French selected for NSW Senior Australian of the Year

Australian author Jackie French is a NSW finalist for the 2015 Senior Australian of the Year Award.

French, the Australian Children’s Laureate for 2014-15, is the author of over 140 books for adults and children. Her books, including the bestselling Diary of a Wombat (HarperCollins), have been translated into more than 30 languages, and she has been awarded more than 60 literary prizes for her work.

French, who has overcome dyslexia herself, is commended for her work as ‘a tireless advocate for children with learning difficulties’ and for ‘travelling the country to promote literacy and share the transformational power of reading, creativity and story-telling in the lives of young Australians’. Outside of books, French is also a director of The Wombat Foundation, which raises funds for research into the preservation of the endangered northern hairy nosed wombat.

The NSW Australian of the Year winners will be announced at a ceremony on 10 November. The four category winners are eligible for the Australian of the Year Awards, which are announced in January. To see the full list of nominees, click here.

Category: Local news