she creates a magnificent garden with the bridges and pavilions, lakes and mountains. Passers-by are actually drawn into the picture of a place that is at once joyous and healing. But the pastels are ancient, mysterious and powerful, and when they are stolen by the dark hearted Gemma, Mimi must find a way to get them back before it destroys her.

THE PEARL OF TIGER BAY (Puffin 2004)

When Annie moves with her family to the seaside town of Tiger Bay, she finds a place full of secrets, mystery and a strange sadness. Most mysterious of all is Madame Olenka, who lives in the Pearl, a grand dilapidated hotel on the cliff above the township, and has not spoken to anyone in thirty years...

Awards:
CBC Book of the Year - Young Reader
Notable Book - 2009 for Lion Drummer: Aussie Bites

Aurealis Award - Children's Fiction
Winner - 2009 for A Ghost In My Suitcase

Aurealis Award - Children's Book
Short-listed - 2004 for The Pearl of Tiger Bay

W.A. Young Readers Book Award (WAYRA) - Young Reader
Long-listed - 2004 for The Garden of Empress Cassia

Qld Premier's Literary Award
Short-listed - 2003 for The Garden of Empress Cassia

SA Kanga Awards
Long-listed - 2003 for The Garden of Empress Cassia

Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Horror, stories - Children's Book
Winner - 2002 for The Garden of Empress Cassia

Family Award for Children's Books
Long-listed - 2002 for The Garden of Empress Cassia

THE HIDDEN MONASTERY (Puffin 2006) From the moment Peng fell from the stars as a tiny young creature, he and Jax have been connected. But it is not until twelve years later, when Jax stumbles across a mysterious monastery hidden deep in an ancient rainforest park, that he begins to discover his destiny - and what it means to be a Peng Master ...

TALKS to Primary Schools - duration 60 minutes including questions

Gabrielle's talks are based on her books, which reflect the multicultural nature of Australia. She discusses where her ideas have come from, how her Chinese background has influenced her writing and how children can explore their own identity and personal experiences to create stories. Gabrielle's talks are interactive and entertaining. She also brings to her sessions her illustrations and some special treasures that have inspired her writing.

Take a look at Gabrielle's own website.

"Students were truly inspired by Gabriel's personal stories and responded very positively to her warm but professional approach. Many said later that they enjoyed the writing experience, 'using all senses' and all loved drawing Deng. Those who had a book signed are really treasuring them and there has been a huge interest in wanting to borrow her books. Reference to the importance of the imagination and using your own memories has stayed with the children. A wonderful morning!"
– Colleen Rowe, Camberwell Grammar School, 2008

"I found Gabrielle to be fantastic. It was informative, interesting, hands on, creative and fun. The students had a ball."
- Amy Elliott, Goonawarra Primary School.

"It was a wonderful experience to meet an author of a book we have read together in class. Everyone enjoyed looking at her belongings she brought in to show usand her explanations of how she came up with the characters and names for her books. It was great to have met Gabrielle in person! She was a great inspiration!"
- Anita Maccora, Eltham College

"Wang's writing is poetic and evocative as she delves deep into her cultural background to present a different direction in writing for young readers...Using a good combination of nature, symbolism and spirituality, mystery and adventure, she has produced a novel that will entice many readers." (Five stars)
- Good Reading Magazine, July 2004

"A very imaginative, yet delicate story by a promising new Australian writer."
- Queensland Times, September 2002