Diana Lawrenson

Diana Lawrenson writes straight and humorous non-fiction, and has harmonised it with picture book fiction, too. Her books have been short-listed for awards in Australia and the USA and are on the Premiers’ Reading Challenge Lists in several states. She enjoys researching material in a range of ways, and is mindful of maintaining children’s interest, believing non-fiction can be creative and a long way from dull. You can read an interview on her approach that she gave author and writing teacher Sherryl Clark on www.sherrylclark.com/dianalawrenson.html.

Diana will address children in primary school, letting them see how her ideas evolved into manuscripts and then into books. Fun workshops on non-fiction will stretch their imagination. She will also share her insights with adult audiences.

• Paraphernalia's Present (illus. Dee Huxley) 2008
• It's True! Your Bones are Stronger than Concrete 2007
• It's True! Your Hair Grows 15 Kilometres a Year 2004
• Guide Dogs from puppies to partners 2001
• Inside The Australian Ballet 1999
• Pickle the perfectly awful pig (illus. Craig Smith) 1999

Diana's recent book "Crocodile River" received the Whitley Award from the Royal Zoological Society of NSW for Best Children's Story 2009 whilst her picture book "Paraphernalia's Present" was recognised as a Notable Book in the 2009 CBCA Book of the Year Awards.

Your profile of crocodiles in a scientific framework was well suited to enhance the LOTE curriculum at our school. Your story combined both the Art and Music components into the LOTE areas of study within our curriculum and proved to be a success with the students , who were not only totally engaged but also very responsive.

(Mrs Eva Anderson, French Teacher, Toorak Primary School)