{{Short description|Australian writer and illustrator}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=November 2016}} {{Infobox writer |image = | | name =Alison Lester | honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=AUS|size=100%|AM}} | caption = | pseudonym = | birth_name = Alison Jean Lester | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1952|11|17}} | birth_place = Foster, Victoria, Australia | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Writer, illustrator | nationality = Australian | period = | genre = | subject = Children's picture books | movement = | notableworks = | influences = | influenced = | awards = Dromkeen Medal 2016 | signature = | website = }}
'''Alison Jean Lester''' {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AM}} (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.<ref name="Schooling">[http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A6260 AusLit: Alison Lester](accessed: 26-10-2015)</ref> She achieved a higher diploma in teaching at the Melbourne Teachers' College, where she trained as a secondary arts and crafts teacher.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last= |title=Alison Lester {{!}} AustLit: Discover Australian Stories |url=https://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A6260 |access-date=2022-06-01 |website=www.austlit.edu.au |language=en}}</ref>
==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. alt=External view of Alison Lester gallery and bookshop, Fish Creek|thumb|Alison Lester gallery and bookshop, Fish Creek Lester lives and works in South Gippsland, Victoria.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-24/south-gippsland-fish-creek-tea-cosy-festival/7438122|title=Fish Creek Tea Cosy Festival mixes traditional and quirky art|date=2016-05-24|newspaper=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2016-11-22}}</ref> She has a gallery and bookshop in Fish Creek.<ref name=":0" />
She visits primary schools as a guest speaker. Her picture books mix imaginary worlds with everyday life, encouraging children to believe in themselves and celebrate the differences that make themselves special.
=== 1979–2008 === {{Prose|section|date=January 2019}} '''1979''', began illustrating children's books
'''1985''', wrote first book, ''Clive Eats Alligators''
'''1985–2004''', writing and illustrating. Exhibitions at * Books Illustrated * Fremantle Children's Literature Centre * Des Bunyon Gallery * Dromkeen * Season's Gallery * McClelland Gallery
'''1993''', guest speaker at IBBY conference, Manila
'''1996''', received Writers Project Grant from the Australia Council to research the Spanish Riding school in Vienna
'''1999''', writer in residence at Tanglin Trust School, Singapore
'''2001''', guest speaker at Story Lines Festival, Auckland
'''2002''', visiting author at the Bologna Book Fair, Italy, sponsored by the Australia Council
'''2004''', guest speaker, [Simmons College], Boston, United States
'''2004''', visiting author to Seoul, [Korea] for Children's Book Week
'''2004''', visiting author, schools in [Tokyo]
'''2005''', traveled to Antarctica as an Australian Antarctic Arts Fellow for the Kids Antarctic Art project.
'''2005''', workshops and exhibition of ''Are We There Yet?'' in Japan as part of the Asialink literature touring program with the Aichi expo
'''2005''', photographer on tourist ship to Ross Sea region of Antarctica
'''2006''', ''Are We There Yet?'' illustrations exhibited in Taipei
'''2006''', first painting for the Kid's Antarctic Art project exhibited at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
'''2007''', visual artist on two voyages to Peninsula region of Antarctica.
'''2007''', Kid's Antarctic Art exhibition opens at Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
'''2007''', photographer and writer on voyage around Spitsbergen in the Arctic.
'''2008''', Kids Antarctic Art exhibited at Melbournestyle, South Melbourne, featuring selected works as larger canvasses.
==Books== Lester has written a series of picture books about seven children and their favourite things. This series of books is very popular among young children.[https://web.archive.org/web/20070901234616/http://www.allenandunwin.com/Authors/apLester.asp] The books have been published in many different languages.<ref>{{Cite web|url =https://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=311&author=203|title =Alison Lester|access-date =1 April 2015|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150402095458/https://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=311&author=203|archive-date =2 April 2015|url-status =dead|df =dmy-all}}</ref> 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''<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Cover Book Review|last = Allen|first = Nola|date = 2013|journal = Magpies|issue = 5|volume = 28|editor-last = Turton|editor-first = Rayma}}</ref> 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.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/magic_beach|title=Magic Beach|access-date=29 March 2025|website=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref>
==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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-06-11 |title=Books of the Year 1980 - 1989 |url=http://www.cbc.org.au/8089.htm#1986#1986 |access-date=2024-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611021653/http://www.cbc.org.au/8089.htm#1986#1986 |archive-date=11 June 2007 }}</ref> * 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.childrenslaureate.org.au/laureates/|title=The Laurates|website=Australian Children’s Laureate|access-date=22 Nov 2016|archive-date=22 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122053558/http://www.childrenslaureate.org.au/laureates/|url-status=dead}}</ref> * Awarded the Dromkeen Medal in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alison Lester awarded the 2016 Dromkeen Medal|url=http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2016/11/22/alison-lester-awarded-the-2016-dromkeen-medal/|website=ForeignAffairs.co.nz|access-date=22 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122154648/http://foreignaffairs.co.nz/2016/11/22/alison-lester-awarded-the-2016-dromkeen-medal/|archive-date=22 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Winner of the 2018 Melbourne Prize for Literature valued at $60,000.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/books/alison-lester-wins-the-60000-melbourne-prize-for-literature-20181114-h17vt7.html|title=Alison Lester wins the $60,000 Melbourne Prize for Literature|last=Steger|first=Jason|date=2018-11-14|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2018-11-14}}</ref> * Lester became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2019 Australia Day Honours.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hui |first1=Jin |title=Lester on Honours List |url=https://pakenham.starcommunity.com.au/news/2019-01-26/lester-on-honours-list/ |website=Pakenham Gazette |access-date=27 January 2019 |date=26 January 2019}}</ref> * Children's Book of the Year Award: Early Childhood for ''Trick's Bad Day'' in 2019.
==References== <references />
== External links == * [http://alisonlester.com/ Official website] {{Portal|Children and Young Adult Literature}}{{Children's Book of the Year Award: Eve Pownall Award for Information Books}}{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lester, Alison}} Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:Australian children's book illustrators Category:Australian children's writers Category:Australian women children's writers Category:Australian women children's book illustrators Category:Writers who illustrated their own writing Category:People from Foster, Victoria Category:Members of the Order of Australia Category:Writers from Victoria (state) Category:Australian Children's Laureate Category:2024 children's films