Claire Saxby was born in Melbourne, moved to Newcastle as a toddler and to Bougainville Island in PNG when she was ten. She attended many schools around Australia before studying in Melbourne to become a podiatrist. For several years Claire worked in community health while simultaneously writing for children. Her books fall into three main categories: animals and the worlds they live in, history, and humour. Claire’s work has won several awards including CBCA Honour Book, a NSW Premier’s Literary Award, a SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, an Environment Award for Children’s Literature, an Educational Publishing Award and the Whitley Award multiple times. She is widely curious about just about everything and passionate about encouraging curiosity and wonder. Claire works part-time in a bookshop.

Photo courtesy of Allen & Unwin