Gabrielle Wang facts for kids

Gabrielle Wang is an amazing Australian writer and illustrator. She creates books for kids and young adults. She lives in Melbourne and has written more than 20 books over 20 years!

About Gabrielle Wang

Gabrielle Wang was born in Melbourne, Australia. Her family has been in Australia for a long time, since the Australian gold rushes in the mid-1800s. This means her great-great-grandparents came to Australia many years ago.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Gabrielle studied graphic design in Melbourne. She also learned about painting and language in Taiwan and China. Later, she taught Chinese at RMIT University in Melbourne. Her experiences of growing up with two different cultures often inspire her stories.

Her Books and Stories

Gabrielle Wang has written many popular books. One of her children's novels, A Ghost in my Suitcase, was even turned into a play! A theatre company called Barking Gecko Theatre performed it in 2019, touring it around.

Her books often explore themes of adventure, mystery, and cultural identity. They are loved by many young readers across Australia and beyond.

A Champion for Children's Books

In March 2022, Gabrielle Wang was given a very special role. She was named the Australian Children's Laureate for 2022–2023. This means she became a national champion for reading and children's literature in Australia. It's a big honor!

Awards and Recognition

Gabrielle Wang's books have won many awards and been recognized for their great stories and illustrations. Here are some of the awards her books have received:

• The Garden of Empress Cassia
  • Shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards in 2002 (Best Children's Long Fiction)
• The Pearl of Tiger Bay
  • Shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards in 2004 (Best Children's Long Fiction)
• The Lion Drummer
  • Named a Notable Book by the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards in 2009
• A Ghost in my Suitcase
  • Shortlisted for the Sakura Medal in 2011
  • Named a Notable Book by the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards in 2010
  • Shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards in 2009 (Best Children's Long Fiction)
• The Race for the Chinese Zodiac
  • Shortlisted for the WAYRBA, YABBA, and KOALA Awards in 2011 (These are popular children's choice awards in Australia)
• Our Australian Girl: Meet Poppy
  • Shortlisted for the YABBA, Kroc, COOL, and KOALA Awards in 2012
  • Shortlisted in the WAYRBA Awards in 2012
• The Wishbird
  • Named a Notable Book by the Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year Awards in 2014
  • Shortlisted for the Australian Book Design Awards in 2014
  • Shortlisted for the YABBA, Kroc, and KOALA Awards in 2014
  • Shortlisted for the Crystal Kite Award in 2014
• The Beast of Hushing Wood
  • Shortlisted for the Speech Pathology Awards in 2018
• Ting Ting the Ghosthunter
  • Shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards in 2018 (Best Long Children's Fiction)
• Zadie Ma and the Dog Who Chased the Moon
  • Shortlisted for the Children's Book Award, 2023 Queensland Literary Awards
  • Shortlisted for the Children's Award, 2023 Prime Minister's Literary Awards