Alison Lester

Alison Jean Lester (born 17 November 1952) is an Australian author and illustrator who has published over 25 children's picture books and two young adult novels — The Quicksand Pony and The Snow Pony. In 2005 Lester won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book for her children's book, Are We There Yet?: A Journey Around Australia. Her books have been published worldwide.

Early years and education Alison Lester was born in Foster, Victoria, Australia. She grew up on a farm overlooking the sea. She was educated at St Margaret's School in Berwick, Victoria, where she stayed as a boarder. She achieved a higher diploma in teaching at the Melbourne Teachers' College, where she trained as a secondary arts and crafts teacher.

Career Lester taught for a while before starting a family and writing. She was also an illustrator for 5 years. Her first book was published in 1986.

Lester lives and works in South Gippsland, Victoria. She has a gallery and bookshop in Fish Creek. The titles are: When Frank Was Four, Tessa Snaps Snakes, Rosie Sips Spiders, Clive Eats Aligators, Ernie Dances To The Didgeridoo and Celeste Sails to Spain.

Some of her other well known books include; Imagine, The Journey Home, Kissed by the Moon and Noni the Pony. Both The Quicksand Pony and The Snow Pony became best-sellers in Australia.

Her 1990 best-seller, Magic Beach, was adapted as an animated film by Robert Connolly in 2024.

Awards and recognition Lester's books have received many honours. Her picture book, Clive Eats Alligators was commended in the Australian Picture Book of the Year Awards 1986, Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo was short-listed in 2000 for the same award and her experience-based picture book, The Journey Home, was honoured by the judges in 1990. Her novel, The Quicksand Pony, was named a CBCA Notable Book in 1997. Children's Book of the Year Award: Picture Book for Are We There Yet? A Journey Around Australia in 2005. Inaugural Australian Children's Laureate for Australian Children's Literature Alliance from 2011 to 2013. Awarded the Dromkeen Medal in 2016. Winner of the 2018 Melbourne Prize for Literature valued at $60,000. Lester became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours. Children's Book of the Year Award: Early Childhood for Trick's Bad Day in 2019.