Dianne Wolfer facts for kids

Dianne Wolfer, born in 1961, is a well-known Australian author. She writes books especially for children and young adults. Dianne lives on the beautiful south coast of Western Australia.

Dianne Wolfer's Writing Journey

Dianne Wolfer has written many popular books. Her stories often win awards and are loved by young readers.

Award-Winning Books

In 2009, Dianne published a book called Lighthouse Girl. This book won the West Australian Young Readers' Book Award in 2010. It was also a finalist for the New South Wales Premier's History Awards in 2009. The story is based on a real person named Fay Howe. Fay was the daughter of a lighthouse keeper on Breaksea Island. She helped send messages to the ANZAC soldiers leaving for war in 1914.

Lighthouse Girl even helped inspire a big public art event. This was the Royal de Luxe The Giants story at the 2015 Perth International Arts Festival. The book has also been turned into a play by the Black Swan Theatre. In 2018, this play toured different parts of Western Australia.

Dianne wrote another book that goes with Lighthouse Girl. It is called Light Horse Boy. This book won the Children's Book Category at the 2014 Western Australian Premier's Book Awards. It was also honored at the 2014 Children's Book Council of Australia Awards.

A third book, In the Lamplight, came out in 2018. This book finished Dianne's special Light series.

Other Popular Stories

Dianne's first picture book was Photographs in the Mud. She got the idea for this book after visiting the Kokoda Track. This book is used in workshops around the world to teach about peaceful discussions. It has even been published in Japanese.

Her second picture book, Granny Grommet and Me, was a finalist for the 2014 Children's Book Council of Australia Awards. Another book, Nanna's Button Tin, was first published in Australia in 2017. It was then released in the United States in 2018.

Books for Young Adults

Dianne also writes novels for young adult (YA) readers. She studied at the University of Western Australia and finished her PhD in 2017. As part of her studies, she wrote two YA novels. These were The Shark Caller and The Dog with Seven Names. Both books were published by Penguin Random House.

The Shark Caller was a finalist for the 2016 West Australian Young Readers' Book Awards. It was also a notable book for the Children's Book Council of Australia in 2017. The Dog with Seven Names was a finalist for the 2019 NSW Premier's Literary Awards.

An earlier YA book by Dianne is called Choices. This book was praised by the Family Therapists Children's Literature Award. It has also been published in Polish.

Recent Achievements

From 2006 to 2012, Dianne was an advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) in Western Australia. This group helps writers and illustrators who create books for children.

In 2024, Dianne's book Scout and the Rescue Dogs won a big award. It received the Premier's Prize for Children's Book of the Year at the WA Premier's Book Awards.

Books by Dianne Wolfer

• Scout and the Rescue Dogs (2023) Walker Books Australia ISBN: 9781760655860
• Mia (2022) Allen & Unwin ISBN: 9781760877026
• Aussie STEM Stars : Skye Blackburn-Lang (2022) Wild Dingo Press ISBN: 9781925893694
• Aussie STEM Stars : Munjed Al Muderis (2020) Wild Dingo Press ISBN: 9781925893373
• Nanna's Button Tin (2018) Candlewick Press ISBN: 9780763680961
• The Dog with Seven Names (2018) Penguin Random House ISBN: 9780143787457
• In the Lamplight (2018) Fremantle Press ISBN: 9781925591224
• Nanna's Button Tin (2017) Walker Books Australia
• The Shark Caller (2016) Penguin Random House, ISBN: 978-0-14-378055-7
• Annie's Snails (2014)
• Granny Grommet and Me (2013)
• Light Horse Boy (2013)
• Lighthouse Girl (2009)
• The Kid Whose Mum Kept Possums in Her Bra (2006)
• Photographs in the Mud (2005)
• Horse Mad (2005)
• Scuba Kid (2004)
• Iron Kid (2003)
• Being Billy (2003)
• Jungle Trek (2003)
• Butterfly Notes (2002)
• Choices (2001)
• Border Line (1998)
• Dolphin Song (1995)